Master’s Commencement Ceremony
Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | 7 p.m. | University Stadium
Congratulations to those students who are nearly finished with their master’s degree. We look forward to celebrating your achievements with you!

Commencement takes place before you have officially graduated and is where we celebrate your accomplishments in a public ceremony held at the University Stadium. Commencement is when graduates (and candidates for graduation) are recognized by walking across the stage.
Note: there is not a separate fall Commencement Ceremony for fall graduates. All students who graduate in the fall semester have the option of participating in the spring Commencement Ceremony in May.

Both are treated separately in how you apply and participate. Applying for graduation does not automatically register you to walk in Commencement.
Please read the following important information carefully to learn more about these different processes and what to do, and when.
How To File For Graduation and Register For Commencement
- Step 1: Apply to Graduate and Register for Commencement
- Instructions for those graduating in May 2024
- Instructions for those who graduated in summer 2023 or fall 2023
- Instructions for those who plan to graduate in summer 2024 or fall 2024
- Register to walk at Commencement 2024 and more – Registration Not Currently Open
- Instructions for those graduating in May 2024
- Step 2: Update Your Name, if Necessary
This step is only for students planning to participate in the spring 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
The University uses each student’s preferred name listed on their Portal account for the Commencement Ceremony Program. If you want to change your preferred name, you must do so by February 2024.
Please login to your Portal to make sure your preferred name is spelled correctly and is exactly as you want it to appear in the Commencement Ceremony program and on your diploma. You can make any necessary corrections by following these steps:
- log in to your Portal
- click on “Student Center”
- make the change under “Profile”
*Please note: The deadline to make all preferred name corrections is February 2024, and, yes, this deadline is before registration opens for the May 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
- What if I Applied to Graduate in a Previous Semester?
If you applied for graduation in a previous semester but did not graduate, you can reapply for the spring 2024 graduation.
Use this application (PDF) to reapply by February 2024. There is an $8 fee to reapply, rather than the initial fee of $68. Instructions for paying the fee online are on the form.
The completed form and email receipt should be sent to the Office of Graduate Studies by the February deadline.
Be sure to register for the Commencement Ceremony if you wish to participate and did not walk in a previous year.
You do not need to submit another Graduation Clearance form if you have already submitted one.
If you are a 2024 summer or fall graduate and do not plan to register for and walk early in the 2024 Commencement, you do not need to apply for graduation at this time. Please refer to the Office of Graduate Studies website deadlines page to determine the regularly scheduled graduation application deadlines for summer 2024 and fall 2024.
Dates/Deadlines to Apply to Graduate and Register for the Commencement Ceremony
Action | Deadline Date |
Apply to Graduate | February 2024 |
Update Your Preferred Name for the Printed Commencement Ceremony Program | Friday, February 16, 2024 |
Pre-order cap and gown rentals can be picked up from the Wildcat Store | March 2024 |
Register for Commencement | Friday, April 19, 2024 (tentative date–registration is not yet open) |
Didn’t get a chance to pre-order your cap and gown online? Walk-ins for cap & gown rentals can be made at the Wildcat Bookstore during normal store hours. Contact the Wildcat Store at (530) 898-5223 for their hours during Commencement week. | May 2024 |
Digital GradPass will be sent to your Wildcat email address with the subject line as “Here is your GradPass!” The GradPass serves as the graduate’s ticket entry into the stadium and will have the name displayed and announced on the jumbotron. | May 2024 |
Attend the Commencement Ceremony at the University Stadium | Wednesday, May 15, 2024 7 p.m. | University Stadium |
More to Come
Feel free to contact us or stop by our office in Student Services Center (SSC) 460 or email gradcommencement@csuchico.edu if you have any questions or concerns. Additional information can also be found on the campus Commencement page.