Graduate Division

Promoting Graduate Education

UCR Pipe Band

Commencement 2024

PhD and MFA Hooding Ceremony

Commencement 2024 for PhD and MFA students will be on Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 9:00am in the Student Recreation Center. 

Please visit https://commencement.ucr.edu/  to view recordings of the commencement ceremonies.

More information about commencement 2024 will be announced as soon as January 2024.  Please visit www.commencement.ucr.edu for information.

PhD Graduates and Candidates

  • Step 1: Apply to Graduate

    Submit the Online Graduation Application via R'Web - see the chart of deadlines.

  • Step 2: Confirm Your Research Advisor's Attendance

    Confirm your Research Advisor's attendance at the ceremony and ask them to confirm their attendance with the Commencement Office by April 21, 2024 

    All PhD and MFA Candidates will be hooded by their research advisor on stage at the Graduate Division Hooding Ceremony.  If your advisor is not able to attend the ceremony, it is your responsibility to find someone else to hood you and report that information on your commencement RSVP (step 3).

  • Step 3: Confirm Your Participation and Order Your Tickets

    If the Graduate Division has determined that you are eligible to participate in commencement, you will receive an email from the Commencement Office starting April 17, 2024.  Follow the link in the email to confirm your participation.  Commencement registration for students opens on date TBA. 

    If you believe you are eligible but have not received an email from the Commencement Office by April 17, 2024, please complete the following steps:

    1. Check your student profile in R'Web to verify that you have completed a graduation application.  If you have not, please do so right away.  Once you complete the graduation application, you should receive an email from the Commencement Office within 2 business days.
    2. If you have completed Step 1 and still have not received an email, please contact GAA@ucr.edu.

Master's Graduates and Candidates

  • Step 1: Submit the Application for Candidacy

    Submit the Application for Candidacy for the Master's Degree via R'Grad.  See the chart of deadlines.

  • Step 2: Apply to Graduate

    Submit the Online Graduation Application via R'Web.  See the chart of deadlines.

  • Step 3: MFA Candidates ONLY - Confirm Your Research Advisor's Attendance

    MFA students must confirm their Research Advisor's attendance at the ceremony and ask the advisor to confirm their attendance with the Commencement Office by April 21, 2024.

    All PhD and MFA Candidates will have the opportunity to be hooded by their research advisor on stage at the Graduate Division Hooding Ceremony on Date, Time and Location TBA.  If your advisor is not able to attend the ceremony, it is your responsibility to find someone else to hood you and report that information on your commencement RSVP (step 4).

  • Step 4: Confirm Your Participation and Order Your Tickets

    If the Graduate Division has determined that you are eligible to participate in commencement, you will receive an email from the Commencement Office by April 17, 2024. Follow the link in the email to confirm your participation.  Commencement registration (Intent to Participate) for students opens on April 17, 2024.

    If you believe you are eligible but have not received an email from the Commencement Office please complete the following steps: 

    1. Check your Student Profile in R’Web to verify that you have completed a graduation application. If you have not, please do so right away. Once you complete the graduation application, you should receive an email from the Commencement Office within 2 business days. 

    1. If you have completed Step 1 and still have not received an email, please contact GAA@ucr.edu.

Additional Information

 

Watkins Commencement Award 

Congratulations to Valeria Dominguez (PhD, Education, Higher Education Administration & Policy), the Dr. Gordon and Anna Watkins Award winner 2023!

The Watkins award was established in 1956 by the student body to honor UCR’s First Provost and his wife. It is presented to a graduating master’s degree or PhD student for outstanding campus and/or community service. A cumulative GPA of 3.5 is required at the time of application. A lifetime membership in the UCR Alumni Association and a $500 gift will be presented.  

The Watkins Commencement Award Application should be submitted by April 1st.  Self-nominations are acceptable. 

Previous winners are Roxana Coreas (PhD, Environmental Toxicology), Ryan Moruzzi, Jr. (PhD, Mathematics), Nicolette Rohr (PhD, History), Marcela Ramirez (PhD, Education), Jessica Tsai Wen (PhD, Bioengineering), Tanya Rawal (MA,  Comparative Literature), Thanh Dinh (PhD, Plant Biology), and Blake Coffin (MBA, Management).

International Students

International students who would like to invite family to attend commencement from overseas should use this template to write the invitation letter.  UCR does not issue commencement invitation letters.  For more details, please contact International Student Services.

Graduation Quarter Eligibility Requirements

If you graduated or will graduate in...

Summer 2023
1.  Contact GAA@ucr.edu in order to be included on the eligibility list.
2.  Follow step 3 (PhD) or 4 (Master's) at the top of this page.  Eligible students will be sent an email with a customized link with RSVP information starting April 17, 2024.

Fall 2023
Students who have not previously participated in commencement for their earned degree will be sent an email with a customized link with RSVP information starting April 17, 2023.

Winter 2024
Students who have not previously participated in commencement for their earned degree will be sent an email with a customized link with RSVP information starting April 17, 2023.

Spring 2024
Follow the steps at the top of this page.  Apply for graduation by 4/10/23 to be eligible for commencement consideration.  Other requirements also apply - you must meet the GPA requirement for graduation (3.0 and above for graduate students) and be advanced to candidacy for the degree.  
Eligible students will be sent an email with a customized link with RSVP information starting April 17, 2024.

Summer 2024
Follow the steps at the top of this page.  Apply for graduation by 4/10/23 to be eligible for commencement consideration.  Other requirements also apply - you must meet the GPA requirement for graduation (3.0 and above for graduate students) and be advanced to candidacy for the degree.   
Eligible students will be sent an email with a customized link with RSVP information on or around April 17, 2024.

Fall 2024 and later
Students graduating in Fall 2024 and beyond are NOT eligible to participate in the June 2024 ceremony.  Please plan to join us in a future ceremony.