Commencement FAQs

We are excited to celebrate the Classes of 2020 and 2021 in a University-wide Commencement Ceremony on Sunday, May 29, 2022, at 8:00 a.m. (ET). The ceremony will end at approximately 10:30 am (ET).

The Harvard community will come together to celebrate and honor members of the Class of 2020 and the Class of 2021 from across the University in a joint ceremony in Tercentenary Theater. Each school will also host special events for their graduates on their campuses during the weekend of May 28-29.

Each school will host special events for their graduates during the weekend of May 28-29. For more information, visit your School’s website.

Harvard Yard gates will open at 6:30 a.m. A ticket will be required to enter Harvard Yard, the site of Commencement for the Classes of 2020 and 2021. While a ticket grants admission into Harvard Yard, it does not guarantee a seat. Seating is available on a first-come basis and cannot be reserved.

All persons, bags, and personal items are subject to inspection before entering Harvard Yard. No backpacks of any type or bags larger than 12” x 12”x 12” will be permitted inside the Yard. Strollers are permitted only in the Old Yard and not in Tercentenary Theatre.

Yes, the ceremony will be live streamed on the Harvard University website. Additional viewing is available in the Science Center and at most of the undergraduate Houses and Graduate / Professional Schools. The ceremony may also be viewed Comcast 283 in metro Boston.

All visitors looking for Commencement Day parking, including guests needing accessible parking, should proceed to the Soldiers Field Park Garage on the Harvard Business School Campus, located at 111 Western Avenue in Allston. Signs will be posted directing traffic to Soldiers Field Park Garage or a nearby overflow lot. Please note that all parking is on first-come, first-served basis, and is in satellite parking areas. This parking will be available beginning at 6:00 a.m. Additional information can be found on the University’s Commencement website.

Shuttles will run between the Soldiers Field Park Garage (details above) to Harvard Square. We will also provide shuttle service from the Radcliff Quad to Harvard Square near the Yard. Shuttle buses will run between 6:00 a.m. and 11:30 p.m. on May 29. All vehicles are fully accessible for guests using wheelchairs and other mobility devices. Additional details on the Harvard shuttle services can be found on the University’s Commencement website. In addition, the University will provide shuttles to the Yard from the following hotels, departing at 6:15 a.m. on Sunday, May 29: Marriott Copley Square, Westin Copley, Liberty Hotel, Row Hotel at Assembly Row, and the AC Marriott Boston North.

Harvard University welcomes all graduates and guests with disabilities to participate in the University-wide Commencement on Sunday, May 29.  For details on services offered, please visit the “Guests with Disabilities” section of the University’s Commencement website.

We are committed to a ceremony with the pomp and circumstance of a traditional Commencement, including a processional during which graduates will be expected to wear the appropriate regalia.  The deadline to order regalia has passed. However, the Harvard COOP will have regalia available for purchase in person on a first-come, first-served basis between May 19 and May 29, or until supplies are gone.

Each graduate will receive up to three guest tickets to the University-wide Commencement ceremony so that family and friends can take part in celebrating the hard work and perseverance of our graduates. The University-wide ceremony will also be livestreamed for family and friends who cannot attend.

Campus housing on the Cambridge campus will be offered to graduates for the nights of Saturday, May 28 and Sunday, May 29. We will endeavor to accommodate all graduates who request housing, but we will be limited by availability and will be unable to guarantee specific locations. As part of the registration process, you will be able to request campus accommodations. All those who receive housing will be notified in early May.

In order to ensure the maximum number of graduates can secure campus housing, the University will not be able to provide campus housing for families and guests.

While staying on campus offers the opportunity to enjoy a convenient location, campus housing does not typically include the same amenities as a hotel room. Though subject to change, you can plan that your room will be equipped with beds, fresh linens, a pillow, fresh towels, and soap. Please note, campus accommodations often have shared bathrooms and may not include air conditioning.

We have negotiated group rates at several area hotels, details of which can be found on the Accommodations page. In addition, graduates, families, and guests can find a helpful list of other accommodation options on Harvard’s Commencement website.

We are thrilled to be able to welcome graduates back to campus with no cost for any of the University or School events related to these celebrations.

All visitors to campus including both graduates and their families and guests will be required to follow all state, local, and University policies in place at the time of their visit. Please visit the Commencement website to stay up to date on current protocols.

The University strongly encourages all guests to be fully vaccinated and boosted (if eligible) and if unvaccinated to complete a COVID-19 (PCR or antigen) test before arriving on campus. However, at this time, proof of vaccination or a negative test will not be required to attend the University-wide celebration or stay in campus housing.

The health and safety of our community, including these graduates, is paramount. The University will continue to actively monitor public health conditions, but we are confident we can safely celebrate these graduating classes on campus by following COVID protocols.

Please send questions and comments to commencement_20and21@harvard.edu. We will be updating this website and the School websites as plans evolve so please check back regularly. We will also be emailing graduates with updates throughout the coming months as new information becomes available.