Graduates in commencement regalia clap and laugh as they celebrate with one another.

Commencement

A record audience gathered to watch their loved ones graduate in Founders Park. Photo by Loreen Sarkis/Capture Imaging.

2026 marks the 143rd Commencement Ceremony at the University of Southern California. The Commencement 2026 events will take place from Wednesday, May 13, 2026, to Saturday, May 16, 2026.

Main USC Ceremony

The Main Stage Commencement Ceremony will be held in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026. This landmark celebration will include the official conferral of degrees for the Class of 2026, along with the presentation of honorary degrees, a keynote address, and more!

Dramatic Arts School Ceremony

The USC School of Dramatic Arts school ceremony for all degree programs will take place on Friday, May 15, 2026, at 1:00 pm in Epstein Family Plaza (E-Quad). The ceremony will last for approximately 2 hours.

Live Webcast for the Commencement Ceremony

There will be a live webcast of the school ceremony accessible through the university’s commencement virtual platform.

Ticketing

There will be no ticketing for the USC School of Dramatic Arts school ceremony

Mandatory Rehearsal

Please check back for information about the mandatory commencement rehearsal. Thanks to the School of Dramatic Arts, free Honor Cords will be distributed at the rehearsal to those undergraduate students with a 3.5 GPA in USC coursework determined after the fall 2025 posting of grades (excludes spring 2026 grades).

Post-Ceremony Details

Following the ceremony, the Bing Theatre will be open for a commencement send-off experience and special photo opportunities to commemorate this milestone. No refreshments will be served, so families are encouraged to plan their own celebrations.

General Commencement Information

Grad Fest

The 2026 Grad Fest will be held in person, at the Ronal Tutor Campus Center Ballroom on February 11th and 12th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Grad Fest is your one-stop way to get all the information you need about Commencement. All soon-to-be graduates are encouraged to stop by Grad Fest for answers to questions or to purchase Commencement-related products.

Cap & Gown Rentals

Ordering, measurement and distribution of regalia will take place at the USC Bookstore patio on the first floor beginning in late April or early May.

For more information and to purchase or rent regalia, sashes, or announcements online, visit the USC Bookstore commencement page.

Graduate students, please note your hood color before renting regalia:

  • Master of Fine Arts, Acting: Brown
  • Master of Fine Arts, Dramatic Writing: Brown

Baccalaureate Ceremony

Baccalaureate is a non-denominational, inter-faith celebration open to all students and their guests, taking place on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at 5 p.m. in Bovard Auditorium. No tickets are required; seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. No regalia is required for students. Learn more about Baccalaureate.

Accessibility Information

For guests with disabilities or accessibility needs, please visit the USC Commencement website for information regarding parking and seating for both the university-wide commencement ceremony and the USC School of Dramatic Arts ceremony. When completing the USC School of Dramatic Arts student registration form, please indicate any accessibility needs for
your guests attending the School of Dramatic Arts ceremony. Students will be contacted in April to confirm and coordinate special arrangements for the School of Dramatic Arts ceremony. Please note that accessibility accommodations for the university-wide ceremony must be arranged separately through the USC Commencement Website.

If you would like to drop off guests with wheelchairs on campus, please enter campus at the Royal Street Entrance (located on Jefferson Blvd. at the Royal Street Intersection. If guests require the usage of a wheelchair, the University has a limited number of wheelchairs for checkout, free of charge, behind Leavey Library on West 34th Street. Check-in begins at 6:00 a.m. and all wheelchairs must be returned by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, May 15th.

Parking

Parking on campus is FREE on Commencement Day, but spaces fill up quickly. Additional parking is available at the University Parking Center, located on the corner of Jefferson Boulevard and Grand Avenue. Trams will be available to take guests from the Parking Center to campus.

More information

Additional information may be found at the USC Commencement website.

For more information call 213-740-3149 or email sdaevent@usc.edu.

Registration

If you are a student eligible to participate in commencement for the USC School of Dramatic Arts, registration is required. Deadline to
register is March 2, 2026, at 12:00 pm. No late registrations will be accepted. If you will not be participating in commencement, please continue to register and indicate that you will not be participating.


Link to register:
https://uscsda.formstack.com/forms/sdagrad