Commencement Eligibility and Timeline | Undergraduate Degrees

Eligibility

If you have submitted your Senior Audit and are on track to complete your degree requirements between August 2025 and May 2026, you will be invited to participate in Commencement 2026 on May 15, 2026.

Exemptions to Eligibility Requirements

Participating in the May 2026 Commencement ceremony without finishing degree requirements/credits (i.e. without accumulating at least 128 unique credits) is a privilege reserved only for undergraduates who meet specific criteria. 

If you are not completing your degree requirements by May 2026, you may submit a petition to participate in May Commencement if you meet both of the following criteria:

1. You must be within 2 courses of completing all degree requirements/credits (all-college/PLAN requirements & major requirements) at the end of the Spring 2026 semester, AND
2. You must complete all degree requirements/credits by the end of Summer 2026.

If you satisfy both of the criteria above and wish to submit a Petition to Participate in Commencement for approval, please obtain your program advisor's signature, and submit it to [email protected] before March 20, 2026.

Please Note: You must submit a Petition for Transfer Credit for each course you take over Summer 2026 outside of Simmons before May 15, 2026. Failure to submit a Petition for each course taken outside of Simmons might delay the date of your graduation.

May 2026 Graduation Timeline

• January 30, 2026: Last day to verify your Degree Date and Diploma Name in Workday (updates to Degree Date or Diploma Name can be requested at [email protected])
• March 27, 2026: Last day to update contact information in Workday for Commencement invitations and post-graduation communications (personal email address, phone number, mailing address)
• April 1, 2026: Invitations to RSVP for May Commencement received via email from MarchingOrder
• April 17, 2026: Commencement Student Speaker Applications and Demos Due (Form TBA)
• April 18, 2026: Last Day to RSVP for the May Commencement Ceremonies
• April 28, 2026: Last Day to Order Regalia for May Commencement
• May 15, 2026: May Commencement Ceremonies (In Person & Streaming). Diplomas will be available to pick up in the Main College Building at 300 Fenway until 5:00 pm on the day of Commencement.
• May 18 – 22, 2026: Diplomas will be available to pickup at the Simmons OneStop (2nd Floor of the Main College Building) between 8:30 am and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Photo identification is required. Diplomas that are not picked up will be mailed to graduates in early June.