University Commencement
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
The University President presides over this historic moment. Degrees are symbolically conferred en masse upon graduating students from Columbia’s nineteen schools, colleges, and affiliate institutions.
School Ceremonies
Each of Columbia’s nineteen schools and institutions conduct their own ceremony to honor the accomplishments of their graduating class, where each graduate has the opportunity to be announced and walk across the stage. Sometimes called Class Day, Graduation, or Convocation, these celebrations are typically smaller in size and more intimate than University Commencement.
BACCALAUREATE SERVICE
The Baccalaureate Service is a multifaith service celebrating the completion of each undergraduate's academic career from Columbia College, The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School of General Studies, and Barnard College.
Commissioning Ceremony
This historic ceremony celebrates Columbia University graduates as they matriculate from their Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) programs and become commissioned officers in the United States Military.
Columbia’s Multicultural and Affinity Celebrations
In addition to the university-wide Commencement ceremony and each school’s class day, our undergraduate students, with campus partners, organize Multicultural and Affinity Celebrations to honor the cultural intersections in their lives and recognize the communities to which they belong. These celebrations are open to anyone in the Columbia community who would like to celebrate a particular culture or group.