Commencement FAQ

Commencement is held at the Dignity Health Arena. Graduates will check in at the front of the arena (Truxtun Ave.) near the ticket booth.

Students who are eligible to participate in commencement will receive a letter to register for commencement. Deadlines to apply are on the Office of the Registrar's graduation webpage.

If a student misses the deadline to submit their graduation application, the form will default to the next graduation term. It is the student's responsibility to email graduation@csub.edu to inform the evaluators their intent to graduate is the current term.

Students will have completed a graduation application through the link provided on their myCSUB student portal and pay the required fee.

The evaluations team will respond via CSUB email to the student if the application was approved or denied. Denied applications will need to be followed up with the evaluations office as soon as possible in order to be re-instated to the commencement eligibility list. Graduates will email their evaluator or graduation@csub.edu for questions.

Final list of eligible graduates will be submitted by the Registrar's Office to the Commencement office the Friday prior to the first day to RSVP to participate in the commencement ceremony. 

Students are responsible to to ensure the correct graduation term is listed in myCSUB to be included on the eligible graduates list.

Graduates can purchase their cap and gown in person beginning at ‘Runner Grad Day.

After ‘Runner Grad Day, graduates may purchase their cap and gown in the CSUB Bookstore (Bakersfield Campus only) while supplies last.

Online purchase for delivery to home option is open and will close Sunday, November 9.

Students are welcome to decorate their cap. Cap decorum must be tasteful and respectful.

Yes, students' names will be read out loud as they cross the stage.

Students must RSVP to confirm the name that will be announced at the ceremony. 

Students will have the opportunity to view their name to be read and to record on how it is to be pronounced during the RSVP process. This will assist the person who records the graduates' names.

Diploma Name
The Commencement Office doesn't make changes to the name printed on the diplomas. If a graduate wants a different name printed on their diploma than when they originally submitted their graduation application, email graduation@csub.edu to make the name change. 

For each commencement, guest tickets vary based on the number of graduates and how many RSVP. Graduates should refer to their ceremony for the number of tickets that will be issued.

All guests four years and older are required to have a guest ticket to enter the venue.

Guests three years and younger are considered lap children and do not require a guest ticket to enter the venue.

Parking is available in the county parking structure for a fee or on the street. Please review street signage when parking on the street.

A limited number of disabled parking spaces are in front of the arena.

Honors are awarded to undergraduate students only who have completed at least 40 letter-graded units of resident credit at CSUB as part of their baccalaureate program. Honors status is determined by your GPA. Both CSUB and overall GPA must meet the GPA criteria indicated below. Students may locate their GPA in the student portal. The Commencement Office does not have access to students' GPAs.

Students may check their myCSUB transcript for GPA information and calculate their expected grades for the current term to determine honors status.

There is only one honors cord, which is gold. Students may purchase an honors cord when they purchase their regalia. 

Both the CSUB GPA and Overall GPA must meet the GPA requirements indicated below. 

• Summa cum laude: 3.9 to 4.0 GPA
• Magna cum laude: 3.6 to 3.89 GPA
• Cum laude: 3.3 to 3.59 GPA

Fall Graduates - Students who finish their degree required courses by the fall term and have an active graduation application on file at the Office of the Registrar are eligible candidates to participate in the fall commencement.

Spring Graduates - Students who finish their degree required courses in the spring term and have an active graduation application on file at the Office of the Registrar will be eligible candidates to participate in the spring commencement 

Summer Graduates - Summer graduates are eligible to participate in the fall or spring commencements. Summer graduates who want to participate in the spring commencement must be enrolled in their summer courses to be eligible to walk and submit their unofficial transcript showing their enrolled summer courses on the transcript to the commencement office by Thursday, May 8. 

If a student changes their grad check application to a different term, the student will be removed from the eligibility list and the Commencement Office will notify the student via email of their ineligibility to participate in commencement.

In an effort to make commencement a pleasant experience for all guests and participants, the following items are prohibited at commencement:

• Purses, backpacks, and totes (Clear backpacks/purses are acceptable)
• Umbrellas
• Air horns
• Noise makers
• Signs
• Balloons
• Beach balls
• Outside food/drinks. Exception: Formula and/or food for infants, toddlers, and for medical needs.
• Camera tripods
• Selfie sticks
• Alcohol
• Illegal drugs/narcotics
• Fireworks
• Firearms/weapons
• Smoking, vaping and other tobacco-related products. CSUB is a smoke-free campus.

Violation of these rules will result in removal from the venue.

Students who have special requests can email commencement@csub.edu.

Yes, all commencement ceremonies will be livestreamed. To view the livestream, visit the Commencement Live page.

All ceremonies are posted on the CSUB YouTube channel under the Live tab on YouTube CSUB.

Diplomas are mailed to graduates 4-6 weeks after final grades post. 

If you want to pick up your diploma, indicate "pick-up" on your application for graduation. If you arrange for someone to pick up your diploma, he/she must have written authorization from you, and provide proper identification.

Summer graduates may participate in spring or fall commencements.

For spring commencement participation, the graduate will need to enroll in their summer courses, submit their unofficial transcript showing their summer courses on the transcript to the Commencement Office at commencement@csub.edu before the RSVP closes.

For fall commencement participation, summer graduates will be on the eligible graduates list to participate in commencement and will not be required to submit any documentation.

Minors are not part of commencement. Only full degree majors.

Minors will show on your academic transcript and printed on your diploma.