A special notice regarding Harvard Commencement procedures

Guidelines from the Commencement Office

Morning Exercises

To accommodate the increasing number of people wishing to attend Harvard’s Commencement Exercises, the following guidelines are provided to facilitate admission into Tercentenary Theatre on Commencement Morning:

• Degree candidates will receive a limited number of tickets to Commencement. Their parents and guests must have tickets, which must be shown at the gates in order to enter Tercentenary Theatre. Seating capacity is limited; there is standing room on the Widener steps and at the rear and sides of the Theatre. For details, visit the Commencement office website (https://commencement.harvard.edu).

Note: A ticket allows admission, but does not guarantee a seat. Seats are on a first-come basis and can not be reserved. The sale of Commencement tickets is prohibited.

• A very limited supply of tickets is available to alumni and alumnae on a first-come, first-served basis through the Harvard Alumni Association (https://alumni.harvard.edu/annualmeeting). Alumni/ae and guests may view the Morning Exercises over large-screen televisions in the Science Center and at most of the undergraduate Houses and graduate and professional schools. These locations provide ample seating, and tickets are not required.

• College Alumni/ae attending their twenty-fifth, thirty-fifth, and fiftieth reunions will receive tickets at their reunions.

Afternoon Program

The Harvard Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting, which includes remarks by its president, Overseer and HAA election results, the presentation of the Harvard Medals, and remarks by President Drew Gilpin Faust and the Commencement Speaker, convenes in Tercentenary Theatre on Commencement afternoon. For tickets (which are required, but free) visit the HAA website or call 617-496-7001.

~The Commencement Office

Related topics

You might also like

Mount Vernon, Historic Preservation, and American Politics

Anne Neal Petri promotes George Washington and historic literacy.

Introductions: Dan Cnossen

A conversation with the former Navy SEAL and gold-medal-winning Paralympic skier

Yesterday’s News

A co-ed experiment that changed dorm life forever

Most popular

Mark Carney on the Limits of Soft Power

At the 2026 Davos summit, the Canadian prime minister echoes Harvard’s Joseph Nye.

Harvard Board of Overseers Candidates Describe Priorities

Alumni will vote for the University governing board in April and May.

Why Men Are Falling Behind in Education, Employment, and Health

Can new approaches to education address a growing gender gap?

Explore More From Current Issue

A football player kicking a ball while another teammate holds it on the field.

A Near-Perfect Football Season Ends in Disappointment

A loss to Villanova derails Harvard in the playoffs. 

Cover of "Harvard's Best" featuring a woman in a red and black gown holding a sword.

A Forgotten Harvard Anthem

Published the year the Titanic sank, “Harvard’s Best” is a quizzical ode to the University.

Historic church steeple framed by bare tree branches against a clear sky.

Harvard’s Financial Challenges Lead to Difficult Choices

The University faces the consequences of the Trump administration—and its own bureaucracy.