Convocation and Commencement

Checklist for graduating students

• Register to Participate in Graduation Activities: Complete the graduation form and claim your guest tickets. Graduates will receive an email in March with instructions to complete the form and request tickets. This form will be due by April 17, 2026.
  • Ticket limits: Graduating students who are participating in the ceremony will receive up to five (5) guest tickets for Harvard Chan Convocation. Graduating students do not need tickets to participate in the ceremonies. This is a strict limit set by our venues to ensure we can accommodate all graduates who wish to participate, and we are not able to make exceptions.
  • Commencement Tickets: Graduating students who are participating in the ceremony can receive up to two (2) guest tickets for Harvard University Commencement. Graduating students do not need tickets to participate in the ceremonies. This is a strict limit set by our venues to ensure we can accommodate all graduates who wish to participate, and we are not able to make exceptions.
    • In order to acquire Commencement tickets, graduating students must complete the Graduating Student Satisfaction survey, which opens in March 2026.
• Secure Academic Regalia: All graduating students participating in Convocation and Commencement are required to wear official Harvard regalia as approved by the Harvard University Commencement Office. Rent regalia here or purchase regalia here. For any questions and customer service, please contact harvardsupport@herffjones.com. 
  • April 10 is also the final day to rent regalia for in-store pickup.
  • April 28 is the final day to rent regalia with standard shipping to your home
  • May 3 is the final day to rent regalia with rush shipping.
  • PhDs: If you want to pick up your regalia in Longwood, please select HSPH as your school. If you want to pick up your regalia in Cambridge, please select GSAS as your school.
• Regalia Hardship fund: Students who are unable to cover the cost of regalia rental due to genuine economic hardship may request confidential assistance through this form by Friday, March 20.
• Attend Graduation Q and A Sessions: Have questions about regalia, tickets, ceremonies, or celebrations? Join us where we’ll cover everything you need to know to prepare for the big day!
  • April 27, 2026, 2pm-3pm in Kresge 202: Click here to RSVP
  • April 28, 2026, 1pm-2pm in Kresge G2: Click here to RSVP
  • April 30, 2026, 12pm-1pm via Zoom: Click here to RSVP

• Request Visa Support letters for your guests.
• Submit speeches to the Harvard Chan Student Speaker Contest by Monday, March 30, at 8:00 AM to compete to speak at Convocation 
• Submit speeches to the Harvard University Student Orations Contest by March 27th to compete to speak at Commencement. NOTE: the submission link will not be active until early March 2026.
• Attend Grad Fair. Find everything you need to know about graduation at Grad Fair on March 24 through March 26, 2026.
• Participate in the Class Photo, April 1, 2026. Class Photo prints will be available for purchase. Rain date is April 8, 2026.
• Nominate yourself or someone you know for graduation awards.
• Submit photos and gradvice to this survey. These photos will be included in a slideshow shown to in-person guests as they wait for the ceremony to begin, and on the live stream. We will also be collecting “Gradvice,” post-graduation advice, to be used for our incoming students during future Orientations.
• Harvard Chan School is continuing a beloved tradition for Convocation 2026: The reading of the preamble to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights
• Fill out the Graduating Student Satisfaction (Click here for the survey link) and Post-Graduation Plans Surveys (Click here for the survey link).
• Run for class officer positions. Nominations and voting open TBD..
• Pick up your tickets for Harvard University Commencement on May 6-8th in Kresge G4 from 10am-4pm. Your tickets for Harvard Chan Convocation can be accessed via after completing your graduation form.
• Pick up your class item on May 6-8th in Kresge G4 from 10am-4pm.
• Pick Up Regalia at Countway Library
  • Friday 5/22- 8 am-6 pm- pre-order except for dual degrees
  • Tuesday 5/26 8 am- 7 pm- pre-order and dual pickup
  • Wednesday 5/27 8 am-6 pm- pre-order and dual pickup
  • Thursday 5/28 8 am-6 pm- pre-order and dual pickup- returns start following the ceremony
• Attend Convocation ceremonies and events on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, through Thursday, May 28, 2026. Review the graduation week schedule for detailed timing and locations.
• Share all the need-to-know information about attending Graduation events with your guests.
• Returns Regalia to Countway only on Thursday after commencement and Friday, 5/29, 8 am-6 pm.
  • After 5/29, returns can be made at Harvard Square Coop through 6/4 or shipped back to Herff Jones using the portal link below:
  • Herff Jones | Return Portal
  • The hours of regalia pick-up and drop-off are fixed hours, and this is not a 24/7 self-service operation.  If students arrive at Countway outside of those hours, the library staff will not be able to help them and they should return during the proper hours.