The above links will not be live until 15 minutes prior to ceremony start time.
Spring 2026 Commencement will be held on Saturday, May 9, 2026 for degree candidates who applied for graduation for the autumn 2025, spring 2026, and summer 2026 semesters.
Official communications regarding Commencement information will be sent from commencement@umontana.edu in late March.
IMPORTANT NOTICEYou must be a degree candidate for the spring 2026, summer 2026, or opted in to walk this spring from the fall 2025 ceremony to walk on May 9, 2026. This means you must have submitted a graduation application for the above semester by the deadline in order to walk in this ceremony.
Please note you will not receive your diploma at Commencement. Diplomas are mailed to students after final grades are posted, and a final review of degree requirements is completed. This will happen beginning late May and go through August. For information on how to apply for graduation, or the conferring of your degree, please visit our Graduation Information page.
Morning Commencement
The following colleges will be featured in the morning. Doors open at 8 a.m. with the ceremony expected to begin at 9 a.m. We expect the ceremony to last approximately 2 hours.
Ph.D candidates, Department of Public Administration and Policy, College of Arts and Media, Missoula College, College of Health, College of Business
Afternoon Commencement
The following colleges will be featured in the afternoon. Doors open at 1 p.m. with the ceremony expected to begin at 2 p.m. We expect the ceremony to last approximately 2 hours.
Ph.D candidates, Phyllis J. Washington College of Education, W.A. Franke College of Forestry, College of Science, College of Humanities & Social Sciences
If you are unsure what college you are a part of, please check your RSVP. Alternatively, you can search our Catalog website here.
Ceremony Details
Expand the ceremony below for information on where and when to line up for graduates and faculty. Degree Candidates will attend the ceremony associated with their primary major. Ceremony order and times are listed below. Please visit our Academics page to view the majors in the below colleges.
Below is information pertaining to all graduates regardless of ceremony.
StagePasses will be emailed in late April.
Line Up Location - Rec Center
Degree Candidates and Faculty will begin lining up 1 hour prior to their assigned ceremony time on the basketball courts in the Rec Center. Please use the doors on the North side of the Rec Center, facing parking lot Z and the river, to enter.
You must have a copy of your StagePass on you. It is highly recommend to print out a copy and bring it with you. There will be no student rehearsal. Please watch this video, made by UM's KPCN team, about what to expect before and during the ceremony.
When you arrive to the Rec Center, please line up behind your college's flag. You do not need to be in alphabetical order, however it is asked you line up with the graduates in your department/major. Again, you do not need to line up alphabetically.
On Stage:
When it is your turn to cross the stage, faculty marshals will lead you from your seat to the stage. You will scan your StagePass to have your name displayed and then present it to name readers. You will also receive a diploma cover. Please use hand sanitizer stations as you see them.
Photo On Stage:
If you would like to shake hands with leadership on stage, extend your hand to initiate a handshake. Please use hand sanitizer prior to entering the stage and upon exiting the stage.
Regalia Information for Graduates:
The last day to order regalia was 4/22/2026. Caps, tassels, stoles and cords are yours to keep. Gowns and hoods need to be returned. If your regalia is shipped to you, it will come with a return label.
Additional regalia (cords/stoles/tassels) can be purchased at the GoGriz Store located in the UC. Please work with your organization and/or the GoGriz Store for availability. The Office of the Registrar does not provide any regalia.
If you did not pre-order regalia, you will need to show up to Herff Jones' onsite regalia distribution. Herff Jones will be in UC 170 during the following operating hours:
Wednesday, May 6 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Thursday, May 7 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday, May 8 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, May 9 – 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. - Please note that any regalia rented in person, must be returned to UC 170 by 5 p.m. on Saturday.
Guests and Attendees
Commencement Map Tool - Use for directions to the main commencement ceremony as well as departmental celebrations.
No ticket or RSVP is required for guests to attend the Spring 2026 Commencement Ceremony.
All parking and seating is first-come-first-serve. We cannot reserve parking or seating.
Balloons, of any kind, are not allowed in the Adams Center. Please be mindful of other guests and attendees.
Doors will open for guest seating one hour prior to each ceremony. For seating accommodations, please see an Adams Center Usher.
Regarding where to sit as an attendee- If you would like to be seated closest to the side where graduates walk on stage, it is recommended you sit in sections 208 through 210. If you would like to be seated on the side where graduates exit the stage, it is recommended you sit in sections 202 through 204. If you would like assistance finding ADA seating, please see an Adams Center usher on May 9. Sample seating maps of the Adams Center with section numbers, can be found here.
Friends and family who cannot attend in person can view the event on YouTube. The link to this lives stream will be posted here the week of Commencement. Each ceremony is estimated to last approximately 2 to 2.5 hours long.
Interested in buying flowers for your graduates? The Commencement Group will be selling flowers the day of Commencement. You can pre-order now or purchase the day of.
Photos
GradImages will be taking photos of graduates as they walk across the stage. These photos will be available for purchase directly from GradImages.
Parking and Transportation
Parking on campus is free on Commencement Day. All parking is first-come-first-serve. Reserved parking spots are open to all Commencement guests. Additional ADA parking spots will be made available, however it is highly recommended to plan to arrive early if you would like to utilize ADA spots. Please do not park in ADA Accessible parking unless authorized to do so. Quick Stop Parking spots are for 20 minutes or less.
Accommodations
The University of Montana offers access to Commencement through the use of dual stage ramps, stadium elevators, sign language interpreters, real-time voice-to-text translation (captions) streamed and in-person, ADA seating for guests and students, ADA parking, and assistive listening devices (ALDs). Please list your specific accommodation requests not already provided by the University. To ensure timely and effective access to the ceremony, we ask that requests be made by May 1, 2026.
Accommodations for guests and audience members- The Adams Center is not able to reserve seats in advance of the ceremony. Please reach out to Brandon Kress in the Adams Center at brandon.kress@mso.umt.edu or by phone at 406-243-5357. Please visit our Accessibility and Special Accommodations page for more information.