Frequently Asked Questions
Graduates may bring as many guests as they wish. Please note that seating is first-come, first-served.
Yes, there will be a light reception following each ceremony.
The Undergraduate Ceremony will be held rain or shine, but guests may watch a livestream of the ceremony indoors in the Dana Center or the Arena.
The Graduate and PhD ceremony will be held indoors in the Arena, and the ceremony will also be livestreamed for those who are unable to attend in person.
The Undergraduate Ceremony will take place outside rain or shine, but in the event of severe weather, the ceremony will be moved to the Arena and each graduate will receive two guest tickets. There will be options to watch the livestream at various locations around campus. The university will make the decision within 48 hours of the ceremony and will communicate if the severe weather plan must go into effect.
Yes, each ceremony will be livestreamed, and the recordings will be available on the Bentley University’s YouTube Channel within a few days of the event.
All graduates should purchase their regalia from Oak Hall here by Wednesday, April 5. Regalia may be picked up on campus on Thursday, May 11 and Friday, May 12 in the Back Bay Rooms in the Student Center.
If you have earned or will earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree this academic year (i.e. Advanced Standing programs), you are encouraged to order a master’s gown as it is the highest degree earned.
If you are a PhD candidate, please complete this form or contact us at commencement@bentley.edu.
If you have any questions about regalia, please contact our vendor, Oak Hall, at customercare@oakhalli.com or 800-223-0429.
Graduates, organizations and groups are responsible for the purchasing of their own regalia accessories. If you are a student organization or group that would like to wear coordinated stoles or cords, kindly contact the Commencement Office at commencement@bentley.edu to share what your color/the meaning is of your cord/stole to ensure it’s not already in use by another organization.
We hope you join us for this year’s commencement ceremonies! Please inform us of your attendance and confirm your name pronunciation by completing this form by Wednesday, April 5.
Please note: You will need to create an account through our Marching Order vendor portal using your email address that the Registrar has on file, likely your Bentley email address. If you have any questions about which email is on file, email registrar@bentley.edu.
Graduates must petition to graduate with the Registrar’s Office. For questions, contact the Registrar at registrar@bentley.edu.
Diplomas will be mailed to graduates following the ceremony. Please note it may take approximately seven weeks to receive your diploma depending on your location. For additional questions, contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@bentley.edu.
If you have earned or will earn both an undergraduate and graduate degree this academic year (i.e. Advanced Standing programs), you are encouraged to order a master’s gown as it is the highest degree earned.
There is a hotel block at the Westin-Waltham on Third Avenue in Waltham. Rooms are $309 per night and can be reserved here or by calling 781-290-5600. Please note that rooms are first-come, first-served, and the deadline to reserve a room is Thursday, April 20, 2023.
The Commencement speakers will be announced in the spring.
Parking will be available on main campus and is first-come, first-served. There will be a shuttle running from main campus to south campus through the ceremonies.
Bentley University is committed to providing an accessible, equitable and inclusive learning environment. As part of this mission, we strive to make events accessible to all participants. If you or your guests have specific accessibility needs, please complete this form by Friday, April 21 and we will be sure to follow up with you closer to the event.
Backpacks, large bags, balloons and umbrellas are not permitted. Guests may bring small bags, but they will be checked upon arrival. If you notice something suspicious, please contact University Police immediately at 781-891-3131.
The university will have a professional photographer at the ceremonies and those pictures will be available through Grad Images after the Commencement Ceremony. The link to purchase is here. Photos will be available within a few weeks after the ceremony. Graduates and guests may not bring their own professional photographers.
There will be options for grab-and-go food items for purchase in the Arena for the Graduate ceremony and by the football field during the Undergraduate ceremony.
Restrooms will be available in the Dana Center and the Arena, and Porta Potty stations will be accessible on the football field.
Guests, particularly those who may be at high risk for severe illness, may choose to wear a mask and take individual precautions as they see fit. Those showing symptoms of COVID-19 should consider taking a rapid test prior to attending Commencement. No proof of vaccination is required for any indoor or outdoor events.
Holding the ceremony on a separate day in the Bentley Arena provides an intimate, right-sized experience for graduates and PhD candidates without limiting the number of guests each student will be allowed. Additionally, the 4:00 p.m. start time will allow the ceremony to end on time for graduates and their families to schedule post-commencement dinners and celebrations at a reasonable hour.
In past years, the graduate ceremony has taken place on Saturday immediately following our undergraduate ceremony. With the graduate exercises beginning as thousands of undergraduate students and family members take photos and attempt to exit campus, traffic patterns and parking have presented inconveniences for graduate students and their guests in past years. Having a dedicated day for our graduate ceremony will reduce traffic congestion and allow for easier access to campus going forward.
If you have a question about yearbooks, please contact yearbook@bentley.edu.
If students have questions about the Bahamas trip, please contact GA_Bahamas@bentley.edu.