Prepare for Commencement
If you were unable to pick up your regalia, it will be available on site the day of Commencement. Our regalia vendor will be stationed in the Arena lobby. On Friday, the vendor will be available at 2:30 p.m. and on Saturday, the vendor will be available at 7:30 a.m. There will be a limited supply available for purchase with a credit card only.
Graduates may decorate their caps as they wish. They may also wear stoles or cords to accompany their robes. Those are all organized and ordered through the various groups on campus who decided to wear them.
Honor cords are determined/distributed by the Registrar's Office upon graduate check in before the ceremony.
While support letters and invitations are not required for the visa process, below are general templates. If you would like a personalized electronic invitation, please complete this form. If you need a status letter which includes your dates of attendance and expected graduation date, please complete this form, and email it to the Registrar's Office at registrar@bentley.edu.
Support Letter Template from CISS
Graduate and PhD Commencement Invitation
Undergraduate Commencement Invitation
Bentley University is committed to providing an accessible, equitable and inclusive learning environment. If you or someone you are attending with has accessibility needs, please see a staff member the day of the event and they will be able to assist you.
General Commencement announcements that are available for purchase at the Bookstore. Additionally, class rings, personalized stoles, personalized announcements, recognition chairs and diploma frames can be purchased through these websites:
https://collegerings.herffjones.com/school/Bentley%20University
https://www.balfour.com/bentleyU
https://bentley.bncollege.com/Categories/Gifts--Accessories/Graduation/c/ac-graduation
Yes, please see the following guides:
Yes, please view our Commencement maps.
Ceremony Information
No tickets are required; graduates may bring unlimited guests.
Note: The Undergraduate ceremony is outdoors on the Football Field and will be held rain or shine. In the event of severe weather, you will be notified within 24 hours. The ceremony will move to the Arena, with each graduate receiving two guest tickets. Additional campus viewing locations will be available.
Graduates and guests may arrive at the following times:
Graduate and PhD Ceremony
Graduates must report to the Football Field by 2:45 p.m.
Guests may enter the Arena as early as 3:00 p.m.
Undergraduate Ceremony
Graduates must report to the Arena by 8:00 a.m.
Guests may enter the Football Field as early as 7:00 a.m.
The ceremonies will be both livestreamed and recorded. The livestream will be accessible on our Commencement webpage and recordings will be available on our Bentley University YouTube Channel a few days after the ceremonies. The ceremonies will also be livestreamed on campus.
The university will have a professional photographer at the ceremonies and those pictures will be available through Grad Images after the Commencement Ceremony. Photos will be available on the Grad Images website within a 5 to 7 days after the ceremony, but should there be any questions, please contact GradImages at 800-261-2576 or ecc.giservice@gradimages.net. Graduates and guests may not bring their own professional photographers.
General guest parking will be available on main campus. Please plan accordingly and expect traffic.
There will be shuttle stops available at LaCava and Miller to escort guests to South Campus. On Friday for the Graduate and PhD ceremony, shuttles will run from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m. On Saturday for the Undergraduate ceremony, shuttles will run from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
There will be options for grab-and-go food and drink items for purchase.
Backpacks, large bags, large signs/flags, balloons, air horns, alcohol and umbrellas are not permitted. Guests may bring small bags, but they will be checked upon arrival. In case of rain, ponchos will be available the day of the ceremony. If you notice something suspicious, please contact University Police immediately at 781-891-3131.
As a reminder, Commencement is a ceremony that recognizes and celebrates graduates’ many years of hard work and sacrifice. For many, it is the culmination of their academic journey to this point in their lives. Out of respect for graduates and their families, many of whom travel long distances to attend, anyone who disrupts commencement will be removed so the ceremony can continue honoring the graduates.
Jerry Jacobs Jr. P ’20, CEO of Delaware North and alternate governor of the Boston Bruins, will deliver the keynote address at the undergraduate ceremony and Yvonne Hao, Secretary of the Executive Office of Economic Development for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, will deliver the keynote address at the graduate and PhD ceremony. Learn more about our speakers.
Yes, a light reception for graduates and their guests will follow the ceremony
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.
Additional Details for Undergraduates
If you have a question about yearbooks, please contact yearbook@bentley.edu.
Students must move out of the dorms on Saturday, May 17 in the afternoon following the Commencement ceremony. If you have additional questions, please contact housing@bentley.edu.