Here you'll find answers to common questions related to Commencement.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO GRADUATE IS MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026.
For more information, please contact commencement@colum.edu.
Students who complete a graduation application and indicate that they intend to participate in their Commencement ceremony should monitor their Columbia email accounts regularly for announcements and updates about Commencement-related events, procedures, and deadlines.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO GRADUATE IS MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026.
For additional information, please visit this Commencement website or email commencement@colum.edu.
When: Wednesday, April 1st, 10am–3pm and Thursday, April 2nd, 3pm–6pm
Where: Student Center, 754 S. Wabash
What: Commencement tickets will be available for distribution starting with this event. Graduates will be able to speak with Columbia Central, order caps and gowns, take graduation and professional photos, sign up for Alumni membership, and more!
When: Tuesday and Wednesday, May 12th and 13th, 10am–6pm
Where: The Student Center, 754 S. Wabash
This event is for all graduates and a second opportunity for those who were unable to attend Grad Expo in April. You will be able to sit for formal graduation photographs or head shots, sign up for Alumni Association membership, etc. Be sure to pick up your Name Card that will be read as you cross the stage at your ceremony. Don’t forget to decorate your cap in the Makerspace!
No, a graduation fee is no longer being charged to students who apply for graduation or reach senior status.
Undergraduate students: Update your graduation application on the MyAcademics tab of your MyColumbia portal.
Graduate students: email registrar@colum.edu with any changes as soon as possible.
THE DEADLINE TO SUBMIT AN APPLICATION TO GRADUATE IS MONDAY, APRIL 13, 2026.
You may order your cap and gown from Herff Jones on the Commencement webpage beginning Monday, February 2nd. Columbia College Chicago will cover the cost of your cap and gown for all graduates, and your hood for those receiving a Masters degree. Please note: any purchases made through Herff Jones beyond cap, gown, or hood will be charged to you personally.
Regalia ordered online will be shipped directly to you, so it is important that you order early. The last day to order online will be Monday, April 13th, 2026.
Students who submit graduation applications after April 13th can pick up regalia at the ‘That’s A Wrap’ Grad Expo. Please note that gown availability in your size cannot be guaranteed for late applicants. Graduation caps are one size fits all.
Undergraduate gowns are black with flowing sleeves and come with a black mortar board and tassel. Master’s degree student regalia is silver with long tails on the sleeves. It comes with a silver mortarboard and a hood featuring colors that correspond with the degree earned.
Yes. Each graduate will receive up to 7 guest tickets. Available seating capacity will be carefully monitored so that we remain in compliance with State of Illinois and City of Chicago guidelines for large indoor entertainment venues. Guests ages 2 years old and up require a ticket.
For those guests who cannot attend Commencement, there will be a livestream on www.colum.edu/commencement/
No, graduating students do not need a ticket for themselves for their own ceremony.
Tickets for guests can be picked up according to the schedule and locations below:
Ticket Distribution
When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10am–4pm beginning Tuesday, April 14 through Thursday, May 7
Where: Student Life Office – 754 S. Wabash, 3rd floor (make a right out of the elevators)
Note: there is no ticket distribution on Mondays or Fridays.
You will need to bring your Columbia College Chicago student I.D. Tickets cannot be mailed, however, under extenuating circumstances, students may be able pick up tickets the day of the ceremony from the Credit Union 1 Arena’s box office.
You may send a representative to pick up your tickets at Grad Expo and Ticket Distribution. Please refer to the Proxy Pick-Up form on our website. Once you have sent them the completed and signed form, they must PRINT it, along with a copy of your student ID, in order to collect tickets on your behalf. Documentation must be hardcopy; showing the image on a phone will not be accepted.
If you or any of your guests require special assistance at the Commencement ceremony, we will be happy to accommodate you. Please direct your inquiries to the Office of Services for Student Disabilities (SSD) via email (ssd@colum.edu), or by calling 312.369.8296.
Graduates should arrive at the Credit Union 1 Arena, (525 S. Racine Avenue) no later than one hour before their ceremony begins. Be sure to include time for parking and navigating Credit Union 1 Arena.
Graduates: All graduates should meet in the south parking garage located near Door #2.
Guests: To access the arena, all guests (non-graduates) should enter Door #3 on the corner of Harrison and Racine, and doors open one hour before each ceremony. Please check the venue's visitor guide for details, including prohibited items.
The Commencement Concert will begin 45 minutes before each ceremony. Plan to arrive early so your guests can enjoy a lively performance featuring Columbia’s talented student music ensembles!
Please follow these directions to plan your route to the Credit Union 1 Arena.
Be prepared to pay $10-$20 for parking. Here is more information about parking.
Each ceremony will last approximately three hours.
You will receive a diploma cover when you cross the stage at Commencement. Your diploma will be mailed separately once your degree requirements have been verified and degrees are posted. If you aren’t attending a ceremony and would like to pick up a diploma cover after Commencement Weekend, a limited supply of covers will be available on a first come, first served basis at Columbia Central (600 S. Michigan, 3rd floor) during regular business hours. Diploma covers will not be mailed.
Diplomas will be mailed approximately two weeks after the posting of your degree. (Degrees are posted in January for fall graduates, June for spring graduates, and September for summer graduates.) You must settle your outstanding financial obligations to the college and complete any required exit counseling before your diploma is mailed. For more information about these requirements, click here.
Your diploma will be mailed to your permanent address on file. If you have an alternate address for your diploma, please provide that address using our diploma mailing request form. You will receive an email to your colum.edu account when your diploma has been shipped. Feel free to call Columbia Central at 312.369.7140 with any questions.
Columbia College Chicago is pleased to offer new graduates the option to purchase a certified electronic diploma for $15.95. Please note that this is an optional feature, and students are responsible for covering the cost. Once purchased, the digital credential features unlimited sharing and is validated by the Registrar. Share your digitally secure document on LinkedIn and with future employers. For more information, please click here.
Fall 2025, Spring 2026, or Summer 2026 graduates who submit their graduation application by Monday, April 13, 2026, are assured of getting their name in the printed Commencement program.
We cannot guarantee the inclusion of your name in the program if you do not complete your graduation application by April 13.
There will be opportunities during the spring semester for you to sit for formal portraits or head shots at the Grad Expo and 'That's a Wrap' Expo with GradImages, our official Commencement photographers. GradImages will also be at the Credit Union 1 Arena taking your photo as you cross the stage. After the ceremony, you can visit the GradImages' website and purchase your photo package.
You can order personalized printed announcements, class rings, diploma frames, and other Commencement memorabilia through Herff Jones. Links for the above can also be found on this Commencement website.
Graduation with honors is based on a student’s cumulative GPA as a Columbia College Chicago undergraduate. Graduates with a 3.75-3.79 GPA graduate cum laude (“with honors”); students with a 3.80-3.89 GPA graduate magna cum laude (“with high honors”); and students with a 3.90-4.00 GPA graduate summa cum laude (“with highest honors”). These students wear a gold tassel on their mortarboards at Commencement. If you are graduating with honors, you will pick up your gold tassel at the ‘That’s a Wrap’ Expo.
Columbia College Chicago’s Honors Program is a separate academic distinction. Students who complete the appropriate number of Honors courses and maintain at least a 3.5 cumulative GPA will receive the designation “Honors Program Graduate” on their final transcripts. Honors Program graduates wear a gold stole with the College’s seal at Commencement. If you have met the Honors Program requirements, you can pick up your Honors Program stole with your cap and gown at the ‘That’s a Wrap’ Expo. Contact your Academic Advisor or honors@colum.edu if you have questions about the Honors Program.
Veterans are eligible to receive a special red, white, and blue cord to wear with their graduation regalia during Commencement. These military cords are only provided to graduating student veterans and active members of the military. Graduating student veterans may pick up their cord at one of the following times/locations.
Ticket Distribution
Student Life Office – 754 S. Wabash, 3rd floor
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 10am–4pm<
April 14 – May 7
‘That’s a Wrap! - Final Grad Expo
Student Center – 754 S. Wabash
Tuesday, May 12th and Wednesday, May 13th, 10am–6pm
Please bring a government-issued I.D. when you pick up your cord.
Undergraduates: If you decide not to participate in the Commencement ceremony after having indicated that you would, please update your application in the MyColumbia portal to indicate that you will not attend.
Graduate students: Please contact registrar@colum.edu to modify your graduation application on file.
Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 graduates will retain access to college systems, including email, Office 365, Canvas, Adobe, and the MyColumbia portal until Thursday, August 13, 2026. After that, graduates will lose access to college systems. Prepare now by downloading anything you want to save and redirecting important communications (including account verifications and logins) to your personal email account.
Don't forget to change your address in your student account and payroll account (for student workers).
Manifest 2026 will be taking place on SATURDAY, May 16, the day before Commencement. Visit the Manifest website manifest.colum.edu in the spring semester for information on how to participate.
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