Registration is open to all eligible May 2017 degree candidates, February 2017 and October 2016 graduates from all schools and colleges affiliated with Columbia University. If you do not plan on attending the ceremony, you do not need to register.

Graduate degree candidates may to request up to three (3) tickets for their guests. Graduating students do not need a ticket for themselves.

Your Commencement guest tickets will be electronic tickets and will be available to you upon completion of registration. Please choose only one option to receive your tickets (print the tickets yourself or send them electronically for your guests to print) to distribute to your guests. Each ticket has a unique QR code that can be scanned only once. Distributing your tickets via both options will cause confusion for guests when they reach the admission entrance. Please make sure that each guest has one numbered ticket which contains a unique QR code. Only the first guest arriving with that unique ticket will be allowed entry to the ceremony. Any additional copies of the same ticket will be turned away at the gates. Be kind to your fellow classmates and register only for the amount of guest tickets that you intend to use.

Please be sure to send or give your tickets to your guests prior to Commencement Day as it will be nearly impossible to navigate from upper campus (degree candidate procession area) to lower campus (guest seating area) on the day of the event. Each ticket must be printed out in advance and will be scanned for admission into the ceremony. This will reduce lines at the General Admission gates.

Please note that University Commencement is held on Low Plaza and that the processional route for students includes stairs. Those graduates who need assistance walking or negotiating stairs should contact Disability Services at 212-854-2388 (Voice/TTY) or emailaccess@columbia.edu to arrange for accessible seating by Friday, May 5.