Please note: applying to graduate (degree completion) is different than registering to attend Commencement (the ceremony). Please complete both steps!

We recommend that students submit an application for graduation during the semester prior to when their degree will be complete. We invite you to apply on the registrar's website.

Students who have applied to graduate will receive an email invitation with a link to register to attend the December Commencement ceremony starting in October.

Tickets are not required, but we kindly ask that graduates limit their guests to 10 people to ensure adequate seating for all. Seating is general admission and available on a first-come, first-seated basis. ADA seating is available.

• Doors open 1.5 hours prior to the ceremony start time
• The ceremony is anticipated to be no longer than 2 hours. (Please allow for time to find your seat before the ceremony. Also allow time for exiting and meeting up with your graduate/supporters after the ceremony, when considering plans after the event.)

Visit the What to Expect page for the complete list of details you'll need to know about the big day!

GVSU in photos: Celebrating Laker graduates during the May Commencement ceremonies

Purchase a Commemorative DVD

Would you like a lasting, memorable experience of your college graduation? Order a Commencement DVD today to make sure you, your family and friends never forget this GRAND achievement!

Order a Commemorative DVD

Professional Photography

GVSU has partnered with Pro Pics to take professional portraits of all graduates during the ceremonies. Photos will be available for purchase after the ceremony. There is no cost to have your photo taken and no obligation to purchase. Please visit GVSUphotos.com or contact Pro Pics at [email protected].

Land Acknowledgement

At a significant University event like Commencement, we have an opportunity to offer appreciation to those who were stewards of the land on which our beautiful campus was built, long before most of our ancestors arrived. We embrace our role as a leader in urgently advancing equity for all learners and ensure that our community serves as a catalyst for a more just and sustainable world. Grand Valley recognizes the Three Fires People, who include the Ojibwa, the Odawa, and the Potawatomi, on whose ancestral lands we now live and work.