FAQs

Students can verify their graduation date by checking their STARS Report on Oasis. Graduation dates will be listed by those who graduated in Fall 2022 or will graduate in Spring or Summer 2023.

If this information is incorrect, please contact Degree Progress. (213) 740-7070 or visit their website.

If you graduated in fall 2022 or will graduate in Spring 2023 or Summer 2023 you are eligible to walk. Participating in Commencement does not confirm your graduation. Students finishing their last requirement in the following Fall (December 2023) are allowed to participate in this year’s University wide ceremony (May 12, 2023, at 8:30 A.M. in Alumni Park). However, their name will not appear in the program distributed at the ceremony; it will instead be printed in next year’s program, in May 2024. Students who decide to walk early are not eligible to wear a university Honor Cord.

USC Dornsife hosts two in-person Satellite Ceremonies. For a listing of departments grouped by Satellite Ceremony, click here.

Yes. USC Dornsife will require registration to participate in the in-person Satellite Ceremonies. All eligible graduates received an email with registration information on Friday, February 17, 2023. In-person Satellite Ceremony registration closed on Friday, April 7, 2023.

No, graduates do not need to attend to have their degree conferred.

When prompted on the registration site, please select from the drop-down list which ceremony you would like to participate in and register as such. Due to seating availability, you must register for one ceremony.

Due to State and County Regulations, there are limited capacities permitted at each ceremony. Due to this regulation, all graduates are allowed to attend one ceremony, and will not be able to participate in multiple ceremonies. Please choose one ceremony to participate in and register for that school’s ceremony accordingly.

Students who are graduating in Fall 2022, Spring 2023 or Summer 2023 will be listed in the Commencement Program.

Students may check the spelling of their name in the Commencement Program online here.

For corrections and general inquiries regarding the published information, please follow the instructions shared here.

All correction requests must be received no later than 5:00 P.M. on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in order to make the printed copy of the 2023 Commencement Program. Correction requests received after this deadline will not appear in the printed program but will appear in the online Commencement Program.

Regalia is available at the University Bookstore. For rental charges and further information regarding regalia, please visit the University Bookstore website.

USC Dornsife recognizes those students who have excelled academically by providing University honor cords to be worn on Commencement Day. All eligible USC Dornsife students have the option of wearing honor cords. To qualify, a student must be eligible to graduate and have a minimum of a 3.5 University GPA at the beginning of Spring semester 2023. All students who meet the qualifications will receive an email in April with instructions for picking up honor cords in May.

Students who receive departmental honors are listed in the program. Departmental honors are determined by individual department criteria.

At the time of Commencement graduation status has yet to be determined; therefore diplomas are not handed out on Commencement Day. Once a student’s grades have been confirmed, diplomas will be mailed out. Diplomas are generally mailed within 4 to 8 weeks of the conclusion of your graduating semester. If you need official verification of your degree before you receive your diploma, please contact the Verification or Transcript Department. After receiving the email notification that your degree has been granted, you may request to pick up your diploma. If you requested “Hold for Pick-up”, or if your mailing address is in the 90007 or 90089 zip code, the Degree Progress Department will mail you a notice when your diploma is ready for pick up.

Diploma covers are distributed to students at their schools in-person Satellite Ceremony.

Please fill out the diploma cover request form here if you cannot attend your in-person ceremony. Diploma covers will be mailed after Commencement.

Please fill out the diploma cover request form HERE. Note that additional diploma covers will be mailed after Commencement.

Yes. Rehearsal will be held on Thursday, May 11, 2023 at 12:00 P.M. on the Allyson Felix Field.

On the day of Commencement graduates will check in and line up at the appropriate in-person Satellite Ceremony. Students participating in Commencement are encouraged to attend a rehearsal in the days prior to Commencement.

Professional photography is provided by Grad Images. Approximately three posed photos will be taken of graduates. Grad Images emails students with a link to view these photos and instructions for purchasing them shortly after Commencement. Click HERE for more information from Grad Images. If you have not received the email or have questions, please call Grad Images Customer Service at 1-800-261-2576.

The ceremony will last approximately two and half (2.5) hours but may be shorter or longer depending on the total number of graduates participating. As a courtesy to your fellow graduates, we kindly ask you participate in the full duration on the ceremony.

All USC Dornsife Departments hold a reception for graduates and their families. Click here for a list of reception locations.

Seating is first come, first served, with a suggested maximum of (4) guests per registered graduate. No tickets are required.

The ceremony will last approximately two and half (2.5) hours but may be shorter or longer depending on the total number of graduates participating.

The Office of International Services at USC does not produce letters of invitation for the purpose of inviting students’ family members to visit the United States. These letters are not required by the United States Consular Offices in order for family members to obtain visitor visas.

As a courtesy to our students, we are providing a letter template for students who wish to write their own letter to invite family members to the United States. If you choose to write your own letter, it should only serve to invite primary family members parents, grandparents and siblings. Again, this letter is not required, and the template is a courtesy only. Along with the letter, should you choose to write it, you should include a photocopy of your most recent I-20. The Office of International Services at USC is in Royal Parking Structure, Suite 101. Contact information: (213) 740-2666 or ois@usc.edu

For more information about Disability Services at the USC Main Commencement Ceremony, click here.

For the USC Dornsife in-person Satellite Ceremonies, should you or your guests require disability seating or services, please click HERE for more information and how to submit a request for the in-person Satellite Ceremony. Deadline to submit a request is Friday, May 5, 2023. Guests will be required to check-in.

We recommend guests come prepared with comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen for sun protection, water, and light snacks.

Satellite Ceremonies are the separate ceremonies hosted by the Academic Schools.

The Academic School Ceremony is an opportunity for each program to celebrate as a cohort group, hear remarks from a speaker related to their chosen disciplines, and honor each graduate as that individual walks across the stage to receive congratulations from the platform party.

Yes, for those who cannot join us in Los Angeles, all in-person ceremonies will be broadcast online, live, and on-demand for future viewing. The broadcast will be available on our digital platform which will provide a memorable, feature-rich remote experience for all who participate.

For more information, please visit the University Commencement Website HERE.

The 2023 USC University Commencement Ceremony speaker is Kevin Feige.