Graduates must be dressed in regalia (cap and gown) to participate in the ceremony.

All graduates will go through a metal detector to enter the Galen Center.  The following items are prohibited: bags, backpacks, airhorns, and balloons. 

Ticketing: No tickets are needed for this Viterbi ceremony.

Tickets are required only for the main ceremony on Thursday, May 14, 2026 at 6:30 p.m. at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. View Main Stage Ceremony ticketing information.

Tickets are required only for ceremonies at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Events held on campus do not require tickets.

Tickets will automatically populate in the USC ticketing accounts of eligible graduates by the end of the day on Wednesday, April 22. 

Accommodations:
We are committed to ensuring that all graduates and guests have an accessible and enjoyable Commencement experience. When graduates register for the ceremony, they are asked to note if they and/or their guest(s) require accommodations. 

All guests will go through a metal detector to enter the Galen Center. Please be advised of the Galen Center guest policy. 

Clear Bag Policy: To provide a safer environment for the public and significantly expedite guest entry into the venue, Galen Center enforces a clear bag policy that limits the size and type of bags that may be brought into the arena for all events (one clear bag no larger than 12” x 6” x 12” per person).

Please check in all strollers at the stroller check-in inside the Galen Center main lobby. Due to venue policy, strollers are NOT allowed in the venue seating area. Please plan to bring anything you need for a baby/young child to sit in your seats.

Once the procession begins, standing in aisles inside the main auditorium is prohibited due to fire codes, and will be monitored by a fire marshal. A photographer will take pictures of graduates as they proceed to the stage and while on stage. We ask that all guests remain seated during the ceremony. Guests may not congregate in the aisles or open spaces due to fire codes. Large video screens are available and will make it easier for families and friends to see graduates as they process to the stage.

The photography company Grad Images to take photos during the Viterbi Commencement Ceremony. The photographer will be taking a posed photograph and a photograph for each graduate when they receive their diploma. Grad Images will reach out to the graduates via email to order photos after the ceremony.

For information on how to order USC custom graduate announcements, class rings, and diploma frames, please visit the USC Bookstore.

Stoles, or sashes, are optional purchases and can be ordered with the USC logo or embroidered university seal, and can be customized with fraternity/sorority crests, graduation year, or other commemorative marks. Stoles can be purchased at the USC Bookstore or online.  

Eligible Viterbi undergraduate graduates will receive honor cords from the Viterbi School of Engineering in April. Details for pick up are sent directly to the graduate. Please note: it is university policy that honor cords are for undergraduate graduates only.

A minimum overall grade point average of 3.5 for cum laude, 3.7 for magna cum laude, and 3.9 for summa cum laude is required for honors cords. Graduates must meet these averages for both residence work attempted and combined transferred and residence work attempted. Note that the grade point average calculation is truncated, not rounded. University honors are noted on academic transcripts and the diploma.

Out-of-Cycle students are those who did not graduate in Fall 2025, Spring 2026, or Summer 2026. To participate in the May 2026 Commencement Ceremonies, out-of-cycle students need to complete an 2026 Out-of-Cycle Request 

Once submitted, the Viterbi Admission and Student Engagement Office (VASE) will review and provide further instructions. If the out-of-cycle request is approved, the student will receive an email from our registration platform, Tassel, to register for the ceremony.