Commencement

**Please check back 24 hours before your ceremony for links to the ceremony program and the live ceremony broadcast.**

Only graduating students may participate in the graduation ceremony, including walking in the processional and crossing the stage. The University will make limited exceptions when a graduating student requires assistance due to a disability. Students needing accommodations to participate in the ceremony should contact seascommencement@buffalo.edu.

Registration is required for Class of 2025 graduates who would like to participate in the SEAS Undergraduate Ceremony or one of the SEAS Graduate Ceremonies on Saturday, May 17, 2025. Using the registration site, students will be able to check how your name will appear in the printed program and register for the ceremony. Registration should be completed by May 1. If you miss the deadline, please contact the SEAS Commencement coordinators.

We will use your legal name in the printed program as the default. However, you can choose to have your preferred name, or the new preferred diploma name printed instead by logging onto the SEAS commencement registration system and following the prompts. You do not need to be participating in the ceremony to change how your name will appear in the printed program. As a reminder, only the Class of 2025 (Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 will have their name in the program this year). Summer 2025 graduates will be listed in the Class of 2026 program next Spring).

Please check how your name will appear by April 14, 2025, to allow us time to print the program.

Graduates participating in commencement wear a cap/tam, gown, hood and tassel. Online ordering of commencement regalia will be available through the Cap and Gown page of UB's Commencement website.

Guests of graduates are permitted at all ceremonies and must follow all university health and safety requirements.

Undergraduate Student Tickets:  Students who register for the undergraduate commencement can access 5 tickets for the ceremony. Directions on how to reserve tickets are included in the registration confirmation email. Please reserve tickets by May 12, 2025.

Graduate Student Tickets:  Directions on how to reserve tickets are included in the registration confirmation email. Please reserve tickets by May 12, 2025.

Please be aware that latex balloons will be present at the event. If you have a latex allergy, please take appropriate precautions to ensure your safety. We recommend informing the event organizers about your condition and carrying any necessary medications. Event organizers can assist you with reasonable accommodations. Your well-being is our priority, and we want everyone to have a wonderful and safe experience at the event.

Deliberate disruption or prevention of the peaceful and orderly conduct of classes, lectures, events, meetings and other University activities is strictly prohibited.

View directions, parking and accessibility for Alumni Arena.

Printed Diploma: The Office of the Registrar will mail a printed diploma, free of charge, to your permanent address approximately six weeks after the conferral date. Students are responsible for making address changes; these should be made by the term conferral date to ensure that you receive your diploma.

Update your permanent address

NEW* Electing to use a Preferred Diploma Name: While the University recommends that the name on your diploma matches your official, legal name, you may request a preferred/chosen first and middle name to be printed in lieu of your legal name. You can find more information here.

Certified Electronic Diploma: Students who graduated June 2020 and later have the option to purchase a certified electronic diploma (CeDiploma) for $15.95. Notification will be sent to your UB email, from info@credentialtrust.com, approximately 3-6 weeks after your degree conferral date.

Learn more about the CeDiploma

Students earning baccalaureate degrees (including those awarded as part of combined degrees) are eligible to receive Latin honors based on their UB cumulative grade point average (GPA) on the following scale:

Average (based on 4.000=A)

• 3.200 — cum laude
• 3.500 — magna cum laude
• 3.750 — summa cum laude

To qualify for Latin honors, students must present a minimum of 60 credit hours of UB undergraduate coursework, at least 54 of which must be graded credits (i.e., not grades of 'P', 'NP', 'S', or 'U'). To receive the Latin honors designation in commencement program books, and to be eligible to wear the honorific gold cord (cum laude, magna and summa) at the time of ceremonies, candidates for the June degree conferral date must qualify based upon their UB cumulative GPA through the winter intersession of that year and projected UB credit hours through the spring semester of that year.

Standings for Latin honors may change once final grades are posted or degrees conferred. This program book recognition is only intended for students who will have their degrees conferred in June or have had their degrees conferred in the previous February or August. The gold cords will be available for purchase ($14.25) through the University Bookstore on North Campus beginning March 10. At that time, qualifying students may purchase their cord at the store; please bring UB ID. Students who are unable to purchase in person may email the store at 0405mgr@follett.com to indicate their interest and provide a call-back number so a store representative may take their order by phone; in this case, add $7.99 for home-shipping.

Grad Images is the exclusive photographer for individual student photos at degree conferral ceremonies. The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences will also capture photos at our department receptions. Check this page after the event for details.

Please check with your department to determine if they will be hosting a commencement reception.

This contest is open to all SEAS students who qualify to graduate during the 2024-2025 school year (Summer 2024, Fall 2024 and Spring 2025). Submissions are due by Monday, January 27 (11:59 p.m. EST). Check your email for contest rules. 

The School of Engineering and Applied Sciences continues the tradition of holding a competition to select the SEAS student speakers. With three commencement ceremonies, we are hoping to select three speakers: two graduate students and one undergraduate student. The competition is open to all students eligible to participate in the 2025 School of Engineering and Applied Sciences commencement ceremonies.

• Speaker selection will be based on relevancy, appropriateness of content, and delivery.
• Speeches should be no longer than three minutes (approximately 400 words).
• When planning your speech, remember that you will be speaking to the class of 2025, a diverse group of students. Since the speech is short, it is typically best to focus on a single theme.
• Finalists will be asked to present their speech to the selection committee comprised of SEAS faculty and staff. 

The competition winners will deliver their speech during the SEAS commencement ceremony and will also receive a UB class ring (White Lustrium). Graduate Ceremony 1 is on Saturday, May 17 at 9:00 a.m. Graduate Ceremony 2 is on Saturday, May 17 at 1:00 p.m. The Undergraduate Ceremony is on Saturday, May 17 at 5:00 p.m.

Thank you to our competition co-sponsor Jostens!