Prepare for Graduation
The commencement ceremony for the College of Environmental Design takes place at the Greek Theatre each May and honors graduates of all departments. Individual departments also host events for their graduates.
Details about the schedule, ticket purchasing, graduation speakers, and more are sent to all graduates via email in the spring semester.
GRADUATION CHECKLIST
We look forward to honoring our graduates at commencement! Please read through the Graduation Checklist below:
- Read the Seniors Preparing for Graduation Module in the CED Undergraduate Information Hub
- Double-check that all your graduation requirements are complete using the Academic Progress Report (APR) in Cal Central.
- Check and update your diploma mailing address prior to graduation. See instructions on how to check and update this address prior to graduation.
- Complete your CED senior exit survey and RSVP for CED’s commencement (once you complete the exit survey it will redirect you to the registration form).
- Cap & gown: You can order regalia via HerffJones for rent or purchase. *Please note that regalia is not required for participation in CED Commencement.
- Inviting family from out of the U.S. to commencement? View recommendations from the Berkeley International Office on how to support visa processes for Extended Family and Domestic Partners.
- Pick up your complimentary tickets for commencement (details will be posted when they become available).
- Obtain tickets for the campus-wide convocation, if interested.
- Join UC Berkeley’s online alumni community to find friends, search for jobs, and manage your email forwarding.
MORE GRADUATION INFORMATION
- Expected Graduation
- Graduating with Honors
- CED’s Commencement Ceremony
- Completing Your Final Requirements Elsewhere
- Diplomas
- Requesting Official Documentation
- Alumni Associations and Services
Confirm your semester of Expected Graduation via CalCentral. If your Expected Graduation is not accurate, contact a CED advisor. You do not have to be enrolled at Berkeley for your semester of Expected Graduation. The deadline to add the Expected Graduation Term to the current term is the eighth week of the current term.
To graduate with distinction, you must meet the grade-point average (GPA) requirement and complete at least 50 units in residence at Berkeley (this may include UC Berkeley Extension XB units and up to 20 units from UCDC or EAP), of which 43 units must be letter-graded (not including physical education activities courses).
Your GPA in all letter-graded courses taken at Berkeley must be equal to or higher than the GPA established for honors in the year in which you graduate. These GPA cut-offs change slightly each year.
Honors in General Scholarship at Graduation in 2025-26
For Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026
- Highest Honors: 3.949
- High Honors: 3.915
- Honors: 3.859
In addition to adding yourself to the degree list, you may also wish to participate in graduation ceremonies, or commencement. CED’s Commencement is a college-wide ceremony for graduating students that takes place in the Greek Theatre. You do not need to be on the spring degree list to participate in commencement.
You must RSVP online in order to participate in the CED Commencement ceremony. You will be directed to the RSVP form after completing the CED Exit Survey. By the end of March, undergraduates who have completed the senior graduation survey and RSVP form will be emailed information about how to pick up commencement tickets.
Seniors who are completing course work for the degree at another institution should be aware that the term must officially end by:
- December 31 for fall graduates
- May 31 for spring graduates
- August 31 for summer graduates
If the term ends later than those dates, you will not graduate, and you must be added to the expected graduation list for the following term.
Send your final official electronic transcripts to busops@berkeley.edu. Transcripts are due the Friday of the sixth week after the end of the term (Expected Graduation term).
Please note:
- Diplomas for undergraduates will be mailed automatically.
- Diplomas are usually available four months after graduation.
- Unclaimed diplomas are held for five years, after which they are shredded.
For more information, see the Diplomas & Graduation section of the Registrar’s Office.
If a prospective employer or graduate school needs proof of graduation after Cal Central says your degree has been conferred but before you have received your diploma, you can request an official transcript via Cal Central.
Registered students who have met all requirements for graduation, have a current Expected Term of Graduation, and need proof of such (before final degrees are conferred) can complete an Expedited Degree Check-Out form.
Visit the Office of the Registrar for more information and a link to the form.
The Cal Alumni Association offers benefits, events, and services to graduates who join. We also welcome you to become active members of the CED alumni community. See the UC Berkeley Alumni website for listings of other campus alumni associations and activities.
Career services are available for alumni through the Alumni Association and through the UC Berkeley Career Center’s Alumni Advantage program.
Alumni of any University of California campus who have a paid membership in any of the ten campus alumni associations may obtain a UC Berkeley library card. Alternately, you may purchase a borrowing card from the library. See the University Library’s Information for Alumni and Visitors website.