Guest information

On this page: Commencement ∙ Guest ticket information ∙ ADA accommodations ∙ Venue & parking ∙ Additional information

Commencement

Baccalaureate degree ceremony

Monday, May 18, 2026
9:00 a.m.
Hearst Greek Theatre

Master’s degree ceremony

Monday, May 18, 2026
2:00 p.m.
Hearst Greek Theatre

Doctoral degree ceremony

Thursday, May 21, 2026
9:00 a.m.
Zellerbach Auditorium
Reception to follow

The May 16 campuswide commencement is separate from the Berkeley Engineering ceremonies. Find out more information about the campuswide commencement.

Guest ticket information

Ticket sales will begin in April. See ticket maximums below.
Ticket information and purchasing instructions will be emailed to registered graduates. Guests should coordinate ticket purchases with their graduate.
Tickets will be on sale for $10/ticket. Only registered graduates can purchase guest tickets.
All guests (regardless of age) must have a ticket to gain admittance to commencement.
The ceremony will be live-streamed on the Berkeley Engineering YouTube channel for friends and family who cannot attend in person.
Seating at the Greek Theatre and Zellerbach Auditorium is general admission, not reserved, on a first-come, first-served basis. Please review the venue information below for more details on access and comfort.

Ceremony	Maximum number of guest tickets available for purchase per registered student
Baccalaureate	4
Master’s	4
Doctoral	5

Notice of filming and photography:
Please be aware that by attending this event, you will be entering an area where photography, audio and video recording may occur. By entering the area, you consent to be photographed, filmed and/or otherwise recorded, and you give the University of California and its successors, assigns and licensees the right to release, publish, exhibit or reproduce such media, without compensation, for educational or promotional purposes and for sharing with external news media, throughout the world in perpetuity.

ADA accommodations

Guests who require accommodations for disabilities (e.g., wheelchair seating, sign language interpreter, etc.) should fill out the Accommodations Request Form at least 7-10 days in advance of commencement. This form will be available when ticket sales start in April.

Assistive listening devices are available on a first-come, first-served basis from Cal Performances at both Zellerbach Auditorium and the Greek Theatre. Please request a device from staff after entering the venue.

Real time closed captioning will be provided during the ceremony. Translated captions will be available in English, Spanish and Mandarin. The captioning service can be accessed by your phone via QR codes posted at the ceremony and in the print program, or at the following websites:
Greek Theatre
Zellerbach Auditorium

Venue & parking

Doors to the venue will open 1 hour before the ceremony start time. Seating is general admission, not reserved, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Venue staff/UCPD will be checking bags at all entrance gates. Please review the list of prohibited items below.

The venue is open to the elements. Guests should be prepared for any kind of weather and a wide range of temperatures. There are no indoor, temperature-controlled areas at the Greek Theatre. It may be very cold on a foggy morning or very hot if the sun is out. Sunscreen is highly recommended, as are small blankets and/or layered clothing. Guests should dress accordingly. Those with heat or sun sensitivities are encouraged to bring factory-sealed bottled water. Commencement will take place rain or shine.

Accessibility: Guests will have to go up a series of ramps or steps to access the venue. Once inside, guests may have to climb steep steps to access available seating. The majority of seating in the venue is concrete bleachers with no back.

The accessible entrance to the Greek Theatre is located on the north side of the building. It is at the end of a series of cut back ramps starting at street level. For more information and photos, see the Disability Access & Compliance website.

There is a curbside drop-off area on Gayley Road just north of the Greek Theatre entrance for passengers with mobility challenges who prefer to minimize the travel distance to the Greek Theatre.

Prohibited items:
Please note this list is not exhaustive and all bags are subject to search.

Large bags or backpacks
Baby strollers (designated parking is available just inside the gate)
Glass bottles / aluminum cans
Alcoholic beverages
Coolers / ice chests
Umbrellas
Skateboards / bicycles / scooters
Musical instruments
Fireworks
Noise-makers / air horns
Balloons (may be tied-off at the entrance gates at own discretion)
Rolls of toilet paper
Confetti cannons, color bomb cannons and/or poppers
Signs / banners / flags
Tripods for cameras
Animals (with the exception of documented service animals)
Lawn furniture or chairs (small blankets, cushions and low-backed stadium seats are OK)
Any items that can be perceived as weapons

Accessibility: Zellerbach Auditorium’s main entrance is accessible via a ramp located at the southeast portion of the building. For more information and photos, see the Disability Access & Compliance website.

Prohibited items:
Please note this list is not exhaustive and all bags are subject to search.

Large bags or backpacks
Baby strollers (designated parking is available inside)
Glass bottles / aluminum cans
Food and beverages (with the exception of bottled water)
Coolers / ice chests
Skateboards / bicycles / scooters
Musical instruments
Fireworks
Noise-makers / air horns
Balloons (may be tied-off in the lobby at own discretion)
Rolls of toilet paper
Confetti cannons, color bomb cannons and/or poppers
Signs / banners / flags
Tripods for cameras
Animals (with the exception of documented service animals)
Lawn furniture or chairs
Any items that can be perceived as weapons

During commencement, visitors may park in designated daytime campus parking lots on a first-come, first-served basis, for $11 (cost subject to change). Parking is also available in the surrounding city public parking lots on the south and west sides of campus; rates and hours vary. Please read all parking signs carefully.

Note: Payment for all on- or near-campus parking has moved from cash to credit card ONLY. Rates for non-UC garages (noted with an asterisk) may differ from campus rates.

Greek Theatre: The closest campus parking lots to the Greek Theatre are the Foothill Lot (Hearst at Highland Ave.) and Lower Hearst Structure – Level 2 (enter from Scenic Ave.). The Stadium Garage* (the corner of Stadium Rim Way and Gayley Road) is also nearby.
Greek Theatre accessible drop-off: There is a curbside drop-off area on Gayley Road just north of the Greek Theatre entrance for passengers with mobility challenges who prefer to minimize the travel distance to the Greek Theatre.
Zellerbach Auditorium: The closest campus parking lots to Zellerbach Auditorium are the Lower Sproul Garage (Bancroft Way near Telegraph Ave., under Zellerbach Hall) and the Telegraph-Channing Garage* (Durant Ave. or Channing Way, near Telegraph Ave.).
Disabled Parking: Disabled parking is available at the listed lots and rate on a first-come, first-served basis to those with a valid DP placard or plate.

For more information about commencement parking, see the Parking and Transportation website.

Additional information

The 2026 baccalaureate, master’s and doctoral commencement ceremonies will be webcast live on the day of the event. Links will be posted at the top of this page for each ceremony prior to commencement. Recordings will also be archived online for future viewing.

Engineering commencement ceremony videos from previous years can be found on the Berkeley Engineering YouTube channel.

Leis and floral bouquets will be offered for sale at the Greek Theatre and Zellerbach Auditorium. Guests can pre-order flowers here for pick-up at their commencement venue.

If your question is not answered above, please contact engineeringcommencement@berkeley.edu.