Woods College Graduation Process
Save the Date
Commencement Ceremonies - Monday, May 19, 2025
We look forward to welcoming families and friends.
The Boston College Commencement Exercises are a two-part ceremony:
- The University Commencement (Main Ceremony) will be held in Alumni Stadium at 10:00 a.m.
- The specific School Diploma Ceremony is held immediately after the University Commencement Ceremony.
Please visit the Commencement website for more details in the Spring of 2025.
Official communications are only sent to your BC email; please check it frequently.
Graduation Process
The University awards degrees in May, August, and December and holds a Commencement Ceremony in May each year.
Students who have completed all requirements for their degree before a specific date are eligible to receive their degree at the University’s next official graduation date. A diploma will not be dated before all work is completed.
Please don't hesitate to contact your Academic Advisor if you have any questions or concerns.
Requirements
This will ensure that a graduate's diploma is printed correctly and that the graduate's name is listed in the University's Commencement program. Please note that only a graduate's name, degree, and Latin honors (if applicable) are printed on the diploma.
Students who already received their diplomas during the prior semester skip this step.
The deadlines for students to verify their diploma names are:
- Monday, April 15, for students who plan to graduate in May
- July 31, for students who plan to graduate in August
- December 12, for students who plan to graduate in December
> Students can use the Verify Diploma Information section in the Agora Portal to provide their names as they wish them to appear on their diplomas.
Remember, if you are off-campus, you must connect via Eagle VPN to access the portal.
Login to the Agora Portal and go to:
- My Services
- Account and Personal Info tab
- Verify Diploma Information, follow the instructions
If you have any questions about updating your diploma name, please contact Student Services at 617-552-3300.
In March, any graduating Woods College student who has received any federal student loans and/or disbursements from Boston College must complete an exit interview with the Financial Services Office before leaving the University. Failure to complete an exit interview or resolve any outstanding financial obligation to the University will result in a hold on your diploma and transcript.
For answers to questions regarding student loans repayment, call the Office of Student Services at 617-552-3300 or 800-294-0294 and ask to speak with a member of the Loan Repayment staff.
Those who would like to participate in the May Commencement Exercises must fill out two forms:
1. The Woods College Diploma Ceremony Participation Questionnaire
- Filling out this form confirms attendance at the Woods College Diploma Ceremony.
2. BC's Commencement Registration Form
- Filling out this form confirms attendance at the Main Ceremony.
These forms were sent via email on March 20, 2024, to students who have been cleared by their academic advisor to participate in May Commencement Ceremonies.
The deadline to submit these two forms is Wednesday, May 1. If you have any questions about academics, contact your academic advisor.
Remember to check your BC email periodically.
The deadline for students to order their cap and gown is Friday, April 12, 2024.
The prices for caps and gowns are as follows:
- Undergraduate Student: $52.00 (Purchase)
- Master's Student: $58.00 (Purchase)
Ordering Your Cap and Gown
Undergraduate and Masters' students should visit:
https://buildagrad.com/bostoncollege
Picking Up Your Cap and Gown
Cap and Gown Headquarters will be in the lobby/bookstore in McElroy Commons. Students will need to come to the Boston College Bookstore on one of the days and times listed below.
When picking up their order, students must have:
- Their BC ID
- The order confirmation number they received
Cap and Gown Headquarters will be open on the following days:
- Wednesday, May 15, 2024, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Thursday, May 16, 2024, 9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
- Friday, May 17, 2024, 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. (last day for cap and gown pickup)
Cap and gown distribution will NOT be available on Saturday or Sunday before Commencement.
Visit the Cap and Gown page for additional information.
For questions, please contact the Bookstore Director, Chris Bergin, at 617-552-6474 or berginch@bc.edu.
Leaving BC: What happens with your BC computing services?
After completing all courses and degree requirements, many changes will occur to BC computing services, depending on the graduation term.
Email, BC Google account, Agora Portal, BC Zoom, Microsoft Office 365, network access, and all other BC services will be available for 180 days, following the below schedule:
- May graduates: 180 days after June 1st (end of November)
- Summer graduates: 180 days after September 15th (mid-March)
- December graduates: 180 days after January 15th (mid-July)
Graduates will receive an email reminder one month before they lose access to BC services.
For detailed information, including how to preserve your data, please visit the Information Technology Services (ITS) website.
Need help? Call the Help Center at 617-552-HELP (4357) or email at help@bc.edu.
For details about events, requirements for attending, and detailed information about the Commencement Ceremonies, please visit BC's official page.
