Frequently Asked Questions

The graduation application and fee are required of all students.

Undergraduate students should file an Application for Graduation with the Registrar’s Office two semesters prior to the anticipated completion date. Payment of the graduation fee must also be submitted, either online or in-person at Student Accounts in Woody Hall.

If you have a major in International Business and Language, Liberal Arts, Music, Social Science, or any other major not listed in the catalog, you must also submit a major contract – signed by your major advisor – with your application for graduation.

If you have a minor that is not printed in the catalog, you must also submit a minor contract – signed by your minor advisor – with your application for graduation.

The graduation fee is currently set as follows:

• Undergraduates: $140
• Graduates (Masters): $160
• Graduates (Doctoral): $300

This is required of all students, and covers the costs associated with the completion of a degree program, including your degree posting and diploma. For the most up-to-date information on graduation fees, please check Tuition and Fees for the current year.

Deadline to apply for all graduate and undergraduate students is March 24, 2025. Deadline to apply for all Doctoral students is May 1, 2025.

There will be one ceremony for ALL Undergraduate Degrees and another ceremony for ALL Master and Doctoral Degrees.  Your degree that you are earning will dictate which ceremony you will attend.

Please see list on the commencement page for details.

You must have applied for commencement and paid the fee. Also, you must have met one (1) of the following conditions to be cleared for commencement:

1. completed all course and semester hour requirements and minimum GPA requirements in the prior fall academic term with or without January Intersession OR
2. demonstrated enrollment in final courses and have met all GPA minimums in spring academic term, OR
3. met all subject, semester hour, and GPA minimums through the spring academic term AND demonstrated proof of enrollment in “final” summer term courses if these are needed to complete the degree.

Once you are cleared, you will receive information from the Commencement Office through your student email address. You will need to purchase your required regalia (cap, gown, hood and tassel), and fill out the commencement participation/RSVP form.  You will only be able to claim your guest tickets after you fill out the participation/RSVP form.

If you do not fill out the participation form, you will not receive your guest tickets or any other important information about commencement. 

We will give up to 8 guest tickets to each graduating student; at this time, no additional tickets will be provided.  Tickets will be limited and will be given on a first come first serve basis.  as a reminder, the ceremonies will be livestreamed from the Commencement page.

Grad Finale is an optional fair like event taking place on Saturday, March 1, 2025, from 10:00am to 4:00pm in the SSAP Gym at the La Verne campus. Graduates will be able to shop for regalia, diploma frames, class rings, announcements, take photos with a backdrop and professional portraits, as well as speak with a variety of university departments to get information about commencement and career paths. Raffle tickets will be given to all students that check in for an opportunity to win a prize.

The Commencement webpage will post a cleared listed with all students that are cleared for each commencement ceremony. This will be updated every Friday starting February 28, 2025, until the end of May 30, 2025.

You may purchase on-line from Jostens. We will also have two dates that we will sell regalia on the La Verne Campus for last minute: April 23, 2025, and May 15, 2025, from 12:00-7:00pm in Leo’s Den in the Abraham Campus Center.

Please email the Commencement Office and inform them that you have yet to receive any information.  You can also check the cleared list on this website that is updated every Monday. Only students that have been cleared to participate in the commencement will be receiving email communications from the Commencement Office and will only be sent to your La Verne student email account. Also, review the question, “What are the requirements for me to be cleared for the commencement this May?” on this website to ensure that you meet the requirements to be cleared for commencement.

Only students that have been cleared to participate in the commencement will be receiving email communications from the Commencement Office and will only be sent to your La Verne student email account.

Your degree will be posted after completion of all degree work, and you will receive an email stating that your degree has been posted. Your tassel will represent the class you are graduating from which would be 2025.

Sashes, cap and gowns are available for purchase online through Jostens. Please keep in mind that the last day to purchase regalia online is April 5, 2025. Regalia delivery can take up to six weeks, so it is recommended that you purchase as soon as possible.

You may also purchase additional alumni related items through the University of La Verne’s Campus Store.

Official ULV regalia colors are as follows: Bachelor student regalia includes a black gown, mortarboard (cap), a green tassel, and a hood with white velvet lining. Master student regalia includes a black gown, mortarboard (cap), a black tassel, and a hood with the color of the velvet lining varying by degree.

Please contact Jostens representative Jackie Springer.

Please contact Jostens representative Jackie Springer.

Commencement Ceremonies on La Verne Campus in the Ortmayer Football Stadium:

• ALL Undergraduate Degrees – Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 10am
• ALL Master and Doctoral Degrees – Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 4pm

Each ceremony may last up to 2½ to 3 hours.

For doctoral regalia, please contact the head of your department for more information on the ordering process or contact Jostens representative Jackie Springer.

Your academic advisor can help figure out why you can’t be cleared for commencement by reviewing your degree audit (MyDegree Tracker). If you are not cleared or you are not getting commencement emails is because you might have missing requirement(s) in MyDegree Tracker that prevents you from being cleared and/or you have not applied for graduation. Knowing this, the advisor would want to check your degree audit, MyDegree Tracker, for missing requirements. If all the requirements are met (combined with in-progress courses) then the question to ask is if you have applied for graduation.

The following offices are clearing students for commencement:

• Traditional Undergraduates: Office of Academic and Career Services (contact).
• Regional Campus, La Verne Online and CAPA students: individual academic advisors at each regional campus. (Advisor list)
• Graduate students: Graduate Academic Services (contact).

If you have made a customized stole, please send a picture of it to commencement@laverne.edu to receive approval first. The Commencement office will not approve stoles or sashes with vulgar language, offensive or obscene images.

You may now purchase a custom-made stole on the Jostens website.

Up to 8 different sections can be customized with your College, ULV, University of La Verne, Campus, Logo etc.

Please contact Veronica Ashcroft.

No permits will be required to park in our various University lots and parking structure. Do not park on residential streets and restricted parking areas. Surrounding streets may be available for parking, however, we recommend that you follow all street signs and restrictions. La Verne Police department will issue tickets if time limits are not followed.

Graduating students should arrive at least 90 minutes before the ceremony starts. Gates for the stadium will open at least 60 minutes before the start of the ceremony for guests.

Yes, there is a Baccalaureate scheduled on Friday, May 30, 2025, at 4pm at the Church of the Brethren.  For more information and to sign up, please contact Zandra Wagoner at zwagoner@laverne.edu

Masks may be highly encouraged to be worn, but the event will take place outdoors and no vaccinations or a negative COVID test will be needed to attend the commencement ceremonies. As a reminder that commencement is a highly populated gathering and COVID-19 is an extremely contagious disease that can lead to severe illness. All should advise.

Please contact the appropriate department regarding your question:

• Registrar’s Office
• Graduate Academic Services
• Office of Academic Advising (main campus traditional undergraduate students)
• Regional and Online Campuses Director and Academic Advisor:
  • CAPA
  • Bakersfield
  • Burbank
  • Irvine
  • La Verne Online
  • Ontario
  • Oxnard
  • Naval Base Ventura County
  • Vandenberg Space Force Base
  • Victorville
• Office of Commencement

Accessibility parking is available in university parking lots and the parking structure on a first-come, first-serve basis. If parking in an accessibility parking location, be sure to have your DMV-issued placard displayed in your vehicle. Individuals who have special needs may unload their vehicles in front of Miller Hall on C Street and park in another area.

Yes. There will be two tented areas on the field for ADA-compliant guest seating, where one extra person may sit.

The University of La Verne is following the Los Angeles County COVID-19 health guidelines. Masks are highly encouraged. If you feel sick, please stay home.

All guests arriving in-person must have a ticket for entry. Children three years of age and younger do not need a ticket to attend and must sit on an adult’s lap.

NO HEELS are allowed on the Ortmayer Stadium football field. Please arrive with appropriate footwear.

Water bottles are permitted. Filtered water refill stations will be available for guests.  NO FOOD OR OTHER DRINKS ARE ALLOWED IN THE STADIUM.

No. Strollers, balloons, posters, or anything that may obstruct the view of any audience members will not be allowed inside Ortmayer Stadium.

Yes. Commencement vendors will be on site to sell flowers, leis, and other goodies. Debit and credit cards will be accepted. No cash will be accepted for purchases.

Yes. The university bookstore will be open from 10:00am to 4:00pm on Saturday, May 31, 2025. Visit the store online.

Our photography vendor, Grad Images, will take photos of each graduate on stage and they will contact you through your student email regarding purchasing options.

If you have not purchased your regalia (cap, gown, hood and tassel) you may purchase it the day of commencement at the Information Booth for $200 for bachelor bundle and $230 for master bundle.  There will be doctoral regalia available day of commencement.

ALL ULV graduates must wear the appropriate ULV regalia which consists of a gown, hood, cap and tassel.

Yes, you may decorate your cap.  Please make sure it is appropriate and does not block the view of anyone sitting behind you.

No, you cannot be cleared for commencement if you have outstanding requirements such as but not limited to:

Undergraduates: outstanding general education requirement(s) and/or outstanding major or minor requirements and/or not meeting minimum semester hour requirements in the major or minor or university minimums; missing grades (MG); less than 2.0 ULV GPA in the major, minor, or overall.

Graduate students: outstanding subject area requirements and/or not meeting minimum semester hours and/or not meeting the minimum GPA for the specific degree (each degree program has its own GPA minimums, check with your academic advisor or review your degree audit (MyDegree Tracker).

All students: review the question, “What are the requirements for me to be cleared for the commencement this May?” on this website to ensure that you meet the requirements to be cleared for commencement.

No, you cannot be cleared for commencement if you have outstanding requirements that require you to return in the fall academic term. You must have completed all subject, GPA, and degree requirements through the summer to be cleared for that season’s spring commencement. Returning in the fall term for outstanding requirements puts you on track to complete the degree at the end of the fall term and makes you eligible for next year’s spring commencement.