2026 Commencement Ceremony

The Brown School Recognition Ceremony is for May 2026 graduates, but if you are an August 2026 graduate, please email commencement@brownschool.wustl.edu to confirm your participation. Tickets are required for guests ages 12 and older for the Brown School Recognition Ceremony. Tickets will be sent out the first week of May 2026.

Doors open to guests at 9:45am. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to have ample time to get through the security line and to their seats before the ceremony begins. Guidance on what is allowed into the building is listed below. 

The estimated length for the Brown School Recognition Ceremony is 2 hours. The event will be live-streamed which will be shared here on this webpage.

Graduate Information:

• The Brown School Recognition Ceremony registration deadline will be Friday, April 17, 2026. Graduates who wish to participate but did not register, please contact the Brown School Commencement team at commencement@brownschool.wustl.edu.
• WashU regalia is required to participate. The deadline to reserve regalia is April 11, 2026. For questions about regalia, contact Rick Parker at rick_parker@wustl.edu.
• Graduates must check in by 10:15am. Ceremony Logistics will be sent to students during the first week of May. Do not bring any bags into the ceremony, unless it’s a medical necessity. Do not bring anything with you that you can’t keep in a pocket of your clothes under the gown. There will not be a space for graduates to leave their belongings during the ceremony, and graduates may not end up in the same seat after crossing the stage.

The all-university Commencement Ceremony will take place on Friday, May 13, 2026, at 9:00am on Francis Olympic Field. Commencement is a rain or shine event. Only in the event of severe weather, such as a forecast thunderstorm, will the event move indoors. Graduates from all the schools are allowed to attend the all-university Commencement. Family and guests are welcome.

Registration is required for all graduates planning on participating in the university wide Commencement. WashU regalia is required to participate. August 2026 graduates who wish to participate will need to contact the Commencement Office to request access to register. Questions regarding University Commencement may be found on the Commencement Website, or can be directed to the Commencement Office at commencement@wustl.edu.

The following guidelines are set for Commencement and the Brown School Recognition Ceremony:

• Guests are strongly encouraged not to bring bags. Only the following types of bags will be allowed:​
  • Clear plastic bags, not to exceed 14” x 14” x 4”. ​
  • Small clutch-type wallets or purses not to exceed 4”x6”. Diaper bags are allowed for those with small children, but will be inspected.​
  • Medically necessary equipment is permitted after inspection.
• The following are prohibited in all university and school ceremonies and events, and are subject to confiscation:​
  • Air horns and other artificial noisemakers​
  • Animals, except assistance animals​
  • Banners or signs larger than 2’x3’ (no poles of any kind will be allowed)​
  • Food and drink (except water)​
  • Firearms and weapons​
  • Laser lights​
  • Balloons, glitter and confetti​
  • Unmanned aircraft/drones
• Out of consideration for others, we ask that guests keep the front of the stage, ramps leading to the stage, and pathways clear during the ceremony.
• Guests and graduates are asked to exit the Athletic Complex or Francis Olympic Field after the recession (on Saturday or Monday, respectively) – please plan to meet outside of the immediate area as it will be very busy!
• Extended disruptions to the ceremony will follow the University’s Demonstrations and Disruption Policy and may alter the format and length of the ceremony.

Following the University-wide Commencement, the Chancellor will be hosting the Commencement festival for all WashU graduates and their friends and family. The celebration, including refreshments, games, photo opportunities, and live entertainment, will stretch from Mudd Field to Tisch Park. Click here to learn more.

Brown School graduates and their guests are invited to come together in the Clark Fox Forum for celebration and connection with Brown School faculty, staff, and peers.

The reception will feature cocktails, mocktails and desserts! Graduates and guests are encouraged to bring in food and drinks from the Commencement Festival.

The reception will begin directly after the University-wide Commencement.

Visitors may park in any area of the university parking lots and garages except for those designated as accessible parking or loading zones. For more information, be sure to look at Washington University’s Maps, Direction, and Parking website.

The best parking for access to the Athletic Complex will be in Snow Way Garage (enter off Big Bend at Snow Way) or the Millbrook Garage (enter off Forest Park Parkway). From the Snow Way Garage, you can go to the Athletic Complex from the top level by following the posted signs.

The Danforth University Center Garage will be for accessible parking only.

Guests are strongly encouraged to take a hotel shuttle, taxi or rideshare service. Shuttles, Uber, Lyft and taxi drivers may drop off guests in Simon Hall lot (168). The lot may only be accessed via northbound Wallace off of Forsyth. To find this location, search for Simon Hall on our interactive map (D4 on the grid). A secondary drop-off location will be directly in the designated pick-up/drop-off area on the south side of Mallinckrodt (150) To find this location, search for Mallinckrodt on our interactive map (F5 on the grid).

If MetroLink is convenient to your hotel or home, it is recommended that you use it. Exit at the Skinker Station, located just east of the Brookings Hall parking lot, to attend the All-University Commencement Ceremony. Exit at the University City-Big Bend Station, at the corner of Forest Park Parkway and Big Bend Blvd., for a short walk to the Athletic Complex to attend the Brown School Recognition Ceremony. MetroLink information is available at http://www.metrostlouis.org/.

More information on visiting campus in May can be found here.

Parking
Accessible parking is available to those displaying a state issued accessible placard or license plate in the Danforth Campus Garages.

The Snow Way Garage has accessible parking spots and is the closest garage to the Athletic Complex.

Danforth University Center Garage (DUC) has accessible parking and may only be accessed via Forsyth Boulevard and northbound Wallace Drive.

For those needing to drop off guests with accessibility needs, please enter via Forsyth Boulevard and northbound Wallace Drive and follow the posted signage to the designated drop-off location.

More information may be found our Accessibility page.

Accessible Seating
Entrances into the Athletic Complex, Field House are accessible. Once inside, we will have marked several chairs on the floor level for accessible seating.

Sign Language
An American Sign Language interpreter will be present during Commencement and during individual recognition ceremonies.

WashU Regalia is required to participate in all Commencement ceremonies. Order WashU Regalia from the Campus Store here.

The deadline to reserve regalia was April 11, 2026. For questions about regalia, contact Rick Parker at rick_parker@wustl.edu.

During the Brown School Ceremony: Professional photographers will take photos of each individual student. These photos will be available for purchase online: Sarti Photo Services sartiphoto.com.

University photos and video of Commencement will be posted on Widen and YouTube.

Out of consideration for others, please keep the front of the stage and pathways clear during the ceremony.

Graduates and guests are encouraged to utilize the professional and self-service photography areas across campus.

The Office of the University Registrar will coordinate your diploma shipment once your degree is conferred. Please pay careful attention to the information below to ensure delivery of your diploma.

Diplomas will be shipped to your Diploma Mailing Address in Workday. If you do not have a Diploma Mailing Address listed, your diploma will be shipped to your Home Address listed in Workday.

The university offers certified electronic diplomas to all graduates along with your paper credential. Your certified electronic diploma will be ordered on your behalf and will take approximately 1-2 weeks to arrive. Instructions on how to obtain and download your diploma will be sent to your @wustl.edu email address. Your paper diploma will arrive approximately 4-6 weeks after degree conferral, and you will receive notification once your diploma has been shipped. Any additional questions or comments should be sent to diplomaservices@wustl.edu along with your student ID number.

August graduates can participate in the Brown School Recognition Ceremony in May of that year. December graduates will be invited to the Brown School Recognition Ceremony in May of the following year. Please contact commencement@brownschool.washu.edu if you have questions.

August and December graduates will be invited to participate in the University December Ceremony of that year. Registration and further information will be provided on the Commencement Website.