Returnee Participation Information
Candidates are expected to attend the commencement ceremony at the end of the semester (or session) in which their degree is awarded. Students may not participate in a ceremony before they are eligible to graduate. It is not acceptable for students to be added to the candidate list for the sole purpose of participating in a ceremony.
Those candidates who could not participate in a ceremony and would like to return for an upcoming ceremony should follow the steps below to request attendance as a returnee. Returnees MUST have been awarded a degree in order to participate in a future ceremony.
Be advised: Requests to participate in a spring commencement as a returnee cannot be accommodated at this time.
Announcement
Elliott Hall of Music will be closed from June 9, 2026 through Jan. 16, 2027 for the replacement of approximately 90-year-old ceiling tiles. As a result, the Summer and Fall 2026 Commencement Ceremonies will be combined and held in Dec. 2026 at Mackey Arena. You may consider requesting participation in the Dec. 2026 event.
Your request must be received by Sept. 1 in order to be eligible to participate.
Step 1
Register for one of these ceremonies.
Step 2
Once you have been approved and assigned to a commencement ceremony, you must register for a new account as a former student to log in to the commencement tab.
Review our step-by-step instructions.
Step 3
Once you have created a new account as a former student, log in to the Purdue Commencement Participation System and enter your new credentials. This will take you to the commencement tab so you can take the appropriate actions to finalize your commencement activities. The activities on the returnee commencement tab are the same as those for current candidates.
Contact commencement@purdue.edu with any issues or questions.
