The 2026 Winter Commencement Ceremony is scheduled for

Undergraduate and Graduate ceremonies will take place on Tuesday, January 27, 2027, at the Lehman College Performing Arts Center. 

There will not be a rehearsal for the ceremony. However, staff will be providing instructions during the ceremony.

Yes, Honors will be recognized at the ceremony. However, academic honors may be noted in the commencement program for  students who have graduated as of February 2025 or earlier.

The official commencement program will be available to students at Commencement. A digital version will also be available on the morning of the ceremony online.

A graduate is allowed tickets for only one Commencement for each degree or certification. Once tickets are accepted for that degree, the graduate’s name is removed from any subsequent list for tickets. If you are unable to attend the ceremony, contact us to cancel your request or return your accepted tickets. If you wish to maintain your option to attend a later ceremony, you should not accept tickets for this year’s ceremony. 

The Office of the Registrar notifies graduates by e-mail when diplomas are available. Ensure that your e-mail is updated in CUNYFirst. For more information, visit the Registrar’s webpage on Diploma Distribution.

You may already know that your preferred name and gender are honored at CUNY and Lehman College.  Your preferred name as listed in CUNYfirst will be used in the program at commencement.

To change your preferred name at Lehman College, use this form.  Here are the instructions for changing your preferred name for CUNY.  If you also want your preferred name to appear on your diploma, you would need to do a legal name change.  For more information on how to obtain a legal name change, go to information via NY Courts. The process can take as long as three months, so don’t hesitate to begin now! You can request a fee waiver as well as per the information in the link.

If you are a Spring or Summer graduate, you will participate in the May 2027 Ceremonies. 

The Graduation Ceremony for the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer graduation candidates is held on the last days of May or early June. 

Eligible students are required to wear the official Lehman College cap and gown to Commencement. Please check the commencement website for further details.

Undergraduate students wear a black cap and gown with the college seal on the front in addition to a hood that indicates the academic school. The purchase price is listed on the Hereff Jones website, and there are different packages available. It is recommended that students ship their cap and gown to their home for faster delivery.

Lehman College is divided into 6 Academic Schools. Every academic department belongs to one of the schools. Find out which Programs by school your department belongs to.

Please check the commencement website for further details.

You may request up to five guest tickets. You will not need a ticket yourself. Graduates confirm their attendance through the ticket request process.

Unfortunately, extra tickets are not available in advance. The availability of extra tickets will be determined only after regular ticket distribution ends. The process for requesting extra tickets is on the commencement website. There is no guarantee that extra tickets will become available.

No. Only guests need a ticket to enter campus. Guest and students use separate entrances.

Children, except infants and toddlers who stay on an adult’s lap, must have a ticket. Any child over 3 years old is required to have a ticket. Children are not permitted to march or sit with the graduates.

No. Commencement tickets are free. Any student engaging in the selling of tickets may be subject to disciplinary action by the college.

Refreshments may be purchased by vendors and will be available at existing lehman eateries 

Guests must remain seated so that all guests may see their graduate. Guests will not be permitted to enter the student seating area. There will be large screens visible to all guest broadcasting the ceremony 

Graduates and guests will be using various exits. Arrange a meeting location prior to the ceremony.

If you are a graduating student who requires accessible seating, please email the Office of Student Disability Services at disability.services@lehman.cuny.edu or call us at (718) 960-8441 by Monday, May 5th, 2025.

EMS will be on standby. Consult with the nearest staff member to obtain assistance.