Celebrate your graduate at our upcoming commencement ceremony on Friday, May 10 and Saturday, May 11. Here are details to make your time on campus enjoyable and hassle free.
Friday, May 10, 2019 — 3 p.m.
Candidates: College of Pharmacy, Darla Moore School of Business, College of Nursing, Arnold School
of Public Health
Saturday, May 11, 2019 — 9:30 a.m.
Candidates: S.C. Honors College (BARSC students only), College of Arts and Sciences, College
of Information and Communications
Saturday, May 11, 2019 — 3 p.m.
Candidates: College of Education, Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Engineering and Computing, College
of Social Work, College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management, School of Music, Palmetto
College
The president of the University of South Carolina presides over official ceremonies, which include Carolina’s tradition of honoring each degree candidate by name. During the ceremony, graduation candidates will be personally congratulated for their accomplishment by the president and the dean of the graduate’s college or school. The ceremony usually takes around 2 to 2 ½ hours at the Colonial Life Arena.
Colonial Life Area has established a clear bag policy for all events including commencement. The university registrar provides additional information on:
Beginning 30 minutes before the ceremony, you can livestream it here or via Facebook. The university registrar provides additional information on our baccalaureate, master's and professional ceremonies.
When: Friday, May 10, 2019, 9 a.m.
Where: Historic Horseshoe
When: Friday, May 10, 2019, Noon
Where: Koger Center for the Arts
When: Saturday, May 11, 2019, 1 p.m.
Where: Koger Center for the Arts
Metered, street parking near commencement sites will be very limited. There are large parking lots and/or parking garages on campus and within walking distance of all sites. Accessible parking is available for those with a state-issued disability pass, sticker or license plate.
The university provides free shuttle service from on-campus parking garages to commencement sites.
Find out how to navigate your way to parking and commencement sites by downloading the commencement parking map [pdf] or using our interactive commencement map:
Remember to ask about special rates for USC visitors when you call to make a hotel reservation. If you're planning to stay in town a few days, consult our calendar for events and be sure to explore Columbia's attractions and accommodations.