Topics included in this guide:
Arrival
- Traffic is very heavy on and around campus on Commencement morning. Allow extra time for your commute and plan to arrive early.
- Wallace Wade Stadium gates will open at 7:30 a.m. Graduates must arrive at Pascal Field House by 8:15 a.m. Guests are encouraged to be seated by 8:30 a.m.
- Note that guests and graduates will access the stadium via separate entrances.
For Guests
- Guests should enter at any of the stadium gates: Bostock, Powers or Wilson.
For Graduates
- Graduates should proceed directly to Pascal Field House via the Blue Zone 7 or Grounds parking lots.
- Graduates should arrive no later than 8:15 a.m.
Parking
- Ample general parking is available near Wallace Wade Stadium. View a campus parking diagram here.
- All on-campus parking is free of charge during Commencement weekend (beginning Friday through Sunday) and is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
- On Sunday, May 10, shuttles will run from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. to help graduates and guests navigate campus. Refer to this diagram for the park and ride shuttles.
- The Grounds Lot is reserved for guests with mobility impairments. Overflow accessible parking is available on Level 2 of the Science Drive Garage. ADA shuttle buses (pink buses) will be available to transport guests with mobility needs from these parking areas to Wallace Wade Stadium.
- Graduates may park in or be dropped off at the Blue Zone 7 parking lot on Commencement Day.
Tickets/Stadium Access
For Guests
- Guests are required to have digital tickets to enter the stadium. Graduates requested guest tickets in April and will receive them via mobile ticket transfer on Monday, May 4.
- Graduates should transfer tickets to their guests in advance of arrival at the stadium. Instructions for transferring tickets can be found here.
For Graduates
- Graduates registered for Commencement in February and will use their student IDs/mobile Duke Cards (on their phones) to scan into Pascal Field House.
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- IMPORTANT: If you do not have a Duke student ID, please email commencement@duke.edu.
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- Graduates must be dressed in academic apparel in order to enter Pascal Field House.
What to Wear
For Guests
- Dress comfortably and for the weather, which can change throughout the day in North Carolina.
- Comfortable walking shoes are strongly recommended.
- Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses and rain ponchos are also encouraged. Ponchos will not be provided for guests.
For Graduates
- Academic regalia (gown, cap/tam and hood) is required
- Spiked heels are not permitted on the field.
Seating
- Guest seating is general admission; seats are not assigned.
- Graduates will be grouped by school for on-field seating.
Stadium Policies
The following items are permitted following inspection:
For Guests
- Personal Bags (small purses, small tote bags, etc.) maximum size 12” x 12” x 6”
- Medical & childcare items
- Bags 12” x 12” x 6” or smaller are highly recommended to expedite entry and minimize touch points.
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- If larger items are required for medical or accessibility need, please contact Duke Access & Accommodation Services for additional information and accommodations.
- Cameras & Video Cameras
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- All cameras larger than a cell phone must be removed from bags and placed on the table during entry screening.
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- Outside food & non-alcoholic beverages
- Umbrellas
For Graduates
- Small bags/hip packs maximum size 8” x 5” x 1”
- Water
Prohibited Items
For Everyone
- Alcoholic beverages
- Backpacks, duffel bags, large purses, and suitcases of any kind
- Balloons
- Drones & unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)
- Flag/sign poles of any kind or size
- Hazardous materials
- Laser pointers
- Megaphones/noisemakers of any kind
- Pets (exception: service animals)
- Posters and signs of any kind (regardless of size)
- Weapons of any kind (including pocket knives regardless of size)
- Wrapped gifts
Please leave such items in personal vehicles or hotel room.
For Graduates
- Bags larger than 8” x 5” x 1”
- If larger items are required for medical or accessibility need, please contact Duke Access & Accommodation Services for additional information and accommodations.
- No food, drink (other than water), chewing gum.
- Posters, signs, noisemakers of any kind.
- No spiked heels. Only low heels, flats, and/or wedges will be permitted on the field.
Concessions, Merchandise and Floral Sales
- Concessions will be available for purchase before and during the ceremony. Guests may bring outside food into the stadium.
- New for 2026: Shop Duke merchandise at the Duke Stores tent, Section 16 (concourse).
- New for 2026: Celebrate your graduate with a floral bouquet—available at Concession Stand 3 (under Blue Devil Tower).
- Complimentary drinking water will be provided for both guests and graduates.
Weather Considerations
- The ceremony is held outdoors, and Wallace Wade Stadium provides little shade and rain cover.
- Umbrellas are permitted in the stadium. If rain is in the forecast, ponchos and waterproof clothing are recommended.
- The ceremony will proceed rain or shine; in the case of heavy rain the ceremony may be shortened. University officials will monitor weather forecasts throughout Commencement week and during the ceremony. Should conditions warrant cancellation of the ceremony, it will not be postponed or rescheduled.
Accessibility and Disability Accommodations
- Information about accessible seating, transportation and parking, assistive listening and mobility support is available on the Commencement website.
- If you or your guests require accommodations beyond what is described on the Commencement website, please contact Duke Access & Accommodation Services (DAAS) at (919) 668-1267 or visit the DAAS website for more information. You can also fill out the Visitor Accommodation Request Form and DAAS staff will respond in a timely fashion.
Livestream, Video and Photography
- A livestream video of the ceremony will be available on the Duke YouTube channel and on commencement.duke.edu.
- The university will offer photographs from the ceremony for complimentary download approximately one week after the ceremony. Graduates will receive a post-Commencement email that will include a link to photos.
- Guests are permitted to take photos and video of the ceremony. Please be mindful not to interfere with the visibility or comfort of other guests sitting near you.
About the Ceremony
- The procession begins at 9:00 a.m.
- Once the procession is complete, the ceremony will last approximately one hour.
- Graduates will stand to be recognized by school during the ceremony. Graduates will not be recognized individually and will not walk across the stage at this ceremony.
- Guests are not permitted on the field at any time. Please plan a meeting location with your graduate in advance.
Diploma Distribution
- Diplomas are not distributed at this ceremony.
- Undergraduate diplomas from Trinity College of Arts & Sciences and the Pratt School of Engineering will be mailed to students after Commencement.
- Some graduate and professional degree programs will distribute diplomas during school/departmental ceremonies, while others will distribute diplomas via mail. Please check with your school or department regarding specific arrangements for diplomas.