Student regalia may be picked up at the Bates College Store during regular store hours (8:00am-4:00pm) on the following dates:

• Thursday, May 27
• Friday, May 28
• Saturday, May 29

To help make the pickup process as smooth as possible, please note the following:

• No Pre-Orders Needed: Unlike previous years, advance ordering is not required. Simply arrive during store hours on the dates above and provide your name and height.
• Student ID Required: A valid Bates Student ID must be presented at pickup. Students may only collect their own regalia; picking up items on behalf of others is not permitted.
• Cost Information: Standard regalia (cap, gown, and tassel) is provided at no cost. Additional items—such as stoles, class rings, and diploma frames—are available for purchase at the college store, either in person or online at store.bates.edu/commencement.

If you have any questions, please contact Gail St. Pierre at gstpierr@bates.edu.

A schedule overview of events for Commencement week can be found on our Commencement website. There are a number of events all week for students, as well as events for families toward the end of the week.

Throughout winter semester, seniors will hear from their co-class presidents about how they would like the class to celebrate the culmination of their time at Bates. Please encourage your senior to share their input, participate in decisions regarding programs for Senior Week, and connect with their class leaders about anything special they are interested in proposing so this is a truly class-centered moment.

Siblings of graduating seniors who wish to remain in their campus housing through Commencement should reach out to reslife@bates.edu to request approval. All siblings should note that attendance at senior week events is limited to seniors only.

More information to come. Check back soon.

The 161st Commencement of Bates College will take place on Sunday, May 30, 2027, beginning at 10 a.m. and ending shortly after noon on the Coram Library Terrace on the Historic Quad.

Tickets are not required and there is no limit on the number of guests graduating seniors may invite to Commencement.

Families and friends may sit in any areas not marked as reserved. Please ask an usher if you are unsure. Family members can arrive as early as 7:00am to begin selecting seats.

If you wish to hold seats with jackets, etc. a person from your party must remain with your held seats. Unattended seats are not considered held, even if you leave items on the chairs.

We ask that all guests arrive and take their seats by 9:15 am to view the Commencement procession.

Seniors are seated in front of the stage in reserved seating alphabetically according to their last name. Seniors with the last name A-K will sit on the right side and seniors with the last name L-Z will sit on the left as you are facing the stage.

Professional photographers from GradImages will photograph each senior as they receive their diploma and while leaving the stage. Approximately two weeks after Commencement, notification with details on how to access their proofs will be sent directly to each graduate who has provided the college with their post-Bates email address.

Commencement is outside — rain or shine — but in the case of thunder or lightning, the ceremony will be paused. Guests will be directed to the Gray Cage, students to Commons, and faculty to the Perry Atrium until the ceremony can be resumed.

No. Unmanned Aerial Systems, i.e., drones, are prohibited at all times.

Bates is a mask-optional campus. If visitors have concerns about their own health risk factors related to attending mask-optional college events, they should seek guidance from their primary care physician.

Members of our community may choose to wear a mask at any time for any reason, including and not limited to their own level of comfort, personal medical status, family medical status, or personal risk. We encourage you to be courteous and respectful with regard to the needs and choices of others about masking. 

Following the collection of Short Term final grades and confirmation of Latin honors, physical diplomas will be mailed to your address of record no later than June 15th.

Starting June 5th, access to a certified electronic diploma via Paradigm, Inc. will be accessible to all students who have successfully completed their degree requirements. While this digital version is not printable, it is a Bates-validated credential that can be shared officially with employers and graduate schools.

For more details, please visit our Registrar’s Office page, or contact the Registrar’s Office at registrar@bates.edu. 

The livestream will be publicly available so friends and family members will be able to watch on a wide array of platforms.

• Bates Website: bates.edu/live 
• Facebook: facebook.com/batescollege
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/school/bates-college/
• Instagram: instagram.com/batescollege
• YouTube: youtube.com/batescollege

All platforms, with the exception of Instagram Live, will afford the same viewer experience. With a four-camera setup, the livestream will show everything that takes place!

Yes. After the livestream concludes, the video will be available on demand on Facebook, the Bates YouTube channel, and bates.edu/live.

The livestream will begin at approximately 9:00 a.m. with the procession starting at 9:30 a.m. and the Commencement ceremony starting at 10:00 a.m.

Our goal is to use all elements of social media to help a wide range of families and loved ones join this event in the virtual space. The event will be available on the Bates College Facebook page, allowing audience members to share in real-time their congratulations and shout-outs.

Yes, Bates strives to make Commencement accessible. There is accessible parking behind the Bonney Science Center, and there is a small accessible drop-off zone on Campus Avenue next to Carnegie Science Hall.

At Baccalaureate on Saturday and at Commencement on Sunday, there will be accessible seating on the Historic Quad. Families who need this seating should look for chairs with blue covers. On Sunday, staff ushers can also help you find accessible seating.

If you anticipate barriers or would like to request an accommodation related to any of the planned programs, activities, or materials, please reach out to Brenda Pelletier, Associate Director of Conferences and Campus Events at bpelleti@bates.edu or 207-786-6400.

Families will be allowed to enter the following buildings in order to access bathroom facilities:

• Carnegie Science Building
• Chase Hall
• Clifton Daggett Gray Athletic Building
• Commons
• Benjamin Mays Center
• Merrill Gym

Families will be able to access specific student residences as permitted by the Office of Residence Life during student move-out hours.

Graduating seniors should plan to move out of their dorms by 5:00 pm on Sunday, May 30. Please contact the Office of Residence Life at reslife@bates.edu for any questions or concerns regarding the move-out process.

Dining at the end of Commencement week expands to include options for families who have arrived for the festivities.

Thursday, May 27

• 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Breakfast (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Lunch (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 5:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: Dinner (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)

Friday, May 28

• 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.: Breakfast (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Lunch (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Dinner (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)

Saturday, May 29

• 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.:  Continental Breakfast  (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.: Lunch (Commons, open to seniors, their families, and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required for students. Families use one of their senior’s guest passes or pay with a credit card. The cost for guests is $12 per person.)
• 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.: Dinner (Commons, open to seniors, their families, and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required for students. Families can use one of their senior’s guest passes or pay with a credit card. The dinner cost for guests is $14 per person.)

Sunday, May 30

• 12:00 a.m. – 1:30 a.m.: Senior Breakfast (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.: Breakfast (Commons, open to seniors and underclass students who have approval to remain on campus. Bates ID required.)
• 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.: Coffee service for families (Library Arcade)
• 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.:  Commencement Lunch (in front of Commons and under the Bardwell field tent, open to seniors and their families)

Water will be available during all events. Look for the canoes under the garnet feather flags along Alumni Walk, on the Historic Quad, and in other high-visit areas.

May weather in Maine is quite variable. You should plan to bring clothing that is appropriate for rain and cool temperatures, as well as for warm weather. Please remember the ceremony is outside, so we recommend wearing shoes suitable for walking on wet grass.

The Bates College Store sells Bates Commencement items.

Pets are prohibited inside all campus buildings and at all dining events. Service animals are welcome.