Commencement 2026

Graduation and Certificate Petitions for Fall 2025 / Spring 2026 are due in the Office of Admissions and Records.

Fall 2025 deadline: October 10, 2025

Spring 2026 deadline: March 27, 2026

• Graduating students: Confirm your attendance at the Commencement Ceremony on Thursday, May 21. RSVP for Commencement 2026 (opens in a new tab)
• Each graduate will receive 5 wristbands.
• Deadline to RSVP: Friday, May 8, 2026.
• Attend a Commencement Information Session to learn details about your big day: Monday, May 13, 2026, 1:00 p.m., Student Center Building, Room SC-204.

Jaguar Stadium
Thursday, May 21, 2026
Ceremony begins at 3:00 p.m.

Important Tips

• It will be a beautiful and sunny afternoon. SJCC will provide free bottled water, but consider bringing:
  • A hat
  • Sunscreen
  • A small seat cushion — the bleachers are aluminum and you will be sitting for a couple of hours.
  • Your Jaguar spirit!
• To ensure the best experience for all, the following items are not allowed at the ceremony:
  • Umbrellas (you don’t want to block the view of those sitting behind you)
  • Stadium chairs (they take up too much space)
  • Balloons, streamers, or “Silly String”
  • Horns, megaphones, or other sound-amplifying devices
  • Glass bottles, cans, or ice chests
  • Alcohol (not permitted anywhere on campus)

Academic regalia (graduation cap, gown, and tassel) is required to participate in Commencement 2026. Graduates must wear a black graduation cap and gown. Gowns should not be altered to be higher than knee length. No exceptions will be made. We recommend that graduates avoid wearing flip flops or high heels.

Acceptable graduation caps, gowns, and tassels may be purchased through the San José City College Bookstore online at https://colleges.herffjones.com/college/_sjcc/ (opens in a new tab).

Students experiencing financial hardship may inquire about borrowing a graduation cap and gown from the Welcome Center / Information Desk, located on the first floor of the Robert N. Chang Student Center, during business hours. Availability is limited and will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

• Each graduate will receive 5 wristbands. Wristbands grant access to SJCC Jaguar Stadium.
• No alcoholic beverages of any kind are permitted anywhere in SJCC Jaguar Stadium.
• Traffic may be congested on Commencement Day due to other events in the area. We recommend that guests plan to arrive at SJCC by 2:00 p.m. in order to find parking.
• ADA parking: Accessible parking will be available adjacent to SJCC Jaguar Stadium. Additional parking is available in Parking Lot C.
• Accessible seating: Reserved seat tickets are not required, but guests with disabilities should arrive by 2:00 p.m. to avoid the last-minute rush. Ushers will be available inside SJCC Jaguar Stadium to assist guests to appropriate seating. Due to space limitations, only one companion may accompany a guest with a disability in the accessible seating area. Other family members may sit in the general seating located throughout the stadium.
• Commencement is a formal academic ceremony. We encourage you and your guests to celebrate your graduation; however, we ask that all in attendance behave with the decorum the occasion deserves. All families are waiting to hear the name of their graduate — please hold applause and cheering until all of your classmates have crossed the stage.

• The SJCC Commencement Ceremony will begin promptly at 3:00 p.m.
• Visitors may park in the Student Parking Garage, located on the corner of Moorpark Avenue and Leigh Avenue. Traffic may be congested on Commencement Day due to other events in the area. We recommend that guests plan to arrive at SJCC by 2:00 p.m. in order to find parking.
• ADA parking: Accessible parking will be available adjacent to SJCC Jaguar Stadium. Additional parking is available in Parking Lot C.
• Accessible seating: Reserved seat tickets are not required, but guests with disabilities should arrive by 2:00 p.m. to avoid the last-minute rush. Ushers will be available inside SJCC Jaguar Stadium to assist guests to appropriate seating. Due to space limitations, only one companion may accompany a guest with a disability in the accessible seating area. Other family members may sit in the general seating located throughout the stadium.
• SJCC Campus Map and Directions
• To ensure the best experience for all, the following items are not allowed at the ceremony:
  • Balloons
  • Confetti
  • Streamers or “Silly String”
  • Horns, megaphones, or other sound-amplifying devices