Commencement
Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 4 p.m.
Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Congratulations Class of 2026! Chaffey College faculty and staff are excited to celebrate your accomplishments this spring! Here you will find important information about graduation, commencement participation, and all the steps in between.
Important Dates:
- The deadline to apply for spring graduation is March 27, 2026.
- The deadline to RSVP for commencement is April 10, 2026.
Graduation vs. Commencement – What’s the Difference?
You must apply for graduation in order to receive your official degree and/or certificate.
Students who completed or expect to complete their degree or certificate in summer
2025, fall 2025 or spring 2026 will be eligible to participate in the commencement
ceremony.
Please RSVP, whether or not you plan to attend the commencement ceremony HERE, not later than Friday, April 10th.
Learn more about graduation and commencement requirements HERE.
Step One Meet With a Counselor
Prior to the semester you intend to graduate:
- Meet with a Counselor for a graduation check to confirm all coursework for Chaffey College Graduation Requirements, including your major(s), are completed or in-progress at the time of application. Visit Admissions and Records to learn more.
Step Two: Apply to Graduate
During the semester you intend to graduate:
- Log on through the Chaffey College Portal
- Click on “Self-Service (Registration)”
- Click on “Graduation Overview”
*You must complete this step in order to determine your eligibility to participate in the commencement ceremony.
Step Three: RSVP for Commencement
We are asking you to please RSVP, whether or not you plan to attend the commencement ceremony using this link: 109th Commencement Ceremony RSVP Form, no later than Friday, April 10th. Please keep in mind that you must have completed a degree or certificate application via MyChaffey in order to be eligible to participate in the commencement ceremony.
After you RSVP and your graduation eligibility is confirmed, you will receive an email with additional information. Please contact commencement@chaffey.edu with any questions.
Grad Fest
Grad Fest is a one-stop-shop to pick-up everything you need for commencement. You can purchase your regalia, meet vendors for announcements, pick up the guest tickets you RSVP’d for, and much more.
A Grad Fest event will be held on all three campuses.
- Fontana Campus – April 21st 11:00am–12:30pm
- Rancho Campus – April 22nd 11:00am–4:00pm
- Chino Campus – April 23rd 11:00am–12:30pm
Additional Celebrations
In addition to the main commencement ceremony, you may also participate in our cultural celebrations of graduates. Events are open to all interested students. Your RSVP commencement will ask about your interest, and you’ll receive additional information regarding an event if you indicated interest.
- Lavender Celebration: Celebrating Our LGBTQIA+ Graduates - April 30th - Register
- EOPS - May 1st - Register
- Nuestra Latino/a Celebration of Graduates - May 7th - Register
- Rites of Passage: Black/African American Celebration of Graduates - May 8th - Register
- Transfer Celebration – May 5th 12:00-1:30 p.m. - Register
Guest Tickets
Graduating students may only request tickets once and there is a limit of 10 tickets per graduate. Tickets are required to enter the Toyota Arena for guests ages two (2) and up.
*Tickets are not required for student graduates.
Guest Ticket Pick-Up
Tickets will be available for pickup at Grad Fest events. If you are unable to attend Grad Fest, tickets will be available in CCE-124/Student Life on the Rancho Campus.
You have until Friday, May 8 at 4:00 p.m. to pick up your tickets or request your tickets be available at Chaffey’s Will Call located outside the loading dock at the Toyota Arena. If tickets are not picked up by this time, they will be released to another student.
If you are unable to pick up your tickets and would like someone to pick them up on your behalf, please complete the Guest Ticket Release Form.
All tickets are issued to graduates FREE of charge and no electronic tickets will be issued or accepted at Toyota Arena. Chaffey receives a limited number of tickets for distribution and cannot reprint or reissue tickets once distributed; therefore, lost or misplaced tickets will not be replaced.
Guest Arrival
Parking: The parking lots will open by 2:00 p.m. Parking is free.
Omnitrans: The Toyota Arena is accessible via the Omnitrans bus (Line 81) - the nearest stop is Concourse and Mercedes Lane.
Doors: The doors to the arena will open at 3:00 p.m.
Please plan to arrive with plenty of time to get parking and get through security before the start of the ceremony.
Commencement Day
Thursday, May 21, 2026 at 4 p.m., Toyota Arena, Ontario, California
Check-in & Staging
- Plan to arrive by 2:30pm – allowing enough time to get through security and enjoy the festivities. The event will begin promptly at 4pm.
- Students will stage in the loading dock. No family members are allowed in the staging area.
- Water stations will be located in the loading dock.
- Grad Images, the college commencement photographer, will also be available for professional photos. You will be under no obligation to purchase the photos. Grad Images will contact you via email when your photos are available for viewing.
- Seating will be limited, please wear comfortable shoes.
- Do not bring any personal belongings, such as purses and/or backpacks. There is no secure storage area and staff are prohibited from holding any personal items for graduates and will not be responsible for lost items.
Processional
- An announcement will be made at 3:30 p.m. when it’s time to start the line-up. The procession of students into the arena will begin without late students.
- You will be seated with the person ahead of you and behind you in line so please line up accordingly if you want to sit with your friends.
- There is no rehearsal, please follow the instructions of the Commencement staff, who will guide you throughout the ceremony.
- Silence your cell phone before entering the arena.
Ceremony
- The ceremony will last approximately three (3) hours. Participants are not permitted to leave the commencement ceremony early.
- For those family members and friends who are unable to attend the Commencement, Chaffey College is pleased to offer a live video stream of the ceremony. A link will be available on the Chaffey College main webpage to begin by 4:00 p.m. the day of the ceremony.
Dress Code
Dress appropriately for the special occasion. If you do not have your regalia (which includes a cap, gown, and tassel) you will not be able to participate in the ceremony.
Regalia can be purchased at Grad Fest in the Campus Store. Please visit the Chaffey College Campus Store website for more information.
Grad Bag
A grad bag contains an assortment of items typically worn or associated with graduation. The bag will include: cap and gown, tassel, sash, and an alumni membership (valued at about $125). The cost of the bag is TBA.
The Foundation will be offering a scholarship for a limited number of grad bags. The application will open TBA and will close on TBD.
Grad bags will be available for purchase from the Campus Store beginning at Grad Fest. After Grad Fest, grad bags can be purchased at the Campus Store or through the Campus Store webpage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eligibility
Students who have earned an associate degree and have a 3.50 GPA or above in degree applicable units will graduate with honors. GPA for Honors at Graduation (listed in commencement ceremony booklet) is computed after the fall semester grades are recorded on the transcript for spring commencement. The eligibility lists at the top of this page will notate students with honors.
To be eligible for selection as valedictorian for the spring commencement ceremony,
students must have applied for a summer 2025, fall 2025 or spring 2026 graduation
by the posted deadlines and earned an associate’s degree and a cumulative 4.00 GPA
in degree applicable units, and have completed a minimum of 12 degree applicable units
at Chaffey College each consecutive term, except the first term in college may be
fewer than 12 units.
All valedictorians will be notified of their status by early April 2026.
AUDITIONS ARE CLOSED FOR 2026
Members of the graduating class are invited to apply to be considered for the role
of Class Speaker. To be selected as the Class Speaker for the Chaffey College Commencement
ceremony is a great honor and carries great responsibility as the individual chosen
represents the graduating class and the entire Chaffey College student body. This
is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Click HERE [Link] for more information about
goals, eligibility, and to apply to be the class speaker. The deadline to apply is
Tuesday, February 17th.
If your speech is selected for an audition, the auditions will be held on Friday,
February 20th at TBD. Once you submit your application, please check your panther
email for a confirmation email containing more information about an audition.
AUDITIONS ARE CLOSED FOR 2026
Auditions to be the National Anthem Singer for the 2026 Commencement ceremony will
be held on TBD. In order to be eligible, you must be cleared to participate in the
2026 commencement ceremony and be in good disciplinary standing. No application or
appointment is necessary, just be present during one of the audition timeframes. If
you'd like to audition via Zoom, please contact TBA for the link.
Prepare for Commencement
There is no rehearsal. We will provide you with all the instructions that you need via email, as well as, during check-in and line-up, prior to the procession into the arena.
Your name will appear in the program if you met the March 28th deadline to apply for graduation via the MyChaffey Portal and indicated on your application that you would like your name printed in the program.
Information regarding how to purchase graduation announcements will be available on the Chaffey College Campus Store website.
Dress Code
Only college approved regalia is allowed, as this is Chaffey College’s commencement ceremony. College staff may ask you to remove any non-approved or inappropriate regalia.
It is completely acceptable to decorate your cap. Please be respectful when decorating your cap, but have fun. Please note that your graduation gown should not be decorated.
After Commencement
No. You will receive a diploma/certificate cover containing a certificate of participation. The Admissions and Records Office mails your diploma/certificate to you 3 - 4 months after your degree/certificate is posted. Keep us informed of your current address to ensure delivery of your transcript and diploma.
If you change your mailing address or you do not receive your diploma, please notify the admissions and records office at:
- Last Name beginning with A – K – therese.coming@chaffey.edu
- Last Name beginning with L – Z – brian.stone@chaffey.edu
The Alumni Association will have a table at Grad Fest and the Commencement ceremony. You can also go to the website at: https://www.chaffey.edu/alumni/
Grad Images, the commencement photographer, will email graduates once your pictures have been posted online for viewing. You can also check for photos yourself by going to www.gradimages.com. Any questions regarding these photos should be directed to Grad Images.
Connect With Other Graduates
Use the hashtag #chaffey26 and tag @chaffeycollege in your posts and stories for a chance to be featured!
Additional Questions
- Please contact the Commencement Office at commencement@chaffey.edu
- For information regarding your graduation application, please see your counselor.
- For more information on your diploma or certificate, please contact the Admissions and Records office.
- For information on regalia and commencement announcements, please inquire at the Campus Store.
