Boston University
04/07/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/07/2025 19:48
FAQ: Tickets Will Be Required for 2025 BU Commencement (They’re Free)
FAQ: Tickets Will Be Required for 2025 BU Commencement (They're Free)
Graduates to get four free tickets through their phone and will be able to request more (also at no cost)
Boston University will require that all guests have tickets (all are free) to this year's All-University Commencement on May 18. Each graduating student will receive four tickets, but can request more if needed. Photo by Janice Checchio
Student Life
FAQ: Tickets Will Be Required for 2025 BU Commencement (They're Free)
Graduates to get four free tickets through their phone and will be able to request more (also at no cost)
Joining a growing trend across the country, Boston University will require graduating seniors attending the 2025 All-University Commencement at Nickerson Field to get tickets-provided free-for their family and friends. BU's decision to require tickets for the ceremony mirrors what many other colleges and universities have begun doing, including Northeastern, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, Tufts, Emerson, Brandeis, and MIT, among others.
BU's 152nd Commencement ceremony begins at 1 pm on Sunday, May 18. Each graduating student will receive four digital tickets. But University officials stress that it's important to note that graduates can receive additional free tickets upon request. A detailed email will be going out Tuesday, April 8, to graduates (more information on that below).
BU Today compiled numerous questions to ask University officials involved in making the decision behind the ticketing change, and their answers are provided here.
(If questions are left in the Comment section below, we will aim to get them answered there.)
Why is BU choosing to switch from an open attendance policy to ticketed attendance?
The staff who work and volunteer on All-University Commencement continually look for ways to improve the experience for the guests and graduates. Each year, attendance grows. The ticketing process allows us to monitor the number of graduates and their guests while complying with the capacity restrictions of Nickerson Field.
We've heard it's four tickets per graduate. Can you explain that thinking?
It is important to note that we are not limiting to four tickets per graduate, but merely starting off at that number to allow us to estimate the attendance in the weeks leading up to Commencement. Graduates will be provided with additional tickets when they request them through the Tassel portal and we have the capacity.
What is Tassel?
Tassel is a higher education ticketing platform. (You can see their website here.) BU has engaged with Tassel to assist with the ticketing process as they are the gold standard in this field and have supported higher education institutions of all sizes across the country with ticketing and commencement management.
What if I need more than the allotted four tickets? How does that process work?
Additional tickets will be issued upon request for as long as capacity allows. Graduates can request additional tickets through Tassel, and they will be issued within a few days.
Is there a deadline for requesting additional tickets?
Additional tickets should be requested by close of business on Friday, May 16, to allow for the Commencement team to authorize them and appropriately plan for the event.
A number of other colleges and universities are ticketing for their commencements. Was that a factor in the decision?
Yes. Many of our peers ticket their ceremonies. There are many different reasons that they do this; some are capacity concerns, some are venue constraints, some are for safety and security. BU leadership did look at the various strategies and lessons learned from other institutions when making this decision.
Is this a cost-saving move?
No. In fact, the University has allotted additional funds and resources to make the ticketing process a reality.
When will the ticketing process begin? And what are the key dates and deadlines to be aware of?
Graduates will be notified via email on Tuesday, April 8. They will receive a personalized link from commtix@bu.edu, which will bring them to their Tassel hub using their BU credentials. They log in, and from there they can register for graduation, claim their tickets, share their tickets with their guests, and request additional tickets. This will be available up until the start of the ceremony, but we highly encourage registering and distributing tickets in advance.
How do I order my tickets? Is there somewhere I should go to order my tickets?
Let's reiterate this. Each graduate will be sent an email from commtix@bu.edu that will bring them to their Tassel hub using their BU credentials. They can also return to their profile at https://bu.tassel.com at any time.
If I run into a technical problem ordering tickets, what do I do?
Students can reach out to Tassel for support with any technical issues using this link.
Can parents or family members order tickets rather than the graduate?
No. Only registered graduating students can order tickets for their guests.
Are tickets free?
Yes!
Will they be physical paper tickets or mobile tickets?
They are mobile e-tickets. Each ticket will have a unique QR code that can be displayed on your smart device upon arrival at Nickerson Field. However, if people are more comfortable printing tickets, that is acceptable. But keep in mind, each QR code can only be scanned once.
If they are mobile e-tickets on a cell phone, what happens if I do not (or my family member does not) have a phone?
Printing tickets is acceptable. Just remember that each QR code can be scanned only once.
What if my relative or friend deletes the ticket shared with them?
Tickets are electronic and should be stored in your email. If you lose your ticket or delete your email by accident, the graduate can resend at any time.
Do graduates need a ticket? Or just their family and friends?
Graduates will need a "Stage Pass," which is very similar to a ticket, but indicates they are a graduate. A Stage Pass will be issued automatically when the graduate RSVPs "Yes" through Tassel. Once graduates have their Stage Pass, they can issue their tickets to their family and friends.
What about infants and small children? Do they need a ticket?
Infants, no. Children above the age of 3 will need a ticket.
What about faculty?
Robed faculty members, platform party, and volunteer ushers and marshals do not need a ticket through Tassel. These groups are invited through separate means. Tassel is ticketing only graduates and their guests.
What happens if a guest has to leave Nickerson Field at some point during the Commencement-will they be able to get back in?
Yes. There will be designated exit points so guests can "sign out" their ticket when leaving. They will need to scan their ticket again upon reentry. Failure to "sign out" will result in the ticket being double scanned and denied at reentry. This can be corrected by our volunteer staff, but will cause delays.
Will guests need to arrive earlier than in previous years because of the ticketing? If so, what time should they plan to arrive?
We will open the gates for guests and graduates at 11 am. We highly encourage early arrivals if weather permits. Graduates must arrive by 12:15 pm to have their Stage Pass scanned and line up with their class if they want to be seated on the field. We cannot guarantee access for late arrivals.
What do I do if my ticket doesn't work at the gate?
If the ticket does not work at the gate, or any additional assistance is needed, a trained group of volunteers will be on site to assist.
Are the tickets for a specific seat or is it general admission?
All tickets are general admission. VIP tickets are issued through a separate process.
Do tickets include parking?
No.
Are there specific tickets for handicap or accessibility?
No. The handicap and accessibility entrance will be at the end of Babcock Street as in prior years and staff at that entrance will be available to scan tickets or troubleshoot.
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Boston University moderates comments to facilitate an informed, substantive, civil conversation. Abusive, profane, self-promotional, misleading, incoherent or off-topic comments will be rejected. Moderators are staffed during regular business hours (EST) and can only accept comments written in English. Statistics or facts must include a citation or a link to the citation.
There are 4comments on FAQ: Tickets Will Be Required for 2025 BU Commencement (They're Free)
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Joanne Saraceni
First of all, thank you so much for this information. It is extremely helpful. Sorry, in advance, for so many of the following questions.
Are the additional tickets granted electronically on a first-come-first-serve basis? It seems like there should be no problem receiving additional tickets upon request, however, it looks like, at some point, Nickerson Field could reach capacity.
Will there be a limit on how many additional tickets the graduate can request?
I noticed the Marsh chapel baccalaureate service is at 11 am, but the gates for the commencement ceremony also open at 11 am, and guests are encouraged to get to the ceremony early. Is the university suggesting that friends and family not go to the baccalaureate service in order to arrive at Nickerson Field early?
How long does the baccalaureate service usually last and are the graduates able to go to the baccalaureate service and still get over to Nickerson by 12:15 pm, in order to line up and get their Stage Pass scanned?
Are there any plans to stream the ceremony and show it at a public venue on campus, in case Nickerson does reach capacity and guests can't all get in or if it gets too hot on the field and guests (especially the elderly) want to go inside to get out of the heat?
Thank you very much for trying to get answers to all my questions.
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Kevin Gonzales
Thank you for the thoughtful questions!
Yes, the additional tickets will be released on a first-come-first-served basis. We will be able to monitor the number of total tickets issued (both Stage Passes and Guest Tickets) and will monitor participation in real time. This will help inform decisions on how to handle excess capacity, but we have never reached capacity of Nickerson Field before.
Each graduate has a mechanism to requesting an additional 10 tickets automatically through Tassel. Any more than 10 additional tickets needs to be sent to commtix@bu.edu so our Commencement Team can manage those in real time.
Friends and family are more than welcome to attend the Baccalaureate Service at 11:00am and then proceed to Nickerson Field for the Ceremony. We encourage people to arrive early if possible, but do not want to discourage participation in other Commencement Weekend events.
The Baccalaureate Service usually lasts about an hour. It is a fifteen minute walk from Marsh Chapel to Nickerson Field so there will be time for graduates to attend both. The Commencement Team monitors the flow of attendees from different events so if the Baccalaureate Service runs long or there are a large amount of guest and graduates attending, we will be able to anticipate their arrival.
At this time, we are encouraging in-person participation on Nickerson Field. The Ceremony will be live-streamed, but there are no plans to make a public viewing area available. However, if we start to see trends such as excessive heat or increased attendance numbers, the Commencement Team will remain flexible to opening up additional options.
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BU Alum
Is this to limit and monitor protests?
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Kevin Gonzales
No. BU has seen protests and disruptions in previous years and have addressed them without ticketing measures.
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