Hotel and Accommodations
Guests coming from out of town are encouraged to make reservations for accommodations as early as possible. Local hotels in and around Davis (located in Yolo County) are a great way to stay close to your graduates. Hotel accommodations surrounding the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento are another option.
Solano County Visitor Bureaus (also, see City of Dixon)
Sacramento (city and county)
Golden 1 Center surrounding hotels
Undergraduate Commencement Information
Admission to the Undergraduate Ceremonies & Ticket Information
Undergraduate Commencement location: This year’s ceremonies will be held at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento.
Tickets: Graduates must register for graduation June 2, 2025 at 11:59 PM. During the registration process, graduates can request up to six tickets for guests. Registration will open February 25, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. PST.
Graduates don’t need tickets: Graduating students who are registered to participate in the ceremony do not need tickets to enter and will be checking in at a separate area.
Graduate Check-In: Graduates should arrive early. Graduate check-in begins 90 minutes prior to each ceremony at the graduate entrance on the Northside entrance of the Golden 1 Center. There will be plenty of signage to show you where to go for check-in. View the map here.
When you’ll receive your guest tickets: Paperless guest tickets will only be issued to the registered graduate a few days prior to the ceremony date.
Guests need tickets: All guests are required to have a paperless ticket to be admitted to the venue, except for infants and toddlers under the age of 2. Guest tickets are considered “general admission,” and there are no assigned seats.
Manage your guest tickets: The Golden 1 Center is a paperless venue and tickets will be accessed in Ticketmaster. Tickets will be issued to registered graduates a few days prior via their UC Davis email. Once downloaded, graduates can share the tickets with their guests via the Ticketmaster platform. Please note that both graduates and guests will need the Ticketmaster app on their phone. A smart phone will be required to scan tickets upon entry. One guest may load multiple tickets for their family and friends.
Ceremony schedule: Plan to come early as guest seating is first-come, first-served. Doors will open 60 minutes before the start time for each ceremony. View the full schedule of ceremonies. Each ceremony should last about two and a half hours but can fluctuate depending on how many graduates are attending.
Don’t sell tickets: University policy prohibits the selling of commencement tickets for money or for any commercial value. Violation will result in referral to Student Judicial Affairs.
Registration Cancellation: If your plans have changed regarding Spring Commencement, please email your college using the Commencement contact page to confirm that you will no longer be attending the Commencement ceremony, no later than May 9. Please note that you must cancel your registration in order to be eligible to register for and attend a future Commencement ceremony.
Parking
If you are planning to drive, we recommend you reserve parking at the Golden 1 Center in advance directly through SacPark where you will select a parking lot and reserve a parking pass. Please note that Sacramento Pride will be taking place on June 14 and 15 and we expect the downtown Sacramento area will be busier than usual on those days. We encourage you to reserve parking as soon as possible. If you are using a rideshare service, please allow for extra travel time to arrive at the Golden 1 Center. For more parking info, including directions and a map, visit the Golden 1 Center’s parking web page.
If graduates need help getting to commencement, please contact Transportation Services.
There are multiple ADA-accessible drop-off and pickup locations at the venue. Visit the Golden 1 Center’s website for more information about ADA and accessibility information and support.
Public Transportation
There are a few options for those who wish to travel to and from Commencement using public transportation. It is important to consider transit schedules carefully and build in time to arrive at least an hour and half before ceremonies begin. If graduates need help getting to commencement, please contact Transportation Services.
Yolobus Route 42A stops at the UC Davis Memorial Union Transit Terminal (MU) and one block south of the Golden 1 Center at 5th and L Streets. Buses arrive at the MU as early as 6:30 a.m. and take just over an hour to reach the Golden 1 Center stop. You can use Yolobus Route 42B to return to Davis, with the last bus leaving the Golden 1 Center stop as late as 11:28 p.m.
With a UC Davis Student ID, graduates ride Yolobus for free!
Capitol Corridor (Amtrak)
For those attending an afternoon ceremony, taking the Capitol Corridor train may be a quicker, more convenient option. The train stops at the Davis Amtrak Station in Downtown Davis and the Sacramento Valley Station (5 – 10-minute walk to the Golden 1 Center). Unfortunately, Capitol Corridor’s schedule is less frequent and does not accommodate morning ceremonies. For more information on scheduling, rates, and deals, visit the Capitol Corridor website.
Special Accommodations for Graduates
For Graduates
Students should indicate any accessibility accommodation needs at the time of registration or contact us at commencement@ucdavis.edu.
For Guests
The Golden 1 Center has thorough accessibility accommodations. Learn more on their website.
Photography
Family and friends may take photos from their seats or from the designated photo areas available during the ceremony. Tripods will not be allowed into any of the commencement venues. Photos may be taken outside of the venue after the ceremony.
Golden 1 Center Bag Policy and Prohibited Items
Please note that Golden 1 Center is a bagless venue. Clutches and wallets smaller than 8” x 6” x 1” will be permitted and are subject to security inspection. Please do not bring any bags larger than this size or you will not be permitted to enter the arena. Bags deemed and accepted as medical bags must be searched and tagged by a security supervisor. Backpacks are prohibited inside Golden 1 Center. We recommend that you also review the prohibited items list for the Golden 1 Center to ensure entry into the arena.
UC Davis has partnered with Pro Pics to take professional portraits of all graduates during the ceremony. Photos will be available for purchase after the ceremony. There is no cost to have your photo taken and no obligation to purchase. If you would like to receive your photo proofs, please go to www.UCDavisphotos.com to submit your information. If you have any questions regarding photos, please contact Pro Pics at info@propicsusa.com.
Livestream
If guests are not able to attend in person or would prefer to watch at home, links to the ceremonies will be available on the commencement livestream page and on-demand on the UC Davis YouTube page. Videos will be archived in our Commencement Archives.