A graduation ceremony was a ceremonial gathering in which Starfleet Cadets graduated from Starfleet Academy and began serving on starships.

In 2368, Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise-D was to give the commencement address at that year's graduation ceremony. The ceremony was later marred by the death of Cadet Joshua Albert in a shuttlecraft accident and there was some discussion about canceling the ceremony. However after Cadet Albert's father, Lieutenant Commander Albert gave Rear Admiral Brand his blessing, the ceremony was to go on. (TNG: "The First Duty")