Convocation FAQ

Graduation is the administrative process that confers your degree; to officially receive your degree you must complete this process. Convocation is the event where graduation is celebrated. Applying to graduate is mandatory for all graduates, but attending convocation is voluntary. 

Convocation ceremonies take place in person, at Place des Arts in downtown Montreal All graduates must apply to graduate and register to attend convocation ceremonies using an online form once ceremonies are announced. Convocation registration will open in mid-April for students graduating in the spring. Those who have requested a deferral will be able to register in early May.  Find your ceremony on our class page.

Information about spring 2023 convocation ceremonies will be available in early 2023, and will be sent by email to all students who have applied to graduate.

The fee is a graduation application processing fee and is not related to convocation participation.

Attendance at convocation ceremonies is optional and there is no cost to participate. However, you must register to attend your ceremony! Registration will open in mid-April for spring 2023 graduates. The link to register will be posted on the main convocation web page and will be sent via email to all students who apply to graduate by the January 15 application deadline.

Flowers are available for purchase at Place des Arts, and you may also pre-purchase them. 

The Concordia BookStop will also be on-site, selling Concordia apparel and diploma frames.

Learn more about academic regalia. Please be aware that the clothing you are wearing underneath your gown will be visible, so dress accordingly.

When you register for a ceremony, you will also be able to select a time to pick up your gown and guest tickets. If you are unable to attend during the available dates/times, you may designate a proxy to pick up on your behalf. The proxy must bring the completed Gown Distribution Authorization Form with them, or a written authorization letter from you with the following:

• Your full name
• Your student ID
• Your program of study (ex: Bachelor of Commerce, Accountancy)
• The full name of the person authorized to pick-up on your behalf
• Your signature

Children aged 5 and under may sit on a lap at the ceremonies and not require the use of the limited guest tickets above. To obtain a lap ticket, please present yourself with the child to the Place des Arts "Billeterie" (ticket office) prior to the ceremony where a special ticket will be issued for the child to enter the venue. One of these special tickets is required in order to have an accurate count of guests in attendance in the unlikely event of an evacuation. The Billeterie is located in the hallway across from the main doors to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.

There is no formal dress code. However, guests and graduates typically dress for a celebratory occasion, ranging from business casual to semi-formal. 

Graduates and their guests should use the entrance of Place des Arts, located at 175 Ste-Catherine St. W. 

We recommend using public transit whenever possible, as parking is limited in and around Place des Arts. Those arriving by metro should be aware that there is ongoing construction in the tunnel leading from Place des Arts metro station to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. You will exit Place des Arts metro station on the corner of Jeanne-Mance Street and De Maisonneuve Boulevard. From there, make your way to the entrance at 175 Ste-Catherine St. W.

If driving, be sure to check out your parking options.

Graduates should arrive one hour and 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony.

Place des Arts is an accessible venue and can accommodate graduates and guests with disabilities. Should your guest(s) have reduced mobility and use mobility aids such as wheelchairs, walkers, or canes, etc. they should present themselves to the same door that the graduates use to enter the venue, one hour prior to the ceremony start time. Place des Arts ushers will escort guests with reduced mobility to designated wheelchair and accessible seating. Graduates with a disability (ex: reduced mobility, hearing or visual impairments, etc.) requiring accommodations (ex: interpretation, accompaniment, etc.) are asked to communicate with either the convocation organizers or the Access Centre for Students with Disabilities.

The ceremony typically lasts two hours.

A vin d’honneur (wine reception) is held for those in attendance immediately following the ceremony. 

When you register for a convocation ceremony, you can indicate the number of tickets required. We can guarantee two (2) guest tickets per registered graduate.

There may be additional tickets available, based on how many graduates register to attend each ceremony. You will have the option to request additional tickets as part of the convocation registration process. Should additional tickets become available, they will be distributed at gown distribution.

Children are welcome at the ceremony but must always remain with guests until the conclusion of the event. Graduates will be seated together in the front section of the hall, and children will not be permitted to sit among them nor cross the stage.

Children aged 5 and under may sit on a lap at the ceremonies and not require the use of the limited guest tickets above. To obtain a lap ticket, please present yourself with the child to the Place des Arts "Billeterie" (ticket office) prior to the ceremony where a special ticket will be issued for the child to enter the venue. One of these special tickets is required in order to have an accurate count of guests in attendance in the unlikely event of an evacuation. The Billeterie is located in the hallway across from the main doors to Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier.

There is a $20 fee for invitation letter requests. Send your requests to students@concordia.ca. The request must include the following:

• Full name of graduate
• Student ID of graduate
• Name of invitee(s) as they appear in their passports
• The relationship of invitee(s) to the graduate (ex: father, mother, etc.)

Yes. Concordia live-streams its ceremonies on the Graduation & Convocation page. Viewers may see the ceremonies in real-time via the website. Videos of each ceremony will also be posted to our website for viewing after the events.

After June 29, you may pick up your diploma anytime between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. at 1250 Guy St., 9th Floor. No appointment is needed. You may also submit a request to have your diploma mailed to you, for a fee of $34. For more information visit the Diplomas page. 

Students are expected to attend the ceremony of their graduation term*. However, under extenuating and exceptional circumstances, there may be times when a student is unable to attend their convocation. The Deferral Request form provides all the details on requesting a deferral. The completed form and supporting documentation must be sent to convocation.deferral@concordia.ca. 

*Fine Arts ceremonies are only held in the spring, so fall graduates would participate in the following spring graduation.

Non-Academic Awards are awarded to students from the current academic calendar year. They are awarded once a year at the Spring ceremonies. As such, they are open to students who will be graduating in the Fall of 2022 (whose courses ended in the summer terms) and to those graduating in Spring 2023 (whose courses end in the Fall or Winter terms). Please consult the PDF nomination form for the eligibility criteria for each award.

If you feel you meet the eligibility requirements for the Non-Academic Awards, you must find others to be listed as nominators and who can provide reference letters. You may not list yourself as a nominator.

Yes, if students meet the eligibility criteria, they may be nominated for multiple awards. A separate and complete application is required for each nomination if applying for more than one.

The external community means any organization that is not related to Concordia (e.g. community/municipal organizations, charities, etc. so long as they are not organized from within Concordia).

The different sectors refers to a cross-section of people within the Concordia community. These can be faculty members, staff, administrators, coaches, peers, members of student groups or anyone involved in the Concordia community. The nominators do not all need to be faculty members.

Co-curricular records are not a requirement for the nominations, but are encouraged as they provide details on a student’s engagement with the Concordia community.

No. In order to ensure the most current information is included with each application, the coordinator of the awards committee will include this information with each application prior to submitting the nominations for review.

Yes. The committee reviews each nomination on a case-by-case basis and will not exclude an application due to a pass/fail notation.

The selection is made by the Special Graduation Awards Committee comprised of Senate members. See the list of standing committee members.