Congratulations on your upcoming graduation from the University of Prince Edward Island! You are cordially invited to participate in the many events associated with this memorable occasion.

Please check this website often as will post updates about the UPEI Grad Week and the Convocation schedule as it becomes available.

The following list covers topics “from A to Z” regarding your graduation and Convocation. If you still have any questions, please see our list of contacts.

Absent for Convocation

If you are unable to attend the Convocation Ceremony, you have two options which will allow you to receive your degree/diploma/certificate. Please remember that if you are financially indebted to the University, no testimonial, diploma, certificate or statement of examination record will be issued.

Option 1: We do not mail degrees to PEI addresses. You may pick up your degree/diploma at the Student Experience Hub Student Service Centre on the second level of Dalton Hall. If someone else is picking up your degree, please have a note signed by you authorizing us to release your degree. Office hours are 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.

Option 2: If you live off-Island, you may request to have your degree/diploma mailed to you the week following Convocation. Please ensure that we have your complete mailing address and a phone number.

Academic Dress

Academic dress—also known as academic costume or regalia—is worn by all Convocation ceremony participants. There is a demonstration on "how to wear" academic dress at the Convocation Rehearsal in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. 

The ceremonial hoods worn by each graduand are colour-coded to identify the student's field of study (see "Hood Colours" on this page). Hoods are pinned on the front of the gown, so that the colour of the hood shows on the front and over the shoulders. The hood hangs over the back. Please feel free to ask the ushers for assistance. Ceremonial gowns have zippers and are meant to be zipped up. Graduands receiving a diploma and/or certificate wear a gown only. Graduands receiving a Bachelor's degree wear a gown and hood, and PhD recipients wear a PhD gown, hood, and hat.

Refer to the Gowns and Hoods page for more information.

Accessibility

If a graduate requires special seating or other arrangements for the ceremony due to a disability, please contact the Registrar's Office. If a graduate requires accessibility supports to attend any of the grad week activities, please contact Accessibility Services at accessibility@upei.ca.

Assembly and Academic Procession on Convocation Day

On Convocation Day at 9:00 am, graduates will assemble in the concourse area of the Faculty of Sustainable Design Engineering building. Graduates will be provided with an index card on which they will write their name. This identification card is carried by the graduate to the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. Assembly instructions will be provided upon arrival at the designated location. Graduates will be arranged in pairs alphabetically with the ushers' help, according to the Convocation program. At 9:40 am, the Academic Procession will begin to move from the assembly point to the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre.

Students receiving Honours and Conversion Certificates should assemble as a group within their faculty in the following order, e.g., BA, (Honours and Conversion Certificates as one group). 

Celebration of Mass

Graduates from all faith backgrounds are welcome to attend the traditional Roman Catholic "Convocation Mass". Please refer to the UPEI Grad Week and Convocation Schedule for details.

Convocation Ceremony

The Convocation ceremonies are held indoors at the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre at the University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue in Charlottetown, beginning at 10:00 am, after you have proudly walked in a procession across campus.

In addition to you walking across the stage to receive your degree, certificate, or award, the ceremonies each consist of an invocation, conferring of an honorary degree, and an address by the valedictorian. Immediately following each ceremony, there is a reception in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre—all are welcome.

Degrees, Diplomas, and Certificates

Use the links on this page for a list of degrees, diplomas, and certificates that will be awarded at each of the four convocation ceremonies. 

Grad Week Events

Participate in fun events for 2024 graduates! A Facebook page will be posted soon.

Hood Colours

Ceremonial hoods worn by each student are colour-coded to identify the student’s field of study.

Identification Card

You must prepare a legible card to give to the announcer on Convocation Day so that he/she can introduce you as you go up on stage. This card will be made available to you as you line up at the assembly location before the procession. On this card, please include your name (if you are concerned about the announcer getting the right pronunciation, please mark on this card how it sounds; for example: Javier (pronounced with a "H"). If you are receiving two credentials, please list them.

Invitations

Each graduate is permitted to bring four (4) guests to the Convocation event. Guest invitations will be distributed to graduates when picking up their gown and hood.

Refer to the Invitations page for more information.

Multiple Degrees

If you are receiving a certificate and a degree at the same convocation, you will cross the stage only once, for the degree and not for the certificate; please line up with your degree group. Please note that your certificate will be acknowledged by the announcer as long as you write it down on the card that you present to him/her. Your name is in the convocation program for all degrees and certificates you have earned.

If you are receiving more than one degree, wear the hood for the degree which you will receive first. Give the second hood to the person whose name appears next to yours alphabetically in the program in your second-degree group. Ask the person to place your hood on the chair beside his/hers to reserve it for you. Then, after you receive your first degree, join your second degree group. Assistant marshals will be on hand to assist with the procedure for those receiving more than one degree or diploma. Please do not wear more than one hood at a time.

Parking on Convocation Day

There is plenty of on-campus parking i.e., adjacent to the Irving Chemistry Centre (ICC) in lot B. View the Campus Map for all parking locations. 

Reception following Convocation

Immediately following each Convocation ceremony, there is a reception in McMillan Hall, W.A. Murphy Student Centre.  Graduates, students, staff, faculty, friends, and family are welcome. Please refer to the UPEI Grad Week and Convocation Schedule for details.

Rehearsal

Convocation Rehearsal is typically held on the day prior to the first Convocation ceremony in the Chi-Wan Young Sports Centre. Rehearsal attendance is highly recommended to ensure that the Convocation ceremonies proceed properly. At the rehearsal there will be a demonstration on "how to wear" academic dress. The rehearsal is approximately 45-60 minutes. Please refer to the UPEI Grad Week and Convocation Schedule for details.

Rental of Academic Dress for Photos

The UPEI Bookstore has a small selection of graduation gowns and hoods that can be rented for getting your grad pictures taken.

We require a $100 deposit per gown/hood to be paid when you pick them up. The rental is for 3 business days. Once the gown is returned within 3 business days, you will receive $80 back.

Senior Class Awards Ceremony

The Senior Class Awards Ceremony, which is by invitation only to those receiving awards, is typically held on the day prior to the first Convocation ceremony. Please refer to the UPEI Grad Week and Convocation Schedule for details.