Applying to graduate

In order to graduate, students must submit a formal application for graduation. If a student plans to graduate, they must submit an application regardless of whether or not they intend to participate in the scheduled ceremonies.

Graduation timeline

There are two graduation periods. You are required to apply for graduation, even if you don't plan on attending the ceremony.

Fall Graduation in November 2019

Application period

Undergraduate, certificate, and diploma programs 

June 15 - September 15, 2019

Graduate programs 

September conferral: June 15 - August 16, 2019

November conferral: August 17 - September 15, 2019
Degree requirements must be completed by

End of October 2019

If you are completing term 1 courses in December, you are not eligible for November graduation and should wait to apply for May graduation.

Graduate students: Visit the G+PS website for specific deadlines
Order ceremony gown and guest tickets

October 2019

Visit the ceremonies website for specific dates
Degree conferred (awarded) and credential added to UBC record

Mid-November

Your grad application status on SSC will be updated from 'approved' to 'conferred'
Graduation ceremony dates November 27 - 29, 2019

Spring Graduation in May 2020

Application period

Graduate, undergraduate, diploma and certificate programs 
December 16 - February 28, 2020
Degree requirements must be completed by

End of April 2020

Graduate students: Visit the G+PS website for specific deadlines
Order ceremony gown and guest tickets

April 2020

Visit the ceremonies website for specific dates
Degree conferred (awarded) and credential added to UBC record

Mid-May

Your grad application status on SSC will be updated from 'approved' to 'conferred'
Graduation ceremony dates May 20 - 22, & May 25 - 28, 2020

Later graduation periods

If you don't apply for the graduation period after you complete your requirements, you can apply in the following period. This is an option if you or your family members are unable to attend the ceremony during the earlier graduation period.

International students: If you plan to invite family from abroad to attend your graduation, be sure to apply for the necessary travel documents for your family in advance.

Eligibility to graduate

May graduation: Your program requirements must be completed by the end of April.

November graduation: Your program requirements must be completed by the end of October.

  • If you are completing term 1 courses in December, you are not eligible for November graduation and should wait to apply for May graduation. If you have questions about your degree requirements, contact your academic advising office. 

Make sure your financial account with UBC is settled. You will not receive a diploma or be able to order transcripts with an outstanding balance of fees. You'll still be able to attend the ceremony, but will not receive your diploma when you cross the stage. If you have questions about your finances, Contact your Enrolment Services Advisor. If you don't have an assigned advisor, they're still available to help.

Apply to graduate

Use of names on diplomas and graduation ceremonies

While completing your application, check your legal name and your listed specializations for accuracy. Unless specified, the name on your official student record will be the name printed on your diploma.

May graduation: Name change requests for diplomas must be submitted by April 15, 2020. 

November graduation: Name change requests for diplomas must be submitted by October 16, 2019.

Go to Changing the name on your diploma

Fall 2019 graduation | Apply by September 15, 2019

  • Login to the SSC and go to Graduation > Apply to Graduate.
  • Fill out the required fields, and click save.

You'll be able to check your application status in the Graduation Details box on your application at the top of the screen (this is also where you'll find your ceremony details and procession number, closer to the date of the ceremony).

When you can expect an approval decision

Your faculty will assess your application and approve your graduation application status if you have met your program requirements. Approval decisions should be updated by your faculty on the SSC by early November, and conferrals will appear on the SSC about a week before the ceremony.

If you have concerns about your application status or whether you've met your degree requirements, please contact your academic advising office.  

Graduation ceremony

Use the graduation checklist to find the ceremony schedule, ticket & gown ordering info, and ceremony instructions for students & guests.

Go to Graduation ceremony checklist

Check your personal ceremony details on SSC, including: 

  • Ceremony date and time 
  • Ceremony procession number 

Ceremony details will be assigned to in April for the spring ceremony, and mid October for the fall ceremony. You'll be able to check your details in the Graduation Details box on your graduation application.

Ceremony dates

November 2019

Wednesday Nov 27 – Friday Nov 29, 2019

May 2020

Wednesday May 20 -  Friday May 22, 2020

Monday May 25 - Thursday May 28, 2020

View the detailed schedule

Getting your diploma

Diplomas are not printed until just before the May and November ceremonies (including diplomas for graduate students who are conferred in September or February). Diplomas will only be available at the ceremony or by pick up or courier in early June and December for all students.

If you're attending the ceremony

You can start planning at the Graduation at UBC website. You'll receive your diploma on the day of your ceremony. 

If you’re not attending the ceremony 

You can pick up your diploma or pay for your diploma to be couriered.

Pickup

May Graduation: Your diploma will be ready for pick up at the Enrolment Advising Centre in Brock Hall on June 8th, 2020.

November Graduation: Your diploma will be ready for pick up at the Enrolment Advising Centre in Brock Hall on December 9th, 2019.

You may pick up your diploma or have it picked up by someone else on your behalf with a third party pick up form.

Courier

Students who have selected courier on their graduation application can pay the courier fee on SSC. Online payment is not enabled until your degree has been conferred.

  • ​Log in to SSC, under the Graduation tab click ‘Courier my Original Diploma’. You will be able to pay the courier fee and provide the address where you would like your diploma couriered to.
  • We start packaging diplomas to send out via courier as soon as the graduation ceremonies end.
  • To switch your selection on the grad application from pick-up to courier, please edit your application or email us at graduation@ubc.ca. Please include your UBC student number.
Destination Cost Estimated delivery time
Within Canada $20.40 1-2 business days
United States $25.50 1-3 business days, depending on destination
International locations $30.60 3-5 business days, depending on destination

Please note: Couriers cannot deliver to PO boxes

Changing your ceremony attendance

November graduation: You'll be able to change your selection on the Student Service Centre (SSC) until November 13, 2019.

If you miss the deadline and would like to change your selection to attending, please email us at graduation@ubc.ca.

Important info about late requests to attend the ceremony

The Ceremonies Office can't guarantee ticket availability.

Your diploma may not be available at the ceremony, but will be available for pickup or courier in either December or June.

If you can't make the ceremony

If you indicated that you were attending the ceremony on the application but can't make it, your diploma will be at the Enrolment Advising Centre in Brock Hall. You can pick it up in early December for the Fall ceremony or early June for the Spring ceremony. Please email us at graduation@ubc.ca to set up courier delivery.

If you want to defer your attendance to the ceremony

You may request to defer attendance to the next ceremony. Email graduation@ubc.ca to submit your request. 

Please note that we receive many requests to defer ceremony attendance from students who are not able to attend their own ceremony for various reasons. However, because our graduation ceremonies are held at the Chan Centre which is a small venue and has limited seating, we are only able to guarantee attendance ahead of time to those students who have applied to graduate in the period for which the ceremony occurs. Once we are able to confirm attendance numbers from those applicants, we do our best to fit in deferrals where we can.

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