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.

Spring Graduation in May 2017

Application period December 15 - February 24
Degree requirements must be completed by End of April 2017
Degree conferred (awarded) and credential added to UBC record

May 18th (approximately)

Your grad application status on SSC will be updated from 'approved' to 'conferred'
Graduation ceremonies May 24 - 26, & May 29 - June 1, 2017

Fall Graduation in November 2017

Application period

June 15 - September 15
Degree requirements must be completed by

End of October 2017

If you are completing term 1 courses in December, you are not eligible for November graduation and should wait to apply for May graduation.
Degree conferred (awarded) and credential added to UBC record

Mid to Late November (approximately)

Your grad application status on SSC will be updated from 'approved' to 'conferred'
Graduation ceremonies November 22 - 24, 2017

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.

2017 Ceremony dates

May 2017

Wednesday May 24 -  Friday May 26, 2017

Monday May 29 - Thursday June 1, 2017

November 2017

Wednesday Nov 22 - Friday Nov 24, 2017

View the detailed schedule

Eligibility to graduate

November graduation: Your program requirements must be completed by the end of October 2017.

  • 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 Professional (ESP). If you don't have an assigned ESP, they're still available to help.

Apply to graduate

Use of names on diplomas and graduation cermonies

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.

November graduation: Name change requests for diplomas must be submitted by October 13, 2017. 

Go to Changing the name on your diploma

Fall 2017 graduation | Apply by September 15, 2017

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 May, 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.

Graduation ceremony checklist

Check your personal ceremony details on SSC including: 

  • Ceremony date and time 
  • Ceremony procession number 

Ceremony details will be assigned to you on SSC in mid March 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.

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 when you cross the stage at the ceremony. 

If you’re not attending the ceremony 

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

Pickup

You may pick up your diploma or have it picked up by someone else on your behalf with a third party pick up form. Your diploma will be ready for pick up at Enrolment Services in Brock Hall on December 4th, 2017.

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 period ends.
  • 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 $20.00 1-2 business days
United States $25.00 1-3 business days, depending on destination
International locations $30.00 3-5 business days, depending on destination

Please note: Couriers cannot deliver to PO boxes

Changing your ceremony attendance

You'll be able change your selection on the Student Service Centre (SSC) until November 3rd, 2017.

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 will not be available at the ceremony, but will be available for pickup or courier in 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 Graduation office in Brock Hall. You can pick it up anytime after 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

To defer your attendance to the next ceremony period, email graduation@ubc.ca to submit your request. 

We guarantee attendance for students who complete their degree requirements directly prior to the graduation period ie; attendance to the November ceremony is first guaranteed for those students who apply to graduate in November. We cannot confirm deferral requests until a month before the ceremony, we will do our best to accommodate deferral requests if space is available. 

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