Frequently Asked Questions

Ceremonies will take place in the Rebecca Cohn Auditorium, located in the Dalhousie Arts Centre (6101 University Avenue, Halifax, NS, B3H 1W8).

Click here for more information about the venue.

A ceremony lasts approximately 1.5 - 2 hours.

Each graduand is guaranteed a minimum of two tickets but may receive additional tickets pending availability.

The number of tickets distributed is based on the number of graduands compared to the seating available, by ceremony. Due to seating limitations, you may not receive the total number of tickets you requested. Graduands do not need a ticket to attend the ceremony.

Graduands will receive an email communication confirming how many guest tickets they will receive. We strongly advise not booking travel for more than two guests until this confirmation has been received.

The Registrar's Office is unable to maintain a waitlist for extra tickets. If any tickets remain unclaimed, they will be distributed at the door on a first come first served basis. Guests may begin to line up for extra tickets an hour before the ceremony start time. 

Infants and young children, who may be sitting on parents' laps, still require their own ticket due to fire safety regulations.

October 10 is the date that Senate awards degrees/diplomas. As parchments are printed only after degrees are awarded (and all ceremonies cannot occur on the same day!), convocation takes place within a few weeks following the Senate awarding date.

Please email convocation@dal.ca to request a letter of invitation.

Academic Dress

Academic dress – also know as academic costume or regalia – are the distinctive gowns and hoods worn by all participants (including faculty members and university officials who sit onstage) during a Convocation ceremony.

Graduands must reserve their gown and hood in advance through the Online Reservation Portal between August 27th and September 28th. Academic dress will be available for pick-up, along with your parchment and guest tickets, one business day before your ceremony.

Indigenous graduates are welcome to wear traditional dress in a manner that celebrates their heritage with or instead of the gown. In those instances, graduates must still wear their ceremonial hood. 

What to wear with your Academic Dress

­Many graduands choose to dress up; however, this is not a requirement. We recommend dressing as your best self, yet comfortably as the ceremony will last approximately 1.5 – 2 hours.

Click here to view an instructional video on pinning your hood to your gown.

Only Master and PhD graduands receive a graduate cap.

Calnen Photography, a professional photography vendor, photographs all graduates onstage during the ceremony.

Graduates must have consented to Calnen taking their photograph on stage prior to their convocation ceremony (the consent form will be emailed to all graduands in advance of convocation and posted in the 'Before your Arrive' section on the Graduate Information page). 

A link to the digital proof and photography package information will be provided only to graduates who have provided consent by Calnen shortly after convocation. There is no obligation to make a purchase.

Graduands that have a parent or grandparent that is a faculty/staff member at Dalhousie may invite them to sit on stage and take part in the photo opportunity with the Dean. Please notify convocation@dal.ca to ensure they are added to the onstage seating plan.

Parchments are not distributed on stage, but instead a commemorative token. Your parchment will be available for pick-up from the Convocation Hub the day before your ceremony, along with your academic dress and guest tickets. 

Please consult the 'Convocation Hub' section on the Graduate Information page for location and hours.

Before collecting your parchment, please make sure to settle any outstanding fees. Please be aware that parchments cannot be released to students with balances exceeding $100. For instructions on viewing your student account, follow the guidelines provided here.

As your parchment is a legal document, it must be printed in your legal name. To update your legal name, please email convocation@dal.ca a copy of a government-issued photo ID (e.g., passport or license) by October 1st.

If you are graduating with two degrees, from two separate faculties, you may attend either or both ceremonies. You may collect both parchments at the same time from the Convocation Hub. 

Please consult the 'Convocation Hub' section on the Graduate Information page for pick up location and hours.

If you are graduating with two degrees within the same faculty, you will cross the stage twice. A marshal will provide further instruction to you during the graduate line-up.

If you are unable to attend your scheduled ceremony due to extenuating circumstances, you may request to defer your attendance to the next convocation. Please email convocation@dal.ca to state your request and outline the circumstances that impacted your attendance at your scheduled ceremony.

If you did not attend convocation, your parchment will be available for pick up beginning Monday, October 28 from the Registrar's Office, Room 125, Henry Hicks Academic Administration Building during regular office hours.

We encourage graduates living in the Halifax/Dartmouth/Bedford/Sackville area to pick up their parchment to avoid delay. 

You may have someone pick up your parchment on your behalf, provided you send authorization (including the individual’s name) to convocation@dal.ca. The individual will be asked to show photo identification at the time of pickup.

Before collecting your parchment, please make sure to settle any outstanding fees. Please be aware that parchments cannot be released to students with balances exceeding $100. For instructions on viewing your student account, follow the guidelines provided here.

Parchments will be couriered in mid-November to those graduates who did not attend Convocation and who indicated they would like to have their parchment mailed to them. It is very important that you ensure your current address and telephone number in DalOnline is accurate by October 23.

Dalhousie is happy to cover the cost of the initial mailing of your parchment. Subsequent mailing due to incorrect or incomplete addresses will be at the graduate's expense. 

Parchments will be couriered in mid-November to those graduates who did not attend Convocation and who indicated they would like to have their parchment mailed to them. It is very important that you ensure your current address and telephone number in DalOnline is accurate by October 23.

How to update your address and telephone number in DalOnline
Please use the following instructions to check and/or update your current address and telephone number in DalOnline. 

1. Login to DalOnline.
2. Click on “Personal Information”
3. Click on “View/Update Personal Information”
4. Scroll to Address and/or Phone Number section. Here, you can either Edit your current information or select 'Add New'. Editing your current mailing address is best.

You can send the parchment to any address you choose, as long as it is listed as the Mailing Address. Anyone in the household at the Mailing Address can sign for the shipment on your behalf.

DO NOT select Parent Address (even if the address is a parent/guardian residence).

If you are adding a new address:
- ensure you select the proper start and end dates for your address.
- ensure you select Mailing Address from the dropdown menu.
- If an existing address is still listed for you, please ensure the address end date is before the start date for your new address.

If you indicated on your application to graduate that you were not planning to attend convocation but would now like to, please notify us as soon as possible by emailing convocation@dal.ca. Please include your B0# and degree/program in your email.

If you indicated on your application to graduate that you plan to attend Convocation and are now unable to attend, please notify us as soon as possible by emailing convocation@dal.ca.

Please include the following information in your email: your B0#, degree/program, and if you would like to pick up your parchment from the Registrar's Office or if you would prefer we courier it to you.