FAQ

Students are encouraged to review the FAQs for answers to common questions about Convocation. If you do not find the information you need here, please email convocation@mun.ca and provide your full name and student ID in your query.

A smiling graduating student wearing a cap and gown. There are tree in the background

No. These are two separate processes.

To Graduate: For information on applying to graduate, please visit the graduation tab on the Registrar’s Office web page.

To Attend Convocation: During the specified timeframe announced on MUN Newsline, the Convocation web page and in your @mun.ca email, log on to Memorial Self Service to register to attend Convocation. Note that even if your graduation status is pending, you should go ahead and register to attend Convocation.

Note that “applying to graduate” and “registering to attend Convocation” are two separate processes.

You can apply to graduate through Memorial Self Service by submitting an Application to Graduate located under the Graduation and Convocation menu before the appropriate deadline as outlined below. Note that even if your graduation status is pending, you should go ahead and register to attend Convocation.

Graduation/
Convocation

Application available

Deadline to apply*

Additional details

February in absentia

Nov. 1

Jan. 3

Fall semester completion

Spring (May/June)

Nov. 1

Jan. 15

Winter semester completion

Fall (October)

Early June

July 15

Spring semester completion

For additional information on applying to graduate, please visit the graduation tab on the Registrar’s Office web page.

You will need to log onto Memorial Self Service to register to attend Convocation.

If your application is still pending, you should still register to attend Convocation. Note that your tickets and registration will not be finalized until you are deemed as eligible to graduate. If you are deemed ineligible for Convocation, you will be refunded the rental fee.

The deadline to register for Spring 2024 Convocation is April 17, 2024. Registering by the deadline ensures that you pay the reduced gown rental fee ($50) and will receive four guest tickets.

If you miss the deadline to register to attend Convocation, email convocation@mun.ca.  Late registrants will be required to pay the on-site gown rental fee of $80 and cannot be guaranteed guest seating, although all efforts will be made to provide them.

For those graduating at the end of the Fall semester, degrees are awarded at a regular meeting of the University Senate in February which graduates do not attend, referred to as an “in absentia graduation”. Following this meeting, parchments for graduates will be sent in the mail. Thereafter, you will be assigned to the upcoming Spring Convocation ceremonies and will have the option to postpone attendance, if you wish, by registering at Memorial Self Service when the announcement is made to register to attend Convocation.

Although you will have already received your parchment in the mail, your experience at Convocation will be exactly the same as it is for all graduates. The only difference is that you will not receive your parchment at Convocation (given out backstage after crossing the stage) as you would have already received it following the in absentia graduation in February.

For information on deferring attendance, please refer to the following question “Can I/How do I defer my attendance at Convocation”.

Graduates receiving two degrees may attend both sessions of Convocation, or you may choose to attend one session and have the parchment for the second degree mailed to you. 

Degree parchments are held at the Registrar's Office for one week after Convocation for pick-up. The Registrar's Office will then begin a mail-out and the parchment will be sent to your permanent address, which you can verify or update via Memorial Self Service.

Deferrals must be requested while registration for your assigned Convocation is open.  To request deferral, log onto Memorial Self Service, select “Graduation and Convocation”, “Convocation (degrees only)” and select “I wish to defer my attendance to a future Convocation period”. Once you have chosen to defer attendance at Convocation, you do not need to indicate deferral again in the future. Your request for deferral will be held in the registration system until you are ready to attend.

After deferring your Convocation and to register to attend a future ceremony, you must return to Memorial Self Service during the registration period for the Convocation you wish to attend. The registration dates will be posted on the Convocation webpage (St. John’s and Corner Brook tabs). The dates of future Convocation ceremonies are currently available on the webpage and the registration period for each is normally within 6-8 weeks prior to each date. When you determine which ceremony you wish to attend, you are advised to check the Convocation website frequently so that you are aware of the upcoming registration periods.

The experience for deferred graduates will be exactly the same as it is for all graduates attending Convocation, except since deferred graduates will have already received their parchment, they will not receive another one backstage at Convocation. Deferred graduates attending a future session do not need to bring their parchment to the ceremony.

For questions, contact convocation@mun.ca.

Log onto Memorial Self Service to view your Convocation ceremony information (see sample image below.) You would have received a confirmation email from Gaspard confirming your gown and hood rental, as well.

Graduates will receive tickets prior to the ceremony. Further information about where and when to pick up your tickets will be communicated soon.

You can request up to three guest tickets in Corner Brook per graduate, per ceremony. There is no cost for guest tickets and they will be provided to you, the graduate, prior to the week of Convocation.

Please provide your guests with their tickets in advance of the ceremony.

Should additional guest tickets become available after the closing deadline for all graduates attending Convocation, you will receive an email which will include details on how to acquire additional tickets.

The cost of academic dress/gown rental ordered before the registration deadline is $50. After the deadline the rental cost is $80 payable when picking up your academic dress/gown on the day of Convocation, available at the Arts and Culture Centre one hour prior to your Convocation ceremony. Please note that we cannot guarantee your specific academic dress (size, hood, etc.) beyond the rental deadline. 

Your academic dress can be picked up at the Arts and Culture Centre on Wednesday, May 15th 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. or one hour prior to your Convocation ceremony.

Yes, there will be a professional photographer on-site who will take photos of each graduate while crossing the stage, as well as backstage. About two to three weeks following Convocation, photo proofs will be sent to graduates via their MUN email address with details on how to purchase.

Unfortunately, for logistical reasons we cannot permit privately hired photographers to be in attendance during the ceremonies. However you are welcome to avail of their services prior to or following the ceremony. Keep in mind that the academic dress is only available one hour prior to the start of the ceremony. Once graduates arrive and pick up their academic dress, they will proceed to the auditorium for a briefing by the university marshal.

If you would like to have photographs taken outside of the allocated time frame for use of Convocation gowns, the provision of academic dress/gowns for photography service is available at Grenfell Campus. Please visit the academic dress webpage and complete the form at the bottom of the page.

Academic dress will need to be returned to Campus (Arts and Science atrium) or the Arts and Culture Centre after the ceremony.

The provision of academic dress/gowns for photography service is available at Grenfell Campus. Please visit the academic dress webpage and complete the form at the bottom of the page to borrow academic dress.

The provision of academic dress/gowns for photography service is available at Grenfell Campus. Please visit the academic dress webpage and complete the form at the bottom of the page to borrow academic dress.

When you complete the “Register to Attend Convocation” process in Memorial Self Service, select the field to indicate that you require accessibility accommodations.  A member of the Convocation team will follow-up with you to review your specific requirements and the on-site process for Convocation.

Prior to Convocation, contact the ushering staff at the Arts and Culture Centre via email at cbboxoffice@artsandculturecentre.com.

Arts and Culture Centre
P.O. Box 100, University Drive
Corner Brook, NL  A2H 6C3
Click Here for Map

Graduates and their guests should arrive one hour prior to the ceremony.

Graduates should minimize bringing personal belongings to Convocation. Backpacks or other large bags or items will not be permitted in the auditorium and therefore should be left at home. There will be no coat check service but coat racks will be available to graduates to hang their outerwear; guests can take their coats to their seats. Memorial University and the Arts & Culture Centre cannot be responsible for securing personal items.

Please allow for approximately two hours from the start time to the end of each session.

The Convocation ceremonies will be live-streamed so family and friends may view the ceremonies from the comfort of their home. Fifteen minutes prior to the start of each ceremony, a livestream link will be available on the Memorial home page.