Prepare for your Convocation ceremony

• IMPORTANT

  PLEASE NOTE: IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN CONVOCATION, YOU MUST APPLY TO GRADUATE AND REGISTER TO ATTEND THE CEREMONY

• Apply to graduate

  Students must complete the application to graduate process to initiate the degree audit process. This step is a requirement regardless of your intent to attend Convocation.

  Friday, April 24 is the final deadline to submit late graduation applications and make modifications to existing applications for the Winter 2026 semester. A $50 fee will apply to all late applications.

  Students are responsible for resolving any issues related to their graduation application in a timely manner. Emails sent outside office hours may not be reviewed until the next business day. Please allow 3 to 5 business days for a response, and plan accordingly to avoid delays or missed deadlines.

• Book graduation photos (Deadline: Friday, April 24)

  Capture your time at Ontario Tech with professional graduation photos, organized by the Ontario Tech Student Union (OTSU). Visit the OTSU grad photos website for up-to-date information, FAQs and to book your session.

  Important: The last day to be included in the composite photo is Friday, April 24.

• Ceremony schedule

  Wednesday, June 3

  • Frazer Faculty of Education: 9:30 a.m.
  • Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science: 2 p.m.

   Thursday, June 4

  • Faculty of Science: 9:30 a.m.
  • Faculty of Business and Information Technology: 2 p.m.

   Friday, June 5

  • Faculty of Health Sciences: 9:30 a.m.
  • Faculty of Social Science and Humanities: 2 p.m.
• Register and claim guest tickets (Deadline: Sunday, May 10)

  Students who have applied to graduate will receive an email from Tassel, on behalf of the university, on Tuesday, March 10. You will be prompted to confirm whether you plan to attend, provide the phonetic pronunciation of your name and reserve your guest tickets. Returning users can log in directly at ontariotechu.tassel.com. Complete your registration and claim your guaranteed guest tickets by Sunday, May 10.

   Note: If you require any accessibility accommodations to attend Convocation, please contact convocation@ontariotechu.ca.

• Rent a gown (Deadline: Wednesday, May 13)

  Graduates are required to rent a gown through the Gaspard regalia rental website. Rent by Wednesday, May 13 to save $25. Note: Graduates who miss the advance rental person may do so on-site for a rental fee of $65.

• Letter of invitation (International students)

  Inviting a friend or family member from outside Canada to celebrate with you? You may need to provide them with a letter of invitation. We do not provide these letters. Visit the International Student Services website for guidance on how to write one and more information.

• What if I do not attend Convocation?

  If you are unable to attend your Convocation ceremony, please indicate this on the Tassel registration page to stop automated registration reminder emails. 

  If you are not attending your Convocation ceremony, you may pick up your parchment three weeks after Convocation from the Office of the Registrar located in the Software and Informatics Research Centre (north Oshawa campus location).

  If you are unable to pick up your parchment and would like your parchment couriered, please complete the request for parchment to be couriered form.

Attending Convocation

Information for grads

• Review safeguarding and assurance guidelines

  To ensure that all Convocation attendees have the best possible experience during the ceremonies, please review the safeguarding and assurance guidelines including the code of conduct, rules and procedures that apply to all graduates and guests. Key points include:

  • No large bags (e.g. knapsacks, duffels and totes).
  • No signs, noisemakers, balloons or flags.
• Plan your route and parking

  Ceremonies will take place at the north Oshawa campus.

  Free parking is available in Founders Lot 2 with overflow parking in Founders Lot 3, Founders Lot 4 and Founders Lot 5, located north of Conlin Road. An accessible drop-off location is available on Avenue of Champions.

  Travelling via Highway 407? It's free of charge between Brock Road in Pickering and Highway 35/115 in Clarington.

  Heads up: Construction is ongoing on Simcoe Street South. Plan extra travel time and follow posted detour signage. For details, visit the Metrolinx press release.

• Arrive 90 minutes before the ceremony

  Arrive 90 minutes before the ceremony to the Science Building, East Atrium to check-in. 

  Bring your Ucard (digital or physical) or government-issued photo ID to check in for the ceremony, pick up your academic regalia and obtain your degree parchment. Graduates without proper identification will not be permitted to participate in the ceremony.

  Travel light! Bring only the essentials for participating in the ceremony (e.g. photo ID and a form of payment if you didn’t pre-rent your gown). Personal belongings cannot be left in the gowning room or carried in the procession to the ceremony location.

   

• Check-in and pick up your gown

  At the Science Building, East Atrium, you will pick up your participation card and your academic regalia (gown, hood and cap) before lining up for the procession into the ceremony.

  Important: If you did not rent your gown in advance through Gaspard regalia rental website, you must line up for an on-site rental. The rental fee is $65.

• Participate in the ceremony

  Graduate procession will begin moving to the ceremony location approximately 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony.

  Each ceremony runs approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the number of graduates. We ask that all graduates and guests remain seated for the duration of the ceremony out of respect for their fellow attendees. 

• Return your gown
  Please return your gown to Shawenjigewining Hall within one hour of the end of your ceremony. Unreturned or damaged gowns and hoods will be charged to your account by Gaspard.

Information for guests

• Obtaining guest tickets

  Tickets are required to attend Convocation and are ceremony specific. All guests over the age of two require a ticket.

  Graduates: During the registration process, you will claim your two guaranteed guest tickets and indicate how many additional tickets you need. If additional tickets are available, they will be distributed to the waitlist in late May. Once you have your tickets, pass them along to your guests.

  Guests: Only graduates can request tickets. They must be claimed through the ceremony registration process. Graduates will then distribute the ticket(s) to their guest(s), and all guests must present their physical or digital ticket upon arrival to be scanned for entry. Please arrive at least 30-minutes before the ceremony begins, as seating is first-come, first served.

• Plan your arrival and ceremony timing

  Ceremonies will begin promptly at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. Plan to arrive at the venue 45 to 60 minutes early, as seating is first-come, first-served. 

  Each ceremony runs approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on the number of graduates. We ask that all guests remain seated for the duration of the ceremony out of respect for their fellow attendees.

  Before you arrive, please review our safeguarding and assurance guidelines, which apply to all graduates and guests. A few things to keep in mind:

  • No large bags (e.g. knapsacks, duffels and totes).
  • No signs, noisemakers, balloons or flags.
• Get directions and parking

  Free parking is available in Founders Lot 2, with overflow parking in Founders Lot 3, Founders Lot 4 and Founders Lot 5, located north of Conlin Road. An accessible drop-off location is available on Avenue of Champions.

  Travelling via Highway 407? It's free of charge between Brock Road in Pickering and Highway 35/115 in Clarington.

  Heads up: Construction is ongoing on Simcoe Street South. Plan extra travel time and follow posted detour signage. For details, visit the Metrolinx press release.

• Request accessibility support

  Convocation ceremonies are held under a floored tent on Polonsky Commons at the north Oshawa campus. We encourage you to review the campus map ahead of your visit to familiarize yourself with the ceremony location, parking, accessible drop-off location and the restrooms.

  If you require an accessibility accommodation, please email convocation@ontariotechu.ca and we will be happy to help.

• Purchase flowers, degree frames and merchandise
  Make the day even more special. The Campus Store will be on-site selling Ontario Tech merchandise and official degree frames, and the Ontario Tech Alumni Association will have alumni merchandise available. Convocation Flowers will be on-site selling floral bouquets. Online pre-orders are available if you would like to plan ahead.
• Book on-campus accommodations

  For the convenience of our Convocation guests, a limited number of hotel-style rooms will be available in the university's on-campus residence. Rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we encourage you to book early.

  Rooms are available for the nights of June 2 to 5, at a rate of $89.95 per night. To book, visit the Residence & Conference Centre website and enter promo code CONVOCATION2026 at checkout.