The University of Waterloo community gathers twice a year to celebrate the awarding of degrees at convocation. Faculty, staff, students, and their families/guests get together for this very special event. Honorary degrees are also presented at these ceremonies.
Ceremonies are held in the main gymnasium of the Physical Activities Complex (PAC) at the University of Waterloo campus. See maps and parking for more information.
Due to venue capacity and to be fair to all graduating students, each grad will have a limited number of guest tickets. If additional guest tickets become available, registered grads will be notified following the registration deadline. It is mandatory for all grads and their guests to register, and tickets must be presented for your guests to access the ceremony.
Each convocation ceremony lasts approximately two hours. Please note that small children may find it difficult to sit through the whole ceremony.
Digital programs will be distributed to graduates and their guests as digital keepsake.
The University of Waterloo strongly supports individual rights to freedom of expression and assembly. All members of our community are free to express their views, but we must aim to maintain a supportive, respectful, and tolerant environment for everyone. Our top priority is the health and safety of our community, and we do not tolerate any form of violence or hate speech. Actions that interfere with convocation proceedings or violate the law or University policy are prohibited.
Please visit our Freedom of Expression website for more information about our policies.
