Faculty | Convocation | University of Waterloo

The processions symbolize the institution’s respect for its academic traditions and the achievement of its students. The stage party, representing key figures such as faculty members and administration, showcases the importance of the occasion.

All faculty are encouraged to participate, whether by joining the faculty or chancellor's procession, emphasizing the community spirit and collective celebration of the students’ hard work.

Following each ceremony, faculty are also invited to attend convocation celebrations to celebrate with students and their guests.

By invitation only, the chancellor's procession is comprised of active ceremony participants as well as senior administration. The chancellor's party is the last procession to enter the venue, following both the academic procession and the student procession.

Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open mid-September. If you have questions, please email convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

Faculty members and invited senior staff members are invited to participate in convocation by taking part in the faculty procession. The faculty procession enters the ceremony after the student procession but prior to the chancellor’s procession.

Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open mid-September. If you have questions, please email faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

University of Waterloo faculty and staff as well as faculty of other post-secondary institutions are invited to hood a student, family member, friend or colleague who is graduating with a PhD or a master's degree.

Graduate hooders participate in the chancellor's procession and sit on stage throughout the ceremony.

Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open mid-September. If you have questions, please email faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

Frequently asked questions

Chancellor's procession

Am I Eligible?

An invitation is required to participate in the chancellor's procession.

The chancellor's party is comprised of active ceremony participants as well as senior administration. The following people are eligible to participate in the chancellor’s procession:

Ceremony participants including the macebearer, general hooders, diploma presenters, citation readers
President and Vice-Presidents
Dean’s Council
Board of Governors
Senate
Executive Council
Faculty leadership, including Associate Deans, Directors and Chairs
Honorary Doctorates and Distinguished Professor Emeriti

What are the key dates and times?

Fall 2026 Convoncation takes place from October 23 - 24, 2026. A full list of dates & times for each ceremony is available on the Convocation website.

Registration details will be sent in the invitation email in mid-September.

How do I arrange my gown and regalia for the procession?

Arrangements for academic gowns for members of the chancellor's procession are made when you complete the registration form. Borrowed gowns and regalia should be returned to the chancellor's robing room immediately following the end of the ceremony.

What is a ceremonial participant?

A ceremonial participant is someone who plays an active role in each ceremony. These roles are as follows:

Macebearer
Diploma presenter
General hooders (3 per ceremony)
Citation readers

How do I register?

Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open mid-September. If you have questions, please email faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

Faculty procession

Am I eligible?

The faculty procession is comprised of faculty members who do not have an active ceremonial role. Members of the faculty procession will sit on stage during the ceremony, space permitting.

Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open mid-September. If you have questions, please email faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

How do I arrange my gown and regalia for the procession?

Due to limited inventory, the convocation team is unable to provide gowns for members of the faculty procession. Faculty procession participants may arrange to rent black gowns through the W store if they do not own their own regalia. Advance gown rentals are available from August 17 to October 2, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Your gown can be picked up in the Grad Check-In Room (Studio 1, SLC 1208) before your ceremony.

Graduate hooding

How do I register to hood a student?

Supervisors of Master's and PhD grads are invited to participate in convocation by personally hooding the student(s) that they have supervised. Registration for Fall 2026 Convocation will open in mid-September. If you have questions, please email faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.

Graduate and special hooders participate in the chancellor's procession and sit on stage throughout the ceremony.

Can I hood a bachelor degree student?

No. Undergraduates are not hooded on stage. They will cross the stage wearing their hood.

What is the difference between a general hooder and a graduate hooder?

A general hooder is selected by the dean to hood all PhD or Master's students on stage if their supervisor is not present to hood them. A graduate hooder only hoods the specific student(s) that they supervised.

How do I hood?

PhD students are hooded first and cross one at a time. Master's students follow PhD students and cross three at a time.

As your student approaches, you stand and move behind the throne chairs. The general hooders will step aside.

You will approach your student from behind, removing their hood from their right arm. As they are greeted by the chancellor, president or dean, you will place their hood over their head. After hooding is complete, your student will make their way off the stage to collect their diploma, and you can return to your seat on stage.

An onsite demonstration and review will take place in the chancellor's robing room prior to the ceremony.

Questions?

If you have further questions, contact faculty.convocation@uwaterloo.ca.