Guests

Guest seating

We want every graduate to have supporters in the crowd. To ensure fairness and accommodate all graduates, each grad may register up to two guests to attend in person. Additional guests without tickets are invited to celebrate virtually via our livestream.

Registration is mandatory and is managed by the graduate upon receiving their official convocation invitation.  

Accessible Guest Seating: Most guest seating is bleacher-style and accessible only by stairs. If any of your guests require accessible seating, please complete the Guest Accessible Seating form, which can be found on the Accessbility webpage. This form will only be open during the registration period. 

Arrival and seating times

Guest doors open one hour before each ceremony:

• Morning: 9:00 a.m.
• Afternoon: 1:30 p.m.
• Evening: 5:30 p.m.

Guests should be seated at least 20 minutes before the ceremony begins to watch the academic procession enter the convocation hall. If you arrive after the ceremony begins, seating will be at the discretion of event staff.

Photos during the ceremony

Guests are welcome to take pictures of the graduates during the ceremony from their assigned seats. The University arranges for a professional photographer to take each graduate’s photograph during their ceremony. Complimentary proofs will be automatically emailed to the graduate’s University of Waterloo email address in the weeks following the ceremony. There is no obligation to purchase.

Note: Guests are asked to remain in their seats for the duration of the ceremony. Guests will have the opportunity to take photos of their graduate before and after the ceremony.