Information on this page will assist students in making sure that all final stages proceed smoothly.
There are 3 opportunities to complete degree requirements:
- By the end of April – convocation in June
- Intent to Convocate form opens March 1 to April 1.
- By the end of August – convocation in November
- Intent to Convocate form opens August 1 to September 1.
- By the end of December – convocation in absentia in March (without ceremony) OR convocate in June 2021 (with convocation ceremony – might be held remotely dependent on COVID-19)
- Intent to Convocate form opens November 1 to December 1.
Details about graduation and convocation, e.g., ceremony dates and tickets, are available from U of T’s Office of Convocation.
Continue to check your UTmail+ email account. Promptly follow-up on instructions you may receive from the Faculty, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS), or the Office of Convocation.
For students completing degree requirements at end of April
If you will be completing the requirements for your degree by the end of April 2021, you will be considered to have completed degree requirements by end of April (i.e. unable to take further courses in subsequent terms), and must convocate in June 2021 either with a convocation ceremony (to be held remotely due on COVID-19) OR in absentia (no ceremony).
*Please disregard if you are completing your degree in Summer 2021. Information will be posted about Summer 2021 Finishers/November 2021 Grads in the summer.
Please read the following information/timeline thoroughly and follow-up with the required steps/checklist in a timely manner:
Step 1: Submit Intent to Convocate form between March 1st and April 1st
Step 2: Check Fees
Step 3: Check Name & Gender
Step 4: Degree Recommendations (done by Faculty, no action by students)
Step 5: Wrapping Up at the Faculty
Step 6: Grad Photos
Step 7: RSVP to UofT Convocation Ceremony & Faculty Reception
Finally: Let’s continue to learn!
Step 1: Submit Intent to Convocate form between March 1st and April 1st
- Students must submit an Intent to Convocate form during their final session in preparation to convocate and to be reviewed for graduation eligibility.
- Even though you may still be currently wrapping up your final course(s) this winter term, do not wait until your winter grades are available on ACORN (May 19, 2021) to submit the form
- Upon submission of your form, iSchool Student Services will review your program and academic record, and submit a degree recommendation to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS). Students will receive an email from iSchool Student Services once the degree recommendation have been submitted.
back to the top
Step 2: Check Fees
- Check your online ACORN invoice.
- See below for more details:
All of our Master’s students pay a Minimum Degree Fee. It represents the minimum amount of tuition that every student must pay upon completion of their program prior to graduation. The Minimum Degree Fee is equivalent to two years of full-time academic/program fees.
For students who have already paid the Minimum Degree Fee, please disregard any fees invoice posted to ACORN.
For Full-time students who have completed their Master’s degree in less than 2 years, or Part-time students who completed their degree in less than 6 years, please note the following:
- You will most likely receive a Balance of Degree fee to pay off closer to the date of the convocation.
- The Balance of Degree fee covers the remaining Minimum Degree Fee.
- Check your ACORN invoice closer to the date of convocation and pay the Balance of Degree fee once posted, if applicable.
back to the top
Step 3: Check Name & Gender
The name on your diploma will appear as it is recorded in ACORN. Name and gender changes must be sent to SGS in March for the June convocation ceremony, in September for the November convocation ceremony, and in February for the March convocation in absentia.
- Verify that the spelling of your name and gender is correct as it appears in ACORN
- The deadline for name changes for June 2021 graduation is April 22, 2021.
If you would like to change your name or gender: Submit the School of Graduate Studies Name or Gender Change form via the SGS portal. This is to change misspellings, the addition or deletion of a name, and the changing of a last name (due to marriage/divorce, adding a middle name, spelling corrections etc.).
If you would like to add accents or special characters to your current name: Submit the June 2021 Name On Diploma form (by March 19th) to the Office of Convocation at 27 King’s College Circle. This is to add/delete accents or special characters only.
Reminder: to receive your couriered diploma ensure that your current updated permanent address is recorded in ACORN (not the mailing address).
back to the top
Step 4: Degree Recommendations
All Degree Recommendations will be submitted by the Faculty to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) by April 16, 2021. You will receive a notification email to your UTmail+ account from the Faculty’s convocation.ischool@utoronto.ca account – this is your official notice/confirmation that you will be graduating. The Office of Convocation will email information on ordering your gown/hood and RSVP’ing/ordering guest tickets closer to convocation.
Confirmation of Degree
Students may need a letter to confirm their status at the University and Faculty. Check the types of letters available and process to request a confirmation letter.
back to the top
Step 5. Wrapping Up at the Faculty
Career Services
Recent graduates can continue to take advantage of career services offered at the Faculty of Information.
Connect
Stay connected to the Faculty of Information community via: Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA)
Electronic Key Fobs
Please return your key fob to Mailbox #B72 in the Bissell Building, second floor (just outside of the Dean’s office, BL211). You can also mail us the keyfob to the following address:
Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Claude Bissell Building
140 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G6
Please note: students who started in Fall 2015 and onward did NOT pay a key fob deposit and will NOT be receiving money back. Those who paid $20 for a replacement key fob also will not receive the replacement fee back.
Building and lab access
If you still require building and lab after graduation, access please contact Glen Menzies, Facilities Coordinator.
Email
After graduation, your student email address is automatically changed to your.name[at]alum.utoronto.ca. Find out more about alumni email.
Faculty of Information Network
Access to the Faculty of Information network for students convocating in March and June will terminate some time in August. For those convocating in November, access will cease in December. In preparation, we request that you make back-up copies of files stored on the Faculty of Information servers that you wish to keep and unsubscribe from any listervs/mailing lists you subscribed to with your UTOR email account.
Final Tests and Assignments
Please pick-up your graded final tests and assignments from the Student Services Office (BL211) only if your instructor has emailed you to let you know they have left them at the front desk.
Lockers
If you have a rented locker for the 2019-20 academic year please be sure to clear all items and remove your lock from the locker. Please contact Chris Scammell on when you intend to head into the building to clear out the locker (please include your locker# in your email). We need to ensure that proper social distancing guidelines are followed.
Once your locker is cleared, please let our Facilities Coordinator, Glen Menzies, know.
Returns & Retrievals
Return all Inforum items that you have checked out to avoid fines. Resolve outstanding library fines at Robarts Library or online
Borrowing privileges
U of T library borrowing privileges, including Inforum borrowing privileges, tech loans, and remote access to library e-resources, will expire in October 1st. To continue borrowing from other U of T libraries, you can purchase a U of T alumni card. See the UTL website for details.
Wireless network
U of T does not offer access to its wireless network to alumni.
back to the top
Step 6. Grad Photos
CanGrad will not be onsite for graduate photo sessions this spring. Please contact CanGrad or New Paramount Studios to book appointments directly when these businesses are able to book graduate photo sessions.
back to the top
Step 7: RSVP to UofT Convocation Ceremony & Faculty Reception
UofT Convocation Ceremony
The University’s Convocation office is responsible for scheduling and arranging convocation ceremonies for all graduands. Please check their website for the most up-to-date information on details and how to prepare for your convocation ceremony.
Virtual June Ceremony
- Graduation with Ceremony:
U of T’s June 2021 virtual ceremony is scheduled for 12pm EST on June 23. The Chancellor will be conferring degrees on June 2021 grads in a virtual ceremony on June 23, 2021.
Note: for June 2021, your diploma will be couriered to you. Please ensure that you have a permanent address on ACORN, and that it is up to date by June 1, 2021. Details to follow. - Graduation in absentia (no ceremony):
See details on how to pick up your diploma at the end of the convocation period.
Note: for June 2021, Your diploma will be couriered to you. Please ensure that you have a permanent address on ACORN, and that it is up to date by June 1, 2021.
Ceremony
- Check the Office of Convocation website for updates on specific dates and times.
- Check their list of Upcoming Events for the most up-to-date information and their specific deadlines for name changes, tickets, regalia etc.
- Follow the Office of Convocation’s Graduation Checklist to ensure you have everything lined up for the big day.
- Check the Office of Convocation’s Gowns & Hoods and RSVP & Guest Tickets pages to see when you can book your regalia, RSVP your attendance for the ceremony and request guest tickets online via ACORN.
Faculty Reception
Every June and November convocation cycle, the Faculty will also arrange a reception to honour the achievements of our graduands. Reception information will be shared as we get closer to the convocation date.
back to the top
8. Continue to Learn!
Recent grads are eligible for the Alumni Benefit – a one-course discount of up to $550 for New Grads at UofT’s School of Continuing Studies.
back to the top
Congratulations to all our graduands!
