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Graduation


The culmination of a student's successful studies.
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Information on this page will assist students in making sure that all final stages proceed smoothly. Unless otherwise noted, information on this page applies for both undergraduate and graduate students.

COVID-19 related updates regarding the Fall Term and more can be found on the COVID-19 Information for Students page.

Opportunities to Complete Degree Requirements

There are 3 opportunities to complete degree requirements:

    • By the end of April (June Convocation)
    • By the end of August (November Convocation)
    • By the end of December (March Convocation)

Undergraduate Students

If you will be completing the requirements for your degree by the end of April 2022, you will be considered to have completed degree requirements by end of April (students will be rolled into a non-degree status upon the completion of their BI degree requirements), and must convocate in June 2022 either with a convocation ceremony (to be held remotely due on COVID-19) OR in absentia (no ceremony).

Students completing their final requirements do not need to signal to the Faculty as checks will be done internally. Students will be messaged 2 months prior to the end of their final term to signal that we are aware they are ready for graduation.

Graduate Students

If you will be completing the requirements for your degree by the end of August 2021, you will be considered to have completed degree requirements by end of August (i.e. unable to take further courses in subsequent terms), and must convocate in November 2021* either with a convocation ceremony (to be held remotely due to COVID-19) OR in absentia (no ceremony).

Students completing their final requirements must signal to the Faculty by submitting the Intent to Convocate Form during their final session in preparation to convocate and to be reviewed for graduation eligibility.

* Please disregard if you are completing your degree in Fall 2021. Information about Fall 2021 Finishers (March or June 2022 Grads) will be posted in the Fall.

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 University of Toronto email account. Promptly follow-up on instructions you may receive from the Faculty, the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) or the Office of Convocation.

Convocation Checklist

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

Undergraduate Students

This step / form is for graduate students only. No action required.

Graduate Students

Students must submit an Intent to Convocate Form (Microsoft Forms) during their final session in preparation to convocate and to be reviewed for graduation eligibility. The form will be available during the following time periods:

    • March 1st to April 1st for a June Convocation (end of April degree completion)
    • August 1st to September 1st for a November Convocation (end of August degree completion)
    • November 1st to December 1st for a March Convocation (end of December degree completion)

Even though you may still be currently wrapping up your final course(s) this summer term, do not wait until your summer grades are available on ACORN (September 8, 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.

Step 2: Check Fees

Undergraduate Students

Check your online invoice on ACORN for any unpaid fees.

Graduate Students

Check your online invoice on ACORN for any unpaid fees.

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 (FT) students who have completed their Master’s degree in less than 2 years, or Part-Time (PT) students who completed their degree in less than 6 years:
        • 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.

Step 3: Check Name, Gender, and Address

Undergraduate Students

The name on your diploma will appear as it is recorded in ACORN.

Verify that the spelling of your name and gender is correct as it appears in ACORN.

Graduate Students

The name on your diploma will appear as it is recorded in ACORN.

    • Verify that the spelling of your name and gender is correct as it appears in ACORN.
    • The deadline for name changes for November 2021 graduation: October 6, 2021 (as of September 7, 2021)

Special Reminder to November 2021 Grads: To receive your couriered diploma, please ensure that your current updated permanent address is recorded on ACORN (not your mailing address).

Name or Gender Changes

Undergraduate Students

Request for name and gender changes must be emailed to Student Services with your request and attach any official documentation (e.g. driver’s license, passport photocopy, name change certificate) with the correct name you wish printed on your diploma.

Requests must be sent to Student Services, Faculty of Information, by…

    • …April, for the June convocation ceremony
    • …September, for the November convocation ceremony
    • …February, for the March convocation in absentia

Graduate Students

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.).

Request for name and gender changes must be sent to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) by…

    • …March, for the June convocation ceremony
    • …September, for the November convocation ceremony
    • …February, for the March convocation in absentia

Adding Accents or Special Characters to Your Name

Submit the Name On Diploma Form (PDF) (DEADLINE FOR NOVEMBER GRADS: October 6, 2021) to the Office of Convocation at 27 King’s College Circle. This is to add/delete accents or special characters only.

Step 4: Degree Recommendations

Undergraduate Students

No action required. Students completing their final term are not required to signal to the Faculty, as checks will be done internally.

Students will be messaged 2 months prior to the end of their final term to signal that we are aware they are ready for graduation. The Office of Convocation will then follow up with email information on ordering your gown / hood and RSVP-ing / ordering guest tickets closer to convocation.

Graduate Students

All Degree Recommendations will be submitted by the Faculty to the School of Graduate Studies (SGS) by October 1, 2021. You will receive a notification email to your UTmail+ account from the Faculty, via the convocation.ischool@utoronto.ca email address. 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 / Status Letter(s)

Students may need a Confirmation Letter of their status at the University and Faculty. Please review the types of letters available and process to request a confirmation letter.

Step 5. Wrapping Up at the Faculty

Alumni Career Services

Recent graduates can continue to take advantage of career services offered by the Careers Office, Faculty of Information.

Stay Connected

Stay connected to the Faculty of Information community via the Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA).

Key Fobs

Please return your key fob to Mailbox #B72 (2nd Floor, Bissell Building), or at the Inforum / Learning Hub’s front desk (4th Floor, Bissell Building). You can also mail us your key fob to the following address:

Faculty of Information, University of Toronto
Claude Bissell Building
140 St. George Street
Toronto, ON M5S 3G6

NOTE: Students who started in Fall 2015 and onward did NOT pay a key fob deposit and therefore will NOT receive any money back. Those who paid $20 for a replacement key fob also will not receive a refund for the replacement fee.

Building and Lab Access

If you still require building and lab after graduation, access please contact inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca.

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 inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca to arrange a time to head into the building to clear out the locker (please include your locker number in your email). Proper physical distancing and access to campus building guidelines must be followed at all times.

Once your locker is cleared, please let us know at inquire.ischool@utoronto.ca.

Retrieving Final Tests and Assignments

Please pick-up your graded final tests and assignments from the Inforum / Learning Hub’s front desk (4th Floor, Bissell Building) only if your instructor has emailed you to let you know they have left them at the front desk.

University of Toronto Email

After graduation, your student email address is automatically changed to your.name[at]alum.utoronto.ca. For more details, please visit the Alumni Services information page for Alumni Email.

Wireless Network

The University of Toronto does not offer access to its wireless network to alumni.

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 highly suggest that you make back-up copies of files stored on the Faculty of Information servers that you wish to keep and unsubscribe from any listservs / mailing lists you are subscribed to with your UTOR email account.

Returns & Retrievals

Return all Inforum / Learning Hub items that you have checked out to avoid fines. Resolve outstanding library fines at Robarts Library or online.

Borrowing Privileges

University of Toronto Libraries (UTL) borrowing privileges, including Inforum / Learning Hub technology loans, and remote access to library e-resources, will expire on October 1st. To continue borrowing from other U of T libraries, you can purchase a U of T alumni card. See the UTL Alumni Library Access webpage for more details.

Step 6. Grad Photos

We will share more information about grad photos when details are confirmed. Please contact CanGrad or New Paramount Studios to book appointments directly when these businesses are able to book graduate photo sessions.

Step 7: RSVP to the University of Toronto Convocation Ceremony & Faculty Reception

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.

Undergraduate Students — June 2021 — Virtual Ceremony

Graduate Students — November 2021 — Virtual Ceremony

  • Graduation with Ceremony:
    • The Chancellor will be conferring degrees on November 2021 grads in a virtual graduation and convocation ceremony on November 18, 2021 at 12 PM ET.
    • NOTE: For November 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 November 1, 2021. Additional details to follow.
  • Graduation in absentia (no ceremony):
    • Please visit this page to learn how to pick up your diploma at the end of the convocation period.
    • NOTE: For November 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 November 1, 2021. Additional details to follow.

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 etcetera.
    • 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.

Details to come!

Continue to Learn!

Recent grads are eligible for the Alumni Benefit, including a one-course discount of up to $550 for New Grads at UofT’s School of Continuing Studies.

Congratulations to all our graduands!
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