Graduation is the awarding of a credential after successful completion of all program requirements. Students do not need to attend Convocation in order to graduate, but students do need to apply to graduate whether they are attending convocation or not.
Apply to graduate
When to apply to graduate
Students who are on track to have all program and institutional requirements completed by one of the document deadlines below (October 1 or May 1) are eligible to apply for graduation.
Review the dates below to determine when you should apply:
| Convocation | Application open | Application deadline | Document deadline |
| Fall (November) | June 1 | September 15 | October 1 |
| Spring (June) | October 15 | April 15 | May 1 |
To be eligible to graduate and attend Convocation, you must apply and submit all required documents before the document deadline. The document deadline refers to the final date that all program and institutional requirements must be completed and received in the Office of the University Registrar.
You must complete the application to graduate process by the applicable deadlines listed above. Late applications will not be accommodated. Students who miss the deadline will need to wait until the next application cycle to apply for the next Convocation.
Apply to graduate even if you don't plan to attend the Convocation ceremony. You will only receive your parchment if you complete the application to graduate process.
How to apply
Most students can apply to graduate through myStudentSystem. See the exceptions below.
Launch myStudentSystem from myPortal.MacEwan.ca
Click My Academics
Select Apply for graduation from the drop down
Click on the name of your program
Select your expected graduation term from the drop down
Click Continue (twice)
Confirm the information is correct and click Submit Application.
Exceptions to online application
If you are graduating from one of the following programs, you must apply by email:
Accounting Technology (certificate)
Arts and Cultural Management (certificate)
Business Management (certificate)
Child and Youth Care (diploma)
Human Resources Management (certificate)
Music (diploma)
Email convocation@macewan.ca from your MyMacEwan account with the following information:
The convocation TERM (Spring/Fall) and YEAR in the subject header
Your student ID number
Your full name
The credential for which you are applying
Notifications/confirmations
First email notification
You will receive an email acknowledgement, to your MyMacEwan account, that you have applied to graduate within two weeks of your submission. If you have not received confirmation two weeks after your application, email convocation@macewan.ca from your MyMacEwan account.
Second email notification
Approximately four to five weeks prior to the convocation date, all students will be advised of their final graduation status and the next steps for attending Convocation. Students are responsible for checking their MacEwan student email regularly.
RSVP and rent your gown
The RSVP for 2019 Fall Convocation will be open October 21 – November 4. Invitations and a link to the RSVP site will be emailed to approved graduates on October 21. Remember to check your MacEwan email regularly for updates.
The RSVP for 2019 Fall Convocation is now closed. Late requests cannot be accommodated.
Invite your family and friends
Make it a Family (or Friend) Affair: invite up to three guests to proudly watch you receive your parchment!
Information about reserving guest tickets is available on the RSVP form.
A live webcast of the ceremony will be available for those who cannot attend. Webcast links will be on the Ceremony Webcast page.
Accessibility at the Winspear
The Winspear Centre will offer accessible seating and assisted listening to guests who may have limited mobility or hearing impairments. Prior notice is not required for guests who require these services. More information is available on the Winspear Centre website. Graduates who require accessibility arrangements while participating in the Convocation ceremony will have an opportunity to provide that information when completing their RSVP.
Pick up tickets
Visit the Office of the University Registrar
Ticket packages for graduates who RSVP to attend Convocation will be available for pickup at the Office of the University Registrar, November 12 – November 15 and November 18, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Ticket packages will include graduate and guest tickets, which are required to enter the Winspear Centre. ID will be required to pick up ticket packages.
Attend the ceremony
Arrive at the Winspear early
Convocation day
Plan to arrive early enough to find parking and pick up your gown. You will need your photo ID.
You and your guests will need tickets to enter the Winspear Centre.
All guests must have tickets for the specific ceremony to be admitted to the Winspear Centre. Guest tickets are general seating. All children, including babies, are welcome to attend but they must have a guest ticket to enter the Winspear Centre. Guest tickets are limited to the capacity of the Winspear Centre.
We recommend the following:
| If you are attending: | Pickup begins: | Be at marshalling area by: |
| Morning ceremony | 8 a.m. | 8:45 a.m. |
| Afternoon ceremony | 1 p.m. | 1:45 p.m. |
At the Winspear
Once you arrive at the Winspear Centre:
Step 1: Name card and gown pickup
Gowns will be available an hour and a half prior to your ceremony start time. Please arrive early as you will be required to pick up your name card, Convocation program and gown in the lobby of the Winspear Centre. All name cards will be organized in alphabetical order by last name.
Please hold on to your name card as this will be used to announce your name as you cross the stage.
Step 2: Marshalling location and seating
Find your program's marshalling location on the third floor of the the Winspear lobby. Directions will be posted. To ensure we stay on time with the ceremony, proceed to your marshalling location as soon as possible after you have picked up your gown.
You will assemble alphabetically with your program and proceed into the auditorium. You will be seated with your class. Ushers will seat other guests on a general admission basis; seat saving is not permitted.
PLEASE NOTE: You will not be able to carry any personal belongings with you to your seat or when you cross the stage. All personal items should be checked at the coat check or be left with your guests in the audience. MacEwan University and the Winspear Centre are not liable for any loss or damage to items left unattended.
Step 3: Return your gown after the ceremony
After the ceremony, gowns must be returned to the drop-off area located in the studio (down the hallway, past the coat check), at the back of the Winspear Centre.
Photographs
Photographs may be taken during the ceremony, but we ask that photographers ensure that aisles and stairways are kept clear. Opportunities for photos will be available before and after the ceremony in the foyer of the Winspear Centre.
GradImages® will take pictures of each graduate after they cross the stage. You will receive an email with an opportunity to purchase the proofs of your crossing-the-stage photos (if you have not opted out of this option).
The Alumni Office takes complimentary (no fee) photos in the Winspear Centre foyer. Photos are emailed directly to you or available on the MacEwan University Alumni Facebook page after convocation.
Parking and transportation
Graduates and guests are advised to use the LRT as the main method of access to the Winspear Centre. Parking and traffic around the Winspear Centre are currently affected by significant road closures and construction. The Winspear is readily accessible by LRT service (Churchill Station is closest). Allow extra time to commute to the Winspear. Visit the Winspear Centre website for more information.
Parchment date and transcript date
All credentials issued for a specific academic term include a confer date. The confer date is indicated on transcripts, parchments and verification of credential letters.
The confer date is the date of the last Convocation ceremony for the relevant academic term. For example, if the Spring Convocation runs from June 19-21, the confer date on all credentials for the relevant academic term is June 21. In this example, a graduate may attend a convocation ceremony on June 20, but the date indicated on the graduate's parchment and transcript would be June 21.
