Convocation

The application to graduate in Fall 2024 is now open.

Please visit your CBU Compass account and apply to graduate under Academics > Graduation Overview. The application for Fall 2024 Valedictorian is also open. Read more information about the CBU Valedictorian.

Important Graduation Information

Information for Graduating Students:  

  • You must register to attend your Convocation Ceremony. This will allow us to ensure we have reserved your gown and regalia. Every student will wear a gown with the Regalia (hood or stole) that is associated with the degree or diploma they are receiving. The form to register for the Fall 2024 Convocation will be sent to you in September, after the application to graduate has closed.
  • You will pick up your gown and regalia before your convocation ceremony (dates and time TBD). With your gown and regalia, you will receive a lanyard that lists a number which will be used to identify you during the academic procession lineup and when you pick up your parchment package after the ceremony.
  • Fall 2024 Convocation will take place at Centre 200 in Sydney. You must arrive at Centre 200 90 minutes before your ceremony so that the Registrar’s Office staff ensure that you are lined up for the academic procession and assist you with your regalia if needed. The academic procession is the beginning of the Convocation Ceremony during which you will march into the ceremony space with your fellow graduands while wearing your regalia. You will then be seated in the order in which you will cross the stage.
  • When you walk across the stage, you will receive a celebratory document. Your CBU parchment package will be available to pick up on the CBU Main Campus following your Convocation Ceremony. It is at this point that you will also be required to return your gown and regalia.
  • Only students who attend the Convocation Ceremony will have their names presented at the Convocation Ceremony.
  • All fees owing (finance, library, etc.) must be paid in full to receive your Parchment Package. 
  • Please contact convocation@cbu.ca if you have questions regarding graduation.  
  • The Registrar’s Office will be communicating information on Graduation through students’ CBU email only. Please continue to monitor your CBU email accounts.  

Academic Policy  

Students are responsible for informing themselves of the University’s procedures and policies and the specific requirements associated with the degree, diploma or certificate sought. Every student accepted for Registration with Cape Breton University shall be deemed to have agreed to be bound by the regulations and policies of the university and the program in which that student is enrolled. 

Ensure your information is correct:

  • View your personal and program information in your Compass Student Account to ensure it is correct before you submit your application to graduate. 
  • Name changes: You must provide the Registrar’s Office with official documentation showing a name change. Email enrolment@cbu.ca.  
  • Address changes: You can update your address though your Compass Student Account. 
  • Program changes or additions (including majors and minors): please submit the Program Change or Declare an Area of Study form through the Service Request Form. 

Gown Room Location and Hours

Academic dress — also known as academic costume or regalia — are the distinctive gowns and hoods worn by all participants (including faculty members and university officials who sit onstage) during a Convocation ceremony. Students will borrow Academic Dress from CBU for the ceremony and for pictures.

Location: TBD.

Hours: TBD.

Official Transcripts

Unofficial and official transcripts will be available to graduating students.  To request a transcript, please fill out the form here. Please allow 3-5 business days for processing.

Letter of Completion

International students who have completed their studies and plan to graduate in Spring 2024 must complete the graduation application prior to applying for a Letter of Completion.  To apply to graduate, visit your  Compass Student Account. Letters will be issued in PDF format to your CBU email. 

All outstanding fees must be paid in full before a Letter of Completion is issued.  

Processing times vary:

  • Students that have graduated and received their parchments,  please allow 7 – 10 days for processing.
  • Students who have completed their program requirements, but have not yet graduated, please allow 7-10 days for processing.

To apply for a Letter of Completion, please fill out the request form here. For questions on Post Grad Work Permits, please email internationaloffice@cbu.ca. 

Invitation Letter

If your family or friends would like to visit you in Cape Breton to celebrate your convocation, they may need to apply for a Visitor Visa. You can help to support their application for a Visitor Visa by providing them with the following documents:

1) Letter of Completion if you have met your program requirements OR Confirmation of Enrolment letter if you are currently completing your program requirements.
3) Transcript (printed from your online account).
4) Letter of Invitation written by you.

Please follow this link for further details and to see a sample letter you may use:  HOW TO INVITE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO VISIT CANADA NEW 2022 (002)

Your Parchment  

Your parchment is your printed diploma or degree. This legal document is presented to you when you graduate. Because it is a legal document, it must be printed in the legal name listed on your official student record.  

Any changes to your recorded legal name must be supported with a piece of government issued photo ID. If you wish to change your legal name, please email enrolment@cbu.ca and attach a scanned or photographed copy of your government issued photo ID that shows your legal name as it should appear on your parchment. The Deadline to change your name for your record is one month prior to convocation.  

Cape Breton University Senate

In order to officially graduate from Cape Breton University, you must be approved by the Cape Breton University Senate. The Cape Breton University Senate is responsible for the educational policy of the University, such as conferring degrees. The Senate has voting members, with the majority being the Registrar, Executive University Members, faculty members, deans, and students.

The Senate graduates students twice a year – in the Fall (November) and Spring (May). In order to be considered for graduation, you must apply to Graduate once it opens and by the stated deadline dates.

CBU Alumni

You’ll soon join our CBU Alumni Family. At CBU, we know that our alumni are exceptional and capable of so much. We want to make sure we can keep you up-to-date on all our news, updates and more. Keep in touch with CBU Alumni!

Quicklinks

Quick Links

Convocation Information

Answers to many commonly asked questions related to Convocation ceremonies can be found below. We will add and adjust this information as we move closer to our Convocation dates, so please check back often. We will also communicate all important updates to graduates via their CBU email account in the months leading up to graduation.

Academic dress, also known as academic costume or regalia, are the distinctive gowns and hoods worn by all participants (including faculty members and university officials who sit onstage) during a Convocation ceremony.

The tradition of graduates wearing gowns and hoods dates back to the 12th and 13th centuries. This tradition continues today at Cape Breton University to signify a graduate’s academic accomplishment. Indigenous students are welcome to wear traditional dress in a manner that celebrates their heritage instead of the gown. In those instances, graduates must still wear their ceremonial hood or stole.

Watch this video to learn how to wear your gown and regalia.

Registrar’s Office staff will be on hand to assist you the day of your ceremony.

Due to the location guest invitations are not required at this time.

Your parchment is your printed diploma or degree. This legal document is presented to you when you graduate. Because it is a legal document, it must be printed in the legal name listed on your official student record.

Any changes to the legal name we have for you on your student record must be supported with a piece of government issued photo ID. If you wish to change your legal name, please submit a change of information request and attach a scanned or photographed copy of your government issued photo ID that shows your legal name as it should appear on your parchment.

There are scheduled hours during which you can pick up your gown and regalia. When you arrive, you’ll receive the gown and regalia for your academic program. You will also receive a lanyard that lists a number which will be used to identify you during the procession line up and when you pick up your Parchment Package. You will return your gown and regalia after the ceremony when you pick up your Parchment Package. Graduates who do not return their academic dress will be charged a $100 fee. You can authorize a friend or family member to pick up your gown, or make other special arrangements for gown pick up by emailing convocation@cbu.ca.

Gown and Regalia Pickup Location: TBD

Parking
Parking at Centre 200 is limited. We recommend students and guest arrive early.

Assemble
Graduates are asked to assemble, wearing gown, regalia and your lanyard, 90 minutes prior to the start of the ceremony via the Player’s Entrance at the back of Centre 200. If your ceremony begins at 10am, you must arrive to Centre 200 by 8:30am. If your ceremony is at 2pm, you must arrive at Centre 200 by 12:30pm.

Credential
Look for a sign with your degree/diploma name and stay in that general area.

Name card
Registrar’s Office staff will line you in numerical order according to your lanyard number and provide you with a name card. Your name card indicates your full name per your record in Compass, it will also note if you have received a University medal, award or an embedded certificate with your degree.

If you are concerned about the pronunciation of your name by the Orator, please take a moment at this time to write out the phonetic pronunciation of your name on the name card so that the Orator can review it when you hand them your name card onstage.

Lining up
You will be lined up in alphabetical order according to program. This will also be in numerical order according to your lanyard.

Procession
The procession begins 10 minutes before the scheduled start time of the ceremony. You will be led into the seating area of Centre 200 by two Procession Leaders.

Seating
You will be directed to sit in the order you have been lined up in in the seating area that is reserved for graduands. You are to remain standing until the Registrar invites you to be seated.

Introduction
Following the valedictorian remarks, the Registrar will rise and ask graduands to rise. They will then ask the Chancellor to confer the degrees. Please remain standing (if able) until the Chancellor takes their seat after conferral of the degrees.

Proceed to the stage
On a row-by-row basis a Registrar’s Office staff member will lead you to the stage. Please walk out of your row and line up against wallboards so the other graduands and guests seated behind you can still see the stage clearly.

On the stage
Registrar’s Office staff will guide you up the stairs and onto the stage. You will hand your name card to a designated Registrar’s Office staff member who will pass your card to the Orator to be read aloud.

Proceed to centre-stage as follows
Move to the labelled mark on the stage and face the audience as the Orator reads your name. Once your name is read proceed to Chancellor, President and Dean to shake hands and receive a celebratory document. Than proceed off the stage and meet an Alumni representative.

Proceed off the stage
Walk down the stairs and back to your seat. There will be Registrar’s Office staff present to guide you back to your seat.

Finale
At the end of the ceremony the Procession Leaders will lead you off the floor of Centre 200 and up to the main concourse. This will take place after the Rise again and the platform guests proceed off the stage.

There will be a small reception following the Fall 2024 Convocation Ceremony. More information about the reception will be released as the date approaches.

Picking up your Parchment Package and Returning your gown and regalia.
When you cross the stage during the ceremony, you will receive a celebratory document and your parchment will be available for pick up following the Convocation ceremony. You will also be able to return your gown and regalia at this time. More specific information about this will be released as the date approaches.

Parchments will be available for pick up after the ceremony at the Registrar’s Office, Marvin Harvey Building during regular office hours. We encourage graduates living in the local area to pick up their parchment to avoid delay.

You may have someone pick up your parchment on your behalf, provided you send authorization (including the individual’s name) by email (convocation@cbu.ca). The individual will be asked to show photo identification at the time of pickup.

We will contact you in the weeks following the ceremony if you have not yet picked up your parchment and ask that you submit your updated mailing address to us through a Microsoft Form. We will mail your parchment to this address free of charge.

Before collecting your parchment, please make sure to settle any outstanding fees. Please be aware that parchments cannot be released to students with balances exceeding $10. For instructions on viewing your student account, follow the guidelines provided here.

CBU is happy to cover the cost of the initial mailing of your parchment. Subsequent mailing due to incorrect or incomplete addresses will be at the graduate’s expense. CBU will send out an email with a form where students can update their current address. This email will be sent before the end of November 2024.

The Convocation Team is here to assist, should you or your guests require special accommodations in order to attend and enjoy your Convocation ceremony. Please contact convocation@cbu.ca to discuss your needs.

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