FAQ

You must have completed or be in the process of completing all requirements for the credential you are working toward before you submit an Application for Graduation Form. You can then apply to graduate by filling out an Application to Graduate Form (login required). Ensure that the Office of the Registrar has received all final marks from Athabasca University courses and/or courses taken at external institutions.

Questions regarding requirements for graduation and application status can be directed to the Office of the Registrar by emailing grad-app@athabascau.ca.

Applications for graduation must be submitted and all requirements must be met by April 30, 2021.

Athabasca University has made the decision to move forward with a virtual convocation event for 2021 due to the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 guidelines and limits on in person gatherings.

The ceremony will take place on Friday, June 11, 2021.

Historically, Athabasca University has always hosted convocation in June. To align our 50th anniversary celebrations in 2020, AU moved convocation to the fall.

No, like our previous convocations, graduands are not required to participate in convocation—but we hope you will join the celebration acknowledging your incredible achievement!

Yes. You will need to indicate whether you will participate in the virtual ceremony or not. Graduands will begin receiving convocation information and invitations mid-January and can expect further information about registration in March. The deadline to register to participate is May 31, 2021.

The Convocation office will start communications with eligible grads in mid-January and then monthly as rolling graduations continue until April 30, 2021. This communication will go to the email that is registered as the primary account in your student record. Please also ensure that you check your AU .edu account as emails may also be sent to that address.

You can update your contact information by logging into MyAU and updating your contact info here.

A recording of the ceremony will be available after and will be posted to the convocation website. This can be shared with friends, family, and colleagues, so they can take part in your accomplishments—or host a virtual viewing party for you!

Yes, if you choose to participate. We are working on the details and will let you know closer to the ceremony. You will need to complete the Eligible Student Information Form (this will be included in your invitation) to have your name included in the ceremony.

With rolling graduations throughout the year, there’s no need to defer your graduation if you have completed your academic requirements. See the graduation procedure here.

AU has invited graduands that complete graduation requirements by April 30, 2021 to attend Convocation 2021. We hope that all eligible graduands will participate and recognize the significance of being part of this graduating class. Eligible graduands for 2021 will not be able to defer convocation to a subsequent year.

Yes! We are exploring virtual platforms with features built-in to allow you to connect and chat with your classmates. Watch for updates on how to participate on the convocation website.

We are still working on these details. More information will be posted on the convocation website in the coming months.

There will be no in-person convocation events this year but stay tuned to the convocation website for additional information about faculty-specific virtual events that may occur.

Right now, we simply don’t know. With the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19 and the guidelines on public gatherings changing so rapidly, we are unsure what the Convocation 2022 ceremony will look like at this time. We will continue to follow our public health officials' guidance and post updates on The Hub and on the convocation website as more information becomes available.

We know that people make plans for convocation months in advance and wanted to provide everyone as much notice as possible. Celebrating Convocation 2021 and our learners’ academic achievements is important to us, and we are excited to still be able to celebrate in a meaningful way. With the size of an event like AU’s convocation (usually over 1,500 attendees) and the federal and provincial health authorities request to limit in-person events for months to come, the decision had to be made now to ensure enough time to make our plans and still have a meaningful celebration this year.

AU offers graduation every month. On approval of your application to graduate, your parchment will be mailed to you, as we do with all graduates today. Please ensure that your mailing address is correct in your myAU account.

There is no charge for your initial parchment. We will mail it to you, so please ensure your address is correct in your myAU account. Additional parchments can be requested by filling out the parchment replacement form and paying the fee for an additional parchment.

Your name, as it is recorded on your student academic record, will be displayed on the parchment. If you have recently changed your name or would like to make changes to the name on your student file, you must notify the Office of the Registrar by completing and submitting the student change of information form and emailing the Academic Records unit at acrec@athabascau.ca.

Most photography companies will have the standard black graduation gown available to use for photos. Athabasca University Graduation hoods cost $100 including GST. If you would like to purchase a hood for grad photos, please fill out the hood order form. Hood orders may take 3 - 4 weeks to process.

As part of AU’s Convocation celebration, all graduands for Convocation 2021 will be receiving a graduation celebration package from Athabasca University. This package will include a cap, tassel, pin, as well as some other fun surprises to help celebrate your accomplishments.

Please ensure that your contact information is up to date as packages will be mailed to the address on record. Changes to your student information can be made online through myAU. To change your information online, log in to myAU and then select the “Change Your Personal Information" option under Student Record in the left-hand navigation menu.

If you are near Edmonton, Alberta, Athabasca University has partnered with New Light photography for graduation portraits to be taken with AU’s regalia. Please see the graduation portrait information page for more detail. If it is not convenient to have photos taken in Edmonton, Alberta, you can purchase a hood to have photos taken with your preferred photographer. You can find more information on where to purchase AU memorabilia on the Convocation website.

Please check with your local health authorities regarding inter-provincial travel. Please note at this time our buildings in Athabasca are closed to the public. AU will be providing a 360° virtual tour of the Athabasca campus as part of our convocation celebrations. Be sure to register to participate so you can experience campus in this innovative virtual space.

Your family and friends will have access to the virtual platform to be able to share in the celebrations with you! More information will be shared as we get closer to convocation to assist you in sharing this celebration with family and friends.

You can find more information on where to purchase AU memorabilia on the Convocation website or online at the AU store.

Graduation rings, parchment frames, clothing, gifts, and other AU merchandise can be found at the AU Store.

Please reach out to our team at convocation@athabascau.ca.