Convocation - Georgian College

Fall 2025 convocation ceremonies postponement update

Graduates whose original ceremony was scheduled for October 2025, will now take place in June 2026 as part of Georgian’s Spring Convocation ceremonies. Graduates of the Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) will be invited to attend the October 2026 ABSC Convocation ceremonies.

We understand that waiting for these rescheduled ceremonies may not be ideal for everyone. Graduates who prefer to celebrate sooner are invited to participate in a Grad Walk event taking place on Feb. 25 and 26, 2026 at the Barrie Campus. This is a smaller, less formal in-person experience designed specifically for graduates who are unable to come to June or ABSC Convocations in 2026.

Grad walk details

Grad Walk will take place Feb. 25 and 26, 2026 in the Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre (N Building), Barrie Campus
Students whose October 2025 ceremony was postponed due to the labour disruptions are eligible to attend the Grad Walk event. If you attend the Grad Walk event in February 2026, you will not be eligible to attend Spring Convocation in June 2026 or ABSC Convocation in October 2026.
Registration and gown rental is now open. Registration will close on Jan. 19, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. Please check you personal email account for your invitation to participate. Please email convocation@georgiancollege.ca if you have not received your email by Tuesday, December 9.
You can bring up to two guests. Graduates may request two additional tickets, but requests are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please email convocation@georgiancollege.ca to be added to the additional ticket request waitlist. We’ll respond with available tickets after the RSVP closing date.
Parking will be complimentary. A parking code to use in the HONK app will be sent to you along with additional event details the week of Feb. 16.
Your complete Grad Walk experience will be approximately 1.5 hours and will include check-in, your walk across the platform stage, credential pick up and reception. Light refreshments will be provided.

How does the Grad Walk event work?

Step 1: arrival

Please arrive at your confirmed appointment time.
Graduates will be directed to gowning, and guests will be directed to the designated waiting area.

Step 2: ceremony

Guests will be directed to the seating area.
Graduates will be lined up to begin the ceremony.
You’ll hand your orator card to the on-platform orator and will be cued to walk to the centre of the platform where you’ll receive your credential cover and be congratulated by Georgian leaders.
Your guests may take photos and video from the designated photo area
After you cross the stage, you’ll be seated in the audience to wait for the remaining graduates to cross the stage.

Step 3: credential pick up and reception

You and your guests will be escorted to the second floor where you can pick up your credential and enjoy some light refreshments with our Alumni team.
Take photos and selfies at the designated photo backdrop.

Which option should you choose?

Feature	Convocation ceremonies	Grad Walk event
Event style	Full ceremonial ceremony	Intimate and simplified celebration
Venue	Professional theatre venue. Spring convocation is held at Gateway Entertainment Centre. ABSC October convocation is held in the Georgian Theatre at the Barrie Campus.	Small on-campus event space at the Barrie Campus.
Guest capacity	Unlimited	Two guests
Ceremonial elements	Procession, speeches, drummers, and pipers	No speeches, land acknowledgement only
Stage walk	Yes	Yes
Credential pick up	Yes	Yes
Regalia	Gown rental required	Gown rental required
Livestream	Yes	No
Photo opportunities	Multiple backdrops	One backdrop
Time commitment	Approximately 3 hours	Approximately 1.5 hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find information about Grad Walk?

Please check your email and reach out to convocation@georgiancollege.ca if you have not received your email by Tuesday, December 9.

When and where
• Feb. 25 and 26, 2026
• Students will reserve a specific date and time slot. They’ll be divided into one hour increment time slots with a maximum of 30 graduates per time slot.
• Location: Peter B. Moore Advanced Technology Centre (N Building), Barrie Campus

Registration closes January 19, 2026, at 11:59 p.m.

Can I change my registration if my plans change?

Please email convocation@georgiancollege.ca if you would like to change your initial registration.

How many tickets can I reserve?

You may bring up to two guests to celebrate with you. Graduates may request up to two additional tickets and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis. Please email convocation@georgiancollege.ca to have your name added to the additional ticket request waitlist. We’ll respond with available tickets after the RSVP closing date.

Will there be a full convocation ceremony this year?

Yes. Spring Convocation ceremonies will be held at Gateway Entertainment Centre in June 2026 and October 2026 for Automotive Business School of Canada (ABSC) graduates. Information regarding these ceremonies will be announced in April. Please note: If you attend the Grad Walk event in February 2026, you will not be eligible to attend Spring Convocation in June 2026 or ABSC Convocation in October 2026.

Will my name appear in a program book?

The official convocation program will be published online in June (or October for ABSC graduates). This digital program will include names of our August 2025, December 2025, and May 2026 graduates.

Can I participate virtually?

No. Graduates who wish to participate must be present.

Will I get my credential at the Grad Walk event?

Yes. You will be able to pick up your credential during the event.

Is the venue accessible?

Yes, our facility is fully accessible for both graduates and guests.

When will I receive details on the Grad Walk event, such as where to park?

You’ll receive final event details including parking details and guest tickets the week of Feb.16, 2026.

Where can I leave my belongings during the event?

Please leave your belongings with your guests before you head to student gowning.

Will the event be live streamed?

No. The Grad Walk event will not be live streamed. Full Convocation ceremonies held in June 2026 and October 2026 are streamed.

Ceremony dates, times and locations

June 16-18, 2025

December 2024 and April 2025 graduates will be recognized at the spring ceremonies in June. All ceremonies are held at the Gateway Entertainment Centre in Rama, ON.

October 9, 2025 (ABSC)

Graduates of the Automotive Business academic area from December 2024 to August 2025 will be recognized at the ABSC ceremony held at the Georgian Theatre, Barrie Campus.

Theatre doors will open at 1 p.m. and the ceremony will begin at 2 p.m.

October 20, 2025

August 2025 graduates will be recognized at the fall ceremonies in October. All ceremonies are held at the Gateway Entertainment Centre in Rama, ON.

Gown rental will open in September.

Convocation policies

Late arrivals

The graduate procession will begin on time for all convocation ceremonies. Once the procession has begun, any late arrivals will wait in a designated area until the procession is complete and all students are seated.

Event staff will permit late arrivals to participate in the ceremony, provided they arrive no later than 15 minutes after the start of the ceremony. Any student arriving later than 15 minutes past the ceremony start will not be permitted to cross the stage. Alternate options may be provided, and students will have the ability to obtain their credential.

Deferral and eligibility

Student are not permitted to defer their convocation ceremony.

Eligible graduates will be invited to attend convocation, via email, by the Office of Convocation . Please note: Certificate and Recognition of Achievement programs are not eligible to participate in convocation.

Event information

Tickets and seating

Graduates are able to bring as many guests as they would like to the convocation ceremonies. Guests do not require tickets. Seating is first-come, first-served.

Arrival procedures

Graduates are asked to arrive 60 minutes before the scheduled ceremony time. Upon your arrival, signs and staff will direct you to the registration area. The gowning area will not be secured and we cannot guarantee the safety of your personal possessions. We strongly advise that you do not bring purses, hats, or valuables with you to the gowning area. Instead, please leave these articles with your guests. Please note: Guests and family (including children) are not allowed to accompany graduates into the gowning or graduate seating areas. Your family and guests will be directed to the public seating area and you may reconnect with them at the completion of the ceremony.

After the ceremony

Your ceremony is expected to last approximately two hours. We ask graduates and guests to be considerate and remain seated for the duration of the ceremony. Please ensure that your gown is returned promptly to the gowning area after you have taken photos with your friends and family.

Accessibility

We will do our best to accommodate your needs upon your arrival. Our facilities are wheelchair accessible.

Children

A typical ceremony lasts approximately two hours in which young children may find it difficult to sit quietly for the duration of the ceremony. Children who are attending must be supervised by an adult in the audience. Children are not permitted to sit with the graduating student, nor are they permitted to cross the stage with the graduating student.

Food and drinks

Food and drinks are not permitted in the convocation ceremony, with the exception of bottled water. You are invited to the Alumni reception following the ceremony where light refreshments will be available.

Flowers, gifts and diploma frames

Surprise your graduate with a bouquet of flowers. Flowers are available for purchase at all convocation ceremonies. You may also purchase flowers online in advance for the convocation ceremonies through Convocation Flowers, one of our Alumni Association partners.

Georgian Stores has a great selection of clothing, grad rings, gifts and diploma frames available for purchase.

Order flowers

Shop for graduation gifts

President Kevin Weaver shaking the hand of graduate who is wearing a blue gown.

Graduation information

TO RECEIVE YOUR CREDENTIAL, YOU MUST APPLY TO GRADUATE WHETHER YOU CHOOSE TO ATTEND CONVOCATION OR NOT.

Students in their last semester of study including classes, co-op, Praxis or internship should request to graduate.

Students who wish to attend a convocation ceremony must attend the ceremony that aligns with the date they were deemed a graduate. Students aren’t permitted to attend future convocation ceremonies.

How to apply to graduate

Log in to Banner.
Select View academic records and fee account details.
Select Apply to graduate.
Select the final term of study using the dropdown menu and click submit.
Select curriculum.
Select the program that you will be graduating from.
Ensure your personal information is correct; this information is used to produce your credential.

If you’re a part-time or continuing education student requesting your credential, please email the records and registration team to assist in completing your application.

Frequently asked questions

What’s the difference between graduation and convocation?

Graduation is the successful completion of a student’s program. Graduate status is used for employment, immigration purposes and for admittance into another program. Once deemed a graduate, students can obtain official transcripts for proof of education.

Convocation is the celebratory event that brings graduates and their loved ones together to recognize their achievement. Graduates receive their official credential at the convocation ceremony.

What happens after I apply to graduate?

All applications are entered into our convocation queue to be reviewed at the end of the term. Applications are reviewed individually to ensure all requirements have been met. Due to the high volume of applications received, this process can take up to six weeks after the term ends.

Ensure all outstanding fees and fines are paid in full, and all outstanding book/equipment rentals have been cleared. If you owe fees or parking fines, or if you have outstanding rentals or library books, you may attend the convocation ceremony, but we’re not able to release your credential or transcript until your account has been cleared. In addition, we can’t produce an enrolment letter or release your name to an external third party (e.g., for board exams).

The convocation venue, Gateway Entertainment Centre, is located on the Casino Rama property. Will I be required to enter the casino?

You won’t be required to go through the casino to access the convocation ceremony. Gateway Entertainment Centre, situated on the Casino Rama property, is housed in its own distinct building with a dedicated parking lot and separate entrance. Access to the Gateway Entertainment Centre will only be granted through the exterior entrance. Any interior entrances connecting it to the rest of the Casino Rama resort will be closed during the convocation events. Additionally, we’ll have clear signage in the parking lots and entrances directing you to the convocation events, and any interior sight lines to the gaming floor will be blocked for the duration of the event.

Where’s Gateway Entertainment Centre located and how do I get there?

Gateway Entertainment Centre is situated at the Casino Rama property located at 5899 Rama Road, Rama, ON near Orillia.

Travel directions by car to Gateway Entertainment Centre, Rama, ON:

(Please note: when entering a destination into your navigation system, enter ‘Casino Rama Resort’.)

From south: Take Highway 400 North. Continue onto Highway 11 North. Exit onto Rama Road and follow the signs to Casino Rama Resort.

From north: Take Highway 400 South. Exit onto County Road 44 toward Coldwater/Rama Road. Turn right onto County Road 44. Continue onto Rama Road and follow the signs to Casino Rama Resort.

Where can I have my graduation photos taken?

The Georgian College Students’ Association (GCSA) co-ordinates photography with Lassman Studios. For portrait sittings before convocation, visit Lassman Studios Photography and enter Georgian as your school ID to book your photo session. Please note: Portrait sittings are campus specific and added to the calendar periodically. We encourage graduates to connect with Lassman Studios directly with date inquiries.

Livestreaming

Attend the convocation ceremony virtually

We stream our convocation ceremonies so that loved ones near and far who cannot attend in person can watch their graduate cross the stage. Please visit our YouTube Playlist.

At Georgian College, we respect the need to protect personal information. Pursuant to section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), students’ images, names, program, degree/diploma/certificate earned and year of graduation as they appear in convocation programs and in webcasts are considered public information. Participants acknowledge that by attending convocation, their image and/or voice may be captured by photograph, videotape, audiotape, live webcasting and otherwise reproduced during the ceremonies. This personal information is collected under the legal authority of the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002 and in accordance with Sections 38(2) and 41(1) of FIPPA.

Personal information will be broadcast through live webcasting for the purpose of enabling individuals who are unable to attend convocation to view the ceremonies. Any information captured through photograph, videotape or audiotape may be used for promotional, administrative, educational or research purposes. Personal information may be disclosed to outside service providers for processing and production. If you have any questions about the collection of personal information by Georgian College during convocation, please contact the Office of the Registrar by telephone at 705.728.1968 or by email. For more information about FIPPA, please contact Georgian’s Access and Privacy Office by telephone at 705.722.5189 or by email.

Contact us

Georgian’s convocation team supports students through the graduation and convocation process and creates a celebratory ceremony at which graduates are recognized for their academic achievements.

Convocation
One Georgian Dr.
Barrie, ON L4M 3X9

Please contact us via email:
convocation@georgiancollege.ca

How to make the most of your graduation HIDDEN SECTION

1. Apply to graduate

Apply through Banner at any time during your final semester, even if you don’t plan to attend the ceremony.

Step 2: Check MyGCLife for details on your graduate audit

2. Graduate audit

After final grades are entered, check MyGCLife for updates on your graduation status.

Step 3: Attend your Georgian College convocation ceremony

3. Attend convocation

Check your email or visit GeorgianCollege.ca/graduation for ceremony details.

Step 4: Join the Georgian College Alumni Network

4. Join the Alumni Network

Create your profile on GeorgianAlumni.ca to stay connected with classmates and grow your professional network.