Convocation

Please note that Commencement and Convocation are not a certification of graduation, but rather a ceremony that celebrates your academic achievements. All degree requirements must be satisfied before graduation and diploma conferral. Registering for the university-wide Commencement and/or Convocation ceremonies does not place your name on the pending degree list. Students are responsible for putting themselves on the pending degree list the semester they plan to graduate.

View the to-do checklist for important deadlines.

Eligibility 

Bachelor’s degree candidates: Bachelor’s degree candidates are eligible to participate in the iSchool Convocation ceremony if you graduated in August 2022, December 2022, expect to finish your degree requirements in May 2023, or have 13 or fewer hours to complete by August 2023. Please note, if you expect to finish your degree requirements in August 2023, your name will only appear in the iSchool Convocation Program if you register to participate in our ceremony by the deadline.

For more information about adding your name to the degree conferral list (required to graduate) and services after leaving the iSchool, please email bsis-advising@illinois.edu.

Master's and CAS degree candidates: Master's and CAS degree candidates are eligible to participate in the iSchool Convocation ceremony if you graduated in August 2022, December 2022, expect to finish your degree requirements in May 2023, or have 8 or fewer hours to complete by August 2023. Please note, if you expect to finish your degree requirements in August 2023, your name will only appear in the iSchool Convocation Program if you register to participate in our ceremony by the deadline.

For more information about adding your name to the degree conferral list (required to graduate) and services after leaving the iSchool, please log into the iSchool Wiki page. 

Doctoral candidates: Doctoral degree recipients are eligible to participate in the iSchool Convocation ceremony if you graduated in August 2022, December 2022, expect to finish your degree requirements in May 2023.  Recipients of doctoral degrees must have deposited their dissertations in the Graduate College Thesis Office by 5:00 p.m. CT on Friday, April 28, 2023, in order to participate in the Graduate College Hooding Ceremony, Commencement, and/or Convocation ceremonies. 

iSchool Convocation ceremony

The iSchool Convocation ceremony will take place at Foellinger Auditorium. Eligible graduates must register to participate in the Convocation ceremony (either in-person or virtually). The deadline is April 30, 2023. 

All guests are required to have a ticket. Tickets are available for pickup in Room 112 of the School of Information Sciences building (501 E. Daniel St.) Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. from April 17–May 11, 2023. Each graduate is allowed a total of 5 tickets. 

If you are not local and are unable to pick up your tickets in person, please contact Christine Hopper by April 30, 2023, to make alternate arrangements. Non-local graduates can pick up their tickets the day of the ceremony during check-in or request to have them mailed. If you would like to have your tickets mailed, please include your name, degree, degree date, mailing address, and number of tickets (up to 5 tickets allowed). 

The doors of Foellinger Auditorium open at 3:30 p.m. and seating is general admission. If your guests have accessibility requirements, please email the Foellinger Auditorium facility manager by May 1, 2023, to make the necessary arrangements. 

A light reception for you and your guests will be held in the Illini Union Room C, immediately following the ceremony (approximately 6:00 – 7:00 p.m.) Your guests are welcome to share in the celebration of your accomplishments. 

Virtual participation

For eligible graduates who are unable to attend in person, the iSchool offers a "virtual participation" option. Virtual participants will have their name announced during the ceremony and should indicate they will participate virtually on the registration form. 

Convocation preparation

Academic Attire 

Academic attire is not required but encouraged for the iSchool Convocation ceremony.  Academic attire is required for the university-wide Commencement ceremony.  Please visit the Academic Attire website for additional details and order deadlines.

Check-in and line-up 

Check-in for Convocation will begin at 3:00 p.m. in the east hallway on the first floor of Lincoln Hall (702 S. Wright St. Urbana, IL). Participants should arrive no later than 3:30 p.m. to begin lining up.

Upon arrival at Lincoln Hall, participants should report to the appropriate degree table to check-in. You will receive an information card which will have your name and pronunciation, if provided when you registered online. You will hand this card to the reader before you cross the stage. Staff will direct you to appropriate location to line-up. In order to ensure the procession to Foellinger Auditorium begins on time, please stay in your designated line (alphabetical order within degree) after you check-in. 

Please bring or wear all academic attire. Personal belongings should not be brought to the line-up as there is no storage available. Family members will not be permitted into the line-up area.

Photographs 

A professional photographer from Gradlmages® will be present and will take photographs of each graduate as they receive their diploma cover. Registering your information on Gradlmages® website will ensure that picture proofs will be provided to you as soon as they are available after the event. 

Parking 

For parking information, please see the Illinois Campus Parking Map. 

Campus celebrations

University-wide Commencement Ceremony (Memorial Stadium) 

The university-wide Commencement ceremony is the official University of Illinois academic ceremony at which the Chancellor presides and the President confers degrees. Doctoral degree candidates are invited to attend but will not be hooded at the event; Doctoral, Bachelor’s, Master’s and Professional (J.D., D.V.M., and M.D.) degree recipients stand as a group at their seats and are recognized by college. This is a dignified ceremony that lasts about two hours. Academic attire is required. 

This ceremony will be held on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at 9:30 a.m. in Memorial Stadium. The university-wide ceremony will be available via livestream. Please visit the university-wide Commencement at Illinois website for more details.

Graduate College Doctoral Hooding Celebration

The ceremonial hooding of doctoral degree recipients recognizes their academic achievements and welcomes them into the community of scholars. During the ceremony, the hood with designs that indicate the degree and institution is placed over the student’s head, often by their faculty mentor or another mentor with a doctoral degree.

The Doctoral Hooding ceremony will be held on Friday, May 12, 2023, at 10:00 a.m. in the State Farm Center. Please visit the Doctoral Hooding ceremony website for more details.

To-do checklist

1. Register for the iSchool Convocation ceremony by April 30, 2023.
2. Pickup your iSchool Convocation ceremony tickets (up to 5 per graduate) between April 17– May 11 in Room 112 of the iSchool building (501 E. Daniel St.).
3. Order your academic attire by April 20, 2023. Orders placed by April 11, 10:59 p.m. CT will receive an early order discount with a shipping cost of $15.95. Orders placed between April 12–20 will be at the regular price and will ship second-day air to ensure delivery (shipping cost is $24.95).
4. If participating, register for the university-wide Commencement ceremony by April 30, 2023.
5. If participating, register for the Doctoral Hooding ceremony.

If you will need accessibility-related accommodations in order to participate in the event, please contact Christine Hopper. Early requests are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to meet your access needs.

We look forward to seeing you at Convocation and hope it will be a special day for you. If you have questions about Convocation, please call (217) 244-5600 or (800) 982-0914 or e-mail ischool@illinois.edu.