Guest Information

Information on this page is for Peterborough ceremonies. If you are a student or guest attending a Durham ceremony, please visit the Durham Convocation site.

Important Notes:

  • Peterborough ceremonies are scheduled to be held outdoors. Encourage your guests to dress for the weather and be prepared for the sun. There is no guest limit for outdoor ceremonies. 

  • In case of rain, heat, or poor air quality, ceremonies will be moved indoors to the Athletic Centre. The decision will be made 1 hour before the ceremony. There is a maximum of 4 guests per graduate for indoor ceremonies - graduates reserved these tickets when they submitted their RSVP form (May 26 deadline). Guests must present their electronic or printed tickets to enter the gym. Additional guests are welcome to watch the live-stream from the comfort of several viewing rooms on campus. 

  • For indoor and outdoor ceremonies, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The capacity limits for indoor ceremonies are determined by the Fire Code Prevention Act of Ontario. 

Invitations & Tickets

  • Guests do not need to have invitations to attend Trent's convocation celebrations. An electronic invitation is available for graduates to download and use if they please. The invitation can be downloaded here. 
  • Peterborough ceremonies are scheduled to be held outdoors. Encourage your guests to dress for the weather and be prepared for the sun. There is no guest limit for outdoor ceremonies.
  • In case of rain, heat, or poor air quality, ceremonies will be moved indoors to the Athletic Centre. The decision will be made 1 hour before the ceremony. There is a maximum of 4 guests per graduate for indoor ceremonies – graduates reserved these tickets when they submitted their RVSP form (May 26 deadline). Guests must present their electronic or printed tickets to enter the gym. Additional guests are welcome to watch the live-stream from the comfort of several viewing rooms on campus.
  • For indoor and outdoor ceremonies, seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. The capacity limits for indoor ceremonies are determined by the Fire Code Prevention Act of Ontario.
  • International guests may require a Letter of Invitation to obtain a VISA to attend Convocation. Please consult the International Guest information below. 

Directions

Trent University Peterborough is located at 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough ON, K9L 0G2. For further information, please review the How to Find Us page. 

Outdoor ceremonies are held outside on the University Court, beside Bata library in good weather. Indoor ceremonies are held at the Gym in the Athletic Centre. 

​Parking

Map of Symons Campus in Peterborough. 

Parking is free for the convocation ceremonies. Guest parking is permitted on West Bank, with overflow parking on East Bank. Ushers in safety vests will help to direct you and are available to answer any questions.

Students may be dropped off at the Student Centre on the West Bank for gowning before you park. After parking, please follow the signs and make your way to the University Court in front of the Bata Library for the ceremony.

Please note that the distance from the parking lots to the actual ceremony can be up to 0.5 km.

Bus Service

Peterborough Transit has many buses that come to campus. Review the TCSA website for full service details. 

Alternatively, GO Transit has a stop for route 88, beside Gzowski College, on East Bank.

Accessibility

  • Mobility Aids: If you require mobility assistance devices such as a cane, walker or wheelchair, we highly recommend you bring it with you to the ceremony.

  • Parking: Accessibility permit parking is available in front of the Bata Library (Lot I), beside the ceremony site. Elderly guests or persons with limited mobility may also be dropped off here. Please identify yourself to the parking attendants upon entry to campus and they will direct you to the accessible lot. Friendly ushers will be available to assist guests to the elevators and up to the accessible seating area, which is located under a tent on the upper podium. 

  • Accessible Guest Seating: The accessible seating area is located on the bridge level of the University Court. Accessible seating is covered by a tent and can be accessed by elevators in Champlain College (entrance by the Bookstore) and Bata Library. There are also shaded areas on the general seating level. Seats are available on a first come, first served basis.

  • Live-stream Rooms: Ceremonies are also broadcast in air-conditioned rooms in the Champlain College Lecture Hall 307, Stohn Hall in the Student Centre, and the Bata Library Film Theatre. These rooms are accessible.

  • For any student accessibility concerns, please contact convocation@trentu.ca.

International Guests

If your relatives are international and require a visa to attend your Convocation, please complete the following steps: 

  1. Request an International Immigration Letter (undergraduate/certificate students) or a Verification of Enrolment Letter (graduate students) through the MyTrent portal
    • Undergraduate/Certificate: Register > Verification > International Immigration Letter
    • Graduate Students: Academics > Academic Record > Verification of Enrollment Request
    • If you have already graduated you can provide your official completion letter
  2. Write a Letter of Invitation to invite your relative to Convocation. The Canadian Government provides clear information to help you write a Letter of Invitation on their website.
    • A letter of invitation can help but does not guarantee the person will get a visa/permit.
    • Trent University does not write a letter of invitation; you do so yourself.
    • View an example SAMPLE ONLY letter. Students are responsible for customizing and writing this letter for their own purposes.
  3. Pass both letters to your relative to include in the visa application to be submitted for processing.

Guest Limit & Inclement Weather Plan

Trent University Peterborough's convocation ceremonies are held outside on the University Court beside Bata Library in good weather. It is a beautiful setting and the students prefer it outdoors, but the setting has very limited shade. Please come prepared for sun, heat, wind, and cold. Sunscreen and a hat are strongly recommended. 

In the case of inclement weather, such as rain, extereme heat, or poor air quality, ceremonies will be relocated to the Gym in the Athletics Centre. Updates to ceremony locations due to inclement weather will be made 1 hour in advance and posted on the main Convocation webpage. 

Although there is no limit to guests that can attend if the ceremonies are outdoors, THERE IS A STRICT LIMIT OF 4 GUESTS PER GRADUATE if the ceremonies are moved to the Gym. Please note that guests under two years old are not included in this count.

Guests MUST HAVE TICKETS in their student's name to enter the Gym. Students reserve these tickets when they complete the RSVP form. 

Additional guests above the four-person limit can watch the live-streamed ceremonies from several on-campus locations:

  • Stohn Hall in the Student Centre
  • Champlain College Lecture Hall Room 307
  • Bata Library Theatre Room

Flowers, Frames & Gifts

  • Guests can pre-order flowers or a grad t-shirt for their graduate which can be picked up at the ceremony. 
    • The t-shirt is Trent branded and lists the names of all eligible graduates. There are separate t-shirts for Peterborough and Durham.
  • You can also order degree frames with a Trent branded mat and branded gifts from the Trent Bookstore. Their store and a merchandise booth will be open for the ceremonies.
  • Our one-of-a-kind TrentU Sneakers are now available for purchase through the Campus Print Shop. Please note that orders may take up to 6 weeks to fulfill.
  • Please wait until after the ceremony to give your graduate their flowers or gifts as they are not allowed to carry anything on stage. 

Restaurants & Accommodations

Peterborough has a number of excellent restaurants if you would like to book a meal with your graduate to celebrate after the ceremony. You can find restaurant and accommodation listings on the tourism site or "The Boro" site.  Alternatively, you can stay on campus! Contact conferences@trentu.ca to book.  

NOTE: Convocation ceremonies are public events that are photographed, recorded, and livestreamed on trentu.ca/live. By attending, you are providing consent that Trent University may use your likeness in any future Trent materials without compensation. If you have any questions, please contact convocation@trentu.ca.

Trent University respectfully acknowledges it is located on the treaty and traditional territory of the Mississauga Anishnaabeg. We offer our gratitude to First Peoples for their care for, and teachings about, our earth and our relations. May we honour those teachings.

The Campaign For
Momentous
Action Research Leadership Debate Performance Connection Discovery Ideas Places Stewardship Support Change

Peterborough

1600 West Bank Drive
Peterborough, ON Canada, K9L 0G2

Toll Free: 1-855-MY-TRENT

Campus Map

Durham Greater Toronto Area

55 Thornton Road South
Oshawa, ON Canada, L1J 5Y1

Phone: 905-435-5100

Campus Map

Social Media Directory