Parchments and other graduation documents
A parchment is an official document that shows you have successfully completed an academic program. You'll receive your parchment after your graduation has been approved by the UVic Senate.
- Graduation information and timelines for undergraduate students
- Graduation information and timelines for graduate students
In addition to your parchment, a "credential granted" section will be added to your transcript on your graduation date.
What's on my parchment?
Your parchment will state your name, faculty and credential, plus additional information based on your program type.
- Student's name
- Faculty
- Credential (Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, etc.)
- Program type (major, honours or general)
- "Co-operative Education" (if you completed a co-op program)
- "With Distinction" (if your graduating GPA is in the top 20 percent of your academic unit).
To find out if you graduated "With Distinction" you can view your administrative transcript after your graduation has been approved.
Your parchment will not show your minor, concentration, specialization or option. However, these program details are displayed on your transcript, degree completion letter and certificate of degree completion.
- Student's name
- "Faculty of Law"
- Credential (Juris Doctor or Juris Indigenarum Doctor)
- "Co-operative Education" (if you completed the Law Co-op program)
- Student's name
- "Faculty of Graduate Studies"
- Credential (Master of Business Administration, Doctor of Philosophy, etc.)
- Primary area of study (Civil Engineering, History, Law, etc.)
- "Co-operative Education" (if you completed a co-op program)
- Student's name
- Faculty
- Credential (Professional Specialization Certificate in Special and Inclusive Education, Diploma in Restoration of Natural Systems, etc.)
- "Co-operative Education" (if you completed a co-op program)
Your full program details are stated on your official transcript and other graduation documents (such as the degree completion letter and certificate of degree completion).
Changes to parchments
In Fall 2022, UVic introduced an updated and modernized parchment format. Key features and changes since that time are listed below.
Beginning with Spring 2024 graduation, the parchment includes UVic's current Indigenous territory acknowledgment:
- "We acknowledge and respect the Lək̓ʷəŋən (Songhees and Esquimalt) Peoples on whose territory the university stands, and the Lək̓ʷəŋən and W̱SÁNEĆ Peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day."
Beginning with Fall 2022 graduation, the parchment was updated and modernized to include:
- UVic's Indigenous territory acknowledgement
- "We acknowledge with respect the lək̓ʷəŋən peoples on whose traditional territory the University of Victoria stands and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day."
- embossed gold foil seals
- enhanced security features
- printing on letter-sized (8.5x11") paper.
Name on your parchment
Your parchment must display your legal name. However, you can request any of the following modifications when you apply to graduate:
- replace your first name with its initial
- replace your middle name with its initial or choose not to display your middle name
- include accents (e.g. Zoë)
- display an alternate legal name, e.g. maiden name (with supporting documentation).
Graduating students
If you want to update your legal name on your student record and official transcript, you'll need to request a personal information change.
Including your Indigenous or traditional name on the parchment
If you're an Indigenous student, you can include your traditional name alongside your legal name on your parchment. However, the application for graduation does not currently support many of the characters found in Indigenous languages.
Please submit your application for graduation without your traditional name. You can then send an email to degrees@uvic.ca with your student number and your full name as you would like it to appear on your parchment.
Receiving your parchment
Your parchment will be prepared after your graduation is approved in May or October. We'll email you in March (spring graduation) or September (fall graduation) with options for receiving your parchment.
Make sure you have paid all your outstanding fees and fines. If you haven't, your parchment may be withheld.
Degree completion letter
If you need to show that your program requirements have been met and that you will be recommended for graduation, you can order a degree completion letter after your application to graduate has been received. International students may need this document in support of post-graduation work permits.
Undergraduate students
Order a completion letter for a bachelor degree or undergraduate-level certificate/diploma.
Graduate students
Order a completion letter for a master's degree, doctoral degree or graduate-level certificate/diploma.
Invitation letter for international convocation guests
If your guests need a visa to travel to Canada to attend your convocation ceremony, you can request an Invitation letter for international guests.
Certificate of degree completion
A certificate of degree completion bears the Registrar's signature and the university seal. This document can be provided to employers, agencies and in support of international work visas.
Your certificate of degree completion will be issued after your degree has been awarded.
Replacement parchment
You may need to order a replacement parchment for a variety of reasons such as:
- loss/damage/theft of your original parchment
- changing your legal name
- converting your Bachelor of Laws degree to a Juris Doctor degree
All replacement parchments are issued in the modernized format introduced in Fall 2022.
Need help?
If you have questions about diplomas or graduation documents, contact degrees@uvic.ca or 250-721-8121.