Diplomas

Diplomas are normally distributed to new graduates at their Convocation ceremony, in either May or November.

Diplomas are not available prior to your Convocation date.

To have your diploma MAILED to you, submit an order and pay for its delivery by courier using the ES Services eStore: see Diploma – Mail Delivery (Post Convocation).

To PICK UP your diploma (Spring 2023 or Fall 2023 only) from Service Point, you must make an appointment.

Graduates can use a Minerva Confirmation of Graduation letter or an Official Electronic Transcript (sent to recipients in as little as 15 minutes) as proof of graduation instead of their diploma.

  • Diploma Mailing requests are processed within 10 to 15 working days (this does not include mailing time).

Former alumni: did not attend Convocation?

Your unclaimed diploma will be held for 2 years after your Convocation and you can request to have it mailed. See Diploma mailing requests above.

If it has been more than 2 years since your Convocation, your unclaimed diploma would have been destroyed as per the University Archives retention rules, and you must request and pay for a replacement diploma. See ‘Replacing a diploma’ below.

 

bound scroll

Diploma language

Your diploma will be printed in either English or Latin, depending on the type of degree you are receiving.

  • Degrees in Latin - PhD, DCL, DMUS, STM, MDCM, DMD and Bachelors and Masters in: Arts, Law, Music, and Religious Studies
  • Degrees in English - Bachelors and Masters in: Agriculture, Architecture, Dentistry (excluding the DMD), Education, Engineering, Management, Medicine (excluding the MDCM), Nursing, Physical and Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Science
  • Certificates and Diplomas are issued in English.

You may obtain an official University-certified translation of your diploma upon request AFTER the Convocation ceremonies (in French or English). For more details on how to order a certified copy, please refer to the Certified Copies section of this webpage.

Awards and honours

Convocation awards, prizes or honours do not display on your diploma. They are only listed on your official transcripts.

Prizes or awards approved only as a Convocation Booklet award will not show on your official transcript. They will be included in the Convocation program or Awards Addenda distributed at the ceremony.

Replacing a diploma

Fees and requirements

The fee for replacing a diploma or ordering additional copies is CDN $120.00 per diploma copy (includes trackable mail delivery).

Your request must include your full name, address, phone number, as well as your degree and the year it was granted, and the number of duplicate diploma copies you wish to order.

NOTE: Your diploma replacement will be issued with signatures of the current signatories (i.e. Chancellor, President, Dean and Registrar) and cannot be issued with the original signatories from your year of graduation.

Modifying your name

For changes to your name on record at McGill, please follow the instructions for correcting or changing your legal name. Once your name has been modified on Minerva, you may submit your request in the Service Point Checkout (Edge, Safari, and Firefox are the recommended browsers to use).

Making your request

There are two ways to submit a request:

Via the ES Services eStore

To submit your request, visit the ES Services eStore (Edge, Safari, and Firefox are the recommended browsers to use) see Diploma-Replacement Copy

Processing Time

All diploma requests are processed within 3-5 working days (5 to 7 days during peak periods). If the student record is archived (pre-1972), it may take longer to process the request.

McGill may not be held responsible for the loss or delay in shipping.

LLB to JD replacements

In Summer 2019, McGill University changed its degree designation for the common law degree from LLB (Bachelor of Laws) to JD (Juris Doctor).

McGill LLB alumni who graduated prior to Summer 2019, may request to replace their LLB with a JD parchment via the ES Services eStore (Edge, Safari, and Firefox are the recommended browsers to use) by selecting the LLB TO JD Replacement Diploma Request Form.

IMPORTANT: You must return your LLB parchment to Enrolment Services in exchange for a JD diploma. This is to avoid a discrepancy between your McGill transcript and parchment.

Once a JD parchment has been issued for you, the following wording will show on your transcript below the LLB degree granted notation: In Summer 2019, McGill changed the degree designation of LLB to JD. A JD parchment was issued for this graduate on <dd-mon-yyyy>.

You can order more than one copy of the JD parchment and a per diploma replacement fee would be applicable for any additional copies.

Your JD parchment will be sent to you once we receive the following:

  1. LLB to JD Replacement Diploma Request Form submission.
  2. Your original McGill LLB diploma (all copies, if applicable) – NOTE: the LLB parchment(s) can be folded to fit a regular mailing envelope. The Enrolment Services mailing address is indicated in the Replacement Diploma Request form.
  3. Applicable fee(s), which include printing and shipping costs by tracked courier mail (payable by credit card only).

Your request will be processed and shipped within 5-10 business days once your original LLB diploma(s) has been received.

Certified copies

Copies and translations

Service Point will certify copies of your diploma in the original language or issue certified translations in English (from the original Latin) or French (from the original in English or Latin). The translation is provided in letter format and sent as a PDF copy.

Making your request

You can make your request via the ES Services eStore (Edge, Safari, and Firefox are the recommended browsers to use) see Diplomas – Certified Copies

  • To submit your request, you will need:
    • PDF copy of your original diploma: 8.5" x 11" format, in landscape mode, making certain to reduce it so that all seals and signatures are visible
    • Valid credit card

Diploma frames

Degree diplomas are 17" wide by 11" high (horizontal). Certificates are 11" wide by 17" high (vertical).

Frames are available through the McGill University Bookstore, Le James. The bookstore also offers graduates a selection of custom-made diploma frames. 

Hold on my diploma

You may view any holds on your account on Minerva by accessing the Student menu>Registration menu>View Holds.

For any holds concerning outstanding tuition fees and loans, please contact Carol Pisimisis at 514-398-3902.

For an outstanding Library fee, please call the circulation desk at 514-398-4734.

Request a diploma by courier

McGill students who graduated in the last 2 years and did not receive their original McGill diploma, can order and pay for its delivery by courier using the ES Services eStore (Edge, Safari, and Firefox are the recommended browsers to use): see Diploma – Mail Delivery (Post Convocation).

Multiple degrees earned at the same Convocation will be mailed together. You do not need to submit separate orders.

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