Graduation

Graduates-to-be

Congratulations on your amazing achievements!
Now that you're nearing the end of your program, you should set aside a few moments to apply for graduation. Filling out the Request to Graduate form your final big step to receive recognition for all your hard work. There's no cost to apply for graduation, just a few moments of your time to complete the form and submit.

When you graduate from your NLC program:

  • you receive an official NLC parchment
  • you have your graduation noted on your official NLC transcript
  • you are invited to attend Convocation ceremonies to celebrate your achievements and walk across the stage in cap and gown to have your credential officially issued to you.
    • Visit the Convocation webpage to learn more about Convocation ceremonies and register to attend!

Graduation does not happen automatically. If you are in an Academic, Vocational, or Trades program at NLC you need to submit a Request to Graduate form to graduate. 

Apprentices completing one or more levels of technical training do not need to submit a form. 

Request to Graduate process

  1. Download your Request to Graduate form
  2. Complete the form electronically
  3. Fill out a separate form for each program/credential you are applying to graduate with
  4. Submit your completed form(s) using one of these options:
    1. by scanning and emailing it to Student Records at records@nlc.bc.ca
    2. in-person at any Campus Services office
  5. Allow 15 business days for processing once you have submitted your completed form

There is no deadline to apply to graduate; requests are processed year-round. You should be enrolled in your final semester or last 10 weeks of classes when you submit your graduation request.

Convocation ceremonies are held in late spring each year. If you think you will finish your program by August 31 and you want to attend Convocation ceremonies that year, you can submit your graduation request early, by April 30. If you submit your graduation request after that date, or if you will finish your program after August 31, you will be invited to Convocation ceremonies the following year. To learm more about Convocation, check out nlc.bc.ca/convocation.

Next steps

  1. After you submit your graduation request, your student record will be evaluated to confirm completion of your program requirements. Allow 15 business days for processing.
     
  2. ​If all requirements have been completed:
    1. Congratulations, you are an NLC graduate!
    2. Your student record will be updated to note that you have graduated.
    3. You will be sent an email notification from Student Records confirming your graduation.
    4. If you are an international student, your PGWP support letter will be emailed to you.  
    5. Parchment delivery, based on the option you selected on your form:
      1. Option 1 = it will be issued to you at Convocation
      2. Option 2 = you will be contacted when it is ready for you to pick up (allow at least 15 business days)
      3. Option 3 = it will be mailed to you (allow at least 15 business days, not including mailing time)
    6. Any “hold for graduation” official transcript requests you submitted will be processed.
       
  3. If some requirements are in progress (your classes aren’t yet finished):
    1. Your graduation status is pending successful completion of your currently registered course(s). You won't hear from us immediately.
    2. We will automatically re-evaluate your application after the semester has ended and final grades have been submitted. Allow up to 15 business days after that time for final results of your request to graduate.
       
  4. If you are not eligible to graduate:
    1. You will be sent an email to let you know and provide information about the reasons you don’t yet meet the requirements.
Convocation

Visit the Convocation webpage to learn more about Convocation ceremonies and fill out your registration form to attend!

All students who have applied to graduate and will successfully complete their program by August 31 are invited to attend Convocation in June. 

Official Parchments/Credentials

All students who meet graduation requirements are issued one official NLC parchment.  

Use the Duplicate/Replacement Parchment Request form to order an official re-print of your parchment.  Official re-prints look almost exactly like an original parchment, with a notation that says "Duplicate of original issued in month/year" in small print along the bottom front.

Duplicate/replacement parchments are only issued for students who have successfully graduated from an NLC program and have previously been issued a parchment. 

A parchment is different from your official transcript. 

  • Your official parchment is also sometimes called a credential or certificate.  It states the name of the program you have graduated from and is signed by the Chair of the Board of Governors, the President, and the Registrar. It is usually what people frame and hang on their wall.  
     
  • Your official transcript is a complete representation of your entire academic record at NLC, listing all of the courses you were enrolled in and your grades for those courses.  Transcripts are usually what you need to provide when transferring to another post-secondary institution.  Use the Request for Transcript form to order your official transcript.

Northern Lights College reserves the right to withhold official records (including parchments) for students in arrears or with outstanding books or tools.