Graduating Students - Graduands

Students who have completed the requirements of their degree, but have not yet been formally admitted to that degree through a graduation ceremony, are known as graduands.

The information on this page is for graduands who have received a graduation invitation from the University. Graduation invitations are sent by mail and email one to two months before the upcoming graduation period.

Once you have received your graduation invitation, please follow the steps outlined on this page.

What do I need to do before I graduate?

How to respond to your invitation using the Student Portal

In most cases, you can respond to your graduation invitation through the Student Portal

  1. Log in
  2. Select the Admin tab
  3. Under the Graduations heading, select Respond to my graduation ceremony offer
  4. Follow the instructions carefully

Respond using the Student Portal

How to respond to your invitation manually

If you have been away from the University for some time, you may no longer have access to the Student Portal.

In this case, please complete and submit the form that you received with your initial invitation to graduate letter.

It's very important that you let us know if you would like to attend a graduation ceremony. If you don't respond by the due date, you will not be able to graduate.

Registering your intention to graduate ensures your place in the ceremony is secured. It allows us to prepare the graduation programs, arrange your formal degree certificate (your testamur), and to make sure there's enough room for everyone. For these reasons, if you don't register, you won't be able to graduate.

Response options

Make sure you check your email regularly. You will receive important information about your graduation.

Your options when registering your intention to graduate are:

  • Attend

    • Selecting this option confirms that you wish to attend the graduation ceremony that you have been offered.

  • Not attend

    • This option means that you will not be attending, but that you would like to have your degree conferred in your absence - this is also known as graduating 'in absentia'.

  • Defer

    • Select this option if you wish to defer your graduation to the next conferring ceremonies.

  • Defer Honours

    • This option applies if you will be undertaking an Honours year and want to delay graduating until you have completed Honours. If you select this option, you will be sent an invitation to graduate toward the end of your Honours year.

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It's important that you check your personal details carefully - these will determine how your name will appear on your graduation certificate (your testamur) and in the graduation program. Getting them changed later will cost $150 per certificate.

Your details will determine how your name appears on your degree certificate.

There are three things you need to check when looking at your details.

  1. Your name: this should be your full legal name as it appears on your birth certificate, or passport.
  2. Your name order: this will determine how your name is presented on your testamur
  3. Your contact details: we will need to contact you to confirm your graduation.

How to check your details using the Student Portal

In most cases, you can check and change your details through the Student Portal at the same time that you respond to your invitation to graduate.

  1. Log in
  2. Select the Admin tab
  3. Under the Graduations heading, select Respond to my graduation ceremony offer
  4. Follow the instructions

Check and update your details using the Student Portal

How to check your details manually

If you have been away from the University for some time, you may no longer have access to the Student Portal.

In this case, will need to check your details as they appear on the form that you received with your initial graduation invitation.

If any changes are required, you will need to download, complete and submit the necessary forms from the Change my details manually page.

Change my details manually

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Regalia is the term used to described the traditional academic dress worn at graduation and other formal university occasions. In most cases it refers to a gown, and hood lined with specific discipline colours.

Regalia, or academic dress is one of the defining features of a University of Melbourne graduation ceremony. As a graduand of the University, you are entitled and expected to wear the appropriate combination of ceremonial attire.

The exact combination of robe, hood, colour and (in some cases) headwear, depends on the degree to which you are being admitted. We will email these details to you once your graduation response has been recorded.

You can hire academic dress for the ceremony from the Grad Shop in the Student Union. Click Manage your booking below to organise your regalia hire.

Manage your booking

Book your regalia at least 7 days before your ceremony to avoid the late booking fees.

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Tickets for Guests

You are usually allocated three (3) tickets for guests to attend your graduation ceremony, although in some cases (where ceremonies are very full) this may be limited to two (we will advise affected graduands if this occurs). These are collected on the day of your ceremony (see Graduand registration (seat numbers and guest tickets) below).

Guest tickets are strictly limited due to space restraints.

What do I need to do on the day of my ceremony?

If you have any disability for which you require assistance at the ceremony, please get in touch with the Graduations Office before the day to make any necessary arrangements.

Graduand registration and regalia collection is usually very busy. It is therefore recommended that only graduands should go to collect their regalia and register.
Your guests are welcome to wait for you on the Ground Floor.

Collect your three (3) guest tickets and graduand seat number from the Graduand Registration desk (located next to regalia collection).

You will need to present your Student Card or another form of photo ID to register.

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Your regalia can be collected from Union House on the day of the ceremony two and a half hours before the ceremony starts (please note that no academic dress will be issued before or after these times). There will be signs and staff to help you find the way.

You will need to bring with you a $50 cash deposit (in exact money - ATMs are available on campus) which will be refunded when you return the regalia by the time specified for your ceremony.

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It is essential that you are in your allocated seat in Wilson Hall at least 30 minutes before your ceremony start time.

If you are not seated by this time, you will be excluded from your ceremony.

Graduation ceremonies require an enormous logistical effort - we need to ensure that for every student's name that is announced, there is a graduand in the right place, ready to receive their testamur.

For this reason, we need your help to make sure things run as smoothly as possible. This means that you need to be seated, in your regalia, at least 30 minutes before the ceremony begins.

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The University of Melbourne graduation ceremonies are very formal and are based on the Oxford University tradition. What you need to do depends on the degree that you will be awarded and is outlined below:

Bachelor Degree Graduands

When your name is announced:

  1. Nod and walk towards the Chancellor and stop on the mark on the floor in front of the Chancellor's chair.
  2. Shake hands with the Chancellor
  3. Receive your testamur(s); and
  4. When exiting the stage, acknowledge the person who announced your name by nodding

Masters Degree Graduands

When your name is announced:

  1. Walk towards the Chancellor and stop on the mark on the floor in front of the Chancellor's chair.
  2. Nod with your hand on your hat and shake hands with the Chancellor
  3. Receive your testamur(s); and
  4. When exiting the stage, acknowledge the person who announced your name by nodding

PhD and Doctoral Degree Graduands

When your name is announced:

  1. Step one pace forward, nod and doff your bonnet, and face the Chancellor while your citation is read out
  2. At the conclusion of the citation, proceed to the Chancellor and shake hands before she presents you with your testamur
  3. Doff your bonnet to the Dean and return to your seat.
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Returning your academic dress

After the ceremony, you need to return your academic dress on time to the Grad Shop (second floor of Union House).

Your academic dress must be returned within two and a half hours of the start of your ceremony, If your conferring ceremony begins at 3:30pm, your academic dress must therefore be returned by 6:00pm.

Your regalia hire fee covers a period of two and a half hours from the start of your ceremony. If you would like extended hire time, you will need to arrange this with the Grad Shop staff.

Failure to return academic dress on time after the ceremony will result in the forfeit of your deposit. Non-return of regalia incurs a $300 fine and possible further action by the Grad Shop.

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