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Graduation

Your graduation day

Congratulations - the day is almost here! Many graduates are excited and nervous on the day of their ceremony. To help you get ready, we’ve put together a list of what you can do in preparation, as well as what to expect on the day.

Preparing for your graduation

Image of a student dressed in a graduation gown leaning against a wall On the day - before the ceremony

Image of graduates sitting during a graduation ceremony During and after the ceremony

Preparing for your graduation

Location

Your ceremony will be held in the Sports Hub (Building 9) at the Wollongong campus.

Travel and parking

There may be traffic and parking delays around the University, so please allow additional travel time.

Free parking is available for graduating students in P5 and P4 carparks on campus.

We encourage you to travel with all your guests in one vehicle. If the P4 and P5 carparks becomes full, security staff will advise you of alternative parking locations on or around campus. 

If you submitted accessibility requirements for both yourself and/ or your guests during the registration process, parking will be made available to you in the carpark under the Sports Hub – you will need to provide your name to the parking attendant at the Sports Hub carpark to gain access. 

You will be required to bring identification (eg. drivers licence, student card) which will be sighted at the registration desk.

A graduation ceremony is a formal occasion with smart casual wear being the minimum standard for graduates and their guests. 

You will be required to wear the approved University of Wollongong academic dress over your clothes when taking part in a graduation ceremony. The graduation fee covers the hire of your academic dress (gown and hood), as well as a trencher (hat) or bonnet to keep. 

When selecting what you're going to wear, keep in mind:

  • The academic gown is three-quarters in length and opens at the front, so your clothes will be visible.
  • The gown is made of heavy material, so you may wish to leave your jacket with your family or friends.
  • You will be wearing an academic trencher or bonnet on your head so we recommend a hairstyle that allows this to sit comfortably.
  • You will be walking onto stage via a ramp, so we recommend that you consider this when selecting your footwear.
  • You are welcome to enrich the colour of the ceremony with garments from your cultural tradition.

Purchasing academic dress 

If you wish to purchase academic dress for graduation, you can do so at any time of the year from the Unishop. However, if for any reason a particular item may be out of stock, you must place your order no later than 6 weeks prior to the ceremony. Enquiries regarding the purchase of academic dress may be directed to the Unishop.

If you purchase your academic dress you will you will need to collect your purchase from the Unishop prior to your graduation ceremony and bring it with you to the venue.

Please note that if you purchase your academic dress, you are still required to pay the  full graduation fee. 

Morning ceremonies

Graduates to arrive by 8:15am

  • Registration opens at 7.30 am and closes at 9 am sharp
  • Doors will open for guests at 8.45 am
  • Ceremony commences 9.30 am

Late arrivals may not be able to be accommodated.

Afternoon ceremonies

Graduates to arrive by 1:15pm

  • Registration opens at 12.30 pm and closes at 2 pm sharp
  • Doors will open for guests at 1.45 pm
  • Ceremony commences 2.30 pm

We understand how important guests are to your graduation experience! Graduates can bring three (3) guests. If more tickets become available, you’ll be notified in the pre-event reminder email.

Children and prams

Children are warmly welcome to attend your ceremony and will require a ticket. Infants (under 3) can sit on an adult's lap during the ceremony.

Designated pram/stroller parking bays will be available within the Sports Hub. Activities will also be available for children outside of the Sports Hub in the Marquee.

Additional guests

Additional guests are welcome to watch the ceremony via live stream in the Sports Hub foyer or from an off-campus location. The live stream link will be available on the graduation website on the day of the event.

We are more than happy to accommodate special seating requirements, or any mobility or disability issues, including vision or hearing needs. 
 
If you did not advise of any special requirements during the online registration for graduation, please email details to askuow@uow.edu.au with ‘Graduation’ in the subject line as soon as possible so arrangements can be made.

On the day - before the ceremony

You must arrive by the specified time.

On arrival, please make your way to the graduation registration desk located on the ground floor in UniActive (Building 13) which is adjacent to the Sports Hub. Entry is via the western side of the UniActive building (closest to the Sports Hub). 

View the graduation day map

To avoid overcrowding, we ask that guests wait outside and do not accompany you to the registration desk – we suggest arranging to meet your guests in the graduation celebration area on the Hockey Field outside the Sports Hub after completing registration. 

Graduate registration

When you arrive at registration you will:

  • receive your graduation card, which will be marked with your name and allocated seat number
  • receive your guest tickets
  • get dressed in your academic dress
  • receive your trencher (hat) or bonnet (PhD graduates only)

UOW staff will select the appropriate academic dress for you and help you put the garments on. If you are an Honours graduate, please advise staff.

Once dressed and ready, you are encouraged to meet your guests at the graduation celebration area on the Hockey Field for photo opportunities, gifts, coffee, and more.

You will receive your graduation card at registration. This will be marked with your name and allocated seat number.

You must be seated in your allocated seat at least 20 minutes before the ceremony (unless you are told otherwise during registration). 

It is essential that you sit in your allocated seat as outlined on your graduation card received at registration. This will ensure graduates are presented on stage in the correct order. You must not swap or change your seat to be close to friends. 

Guest seating is not allocated but is separate from graduate seating.

PhD Graduates 

If you are a PhD graduate, please register and collect your academic dress and graduation card from UniActive (Building 13). You will then need to make your way to Building 36 to join the academic procession.

Guests of PhD graduates should find their seats in the Sports Hub and are not to go to Building 36. 

It is highly recommended that you arrive at the University with plenty of time to find parking, register, dress in academic dress, and take photos.  

If you arrive after the close of registration, please go directly to the graduate registration desk in UniActive (building 13) and we will do our best to accommodate you, but it is not guaranteed that you will be able to participate in the ceremony.  

You will be required to wait in the registration area until the Academic Procession has been seated on stage at the commencement of the ceremony. You will then be ushered to the Sports Hub to take your seats, and your name will be read out at the end of the ceremony. 

Arriving late will impact your graduation experience, as your name will be read out at the conclusion of the ceremony by the Executive Dean and we will be unable to have your name displayed on the screen. 

Please note that if you arrive late and we are unable to accommodate you within the ceremony, you will not be offered a refund. 

During and after the ceremony

The official proceedings of UOW graduation ceremonies includes: 

  1. Opening of Ceremony, including Smoking Ceremony*
  2. Welcome to Country 
  3. National Anthem 
  4. Opening and Congratulatory Address 
  5. Presentation of Awards 
  6. Musical Interlude 
  7. Presentation of Awards (cont) 
  8. Honorary Award/Emeritus Professorships Awards 
  9. Occasional Address and Vote of Thanks 
  10. Closure of Proceedings 
  11. Showing of UOW Graduation video 
  12. Event Concludes

Ceremonies are expected to be 2-2.5 hours in duration.

* The Smoking Ceremony will be led by our Indigenous Community Leaders to welcome graduates, guests, and the academic procession. There will be adequate ventilation in place within the sports hub to ensure the health and safety of our graduates and community.

Ushers will direct graduates throughout the ceremony. When it is time to commence the presentation of awards, ushers will direct graduates as follows: 

  1. The Presenter will ask all graduates to stand for confirmation of degrees. After this, everyone can be seated except the first row of graduates who will then be guided by ushers to the stage. 
  2. When it is your turn to make your way to the stage, an usher will ask you to stand and will direct you into position. Leave your booklets and other items on your seat. 
  3. An usher will check and adjust your academic dress. 
  4. When you reach the bottom of the stage ramp, you will collect your certificate from an usher. 
  5. You will be directed to ascend the ramp and stand on the side of the stage until your name is called. 
  6. When you hear your name, make your way to the centre of the stage towards the Presiding Officer. 
  7. The Presiding Officer will 'tip their cap' to you, and you can return the gesture by tipping your cap slightly downwards with your right hand. Please pause on stage while a photo is taken.
  8. After the photo, you can begin descending the ramp on the other side of the stage. 
  9. You will then make your way back to your allocated seat and remain there until the end of the ceremony. 
  10. At the completion of the ceremony, you will be directed to follow behind the Academic Procession and leave the venue. 

This information will also be provided to you again, upon registration on the day of your ceremony. 

Please ensure you pause on stage for our professional photographer to take your photo after you have 'tipped your cap' to the Presiding Officer.

Stage photos will be available immediately after the ceremony for viewing and purchase. If you would like to view and/or purchase your stage photos at a later time, a link will be available on the UOW website once all ceremonies are complete. 

All ceremonies will be live streamed. A link will be available on the graduation website on the day of the ceremony.

Your academic dress must be returned to the gown returns area near the registration desk in UniActive (building 13) by the following times:

  • 1pm for morning ceremonies 
  • 6pm for afternoon ceremonies

At the conclusion of your ceremony, you and your guests are invited to join UOW dignitaries at the graduation celebration area to continue the celebration and enjoy some refreshments.  

It's a good idea to organise somewhere to meet your guests as it will be busy. 

UniBar will also be open after the ceremony if you'd like to continue the celebrations.