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Graduation

Prepare for your graduation ceremony

If you're attending a graduation ceremony, there's some important arrangements you need to make beforehand. Follow the steps on this page to get ready.

If you're not attending a ceremony, you'll be able to respond 'no' to your graduation invitation. You won't need to pay the graduation fee. Closer to the date of the ceremony, we'll send an email to your personal email address asking you to confirm your postal address to send your graduation documents.

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If you have been invited to a graduation ceremony in September or October, please make sure you RSVP before 1 September.

Steps

1

We'll email your invitation

We'll send your ceremony invitation to your University email account.

  • For Semester 1 ceremonies, this will be about six – seven weeks before your ceremony.
  • For Semester 2 ceremonies, this will be about five – six weeks before your ceremony.

Your UniKey will be reactivated in time so that you can access Sydney Student to reply to your invitation. 

2

Reply to your invitation

When you receive your invitation, you'll need to reply in Sydney Student (go to 'My Studies', 'Assessments', then 'confirm your graduation attendance details').

As part of your reply, we'll ask you to provide and review important graduation information, including any accessibility requirements.

It's essential you complete this as soon as possible. Unfortunately, as capacity of the Great Hall is limited, you won't be able to indicate that you'll be attending your ceremony once capacity is reached. This may be before the deadline to reply to your invitation.

If you're unable to log in to Sydney Student read our advice about password management. If you still need help, contact ICT.

3

Pay your graduation fee

You'll be prompted to pay a graduation fee of $198 once you reply to your graduation invite. 

In addition to attendance to your ceremony, the fee covers:

  • academic dress hire, including a trencher hat for you to keep
  • tickets for two guests to attend the ceremony
  • entry and refreshments at the graduation reception for yourself and your two guests
  • graduation documents
  • a digital download of your stage photo.

We accept payment by Mastercard, Visa, American Express and JCB. You can read and acknowledge the refund terms and conditions in Sydney Student before paying.

We recommend you pay as soon as possible as your place at the ceremony is not reserved until we’ve received payment. You'll receive a confirmation email and payment receipt. If you don’t receive either of these once you’ve paid, let us know by submitting an online enquiry

4

Register for your digital tickets

You’ll receive an email about two to four weeks before your graduation ceremony, inviting you to register for your digital tickets. If you replied after the deadline, you’ll receive your email to register for digital tickets one week before your graduation ceremony.

After you've received your email, you will be able to register for your ticket, and up to two guest tickets, through the Graduations portal using your student ID.

Guest tickets will be sent to the email address you provide. On the day of your graduation ceremony, guests can bring their tickets in digital or print form. You will be able to download your graduate ticket the day before your ceremony.

5

Book your academic dress

The University of Sydney Union (USU) will send you an email ahead of your ceremony, requesting you book a time to collect your gown from the USYD Store in the Holme Building.

When booking, they will confirm your degree title, graduation date and time and coordinate the hood colours as per University dress standards. See the USYD Store website for more information.

Your academic dress is supplied as part of your graduation fee.

6

Check in and download your digital ticket

You'll receive an email and SMS one day before your ceremony to check in online and download your graduate ticket.

Your guests need to bring their tickets in digital or print form.

Guests and children

You’ll be allocated two guest tickets for the Great Hall. Unfortunately, additional guest tickets aren’t available due to capacity restraints. 

If you have additional guests, they'll be able to watch the ceremony live stream.

Small children are welcome to attend the ceremony and can sit on the lap of an adult without needing a ticket. If they need their own seat, they’ll need to take one of your allocated guest tickets. There is no child care available for the graduation ceremonies. We’re unable to accommodate prams inside the Great Hall but they can be left just outside the entry doors adjoining the Hall or in the Ante room adjacent to the Hall.

Travel arrangements

We will not be able to confirm your ceremony time and date until you receive your invitation and RSVP ‘attending’, so please make sure any plans made for your graduation before then (including travel arrangements for overseas family and friends) are flexible.

We do not accept any responsibility for any arrangements that you, your family or friends make for your graduation.

Accessibility requirements

If you have any accessibility requirements, you'll need to contact us about them no later than seven days before your ceremony.

Student Centre

Online

Phone

1800 SYD UNI (1800 793 864)
or +61 2 8627 1444 (outside Australia)

Find out more about how we can help

Last updated: 23 August 2024

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