Prepare to Attend your Graduation

Attending your graduation ceremony is a wonderful way to celebrate your academic achievement and we strongly encourage you to select and attend a ceremony.

Checklist to prepare to attend your graduation

Once you have been approved to graduate by the University’s Academic Board, you will receive an email inviting you to:

Register for your graduation ceremony (select the date).
Select “attend” in the attendance section
Check your full legal name with your College.
Check your email and postal addresses are correct with your College.
Ensure you have no outstanding tuition fees or library fines and outstanding loans.

About three weeks prior to the graduation ceremony date you will receive an email confirming your attendance at the ceremony. This correspondence will include ceremony-specific information and instructions and links to book regalia, guest tickets, photography and what to expect on the day.

What to wear

If you are attending the ceremony to receive your award, you must wear the correct Academic Dress (Regalia) for the award you are receiving, regardless of any other awards you may already have. Anyone not wearing the correct academic dress will not be permitted to receive their award ‘on stage’.

What you wear under your regalia is up to you, but as this is a formal occasion we encourage you to choose suitably smart attire.

Hire your regalia

The University will arrange a regalia hire option for graduation ceremony events. Hired items will be brought to the ceremony location for you, and need to be returned immediately after the event. There is a hire fee for each item that you require to be hired.

Hire may be directly from the University, or through an external third-party, depending on which event you are attending.

Purchase your regalia

Regalia may be purchased from any retailer, but you must ensure that it meets the University’s Academic Dress Policy for the award you will graduate with.

It is recommended that you place an order at least 2 months prior to your graduation date, as items may be custom-made. Regalia purchase is a private arrangement between yourself and the company you choose to purchase from.

We recommend G. H. Lilley for high quality garments that meet the requirements of the University’s Academic Dress Policy.

Punctuality

Those who arrive later than the assigned time on the day of the ceremony will not be permitted to participate in the ceremony in person and will receive their academic documents by mail. The graduation ceremony is a formal academic occasion. Check your ceremony-specific information for the arrival time. Consider traffic and other delays when planning your arrival.

Photography

Photographs are taken of each graduand as they receive their award from the Chancellor (termed ‘stage photos’).

Guest Tickets

Each graduating student is initially allocated two guest tickets, which can be booked online through the University of Divinity. Bookings will open about 3 weeks prior to the ceremony date. You will receive an email with a link to book guest tickets. There is no cost for guest tickets. If there are spare seats available, additional tickets will be made available on the Monday prior to the ceremony.