Finishing your degree is a big achievement. Your graduation ceremony is a chance to celebrate all the hard work you’ve put in to complete your course.
Learn all you need to know about attending your ceremony, including dates for upcoming ceremonies, how to arrange guest tickets and what to do if your guests are travelling from overseas.
Graduation Ceremony dates
Graduation ceremonies are held in Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney in Semester 1 (March - May), and in Melbourne and Sydney in Semester 2 (September - October).
If you finish your course in a semester when your campus doesn’t hold ceremonies, your award will be conferred soon after your course completion. Conferral at ACU occurs in December, March, July and September and each conferral period has its own unique deadlines. You can then choose to attend a ceremony at your home campus within 12 months of your conferral – see If you’re deferring for more information.
Upcoming ceremonies
The COVID-19 pandemic and government regulations to ensure the health and safety of the community continue to impact our day-to-day activities. We are planning for graduation ceremonies in 2022. These events will be run in accordance with all relevant state and territory COVID-Safe regulations. The nature of the pandemic has meant that government regulations and public health orders can change rapidly. ACU continues to monitor and abide by all public health orders. The safety and wellbeing of our graduates, their families, our staff, and our community is our highest priority.
The 2022 Semester 1 graduation ceremony dates are below. Please review your liability for any planned travel bookings and other non-refundable arrangements before proceeding. These dates may be subject to change if government restrictions on large gatherings are reintroduced and events are impacted.
View our live stream ceremonies
| Location | Date | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| Ballarat | 29 March 2022 | Convention Centre, Mercure Ballarat |
| Brisbane | 5 – 6 April 2022 | Great Hall, Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre |
| Canberra | 20 April 2022 | Royal Theatre, National Convention Centre Canberra |
| Melbourne | 15 – 18 May 2022 | Plenary, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre |
| Sydney | 23 – 26 May 2022 | Grand Pavilion, Rosehill Gardens |
The ceremony schedule will be updated in February 2022 to include further information about faculty specific ceremony dates and times.
Graduation Mass
You and your family are invited to attend Graduation Mass before the ceremonies in Ballarat and Canberra.
Find out dates, times and details about the Mass
Ceremony fee and guest tickets
The fee to attend your graduation ceremony is $165 (incl. GST), which includes:
- your attendance at the ceremony
- the cost of your academic dress hire
- guest tickets* (as a graduand, you do not require a ticket)
- light refreshments after the ceremony.
*Guest ticket numbers will be informed by COVID-Safety restrictions and capacities at each venue. Further information will be provided to graduates when ceremony registration opens in March 2022.
To learn more about paying your ceremony fee, organising your guest tickets and arranging additional ones, visit the page below.
Find out more about ceremony fees and guest tickets
Graduates with special needs
If you’re attending a ceremony and have special requirements relating to mobility, sight, hearing impairment or cultural practices that may impact your ability to cross the stage, simply answer ‘yes’ to the special requirements question when you complete the Ceremony Registration form in Student Connect. The graduations office will then contact you to discuss your needs in detail.
To ensure appropriate arrangements can be made, it is essential you let the graduations office know no later than four weeks before your ceremony.
Invitations for international guests
We have suspended International Graduation Guest (IGG) invitations until Australia’s border reopens and international visitors are allowed to travel. ACU will continue to monitor the advice of the relevant government authorities and we will update this page with changes as they develop.
Academic dress
Not sure how to organise your academic gown for the big day or what your faculty colour is? Our academic dress page explains it all to you.
Learn more about academic dress
What happens on the day
Not sure what to expect during your graduation ceremony? We’ve put together a guide that walks you through your graduation day.
It contains important information such as what time to arrive, what your guests should do, and when the official photographers will snap your big moment.
Read what to expect on your graduation day
Live streaming ceremonies
We live stream the graduation ceremonies so your friends and family can share the experience.
Watch the graduation ceremonies streamed live