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 dates
Graduation ceremonies are held in Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney in Autumn (Semester 1), and in Melbourne and Sydney in Spring (Semester 2).
If you’re finishing your course midyear and your campus does not have a Spring ceremony, your award will still be conferred in Spring.
If you’d like to attend a graduation ceremony at your home campus the following Autumn, simply select the option to defer attendance when you register to graduate in Student Connect.
Upcoming ceremonies
The COVID-19 pandemic and government regulations to ensure the health and safety of the community continue to impact large gatherings across Australia. We are planning for graduation ceremonies in 2021. 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 that impact public gatherings. The safety and wellbeing of our graduates, their families, our staff, and our community is our highest priority.
The Autumn 2021 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
*NOTE: Bachelor of Nursing graduands are spread over multiple ceremonies in Sydney and Melbourne. Ceremony allocations can be viewed when graduation registration opens in Student Connect in March.
| Location | Date | Start Time | Faculty | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Ballarat |
Thursday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
Mercure Ballarat Hotel & Convention Centre |
|
Friday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
||
|
Friday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
||
|
Canberra |
Thursday |
2.00pm |
All |
National Convention Centre, Canberra |
|
Melbourne |
Monday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences* |
Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre |
|
Monday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences* |
||
|
Tuesday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
||
|
Tuesday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
||
|
Wednesday 28 April |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
||
|
Wednesday 28 April |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
||
|
Thursday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
||
|
Thursday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts Faculty of Law and Business |
||
|
Brisbane |
Wednesday 19 May |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre |
|
Wednesday 19 May |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
||
|
Thursday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
||
|
Thursday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences Faculty of Law and Business |
||
|
Sydney |
Monday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences |
Rosehill Gardens, Sydney |
|
Tuesday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences* |
||
|
Tuesday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Health Sciences* |
||
|
Wednesday 26 May |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts Faculty of Health Sciences |
||
|
Wednesday 26 May |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts Faculty of Theology and Philosophy |
||
|
Thursday |
12.00pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts Faculty of Law and Business |
||
|
Thursday |
5.30pm |
Faculty of Education and Arts |
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 graduands when registration opens in March 2021.
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
Graduands 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 and shake hands with the Presiding Officer, simply answer ‘yes’ to the special requirements question when you register to graduate 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