2022 graduation ceremonies

In 2022, there will be a shift in how UOW graduation ceremonies are delivered, while still ensuring a memorable and COVID safe experience for our graduates and their families.

2022 in-person graduation ceremonies will include elements such as commencement addresses and announcement of graduates, as well as some additional inclusions in recognition of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students:  

• a Smoking Ceremony 
• vibration sounds of the Yidaki will lead the Academic Procession  
• Aboriginal inspired art and music will feature throughout the ceremonies

For reasons beyond our control, the WIN Entertainment Centre (WEC) is no longer available to host these graduation ceremonies as planned. This is disappointing as we had been looking forward to celebrating the achievements of our graduates in the heart of our city.

Ceremonies will now be held in the Sports Hub at our Wollongong campus - no changes have been made to ceremony dates and times. Regsitered graduates have been sent an email with further information.

Graduates have been sent an email detailing how many guests they can bring to their ceremony.

Yes, graduates will dress in official academic dress and have the opportunity to take photos with their guests.

All Wollongong ceremonies will be live streamed - the link will be available via the graduation website on the day of the event.

Graduates who registered to attend a Wollongong ceremony have been sent an email with their ceremony allocation. There has been no change to your ceremony date and time as a result of the venue change.

The Shoalhaven graduation ceremony will begin at 10:30am. Graduate registration and gowning will commence from 8:30am, and doors will open to guests from 10:00am.

If you have graduated from UOW with multiple degrees, congratulations! Graduates with multiple degrees will be invited to celebrate and attend the graduation ceremony for your highest degree. 
 
For example:

• If you've graduated from both a Bachelor AND Honours degree, Honours is the higher degree
• If you've graduated from both a Graduate Certificate and a Masters, Masters is the higher degree

If you are still a little confused, please feel free to email graduation@uow.edu.au and we will respond accordingly.

We have numerous options for graduates and their guests to attend a ceremony this year. 
 
2022 graduation ceremony dates: 

• 28 April 28 (Shoalhaven campus only) 
• 2 May – 4 May (Wollongong and all other onshore campuses) 
• Week of 17 October (Wollongong and all other onshore campuses) 

If you are unable to attend any of the dates above, you can opt to have your name read out at a ceremony instead. Please note the reading of names will not occur during the live ceremony and will be pre-recorded - the recording will be available via our website after the ceremonies. If you choose to have your name read out, you will not be able to attend an in-person ceremony. 

Unfortunately we are unable to offer further deferral of your attendance at a graduation ceremony past October 2022.

If you would like to be contacted about attending a ceremony in October or having your name read out, please email us at graduation@uow.edu.au with the following information:

• Full name
• Student number
• Email address you would like the invitation sent to
• Mobile phone number

We will be in touch will all students interested in attending in October in the coming months.

The safety of graduates, guests and staff is our top priority. UOW will follow advice and guidelines from health and government authorities to ensure a COVID Safe event.

COVID Safe protocols will be in place to protect all visitors including:

• Hand sanitiser available for use
• QR code check-in optional upon entry
• Wearing of face masks optional for all graduates and guests
• Guests and graduates are asked to stay home if unwell
• ·Ventilation in Sports Hub

Please note that requirements will be subject to public health orders at the time of the ceremonies and may change.

All graduation ceremonies will adhere to Public Health Orders at the time of the events, and visitors are required to follow any COVID Safe protocols in place at the venue.

Visitors to UOW campuses are currently not required to show their COVID-19 vaccination status.

COVID safety information for the Shoalhaven Entertainment Centre (SEC) is available here. Visitors are currently not required to show their COVID-19 vaccination status in order to attend the SEC.

Face masks are not a requirement, however NSW Health strongly recommends you wear a face mask if it is hard to maintain safe physical distance from others.

Face masks will be available for graduates upon request at the registration desk. All guests attending a graduation ceremony will need to provide their own face mask.

The wearing of face masks is subject to Public Health Orders at the time of the ceremonies and requirements may change. 

Wollongong ceremonies

The following graduates have been invited to attend a ceremony in May:

• graduates from 2019, 2020 and 2021 who missed out on an in-person graduation ceremony and elected to be notified about future ceremonies. This includes students from all onshore campuses (excluding Shoalhaven campus)
• students who have been conferred between November 2021 and March 2022

Invitations were sent to the email address nominated in your My eQuals account, or the address nominated in previous graduation registrations.

If you did not receive an invitation to May ceremonies and would like to attend in October, please click here for more information

Shoalhaven ceremonies

Graduates from Shoalhaven campus from 2019, 2020 and 2021 who missed out on an in-person graduation ceremony have been sent an invitation via email to the address nominated in your My eQuals account. 

The graduation fee will cover the following:

• Hire of official academic dress
• Trencher or Bonnet which you can keep (if you don’t already have one)
• Graduation booklet
• 4 guest tickets

Invitations will be sent to the email address nominated in your My eQuals account, or the address nominated in previous graduation registrations.

Please note we may have sent your invitation to your UOWmail if that was the address we had on file. If you no longer have access to this account and would like to attend a ceremony in October, please click here for more information.

If you have already registered and can no longer attend, please amend your registration by clicking the registration link in your invitation email (prior to the close of registrations only). In the registration form, once you select 'no' to being able to attend, you will have the option to have your name announced at the ceremony, or to be invited to attend in ceremony in October.

If registration has closed, please withdraw your attendance ASAP by emailing graduation@uow.edu.au. If you'd like to opt into attend a ceremony in October, or have your name read out at the ceremony, please let us know.

Refunds

If you wish to request a refund, please email a copy of your payment invoice (which was sent to you via email after you made payment) to graduation@uow.edu.au. Refunds will take approximately 3 - 4 weeks to process.

If you registered for a graduation ceremony in May but didn't submit payment by the deadline, we will automatically roll over your registration to the October graduation ceremonies.

Yes, you can have your name read out if you are overseas or unable to attend. Please note this will not occur during the live ceremony and will be pre-recorded. The recording will be available via our website after the ceremonies. If you choose to have your name read out, you will not be able to attend an in-person ceremony in October.

If you are an international student, during the registration process you can request a Graduation Invitation Letter for your guests to use for travel and visa purposes. Please click on the registration link in your invitation email and follow the prompts.

Invitations to attend a ceremony in October will be sent out in the coming months with details on how to get an invitation letter for your guests. To be contacted about October graduation ceremonies, please click here.