Graduation enquiries
- AskMQ enquiry
- T: +61 (2) 9850 6410
Graduating in absentia
If you are not attending your graduation ceremony, there are a number of options available for collecting your degree.
Receiving your graduation documents
Please complete the graduating in absentia web form in AskMQ to nominate how you would like to receive your graduation documents. Please refer to either your conferring of degrees email or graduation invitation which will include processing times for each delivery method.
The following options are available:
Mail delivery
If you elect not to attend the ceremony and require your documents to be sent free of charge, you should elect the MAIL option in the form. You must allow at least three weeks (eight weeks international) for delivery before inquiring about documents not received.
Ensure that your preferred postal address and contact phone number in eStudent is always up to date so that your graduation documents are correctly delivered.
Be advised that tracking is not available for this option and the University does not take responsibility for lost packages and you will be liable to pay the replacement testamur fee if this occurs.
Courier delivery
If you elect not to attend the ceremony and require your documents to be sent by Express Post/DHL/TNT international courier (fee incurred), you should elect the COURIER option in the web form.
You must allow at least two weeks before inquiring about documents not received.
You will be liable to pay the courier fee again if you did not receive your graduation documents due to an incorrect address supplied to the University.
Collecting documents in person
If you elect not to attend the ceremony and wish to collect your documents in person, you should elect the COLLECT option in the web form.
We will let you know when your documents are ready to be picked up at Service Connect, Ground Floor, 18 Wally's Walk, Wallumattagal Campus.
Collection times are from Monday - Friday, 10am - 3pm.
Note: you will not be able to collect your graduation documents during graduation ceremonies and other dates when the graduation team will be away from the office. This includes the following blackout periods for 2024:
- Thursday, 7 March - Tuesday, 26 March 2024
- Thursday, 26 September - Tuesday, 15 October 2024
If you need any amendments in your Graduating in absentia form, please submit an enquiry on AskMQ.
Deferral of ceremony
Requests to change within a ceremony series, will not be accommodated.
You may defer your graduation once for up to 12 months. Permission to defer your ceremony can only be requested after your receive your graduation invitation. Requests will be assessed based on compelling personal, medical, cultural or academic reasons. Requests should be lodged through the Graduation Ceremony Deferral form via AskMQ before the closing date for RSVP indicated on your graduation invitation. Supporting evidence should include proof that there is no reasonable way for you to attend your ceremony and should include the date and/or time that you will be affected*.
Please be advised that a deferral request will only be approved if you, the graduate, cannot make the ceremony. Reasons relating to guests not being able to attend will not be accepted.
Requests to defer your ceremony after the start of your graduation series, of your current graduation allocation will not be approved.
Examples for each circumstance are outlined below**^:
| Personal reasons | Evidence required |
|---|---|
| Out of Sydney at the time of your graduation ceremony | Evidence of pre-booked flights, accommodation or similar. Your name should be visible on the evidence so we can determine a clear link. |
| Unexpected family commitments (such as having to care for a family member or partner) | Evidence of the circumstances (if they are not sensitive in nature) otherwise, a statutory declaration |
| International travel restrictions for yourself | Advice from local government authority which states current travel restrictions, processing times or similar |
| Medical reasons | Evidence required |
| Planned surgery, unmoveable medical appointments, other medical reasons | Confirmation letter of surgery or appointment, Doctor's letter advising you are not fit to attend or similar NB please do not submit sensitive information or images depicting your medical issue or injury |
| Professional reasons | Evidence required |
| Work commitments that cannot be rescheduled | Letter from employer, flight itinerary or travel notice, or statutory declaration |
| Academic reasons | Evidence required |
| Unavoidable exam, study or teaching commitments that cannot be rescheduled | Unit of study guides, exam timetable, email advice from educational institution or statutory declaration |
| Cultural reasons | Evidence required |
| Significant religious or cultural events or holidays | A personal statement of the cultural reason |
*Where specific evidence cannot be provided, a Statutory Declaration must be submitted and signed by an authorised witness
**Requests are assessed on a case by case basis. If you have circumstances outside of these parameters, you may still apply and the Graduations Team will let you know the outcome
^ A statement of fact will not be accepted
Graduating in absentia
Graduates who do not attend their allocated graduation OR have not responded to the invitation are considered to have declined to attend and will not be invited to any subsequent ceremony. Your documents will be held by the Graduations Team until you nominate how you would like to receive your documents.
Ordering graduation merchandise
If you are unable to attend your graduation but would still like to order graduation merchandise, visit our Memorabilia page.
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