Graduation Ceremony dates, and application dates

• Graduation Ceremony dates
• Opening and closing dates for applications
• Booking flights and making other arrangements
• Choosing your Graduation date

Graduation Ceremony dates

To graduate either in person or in absentia at one of the ceremonies listed below, you must submit an application via your eVision student portal.

Each round of ceremonies has a set time-frame during which applications will be accepted, as detailed in the “Opening and Closing Dates for Applications” section below.

The venue for all ceremonies is the Dunedin Town Hall.

The University understands the need for students to make arrangements such as travel and accommodation bookings in order to attend their graduation ceremony. As ceremonies can reach capacity prior to the advertised closing dates, if you choose to make such arrangements in advance, please be aware that you do so at your own risk. The same also applies if you otherwise cannot or do not apply while applications are open.

Please see Booking flights and making other arrangements below for further information.

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Opening and closing dates for applications

Please read the information below along with the information contained on our Applying to Graduate page.

General information

As there is a limit to the number of people who can graduate in person at each ceremony, the closing date may be brought forward if this limit is reached before the closing date. Please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.

There is no limit to the number of people who can graduate in absentia, but your application must be received by the closing date.

Each round of graduation ceremonies has a specific time-frame during which applications can be made, as detailed below. The onus is on you to submit an application during this time-frame. We are unable to accept late applications.

Information about applying

When you become eligible to apply to graduate, an email inviting you to submit an application will be sent to your student email address during the week prior to applications opening. If your invitation has not been received by the time that applications open, contact the Graduation Office immediately.

Once applications have opened if you are unable to see the “Your graduation application” link, contact the Graduation Office immediately.

Please ensure that you check your student email account regularly, or else set up forwarding to your preferred email address.

If your student email address is forwarded to a Hotmail or other Microsoft email account, please ensure that you have added the University of Otago to your Safe senders or white list. This is vital to ensure that you receive emails about your graduation.

Further information about applying to graduate

Contact the Graduation Office

May 2023

Applications to graduate either in person or in absentia at a ceremony to be held in May 2023 will open on Monday 27 February 2023 at 12.01am, and close on Monday 13 March 2023 at 11.59pm. Late applications will not be accepted.

August 2023

Applications to graduate either in person or in absentia at a ceremony to be held in August 2023 will open on Monday 19 June 2023 at 12.01am and close on Monday 3 July 2023 at 11.59pm. Late applications will not be accepted.

December 2023

Applications to graduate either in person or in absentia at a ceremony to be held in December 2023 will open on Monday 2 October 2023 at 12.01am and close on Monday 16 October 2023 at 11.59pm. Late applications will not be accepted.

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Booking flights and making other arrangements

We do not recommend booking flights or making other arrangements for graduation before you have submitted your application and received confirmation via email of your place in the graduation ceremony.

If you choose to make such arrangements, please be aware that you do so at your own risk. Having made such arrangements in advance will not be considered sufficient grounds for accepting late applications; you need to ensure that you submit your application before the closing date (please also be aware that ceremonies can reach capacity prior to the advertised closing dates).

If you will be coming from outside of Dunedin and your graduation ceremony is on a day where two ceremonies will be held, please ensure that you will be arriving in plenty of time to collect your guest tickets and regalia prior to the graduation procession along the main street which will depart from outside First Church at 11:30am.

If you will be coming from outside of Dunedin to attend any of the graduation ceremonies, please be aware that you need to arrive in Dunedin prior to 12 noon on the day of the ceremony to collect your guest tickets and your regalia.

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Choosing your graduation date

While you can choose whether to graduate in December, May or August, you should graduate at the ceremony allocated to your discipline. If you are to receive two qualifications which would normally be awarded at separate ceremonies, you may choose one ceremony at which you will receive both.

Permission to change to a ceremony other than the one allocated to your discipline, is granted only to allow you to graduate at the same ceremony as a close family member or where circumstances beyond your control will prevent you from graduating at your allocated ceremony.

If you want to change your graduation date you must apply by emailing the Group Leader, Graduation, outlining your situation. Where possible, you should also provide supporting documentation. There is no guarantee that permission will be granted.

Please note that having flights booked for the wrong date, or wishing to graduate with friends, are not considered to be sufficient reasons for changing your graduation date.

Contact the Graduation Office

Return to Graduation homepage

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