Your graduation day
Welcome to the day you’ve worked so hard for
After countless hours of study and commitment, your graduation day is finally here. This page has all you need to know about your UNSW graduation ceremony, so you can relax and enjoy this hard-earned achievement.
Check your eligibility
Make sure you’ve done everything you need to before your graduation ceremony.
See also
Where are UNSW graduation ceremonies held?
UNSW Sydney ceremonies
Sydney graduation ceremonies for UNSW Kensington and Paddington students are held at the Sir John Clancy Auditorium or the John Niland Scientia building on the UNSW Kensington Campus.
If you are unsure of your ceremony location, check the Reed Events portal and your graduation briefing emails.
Find detailed ceremony information below, including accessibility information.
UNSW Canberra ceremonies
UNSW Canberra ceremonies are held in the Adams Auditorium at the Australian Defence Force Academy (ADFA).
If you are unsure of your ceremony location, please check the Reed Events portal and your graduation briefing emails.
Find an updated list of UNSW Canberra graduation ceremonies below, including locations, dates and times.
Important information for your graduation day
- Sir John Clancy Auditorium
- Leighton Hall, John Niland Scientia
Ceremony Venue: Sir John Clancy Auditorium
Graduate Gown Collection: The Pavilions
Graduate Registration: Side entry
Merchandise: The Pavilions
Graduate Gown Return: The Pavilions
Post-ceremony Refreshments: Outside main entrance
Order of events
-
Download the Reed Events app
Guest tickets
Check that your guests have received their tickets. You would have entered their email addresses during registration. If you used your own email address instead, remember to forward the tickets to your guests. Your tickets are also saved in the Reed Events app.- Getting to UNSW
Please plan ahead and allow enough time to get to the venue for your ceremony. Public transport options include the Light Rail and Buses. Limited parking.
Arrival and ceremony times
Graduates should arrive:
- 2.5 hours before ceremony: Academic dress collection opens
- 45 minutes before ceremony: Graduates must arrive and register at their ceremony venue
- 30 minutes before ceremony: All graduates should be in the correct academic dress, registered and seated for their ceremony
Guests should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the graduation ceremony start time to find their seats.
Collect your academic dress
If you're hiring academic dress, you can collect these from your ceremony venue at the allocated collection times on Graduation day. Please follow the ‘Academic Dress Collection’ signs.
For all graduates attending a ceremony at Sir John Clancy Auditorium, please collect from The Pavilions.
You should arrive at least 1 hour and 30 minutes before your ceremony to allow time to be fitted in your academic gown. See more information on Academic Dress.- Registration and briefing
You must arrive and register at the venue at least 45 minutes prior to your ceremony. The registration desk is located inside your ceremony venue. You must be gowned, registered and in your allocated seat 30 minutes before the ceremony starts.
Graduation staff will explain graduates' participation in the ceremony. You must follow the instructions of staff during the ceremony. Before you go to the registration desk, leave all personal belongings except for your phone with your guests or in the unattended cloakroom, as you will not return to your original seat.
-
Seating
Graduates are placed in allocated seats to ensure they cross the stage in the correct order.Guest seating is general admission. Prams are not permitted inside the auditorium due to fire and safety regulations. They can be left in the pram bay located in the venue foyer.
Order of events
Ceremonies run for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Clancy ceremonies begin at 10am, 2pm and 6pm.
Graduation ceremonies typically follow the below structure:- Announcement of the members of the official party
- Academic procession enters
- Ceremony welcome
- Graduates invited to the stage one-by-one
- Guest speaker
- Vote of thanks
- Academic procession retires
-
- Celebrate with us!
Following the ceremony, join us outside the main entrance for light canapés and refreshments. Take photos, browse graduation merchandise, and share this special moment with fellow graduates and their loved ones. - Return your academic dress
Once you've graduated and had your photograph taken, return your academic dress to The Pavilions (Clancy). Please follow the Academic Dress Return signs. - Graduation services
Services such as portrait photography, degree framing, plaques, gifts and UNSW merchandise are available on graduation day.
Arc @ UNSW
Academic dress, flowers and memorabilia
View website
UNSW Gift Shop
Purchase UNSW gifts and merchandise.
View website
Reed Events
Photography, plaques, frames, live stream and stage photos.
View website
- Celebrate with us!
Venue information
-
Parking is limited at UNSW Kensington campus. We encourage graduates and guests to take public transport. If you’re travelling to UNSW via the Sydney light rail network, please use the L2 Randwick light rail line and disembark at the UNSW High Street stop. There are also multiple express bus services available.
- For morning graduation ceremonies during term, we recommend that graduates and their guests use public transport, as parking is limited on campus and in surrounding side streets.
- For afternoon and evening ceremonies there is some parking in surrounding streets, although some restrictions apply.
- Parking on campus is free from 7:30 pm to 11:00 pm on weekdays, and all day on weekends.
Car Parking
All day parking is available at UNSW at the top level of Botany St carpark accessible from Gate 11 OR top level of Barker St carpark accessible from Gate 14. Payment is required on arrival and can be made through Pay-by-Plate meter (located next to the lift) or by downloading the CellOPark App. See Kensington Campus Parking Map (PDF).
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UNSW is committed to disability inclusion and ensuring that graduation ceremonies are a milestone that can be enjoyed by all.
Sir John Clancy Auditorium has unobstructed and flat access. The foyer and auditorium have a hearing loop. Accessible and assisted listening seating can be arranged inside the auditorium for graduates and guests.
Closed captioning will be available at your graduation ceremony. Please ask staff on the day for assistance with accessing closed captioning services.
There are some steps to negotiate for graduates crossing the stage, but an access ramp is also available if required. Please notify Graduation staff if this is required.
For disabled parking options close to the Sir John Clancy Auditorium ceremony venue, there are a small number of disabled parking bays available if you enter through Gate 9 on High Street and immediately turn left. More mobility bays are available in the open carpark at Gate 11 on Botany Street.
More information on accessibility in venues can be found here.
Maps showing accessible routes, accessible parking, accessible toilets and more can be found on the maps page.
Ceremony Venue: Leighton Hall
Graduate Gown Collection: Tyree Room, Level 1
Graduate Registration: Foyer
Merchandise: The Galleries, Ground Floor
Graduate Gown Return: The Galleries, Ground Floor
Post-ceremony Refreshments: Forecourt (outside main entrance)
Order of events
-
Download the Reed Events app
Guest tickets
Check that your guests have received their tickets. You would have entered their email addresses during registration. If you used your own email address instead, remember to forward the tickets to your guests. Your tickets are also saved in the Reed Events app.- Getting to UNSW
Please plan ahead and allow enough time to get to the venue for your ceremony. Public transport options include the Light Rail and Buses. If you’re driving, limited parking is available.
Arrival and ceremony times
Graduates should arrive:
- 2.5 hours before ceremony: Academic dress collection opens
- 45 minutes before ceremony: Graduates must arrive and register at their ceremony venue
- 30 minutes before ceremony: All graduates should be in the correct academic dress, registered and seated for their ceremony
Guests should arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the graduation ceremony start time to find their seats.
Collect your academic dress
If you're hiring academic dress, you can collect these from your ceremony venue at the allocated collection times on Graduation day. Please follow the ‘Academic Dress Collection’ signs.
For all graduates attending a ceremony at John Niland Scientia, please collect from The Galleries.
You should arrive at least 1 hour and 30 minutes before your ceremony to allow time to be fitted in your academic gown. See more information on Academic Dress.- Registration and briefing
You must arrive and register at the venue at least 45 minutes prior to your ceremony. The registration desk is located inside your ceremony venue. You must be gowned, registered and in your allocated seat 30 minutes before the ceremony starts.
Graduation staff will explain graduates' participation in the ceremony. You must follow the instructions of staff during the ceremony. Before you go to the registration desk, leave all personal belongings except for your phone with your guests or in the unattended cloakroom, as you will not return to your original seat.
-
Seating
Graduates are in allocated seats to ensure they cross the stage in the correct order. Guest seating is general admission.
Prams are not permitted inside the auditorium due to fire and safety regulations. They can be left in the pram bay located in the venue foyer.
Order of events
Ceremonies run for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Scientia ceremonies begin at 10:30am, 2:30pm and 6:30pm.
Graduation ceremonies typically follow the below structure:
- Announcement of the members of the official party
- Academic procession enters
- Ceremony welcome
- Graduates invited to the stage one-by-one
- Guest speaker
- Vote of thanks
- Academic procession retires
-
- Celebrate with us!
Following the ceremony, join us outside the main entrance for light canapés and refreshments. Take photos, browse graduation merchandise, and share this special moment with fellow graduates and their loved ones - Return your academic dress
Once you've graduated and had your photograph taken, return your academic dress to The Galleries (Scientia). Please follow the Academic Dress Return signs. - Graduation services
Services such as portrait photography, degree framing, plaques, gifts and UNSW merchandise are available on graduation day.
Arc @ UNSW
Academic dress, flowers and memorabilia
View website
UNSW Gift Shop
Purchase UNSW gifts and merchandise.
View website
Reed Events
Photography, plaques, frames, live stream and stage photos.
View website
- Celebrate with us!
Venue information
-
Parking is limited at UNSW Kensington campus. We encourage graduates and guests to take public transport. If you’re travelling to UNSW via the Sydney light rail network, please use the L2 Randwick light rail line and disembark at the UNSW High Street stop. There are also multiple express bus services available.
Car Parking
All day and short-term is parking available at UNSW close to the John Niland Scientia venue. See Kensington Campus Parking Map (PDF).
- For morning graduation ceremonies during term, we recommend that graduates and their guests use public transport, as parking is limited on campus and in surrounding side streets.
- For afternoon and evening ceremonies there is some parking in surrounding streets, although some restrictions apply.
- Parking is free from 7.30 pm to 7.30 am the following day on weekdays, all day on weekends and public holidays.
All-day meter parking is available on campus at the top level of Botany St carpark. Enter through Gate 11 Botany Street and park on level 6. Payment is required on arrival and can be made through Pay-by-Plate meter or by downloading the CellOPark App.
Limited short-term meter parking is also available at:
- Gate 11 entry (4P max 4 hours)
- Gate 8 entry (2P max 2 hours)
- Western Campus Carpark (near NIDA)
- and on ground-level outdoor parking areas.
Payment is required on arrival and can be made through Pay-by-Plate meter or by downloading the CellOPark App.
-
UNSW is committed to disability inclusion and ensuring that graduation ceremonies are a milestone that can be enjoyed by all.
John Niland Scientia has accessible access via two main entrances. The auditorium has assisted listening. Patrons wishing to utilise must collect an inductive neck loop receiver from venue staff.
Closed captioning will be available at your graduation ceremony. Please ask staff on the day for assistance with accessing closed captioning services.
An access ramp is available to access the stage.
For the closest accessible parking, please utilise the open carpark at Gate 11, or the Botany Street parking station, also accessed through Gate 11.
More information on accessibility in venues can be found here.
Maps showing accessible routes, accessible parking, accessible toilets and more can be found on the maps page.
Take a sneak peek of your big day
As part of your graduation fee, you’ll get access to live music, light canapés and beverages after your ceremony with plenty of seating areas around the venues for you to enjoy with your academics and loved ones.
Don't forget to snap a picture (or several) across your favourite spots on campus before you head off! We'll be posting some on our Instagram.
Support beyond graduation
Just because you’ve graduated doesn’t mean UNSW isn’t here to support you. We can help with:
- Replacement documents
- Careers services
- Alumni services
- Lifelong email account
- Further learning opportunities
Contact us
Have questions? Contact The Nucleus: Student Hub via the web form, phone or visit us in person.
