Related links
Graduation
- COVID-19 graduations update
- Eligibility
- Prepare for graduation
- On the day
- Graduation schedule
- Graduating in absentia
Graduating in absentia
April and May ceremonies are going ahead
In person graduation ceremonies will commence from April 2021 with COVID safety practices in place. The ceremonies will be held at the Great Hall and available to watch on a video live stream. In the event of a COVID outbreak where public health orders or Government restrictions prevent the ceremonies from going ahead, the cancelled ceremonies will not be rescheduled.
Find out everything you need to know before the ceremony, including how to RSVP to your invitation, on our Prepare for graduation page. For information on how graduation ceremonies will be run during this time, including how COVID safe practices will be implemented, visit our On the day page. If you are unable to make it to your graduation, you will graduate in absentia and your degree will be conferred on the date outlined in your graduation invite.
If you’re unable to attend your graduation ceremony, you will graduate in absentia. This means the University will automatically put you forward for conferral, the process where you are awarded your award course at the University.
Your degree will be conferred on the date outlined in your graduation invite.
Receiving your graduation documents
If you RSVP ‘no’ in your invite, your documents will be posted to the preferred address nominated in your Sydney Student account. The documents will be posted within four weeks of conferral. You will receive digital access to your documents within 2 days after conferral.
If you do not RSVP to the invite, we will send your documents to the preferred address nominated in your Sydney Student account. Make sure your address is up to date at least a week before your graduation.
Request to graduate in absentia early
If you know in advance that you will not be able to attend your ceremony you may be able to have your degree conferred by requesting to graduate in absentia early. If you request to graduate in absentia, then you will not be able to attend a ceremony in Sydney.
Here are a few examples of where applying to graduate in absentia early may be of interest.
For graduates seeking professional registration (e.g. Vet, Dentist, Doctor of Medicine), job application, international students returning home, application for further studies, or a visa application.
We will send your documents to the address nominated in your request.
Eligibility
Before you request to graduate in absentia early, you need to have received your completion letter and paid any outstanding debts to the University.
All appeals need to be lodged before your degree is conferred. If you have lodged an appeal, you will need to withdraw from the graduation or conferral process until your appeal is finalised. Find out more information about the appeals process.
When you need to apply
Applications for 2021 are provided in the table below.
You can submit a request to graduate in absentia early through Sydney Student (go to ‘My studies’, then ‘Assessments’).
You need to submit your request by the request deadlines. We will confer your degree according to the date we receive your request.
Request received by |
Conferral date (this date will be printed on your testamur) |
|---|---|
| Monday 11 January 2021 | Monday 25 January 2021 |
| Tuesday 12 January - Monday 8 February 2021 | Monday 22 February 2021 |
| Tuesday 9 February - Monday 22 February 2021 | Monday 8 March 2021 |
| Tuesday 23 February - Sunday 21 March 2021 | Tuesday 6 April 2021 |
| Monday 22 March - Monday 26 July 2021 | Monday 9 August 2021 |
| Tuesday 27 July - Monday 23 August 2021 | Monday 6 September 2021 |
Last updated: 20 May 2021
