Interstate graduation ceremonies - QUT

1. Check you're eligible to attend an interstate ceremony

Interstate ceremonies are only available to students enrolled in:

GZ35 - Graduate Certificate in Business (Public Sector Management) (interstate students only)
GS89 - Executive Graduate Certificate in Business Administration (interstate students only)
GS50 - Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA) (interstate students only).

If you've completed your studies in Brisbane, you will be invited to attend a ceremony in Brisbane.

To check your eligibility for an interstate graduation ceremony, email psmprogram@qut.edu.au.

2. Check the ceremony dates and times

Interstate graduation ceremonies are available in select cities. If you're eligible, we'll send an invitation to your personal email address with details of your graduation ceremony.

Darwin: 2025 date forthcoming; For interstate NT students

3. Register for your ceremony

Registration for the 2025 Darwin ceremony will open in September.

Hiring or purchasing academic dress, ordering guest tickets, and paying your graduation fee are all completed in the GFP Events portal.

The $85 graduation fee includes hire of a full set of academic dress, a mortarboard or bonnet to keep, and access to the post-ceremony function.

Purchasing academic dress items will incur additional charges.

Find out more

Academic dress

Your academic dress type is determined by the award you’re receiving.

Only QUT-approved academic dress can be worn at a QUT graduation ceremony. If you've chosen to hire or purchase your academic dress from an external supplier, and you have incorrect items that aren't QUT-approved, you'll be required to wear the hired academic dress included in your graduation fee.

Select your course type to see what you're required to wear at your ceremony:

Graduate certificate or graduate diploma

Your academic dress consists of:

black bachelor gown
100mm blue hood with a white trim
mortarboard.

Masters degree

Masters by coursework

Your academic dress consists of:

black masters gown
fully lined blue hood with a white trim
mortarboard.

Masters by research (Master of Philosophy)

Your academic dress consists of:

black masters gown
fully lined red hood
mortarboard.

Cultural dress

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students

In addition to your academic dress, you may choose to wear an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander stole.

Stoles are provided by our Oodgeroo Unit to celebrate student achievement and to recognise the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture. The design of the stoles and their colours are reflective of both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

To obtain a stole or for further information, email information.oodgeroo@qut.edu.au.

Cultural dress variation requests

Cultural dress that has cultural significance for celebration must be pre-approved for your graduation ceremony.

Guidelines for appropriate academic dress have been established to uphold the significance of the occasion and show respect for the University, its graduates, and their families.

Email ceremonies@qut.edu.au to submit your cultural dress variation request with supporting photos prior to close of registration.

Flags and items of protest or political statement will not be permitted.

Guest tickets

All guests must have a ticket to attend the graduation ceremony. All graduates are allocated two guest tickets.

Children aged two years and under are welcome to sit on the knee of an adult guest for free. Children aged three and over are included in ticket limits.

Guest tickets do not have assigned seat numbers.

Your guest ticket allocation does not include your sponsor or academic staff. To ensure they are invited to your graduation, email your request to the Graduate School of Business at psmprogram@qut.edu.au.

Accessibility assistance

Accessibility assistance may be required if you:

are pregnant
have a disability, injury or health condition
have a religious or cultural reason.

If you need assistance, you can specify your requirements when you register.

If your guests need assistance, you can specify any guest requirements when assigning your guest tickets.

Ushers will be available at the ceremony to assist with accessibility requirements. Guests may request early access to the ceremony room by visiting the information desk in the Event Centre foyer.

If you hold a government-issued Companion Card, you may be eligible for a complimentary guest ticket for your companion to assist at your graduation ceremony. Email ceremonies@qut.edu.au with a copy of your Companion Card.

What happens next

Continue to step 4 to prepare for your graduation ceremony.

If you've deferred, you'll have 12 months from your date of conferral to attend a future ceremony. You can only defer your attendance once.

If you're a gender diverse graduate

Gender diverse graduates who have not completed a legal name change can request to have their chosen name displayed and announced during the graduation ceremony. Email ceremonies@qut.edu.au with your request before registration closes.

Official documents including parchments, AHEGS and academic transcripts must reflect legal names.

If you need to change your attendance

If you've registered whether or not you'll be attending but want to change this, email the Ceremonies team at ceremonies@qut.edu.au.

Refunds

Requests to refund your graduation fee, photography packages or academic dress purchase must be submitted no later than seven days before the date of your ceremony and may take up to 10 business days to be approved and processed.

Refunds will only be given in special circumstances and will incur a processing fee. Guest tickets are non-refundable.

Email your refund request to ceremonies@qut.edu.au and include:

your student ID
a brief explanation of why you're requesting a refund
supporting documents.

4. Your graduation day

Photography

A complimentary professional photography service will be available on the day for you and your guests. A link to access photos will be sent approximately one week after the ceremony.

By attending the ceremony, you acknowledge that you may be photographed and grant the event organisers full permission to use the resulting images. If you do not wish to be photographed, please inform an event organiser or photographer.

What to bring

You’ll need your mobile phone with your digital graduate ticket on the day. Guests should already have their ticket and be ready to show on entry to the ceremony room.

If you've received your parchment in the mail, do not bring it to the ceremony. You'll be given a document and folder on stage that can be used for photos.

Bring as little as possible. No cloak room facilities are available. Arrange for your guests to take any additional belongings before your mandatory graduation briefing or leave them on your chair before crossing the stage.

When you arrive

Have your graduate ticket ready
1. You’ll be sent an email with instructions on how to download your digital graduate ticket the day before your ceremony. Your ticket will show your allocated seat and academic dress order.
Follow the directions to the gowning area to be robed.
1. Show your ticket to GFP Events staff so they can retrieve your hired or purchased academic dress. You must be robed by GFP Events to ensure you're presentable and wearing the correct academic dress. Robing services are included in the graduation fee. Guests are welcome to wait in the foyer while you are robed.
Take photos with family and friends
1. The photography studio will be open before and after your ceremony.
Attend your mandatory briefing
1. You can enter the briefing room starting 30 minutes before your ceremony. You’ll need your phone with your graduate ticket ready. The briefing will run through what to expect in the ceremony and will be followed by a photo of the graduating students. Guest entry to the ceremony room will open 15 minutes before the ceremony.

During the ceremony

Turn your mobile off or to silent for the duration of the ceremony. You will not be permitted to take your phone on stage.

1. Taking your seat

Your seat number determines when you'll cross the stage. Staff will usher you one row at a time into the ceremony and to your seat.

Check your seat sticker matches the seat allocation on your graduate ticket.

When the ceremony begins, you'll be asked to stand for the entrance of the Academic Procession.

2. Preparing to cross the stage

Staff will usher you one row at a time for the presentation of awards.

You'll receive your parchment folder and your name will be checked.

Robing staff will be on hand to check that your gown is sitting correctly and your tassel is sitting to the right.

3. Crossing the stage

Award titles are announced once per cohort and do not specify majors. When announcing your name, your middle name will not be included.

When it's your turn, move to the bottom of the stairs. The Presenting Officer will be standing at the lectern announcing each graduate's name.
Wait for your name to be called, then move to the blue dot in the middle of the stage to meet the Presiding Officer.
Doff your hat to the Presiding Officer by inclining your head while holding the tip of your mortarboard with your right hand.

Shaking hands is not permitted. Refrain from extending your hand or reaching for the Presiding Officer.

Turn to the audience for a photo with the Presiding Officer.
Move off stage back to your assigned seat. You can now move your tassel to the left side of your mortarboard.

This is a formal event so please be respectful at all times. Political statements, protests, or any disruptive behaviour will not be permitted.

After the ceremony

Staff will usher you to follow the Academic Procession out of the ceremony where you can join guests for a post-ceremony function in the foyer. Drinks and canapes will be served.

Hire gowns must be returned within one hour of the end of the ceremony. The mortarboard is yours to keep.

Your privacy

Printed program

The printed program will include full names of all graduating students and is only available to collect at your graduation ceremony.

Photography and videography

By attending your graduation ceremony you agree that you may be photographed or filmed, and you grant the event organisers full rights to use the images resulting from the photography. These images may be used without fee or restrictions for educational, publicity and/ or advertising purposes in any media and for commercial or non-commercial purposes of the University.

If you do not wish to be photographed or filmed, please inform an event organiser or photographer on the day, or email ceremonies@qut.edu.au.

Consent for QUT to use images and content in any media can be revoked by calling 07 3138 3012 or emailing qutimageconsent@qut.edu.au.