Graduation terms
Is conferral different to completion? What's a Testamur? Here are some common graduation terms and what they mean.
- Testamur: The graduation certificate higher education students receive when they graduate. For more information, see Types of academic statements and how to get them.
- VE Qualification Statement: The graduation certificate vocational education students receive when they graduate. For more information, see Types of academic statements and how to get them.
- Graduation gown/Academic dress: The regalia worn when graduating at a ceremony.For more information, see Graduation dress.
- Program completion: This is when you have met the academic requirements of your program of study and are marked as having completed your program on RMIT systems. Normally, your completion date occurs up to two weeks after your results are released for the last semester of your program. It is not the same as your graduation date.
Please note, you cannot access or order some academic statements (including SACs and finalised transcripts) until after your program completion. For more information, see Types of academic statements and how to get them.
- Conferral: Also called Graduation. The date your qualification is awarded and you graduate at a ceremony or in absentia.
- In absentia: Graduating in absentia means you don’t receive your graduation certificate at a ceremony. In absentia conferrals are usually the last working day of the month. You can then access your academic statements (including your Testamur or VE Qualification Statement) online and order a hardcopy to be posted to you.
- Deferring your graduation: Postpone your graduation by applying to graduate at a later ceremony.
- Award level: When you graduate, your award may be conferred with an award level (e.g. 'Distinction' or 'Honours First Class'). Depending on your program, your award level will be calculated based on your GPA, WAM or, for HDR students, the mark achieved in your research project. Vocational education programs and doctoral programs are awarded without an award level.
