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.
- VE Qualification Statement: The graduation certificate vocational education students receive when they graduate.
- Graduation gown/Academic dress: The regalia worn when graduating at a ceremony.
- Completion: This is when you have met the academic requirements of your program of study. Normally, your completion date is the official result release date of the last semester of your program. It is not the same as your graduation date.
- 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.
