Melbourne Graduation Ceremony

Everything you need to know about attending the RMIT Melbourne Graduation Ceremony at Marvel Stadium in December.

2024 dates and deadlines

Date Activity
Friday 25 October 

Last day to apply to graduate, confirm your attendance and pay the graduation fee for the 2024 Melbourne Graduation Ceremony. in December.

When you apply, you will be asked for your graduation dress size, plus the number of guest tickets you need (the maximum number you can order will be advised closer to the date).

Thursday 31 October Doctoral students - last day to submit Final Archive 
Monday 2 December

Result release date for higher education and vocational education students in Australia studying in standard semesters.

You must have completed and passed all your program requirements by this date to be able to attend this year's ceremony.   

You're not eligible to graduate at the ceremony if you:  

  • have a deferred or supplementary assessment scheduled on or after 2 December 2024
  • have an outstanding placement on or after 2 December 2024
  • have a result release date after 2 December 2024 (RMIT Online TP6 excepted)

See Apply to graduate for more information.

Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 December Gown and ticket collection (includes guest tickets)
Wednesday 18 December Melbourne Graduation Ceremony

Eligibility to attend and ceremony fee

1. Students completing their program in Semester 2 2024

You’re eligible to attend the ceremony if you have:  
  • completed and passed all your program requirements by the official results release date and been marked as complete by your School.
  • no missing results or credit transfers  
  • no outstanding debts to the University  
  • provided your verified USI to RMIT (higher education students only). 

You will be sent an email later in 2024 inviting you to confirm your attendance at the ceremony. This will be sent to both your RMIT student email address and your nominated personal email address.

 

2. Students who graduate in absentia in 2024

You will be sent an email later in 2024 inviting you to confirm your attendance at the ceremony. This will be sent to your nominated personal email address.

 

3. Students who graduated in absentia in 2023 and didn't attend the 2023 Melbourne Graduation Ceremony.

Please complete the Expression of Interest form to be invited to the 2024 ceremony. You will be sent an email later in 2024 inviting you to confirm your attendance at the ceremony. This will be sent to your nominated personal email address.

 

Important: If you graduate in absentia, you won't receive a testamur at the ceremony. Your ceremony fee is discounted to reflect this. 

 

You're not eligible to graduate at the ceremony if you:  

  • have a deferred or supplementary assessment scheduled on or after the official result release date
  • have an outstanding placement on or after the official result release date
  • are enrolled in undergraduate study period 3 or postgraduate session 3 (for OUA students)
  • are enrolled in a standard undergraduate/postgraduate program and due to complete your final course(s) in teaching period 4 (for RMIT Online students).

If you're enrolled in Australia, you will automatically graduate in absentia. 

If you're enrolled outside Australia, you will automatically be included in the next local graduation ceremony.

The fee is different depending on whether you're completing your program in Semester 2 or you've already graduated in absentia. 

Graduating at the ceremony If you’ve already graduated in absentia

The graduation fee is $250. This includes: 

  • your hard-copy testamur (available to you at the ceremony)
  • guest tickets 
  • academic dress loan (hats can be kept as a memento) 
  • catering for graduates. 

The graduation fee is $195. This includes: 

  • guest tickets
  • academic dress loan (hats can be kept as a memento) 
  • catering for graduates.

Because you've already graduated, you won't receive a hard copy testamur at the ceremony.

Note: there are no discounts available if you provide your own academic dress, catering or a reduced number of guests.

Yes, you can either defer your graduation to the 2025 ceremony or graduate in absentia and then attend the ceremony. Your choice will affect when you get your academic statements.

 

1. Defer your graduation

To defer your graduation (conferral) you'll need to update your graduation option in Enrolment Online from early November. If you defer your graduation until the 2025 ceremony, you won't receive your testamur and other graduation documents until the ceremony. 

 

2. Graduate in absentia

To graduate (be conferred) and get your testamur and other statements sooner, you can apply to graduate in absentia and complete the Expression of Interest Form for next year's ceremony. We'll contact you in 2025 with information about attending the December Melbourne Graduation Ceremony.

What to expect at the ceremony

The ceremony at Marvel Stadium attracts up to 50,000 graduates, alumni, academics, distinguished guests, family and friends. There's live music and entertainment before the formal speeches and awarding of the honorary doctorate. Then it's time for each graduate to be presented on their respective stage, where they doff their hat and have a photo taken with the presenting academic.

A female graduate in academic dress smiles as she receives her graduation scroll from a female academic on stage at the ceremony.

2023 Melbourne Graduation Ceremony highlights

Watch the highlights from 2023, and get a sense of what to expect if you graduate at the RMIT Melbourne Graduation Ceremony at Marvel Stadium!

More information for graduates

aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.