Melbourne Graduation Ceremony

*Note: there are no discounts if you provide your own academic dress and catering or invite fewer guests. 

Changed your mind about attending the ceremony?

If you have confirmed your attendance but can no longer attend the ceremony, let us know by Thursday 11 December 2025 and we will refund the ceremony fee by the end of December 2025. To let us know, log in to Enrolment Online and change your graduation option to 'in absentia'. 

Attending the 2026 Ceremony

If you're completing your program at the end of 2025 and would prefer to attend the 2026 Melbourne Graduation Ceremony, you can either defer your graduation to the 2026 ceremony or graduate in absentia and then attend the ceremony. Your choice will determine when you get your academic statements.

1. Defer your graduation

To defer your graduation, you will need to update your graduation option in Enrolment Online from early November. If you defer your graduation until the 2026 ceremony, you won't receive your testamur and other graduation documents until the ceremony. 

2. Graduate in absentia

To graduate and get your testamur and other statements sooner, you can apply to graduate in absentia and complete the relevant expression of interest form below to attend a ceremony.

• December Melbourne Graduation Ceremony Expression of Interest Form
• May Doctoral Degrees Graduation Ceremony Expression of Interest Form

Once you submit the form, we'll contact you closer to the ceremony date with information about attending ceremony.

Snap a pic, get shown at Graduation

Capture your photo in our digital photo booth and be featured on the big screens at Marvel Stadium on Graduation Day! All pics will form a dynamic collage, celebrating the Class of 2025. You’ll also receive a digital version of your photo to keep and share.

Find the digital photo booth operating at Gown and Ticket Collections Days at Marvel Stadium during the following times. Bookings not required:

• Wednesday 9 December: 9am-12pm
• Thursday 10 December: 12pm-3pm
• Friday 11 December: 3-6pm

How to wear your gown

See the How to wear your gown section.

For instructions on how to wear your graduation dress, watch the video below or download the How to wear your academic dress flyer (PDF).

What type of gown and colour will I wear?

RMIT’s graduation dress is based on the Oxford style so, you'll wear a traditional gown, a hood or stole and a mortarboard or bonnet. Exactly what you'll wear is determined by your program’s discipline and the level of award you receive, e.g. Diploma, Bachelor or Master.

Each discipline is represented by its own colour. Download the Find your hood colour flyer (PDF) to see what colour/s you'll wear.

Because this is a formal ceremony, you are unable to adorn your gown in any way, e.g. with messages or decorations.
 

Need help with your gown?

Don't worry, we have people on the ground to help you look your best on the day. Gown pinning stations will be running at Marvel Stadium from 12.30pm to 2pm at Gates 4, 6, 8 and 9. 
 

Returning your gown

As you leave Marvel Stadium, there will be large bins at each exit where you can leave your gown and stole/hood. You can keep your mortarboard or bonnet as a memento!

Marvel Stadium location

Marvel Stadium is located at 740 Bourke St, Docklands VIC 3008. Find it on Google Maps.

Public transport

We strongly recommend arriving by public transport. Traffic will be very heavy and there is extremely limited parking around Marvel Stadium. There will also be ongoing Metro tunnel works in the area. 

Please allow plenty of time to get to the ceremony.

Train

Southern Cross Station is located adjacent to Marvel Stadium and stops for both V-line and Metropolitan train lines. It’s a short walk across the Spencer Street/Bourke Street pedestrian footbridge.

Tram

City trams run to Marvel Stadium:

• Tram 30: St Vincents Plaza / Central Pier Docklands
• Tram 35: Anticlockwise / Anticlockwise or Clockwise / Clockwise
• Tram 70: Waterfront City Docklands / Wattle Park
• Tram 75: Central Pier Docklands / Vermont South
• Tram 86: Waterfront City Docklands / Bundoora RMIT

The following trams also stop in the CBD on Spencer Street, Bourke Street and Collins Street, and all are a short walk to Marvel Stadium:

• Tram 96: St Kilda Beach / East Brunswick
• Tram 11: West Preston / Victoria Harbour Docklands
• Tram 48: North Balwyn / Victoria Harbour Docklands

Bus

• The V/Line bus terminus is at Southern Cross Train Station. Marvel Stadium is a short walk across the Bourke Street pedestrian footbridge from the bus terminus.
• The nearest metropolitan bus stops are located at Spencer Street and Collins Street.

To plan your journey, visit the PTV webpage or download the PTV App.

Parking

If you do choose to drive, please plan your journey and allow plenty of time for traffic delays and Metro works around the city.

There is parking available in the CBD, including at the following Wilson Car Parks. You can then either walk or take public transport to the Stadium.

• Southern Cross Station Car Park – 163-235 Spencer Street, Melbourne
• La Trobe Street Car parks – 300 and 380 La Trobe Street, Melbourne
• Queen Street Car park – 189 Queen Street, Melbourne

Parking at Marvel Stadium is only available to those with an accessibility parking permit and must be pre-booked. See Accessibility information for more details.

Private property around Marvel Stadium

Please respect the buildings and private property around Marvel Stadium by using public footpaths and footbridges when arriving at the Stadium.

Please don't dwell or take photos in surrounding private property on Graduation Day.

Facilities and customer service at Marvel Stadium

The table below lists commonly requested facilities and services. Please read the information carefully to know what is (and isn't) available on the day, and where you can find the services you need.

What to bring

• Your graduation dress (you must be wearing your gown, hood or stole, mortarboard or bonnet)
• Your seating ticket 
• Your guests must have their guest tickets
• Water bottle (it might be hot)
• Ear plugs (if noise-sensitive – parts of the ceremony will be loud!)

Anything bulky must be stored under your seat.

Do NOT bring pets to the ceremony. Only service animals are allowed in the stadium.
 

When you arrive

• Enter via the gate closest to your presentation stage – your stage letter will be printed on your ticket and your guests' tickets. You can find out which gate is closest to your stage by checking the Stadium Map

Graduates

• Go to your presentation stage – your stage is listed on your ticket
• A staff marshal will register you at your stage – it's important you register so we know you have arrived!
• Find and sit in your allocated seat – your seat row and number are listed on your ticket. It's important you sit in your allocated seat to ensure the correct name is shown when you're on stage
• Keep hold of your lanyard/ticket – you'll need to hand this to a staff marshal right before you go on stage

Guests

• Guests may sit anywhere on levels 1, 2 or 3 behind your allocated stage (this is stated on their guest tickets)
• Guests don't have reserved seats – please disregard any seat numbers printed on your guest tickets. If your guests have a seating preference (e.g. lower level, aisle seat), they should arrive early
• Guests are not allowed on the arena at anytime (apart from guests of doctoral degree graduates who are seated on the arena)

Before you go on stage

• Sit in your designated seat
• Keep hold of your lanyard/ticket – you'll need to hand this to a staff marshal right before you go on stage
• When it's time for you to go on stage, a staff marshal will ask you to stand and line up in order of presentation. Make sure you stay in order and don't leave the line!
• Hand your lanyard/ticket to the staff marshal for scanning and collection
   

When on stage

• Face the academic presenting the scroll
• Doff (touch the front of) your cap. Do not shake hands or take selfies. As tempting as it might be, we need to keep to a strict time limit to ensure all graduates are presented on time
• Take the scroll from the academic. Your name and program/s you're graduating from will display on a screen above the stage (your name won't be announced)
• A professional photo will be taken of you receiving the scroll (action shot, you don't need to pose)
• Exit the stage

After you come off stage

• If you're graduating at the ceremony, you'll be given your testamur at the side of the stage. If you graduated in absentia prior to the ceremony, you'll skip this step
• Return to your seat and stay seated until all graduates have been presented

If you're graduating at the ceremony, you will receive your hard-copy testamur at the ceremony after you have been presented on stage.

If you graduate in absentia before the ceremony but choose to attend the ceremony, you won't receive a hard copy testamur. Your ceremony fee is reduced to reflect this.

Multiple programs

If you're graduating from more than one program (e.g. a Diploma and a Bachelor), you'll graduate and be presented on stage only once under the higher award (i.e. the Bachelor program). You'll receive both of your testamurs on the day of the ceremony.

Your academic dress will be provided for the higher award.

If you have graduated from an RMIT program in previous years, you will only receive the testamur for the program you're graduating from at the ceremony on 17 December 2025.
 

How to access and order your statements 

Refer to Types of academic statements and how to get them.