How to Apply

You must apply to graduate in order to receive your Graduation Qualification and Official Transcript (regardless of your qualification).  

Your application starts the formal process which requires all applications to be officially confirmed by Unitec's Academic Board.  Applications can be processed even if you have not received your final results. 

Once your eligibility has been confirmed, we can provide you with your graduation documents at the ceremony, or in absentia (by post or collection).

Applications for 2024 Autumn Graduation have closed.  

Everyone needs to apply

Everyone must apply to graduate to receive a Graduation Qualification and Official Transcript, regardless of your qualification.

You need to apply, whether you attend a graduation ceremony or graduate in absentia (this means you graduate, but you do not attend the ceremony).

If you think you are eligible to be awarded your certificate or diploma or to have your degree, masters, or PhD conferred, you will need to apply to graduate.

Applying to graduate is a formal process whereby all graduands are officially confirmed by Unitec Institute of Technology’s Academic Board and Council.

Without an application form, we cannot process your graduation certificate.

Graduation dates

9 April  2024 Autumn Graduation Ceremony

When you can apply

The application form will be available here, from  November to January each year.

If you miss the closing date, please apply in the next intake.

Unitec holds one graduation ceremony a year which is in April (autumn).

In the Apply to graduate form, you can select if you want to attend the graduation ceremony or not.

Receiving your qualification

You must apply to graduate to receive your Graduation Qualification and Official Transcript.

If you attend the graduation ceremony

Graduands get a copy of their academic transcript with their certificate at the graduation ceremony.

If you want to attend the graduation ceremony to receive your certificate in person, please indicate this in your application to graduate.

If you do not attend the graduation ceremony

You do not have to attend a ceremony to receive your qualification. When you apply to graduate, please indicate on the form that you will ‘graduate in absentia’, which means you will not attend the ceremony and you will receive your certificate by post or collect it from the Graduation Office.

If you require confirmation of your qualification before graduation

See options for requesting a Letter of Confirmation or academic records.

Graduating with more than one programme

Students can graduate with more than one programme on their graduation day. In your graduation application, please apply for all programmes you have completed. However, if you have already graduated in a programme, you may not apply again to get a new certificate.

Outstanding debt with Unitec

Before you graduate, you must pay any outstanding debt owed to Unitec. This includes library fines, international visas, international insurance and parking fines.

To check if you have a debt with Unitec, log into your Student Portal.

For assistance, email the Student Finance Team fees@unitec.ac.nz

Graduation application process

  1. You apply to graduate
     
  2. If you have applied online, you will receive an acknowledgement email, including a copy of your application. If you do not get that message, it is probably because your email address needs to be corrected, please contact us.
     
  3. Your application starts the formal process where all applications are officially confirmed by Unitec's Academic Board. Applications can be processed even if you have not received your final results.
     
  4. When your eligibility has been confirmed by Unitec’s Academic Board, it means we can provide you with your graduation documents at the ceremony, or in absentia (by post or collection).
     
  5. If you attend the ceremony: You will get a ‘save the date’ email notifying you of the date and time of the ceremony. This is not a confirmation of eligibility to graduate. This email is sent as soon as possible after the closing date for applications to help with your planning. Students should receive this save the
    date email about two months before graduation day. Attending students will then get a confirmation of eligibility to graduate email approximately 5 weeks before graduation day.
     
  6. If you do not attend the ceremony: Your qualification will be posted to you or the Graduation Office will notify you when it can be collected. Absentia certificates are sent after the graduation ceremony; they are not available before the ceremony.

Need help? Contact us

For additional help or more information please contact the Graduation Office.

Email graduation@unitec.ac.nz

Phone 0800 10 95 10 or 09 815 4321