Graduation FAQs

Once you’ve successfully completed your programme, you'll receive an email from Ara advising you of this and inviting you to register for graduation. You'll then need to complete the online graduation form to register for your ceremony.

Once we receive your graduation registration form, we’ll send you further details regarding the ceremony, including how to order your regalia.

Registration for Autumn Graduation closes on 12 February 2024.

Registration for Timaru Graduation closes on 5 February 2024.

All graduates receive their qualification by post, regardless of attendance at a graduation ceremony. When you cross the stage at graduation, you’ll receive a ceremonial parchment scroll.

It’s very important that you register on time, before registrations close. If you have any trouble with logging in or accessing the graduation web portal, please get in touch with us straight away so we can help – you can email us at graduation@ara.ac.nz or call us on 0800 24 24 76.

Unfortunately, we cannot accept late registrations.

If you do miss the deadline, you can defer your graduation to our next ceremony (February 2025 for Timaru, September 2024 for Christchurch). Please email graduation@ara.ac.nz to let us know if you would like to defer.

You don’t need a ticket for yourself. All graduates are entitled to at least three tickets free of charge to the graduation for friends and whānau. You request these when you register for graduation, and your tickets will be available when you collect your regalia for Timaru, or from the venue on the day for Christchurch. Tickets are general admission only (not reserved seating).

If you would like to request extra tickets, you can also do this when you register for graduation. We try our best to accommodate these requests, but unfortunately this is not always possible as there is limited availability. Extra tickets will not be confirmed until after registration closes (this is so we can ensure all graduates receive their guaranteed tickets).

You can only cross the stage on Graduation Day if you’re wearing the official regalia.

You are responsible for ordering your own regalia which you need to do through GWC Regalia Hire who own and maintain the regalia for Ara ceremonies. An order link will be emailed to you approximately six weeks prior to the ceremony.

You will also need to collect your regalia from GWC the day before graduation. For more information, see all of our Regalia FAQ’s.

When you apply to graduate, please ensure you select the qualification you wish to graduate under. You will then be able to order the regalia associated with that qualification. Graduates receiving multiple awards will not cross the stage twice in one ceremony.

If you can’t attend your graduation ceremony, that’s ok. Attendance at graduation is optional. You will still receive your qualification in the mail. You can also choose to defer your attendance to another ceremony date. You may only defer to a future ceremony once. If you can’t make the following ceremony, we can’t hold your place for a future ceremony.

The Autumn Graduation ceremony is at Wolfbrook Arena (formerly known as Horncastle or Christchurch Arena), at 55 Jack Hinton Drive in Addington.

There is free carparking on site and bus stops nearby. For more information, including details on accessibility, parking and directions, check out their website.

There will be two ceremonies, at 10am and 2pm. Your ceremony time will be confirmed closer to the graduation date. Estimated timings are below, but please note these are subject to change, and will not be confirmed until after registrations close.

10am: Trades; Applied Sciences & Social Practice; Health Practice; Humanities

2pm: Creative Arts & Digital Information; Hospitality, Business & Service Industries; Engineering & Architectural Studies

All graduands must be at the Arena one hour before the ceremony start time. Please don’t be late – if you’re not there on time, you may miss out on taking part in the ceremony.

• Morning Ceremony start time 10am – arrive by 9am
• Afternoon Ceremony start time 2pm – arrive by 1pm

Detailed timings for the day are below:

• The graduation ceremonies begin at 10am and 2pm.
• The graduation procession begins 15 minutes before the ceremony starts (this is when you will enter the arena, after waiting backstage).
• You need to arrive at Wolfbrook Arena 45 minutes before the graduation procession begins. This means you must arrive at the venue one hour before the ceremony start time. There will be signage and instructions onsite to let you know where to go.
• Please be on time! Traffic can be busy around the arena, so make sure you leave yourself lots of time to arrive. If you’re late, you will NOT be allowed to cross the stage.
• Doors to the venue open one hour before the ceremony start time. Guests of graduates are to be seated 20 minutes before the ceremony start time.

You will need to assemble one hour before the ceremony start time. When you arrive:

1. Find the row your department is in (A, B, C or D)
2. Find the name of your qualification.
3. Find your department sign and the sign on the ground that has your qualification name on it and stand behind it.
4. The Marshals will then arrange you in alphabetical order, ready to proceed into the hall.
5. You need to stay in this order to ensure you’re ready to cross the stage when your name is called.
6. The Head Marshal will brief you on the details of the graduation ceremony. Then at a signal from the Head Marshal you will move in procession into the hall. Follow the directions of the marshals, who will direct you to your seat.

Don’t worry, there will be lots of signage onsite and people around to help if you need!

If you or any of your guests have special mobility or access needs, please let us know before the day by contacting us at graduation@ara.ac.nz. Our graduation venues have accessible seating, and we will have lots of staff on hand to help if needed.

If you or any of your guests communicate by NZ Sign Language, we will have an interpreter at the ceremony.

You are responsible for ordering your own regalia. You need to do this through  GWC Regalia Hire who own and maintain the regalia for Ara ceremonies.

An order link will be emailed to you approximately six weeks prior to the ceremony.

Please DO NOT use the GWC Casual Hire form.

You collect your regalia from GWC's premises on the UC Dovedale Campus, Wairarapa Building, Block ED15, Ilam. Parking is in Car Park 1, off Parkstone Ave or Solway Ave.

During graduation season, GWC’s hours are extended and you can collect your regalia anytime between 8am – 7pm on Thursday 7 March.

If you are unable to collect your regalia, a family member or friend can collect it on your behalf. However, you MUST give your nominated collection person your correct height measurement - and if you are eligible to wear a trencher - your head circumference (measured just above the ears).

Regalia must be returned, in good order, before 7pm on Friday 8 March 2024 (the same day as graduation). A family member or friend can return regalia on your behalf if necessary.

After graduation, the GWC Regalia Hire opening hours go back to standard hours which are Tuesdays and Thursdays 9.30am – 2.30pm.

Our online form makes ordering your regalia really easy. You just select your qualification and it automatically tells you what you need. A link to the form will be emailed to you approximately six weeks before the ceremony.

If you notify Ara that you are withdrawing from your Graduation ceremony at least 7 working days before the ceremony, you will receive a full refund of your regalia hire costs minus a $10 administration fee.

However, if you do not collect your regalia and do not let us know in advance, there are no refunds.

If you are prevented from attending graduation at the last minute due to illness or travel disruption, you can hire your regalia for photos or a private ceremony at another time.

To advise your withdrawal from a graduation ceremony, please email graduation@ara.ac.nz

The hire cost of your regalia will depend on the qualification you are receiving.

The online order form will automatically tell you what regalia you need, or you can check 'What type of regalia do I wear'.

In addition to the regalia hire fee, a $50 security hold will be applied to the card used to purchase the regalia hire with GWC. If you cannot provide this amount AT CHECK-IN, you will not be able to collect your regalia. This security hold cannot be paid in cash. 

The security hold will show as a pending transaction and will automatically ‘drop off’ after 7 days, once it’s been confirmed that the regalia was returned undamaged within the above timeframe.

Please be aware if regalia is not returned, or is damaged, you will be charged at replacement cost which is:

• Gown - $650
• Hood - $180
• Trencher Hat - $225
• Scarf - $100

Check out our How to Graduate video – it shows you exactly how to wear the regalia depending on your qualification.

We recommend that you dress in smart/semi-formal wear, under your regalia.

Gown

A black, Cambridge-style gown is worn under the Ara graduation scarf or hood. The sleeves on the Cambridge gown have two openings:

• graduates for a certificate, diploma or degree that have no previous degree use the lower opening
• any graduate with a previous degree, new degree, graduate certificate, graduate diploma, postgraduate or Masters use the higher opening

Diploma and certificate scarf

A diploma scarf (dark teal) is worn by graduates receiving diplomas or graduate diplomas and a certificate scarf (light teal) is worn by graduates receiving certificates or graduate certificates.

Degree hood

The degree hood incorporates an Ara diploma scarf. The hood is worn with the scarf sitting on the shoulders and the hood hanging down the wearer’s back.

Note: Please don’t iron your hood! It can cause damage, and you will be charged the full replacement cost of $180.

Hood lining colours

Each degree hood lining is a different colour denoting the degree being conferred

Korowai or ta’ōvala

Some graduates also add traditional elements such as korowai or ta’ōvala. These may be worn over your academic gown. If you are wearing one of these elements, please request a lighter-weight gown when ordering your regalia.

Note: If you already have a degree and are now receiving an Ara degree, you are required to wear the Ara regalia. It’s not appropriate to wear two hoods.