Southern Campuses 2021 Graduation Ceremony
Tuesday 27 April 2021, 3.00pm
Southern Trust Events Centre
70 Morgans Road, Glenwood, Timaru
The graduation ceremony has now been confirmed for Tuesday 27 April 2021, 3pm-5pm. There will be no parade prior.
Regalia pick up will be on Tuesday 27 April from Timaru Campus (Confucious Room) between 11am-1pm. If you can no longer attend and wish for your qualification to be mailed to you, please email [email protected]. The guest tickets you have are still valid, if you no longer require them, please find the original trybooking email receipt and click on the ‘refund’ link to return them.
Christchurch 2021 Autumn Graduation
Friday 26 March 2021
Christchurch Arena (formerly Horncastle Arena)
55 Jack Hinton Drive, Addington, Christchurch 8024
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response from our 2020 graduates to attend the graduation ceremonies on 26 March 2021, both ceremonies have been moved to Horncastle Arena in order to accommodate all graduates.
There will be no parades prior.
10AM ceremony – Trades, Humanities, Engineering & Architectural Studies, Health Practice and Applied Sciences, Social Practice.
- Students to assemble at 9.00am at the Christchurch Arena, to be put into order for seating. Please enter via door 4 on the North concourse of the arena and signage will direct you to back of house.
3PM ceremony – Enterprise and Digital Innovation, Hospitality and Service Industries, Creative Industries
- Students to assemble at 2.00pm at the Christchurch Arena, to be put into order for seating. Please enter via door 4 on the North concourse of the arena and signage will direct you to back of house.
Please note: If you are not on time for the assembly and procession you may not be able to be included in the ceremony.
March 2021 Graduands: Once you have completed your qualification and been confirmed as eligible to graduate you will receive an email from Ara inviting you to fill in a form. You must complete the form so we know whether you want to graduate in person or graduate in absentia. If you do not fill in this form you will not be able to cross the stage and receive your qualification on the day.
2020 Graduates: Registrations for the ceremony on 26 March are now closed (Closing date: 19 February). We cannot accept any late registrations due the numbers of students we have graduating in March. If you wish to attend the Graduation ceremony on 17 September, 2021 please register at this link by 6 August 2021.
Tips for on-the day:
- Graduation ceremonies are lengthy so please ensure you are well hydrated and have had something to eat prior, it’s easy to forget amid graduation pictures and getting ready.
- Ensure your camera and phone batteries are charged for those graduation photos! We will have a portrait photographer stationed on the North Concourse on the day – this and graduation teddies are a separate business from Ara but the information tables will be set-up in the foyer area for you to make any purchases.
- Go to the Bathroom! Go before you line up, chances are you’re going to be nervous, so try to go as often as you can before you have to be in your spot for the ceremony.
- Cap/Gown/Regalia. Make sure you don’t forget the most important part and ensure you arrive at the venue already dressed, no regalia bags are to be left back-of-house.
- Chewing gum. This might seem odd, but it’s especially helpful if you’re way down the list as far as the order for crossing the stage. If you get strong, minty gum, it will help keep you awake and the peppermint will help with nerves.
- If you feel ill when you are inside and seated, do not be self-conscious and remain where you are, feel free to leave the building for fresh air and seek out one of our Ara marshals who can assist with chaperoning you outside or seeking medical aid.
Graduation guides
The below guides provide all the information needed about Ara Graduation ceremonies, please read these before contacting us with any queries.
How to Graduate
Graduation regalia
As part of the formal graduation ceremony, Ara regalia is required. Regalia needs to be ordered directly from Graduate Women Canterbury (GWC) website.
Graduands are responsible for obtaining their own academic regalia and we encourage you to organise yours early to ensure availability. Academic regalia must be collected from the offices of Graduate Women Canterbury (located on the Dovedale Campus, corner of Dovedale & Solway Avenues) the day before the ceremony, and returned there as soon as possible after the ceremony.
The hiring of academic dress is a voluntary service provided by Graduate Women Canterbury who own and maintain the regalia for UC ceremonies. Please do not wear academic regalia in the rain.
Proceeds are used to finance GWC scholarships and awards to graduates and students and for charitable purposes.
Dates for 2021 ceremonies:
Timaru Graduation 18 February
Christchurch Autumn Graduation 26 March
Christchurch Spring Graduation 17 September
Online streaming
If your friends or family are unable to attend your graduation, our ceremonies are streamed live on the Ara website.