What to wear at graduation
Your graduation ceremony is a formal celebration, so you must wear the correct academic dress (also called regalia). It’s your responsibility to buy or hire the items you need in time for your graduation ceremony.
Colours and styles of regalia are specific to the subject you’re getting your qualification in.
Where to buy or hire regalia
Academic Dress Hire is familiar with AUT's regalia and will supply the correct academic dress.
You can hire regalia from:
Academic Dress Hire
Phone: +64 9 358 1044
www.academicdresshire.co.nz
You can buy regalia from:
Etude Classique Ltd
Phone: +64 9 522 5241
www.etudeclassique.co.nz
Descriptions of academic regalia by qualification
Items and regalia are listed by qualification type below.
- Black Cambridge undergraduate gown (shorter length)
- Black Cambridge undergraduate gown (shorter length)
- Stole in qualification colour
- Black Cambridge Bachelor of Arts gown
- Stole in qualification colour
- If applicable, a trencher from a previous qualification can be worn
- Black Cambridge Bachelor of Arts gown
- Stole in qualification colour
- If applicable, a trencher from a previous qualification can be worn
- Black Cambridge Bachelor of Arts gown
- Hood: black with bone coloured lining, edged with qualification colour
- Black trencher with black tassel
- Black Cambridge Bachelor of Arts gown
- Stole in qualification colour
- Degree hood from a previous qualification can also be worn
- Black trencher with black tassel
- Black Cambridge Bachelor of Arts gown
- Stole in qualification colour
- Degree hood from a previous qualification can also be worn
- Black trencher with black tassel
- Black Cambridge Master of Arts gown
- Hood: black with qualification colour lining
- Black trencher with bone coloured tassel
- Black Cambridge Master of Arts gown with red facing
- Hood: Cambridge style in red, lined with qualification colour
- Black Tudor bonnet with gold cord
- Bachelor gown
- Degree hood
- Trencher
If you're graduating with a conjoint or double degree, you should choose just one ceremony to attend. You can choose to wear both hoods, or just the hood appropriate to the ceremony you are attending.
Colours of academic regalia by qualification
Download and check the document below for the colours you should wear for your graduation ceremony. You can check with Academic Dress Hire if you are unsure.
Tips and advice about dressing for the ceremony
Some tips about how to dress include:
- Make sure you’re comfortable: the venue is quite warm, especially when wearing regalia
- Men may find it helpful to wear a shirt and tie, so you can place the neckband of your hood under your tie to hold it in place
- Women may need to pin their hood to their gown
- You can wear culturally appropriate adornment, like korowai or garlands, over your gown