Degree Conferment Dates in a Calendar Year, with effect from 2021-22

Pursuant to the arrangement to decouple degree conferment from University’s Congregation, the University shall confer on eligible students’ degrees upon fulfilment of graduation requirements on three specified dates in a calendar year namely, 31 March, 31 July, and 15 October.

Graduation Certificate Issuance

For degrees conferred on 31 March and 31 July, the dates printed on the degree certificates will be the corresponding degree conferment dates. For degrees conferred on 15 October, graduates will be given two options regarding the date to be printed on their degree certificates: (i) 15 October; (ii) 15 November. The certificates will be available for collection approximately one month after the degree conferment date.

Students will be individually notified by email about the collection arrangements. Also, details will be posted on the GSO website nearer the time.

Graduation Assessment: Requirements and Timeline

As the degrees will be conferred after the completion of the graduation assessment, students are reminded to plan their studies carefully and to fulfill all graduation requirements by the end of the specified academic term. Students should proactively follow up with the course teachers concerned for any pending grades after the grade release date. For students with pending grades, outstanding credit and unit exemption applications, unresolved disciplinary matters, etc. at the end of the graduation-assessment period, their degree conferment will be postponed to the next degree conferment date.

Research postgraduate and taught doctoral students should also observe the timeline for declaring intention to submit a thesis (i.e. at least four months ahead of time of submission) and deadline of thesis (first draft) submission. In particular, students are required to submit the final thesis before the deadline as stipulated below.

Nearest Degree Conferment Date as Default Date w.e.f. 2024-25

From the 2024-25 academic year onwards, there will not be any arrangement for deferral of degree conferment date. Following the University’s degree conferment arrangement, once a student has satisfied all graduation requirements, the nearest degree conferment date in the year concerned will be taken as the default degree conferment date.

Students’ graduation certificates will be dated the corresponding degree conferment dates. For degrees conferred on 15 October, students can choose either 15 October or 15 November as the date to be printed on their graduation certificates.

If you have further enquiries on the subject, please contact the Graduate School Office.