Key Graduation Information

Applying to graduate

All graduands, whether attending graduation in person or in absentia (receiving their award via post), must complete the online 'Apply to Graduate' form to receive their qualification tohu.

If you are eligible to graduate, you will receive an email inviting you to submit your ‘Apply to Graduate’ form online.  It will be sent to your personal email address between 01 and 11 April 2025. You will be able to click on and complete the form via our website. You will receive an email response to confirm that you wish to receive your tohu in person or in absentia.

To ensure that you receive your special invitation, please check your personal email address is correct in Urutauira.  While you are there, check and update your mobile contact details, as we will send you a pānui by text with any wet weather updates.  If your personal email address is a Hotmail or other Microsoft email account, please ensure that you add the Wānanga to your safe senders or whitelist. This helps to ensure that you receive emails about your graduation.

Applications to graduate close at 9am on Monday 28 April 2025.

Graduation fees

Graduation fees must be paid on campus or online before or during registration week.

Fees for graduation are:
$50.00 for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Degrees*
$25.00 for Certificates and Diplomas

Online payments will be accepted prior to registration week as will Eftpos and cash at the Whakatāne campus reception. For payments made during registration week - Eftpos, credit card and cash will be accepted at the graduation registration desk.

Online payments can be paid into our Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi account.
Account number: 12-3253-0067389-01 
Particulars: Graduation Fee
Reference: Full Name

*For postgraduate certificates and diplomas or for those who are graduating with more than one qualification on the day, your academic dress and therefore your fees may be dependent on other qualifications you currently hold.  If you are unsure, please contact us.

Registering your arrival for the graduation ceremony

If you intend to attend the graduation ceremony, you must register in person at the Whakatāne campus during registration week.

Registrations close at 9pm on Thursday 1 May 2025.  If you are unable to attend during this time, please speak with your kaiako.

Registration includes collecting your gown and/or regalia, kai tickets and payment of any graduation fees due.

For those attending in person, registration is held at our main campus in Whakatāne. You will find the registration team in the Atrium of the Te Hurinui Apanui building, which you can enter via Francis Street.

The graduation ceremony will be held at Te Mānuka Tūtahi Marae in Whakatāne. 

Graduating in absentia

If you are unable to attend the graduation ceremony but still wish to be recognised, you can choose to graduate in absentia. This means you won’t attend a graduation ceremony, but your name will appear in the graduation ceremony programme along with the words “in absentia”. Your graduation certificate will be posted to you after the ceremony. If graduating in absentia, your graduation tohu will be posted approximately 3 weeks after the meeting date, to the address provided in your graduation application. If this has changed, please contact us.  All certificates sent within New Zealand are couriered with track and trace, and a signature may be required upon delivery. 

If you do not receive your graduation certificate you must notify us. A replacement fee may apply.

Graduation booklet

If you are unable to attend graduation but would like a digital copy of the graduation booklet, a copy will be added to this webpage after the graduation ceremony.

Graduation photos

An official photograph will be taken by Claire House Photography as you receive your tohu. Graduation photographs will be available to view and download within two weeks of the graduation ceremony. The link will be added to this page and shared on Facebook.

Livestreaming

If you or your whānau can’t make graduation in person, the graduation ceremony is streamed in real (NZ) time, commencing approximately 15 minutes before the start of the ceremony.

A link to the livestream for this year’s graduation ceremony will be added to this page and shared on Facebook nearer to the date.

Graduation accommodation

If you would like us to contact you about accommodation options, please send an email with your person code, full name and graduating programme with the subject 'Graduation 2025 Accommodation Enquiry' to graduation@wananga.ac.nz

You can keep up to date with graduation information by following our website and Facebook page.