Academic dress

If you’re graduating at a ceremony, you’ll need to hire (or buy) Monash-approved academic dress to wear on the day. The cost of hiring is included in your attendance fee.

Students graduating in Australia

About six weeks before your graduation round, we'll email you a link to register with GFP graduations (our approved supplier).

Once you’ve registered, you can choose to either hire or buy your academic dress. GFP will have your items ready to collect on campus on the day of your celebration.

Students graduating overseas

You'll be able to hire your academic dress on the day, at your ceremony location. A range of sizes, award levels and faculty colours will be available, so there’s no need to book in advance. Just allow some time to arrive early and pick up your items.

If you want to purchase your academic dress, you’ll need to do this separately after your award has been conferred.

Wearing academic dress

When you’re getting ready for the big day, you need to make sure you’re wearing your graduation regalia correctly:

• Your gown should remain uncovered, without any additional decorations or alterations.
• The mortarboard should sit flat on your head, unpinned and without any embellishments.

Adhering to the dress code is mandatory to participate in your graduation ceremony. If you don’t, you won’t be able to cross the stage and your graduation will be conducted in absentia.

Diploma

Bachelor

Masters

Doctorate

All examples are shown as a diploma stole.

Art, Design and Architecture Spectrum orange

Arts Old rose

Business and Economics Peacock green

Education Banana

Engineering Rose beige

Information Technology Spectrum green

Law White

Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences Victrix blue

Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences Buttercup

Science Primrose

Graduating from multiple degrees on the same day

If you’re graduating from multiple degrees on the same day, you’ll wear the academic dress for your:

• managing faculty if you’re graduating from a double degree
• highest award if you’re graduating from two different award levels.

Graduating in absentia

If you’re graduating in absentia, you have the option to purchase your academic dress (if you want to).

When to buy your academic dress

Coursework students

If you’re attending a ceremony at Clayton campus, you can buy your academic dress when you register with GFP Graduations.

Otherwise, if you’re attending a ceremony elsewhere or graduating in absentia (without attending a ceremony), you can buy your academic dress through the GFP Graduations website once your award has been conferred.

Graduate research students

You can buy your academic dress after your award is conferred.

Description of gown and accessories

Gown

The gown is a three-quarter length robe with full-length, flowing sleeves and drapes open at the front. Your clothing will be visible, so you should wear something appropriate for a formal occasion.

Hood

The hood represents the cowl worn by monks to cover the head and shoulders. The Monash hood is turquoise with the edging and trimmings identifying the faculty and award. It has a button loop to attach to your clothing to keep the hood in place.

If you're graduating with a double degree, you'll wear the colour of your managing faculty.

Headwear

A trencher cap is worn by all graduates except doctorates. The cap is worn flat or horizontal with the tassel down over the left eye.

A bonnet is worn by doctorates. This is made of black velvet, trimmed with peony red or gold cord and tassels.

Indigenous stoles

The Indigenous stoles acknowledge the cultural heritage and history of the Indigenous people of Australia. They are reflective of both the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.

When you apply to graduate in WES, you can let us know if you’d like to wear an Indigenous stole and we’ll have it ready for you on the day.

Contact GFP Graduations

If you need to purchase a gown or photos outside of a graduation round, or you’re having trouble with the GFP portal, contact GFP Graduations directly.

Website: GFP Graduations Phone: 1300 360 445 (from within Australia) Email: info@gfp.com.au

If enquiring from outside Australia, email GFP and their team will phone you as needed.