How to wear your Graduation Gown

Depending on your level of award, you may be wearing either a bachelor’s gown or a master’s gown.

A bachelor’s gown can be worn by graduates of bachelor degrees, diplomas, and certificate recipients. The gown has bell-shaped sleeves that are the length of your arm’s. To put the gown on simply slide your hands through the open end of the sleeves. At UNE this gown is black.

A master’s gown has full-length sleeves that are the length of your robe. These sleeves are closed at the end and have an opening midway for your arms. At UNE this gown is black.

How to wear it:

• Put your gown on as you would a jacket.

The academic hood is like an everyday ‘hoodie’. It is worn over your shoulders and gown and then drapes down your back.

The design and colour of your hood or stole are specific to UNE, your level of award, area of study, and signifies your achievements.

How to wear it:

• Hold your hood with the coloured side facing up with the v-shape pointing towards you, and place it over your head.
• Wear it loosely on your back, and let it fall naturally. It should be arranged to show the lines of your degree. It should not be allowed to slip off your shoulder.
• If you’re wearing a tie, the neckband passes below this, and it may be fastened to a button or with a pin.

The stole is also worn over your shoulders with the lengths of material draped down the front of your gown and will sit either side of your chest.

The colour of your stole, like the hood, reflects your degree, it signifies where you studied and your achievements.

How to wear it:

• The stole falls from the back of your neck and down your chest with equal lengths on each side.

The trencher is your square-shaped academic headwear with a tassel.

How to wear it:

• Place the trencher on top of your head
• The square top of your trencher should be worn horizontally, and the shorter peak should be at the front
• The tassel should hang to the left of your face