Graduation Information

In order to be included in the upcoming graduation ceremonies (12 September 2025), you must ensure that fees owed, by you, to the University has been settled in full by you (or your bursar/financial sponsor) by 14 November 2025, OR you have finalised a GRADUATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF DEBT review with Student Credit Management from 03-14 November 2025 (see GRADUATING WITH FEES OUTSTANDING tab below for details).

Should you not adhere to the processes above you will not be part of the upcoming ceremony and no late requests or submissions will be accepted.

Masters and Doctoral students must submit their final corrected theses to the Library (and have it approved by the supervisor) by 14 November 2025, to be part of the graduation ceremony.

Graduates (with no fees outstanding) will have an electronic copy of their certificate emailed to them on the day of the graduation and will be able to collect or request for their certificates to be couriered to them (see tab below for more information).

Graduates (with no fees outstanding) will have an electronic copy of their academic transcript emailed to them on the day of the graduation.

All graduates will receive an official completion letter (electronically) that will be signed and stamped and indicate the:
- qualification obtained,
- medium of instruction,
- conduct of the graduate, and
- date degree conferred

Graduates with fees outstanding (even with payment arrangements in place or Acknowledgements of Debt signed) will only receive an electronic copy of their completion letter. They will not be issued with a certificate (electronic or hard copy) or academic transcript until the required fees have been settled.

TICKETS: Graduands will receive 3 tickets in total (1 ticket for the graduand and 2 guest tickets). Doctoral graduands will receive 4 guest tickets. Tickets will be emailed to graduands via their student email 2 days before the graduation ceremony.

According to the UWC Statute (2018), the University may without examination, by resolution of the Council passed on the recommendation of the Senate, confer an honorary degree of doctor in any faculty upon any person who has rendered distinguished services in the advancement of any branch of learning, or who the Council may deem worthy of such degree, provided that such a person exemplifies the values and purposes of the University. The focus for awarding an honorary doctorate is to ensure alignment with the core values of the University, as well as teaching and learning scholarship. Recognition of intellectual contribution is paramount, reflecting the core value of eminence in a field of scholarship in the course of a career.

To be considered for the conferral of an honorary degree, the nominee should reflect the following criteria:
- outstanding intellectual contributions in the course of a career, in some field of scholarship;
- a substantial contribution, with national or international impact;
- rendered service of excellence or distinction in wider society;
- application of the values espoused by the University, and in so doing having contributed towards the transformation of society; and
- outstanding contribution as a public intellectual.

The award of an honorary degree does not entitle a person to practise any profession nor use the title of Doctor.

HONORARY DOCTORATES

2023/2024
Click here to view the inaugural Honorary Doctorate and Gold Medal gala event that took place on 30 August 2024
Click here for the UWC GREATS booklet (2023/2024)

2024 - PROFESSOR CAROLINE PAUWELS (posthumously) (click here)
2024 - DR MUN YOUNG CHOI (click here)
2024 - Professor HENK KUMMELING (click here)

2023 - Mr CHRIS HANI (posthumously) (click here)
2023 - JUSTICE DIKGANG ERNEST MOSENEKE (click here)
2023 - PROFESSOR SYDNEY ZANEMVULA ZOTWANA (click here)

2021/2022
Click here to view the inaugural Honorary Doctorate and Gold Medal gala event that took place on 30 November 2022
Click here for the UWC GREATS booklet (2021/2022)
Click here to view the tribute to the ARCHBISHOP EMERITUS DESMOND MPILO TUTU.

2022 - PROFESSOR KWESI KWAA PRAH (click here)
2022 - DR IMTIAZ SOOLIMAN (click here)

2021 - DR ALLAN AUBREY BOESAK (click here)
2021 - PROFESSOR ZOË CHARLOTTE WICOMB (click here)
2021 - WILLIAM KENTRIDGE (click here)