FAQ on Congregation arrangements (for newly admitted students)

1.  What is the Congregation? 

Congregation is held by the University to officially confer degrees on students who are eligible for graduation.   

2.  Is the Congregation organized by the University or by Faculties? 

Since 2014, degrees have been conferred on graduands at ceremonies held by Faculties.  

3.  When is the Congregation held? 

Since 2022, two Congregations have been held each year: Summer Congregation in July and Winter Congregation in December.   

4.  Can I choose which Congregation to attend? 

No.  Graduands are assigned to the Congregation nearest to the completion date of their studies for conferral of degrees.   

5.  Where is the Congregation held? 

The Faculty-based Congregation sessions will take place in the Grand Hall of the University.  To cater to graduands with a genuine need for early issuance of their graduation certificate (i.e. before the in-person Congregation takes palce) for the purpose of employment or further studies, virtual formats of the Summer and Winter Congregations will normally be held before the in-person Congregations.   

6.  Can I attend both in-person and virtual format of the Congregation? 

No.  Graduands can choose to participate in the in-person format or the virtual format of the Congregation; they cannot attend both. 

7.  What is the difference between the in-person and the virtual format of the Congregation? 

At the in-person format Congregation, graduands will be able to proceed onto the stage to have their degrees conferred on them while for the virtual format Congregation, a pre-recorded video will be broadcasted at the designated time and graduands are presented en bloc for conferral of their degrees.   

Graduands with a genuine need for early issuance of their graduation certificate (i.e. before the in-person Congregation takes place) for the purpose of employment or further studies should choose the virtual format. 

8.  What will happen if I cannot attend the Congregation in person?  

Candidates who are not able to attend the in-person format Congregation or do not choose to participate in the virtual format Congregation will have their degrees conferred in absentia at the inperson format Congregation. 

9.  When will the graduation certificates be available for collection? 

The graduation certificates will be available for collection after the Congregation.   Graduates can choose to collect the certificates in person or to have them sent by mail.   

10.  Can I apply to collect the graduation certificate before the Congregation?  

No.  As stipulated in the University Statutes, which form part of Hong Kong law, graduation certificates will be issued to graduates after the degrees are formally conferred at a Congregation.   

11.  What should I do if I require proof of graduation before the graduation certificate is available?   

Graduands can apply for Certificate of Graduation, transcript, or testimonial as proof of their graduation status.   

12.  I am a Mainland student and I need to obtain the graduation certificate to apply for certification by the Chinese Service Centre for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE) for the purpose of employment or further studies in the Mainland.  What should I do?   

Mainland students can visit the CSCSE website for the interim arrangement:  

https://zwfw.cscse.edu.cn/cscse/lxfwzxwsfwdt2020/xlxwrz32/tzgg61/534349/index.html 

(Note: This FAQ is intended for newly admitted students.  Students who have completed their studies will receive notification from their Faculties and the Communications and Public Affairs Office about detailed Congregation arrangements.)  

August 23, 2024