Graduation

Graduation assessment will be conducted when students are about to reach the expected graduation date. The process is as follows:

Students Graduating in 2024-25 and onwards

Collection of Award Certificates for Graduates of Postgraduate Programmes (Degree Conferment Date on 31 March 2026) - Book and schedule an appointment in advance
(The award certificates with the date of 31 March 2026 will be available for collection from 13 April 2026. Graduates can share their e-Certificates via the e-Certification System with third parties from 9 April 2026.)
 

1. Delivery by Speedpost

The graduate certificate of the University is a unique document. No duplicate copy will be issued. A graduate shall only be in possession of ONE valid copy of the certificate. Graduates must ensure that they have not previously collected their graduate certificate before applying. If the certificate has already been collected, no further certificate can be issued, and the application will be rejected. The application fee, once paid, is non refundable, regardless of whether the application is successful or not.

For graduates who are eligible to receive their certificate, they are encouraged to use an online application system at MyCUHK to request for the delivery of the graduate certificates by Speedpost. Certificates will be dispatched approximately one month after the degree conferment date. 

The normal processing time is 5-7 working days upon receipt of the application and payment. During peak season, the processing time may take up to 10 working days

Graduates should read the Notes for Applicants before submitting the application. The delivery fee, once paid, is non-refundable and non-transferrable. The delivery fee is as follows. 

To apply, log in to System Login using your Alumni ID. For Alumni ID retrieval, visit the Alumni Affairs Office website: https://www.alumni.cuhk.edu.hk/MyCUHK/RetrieveAlumniID_ResetPassword.html).

Graduates should check the Hong Kong Post website for updates on postal services, including available services for local/overseas destinations and any service suspensions (https://www.hongkongpost.hk/en/about_us/whats_new/notices/index.html). Estimated delivery times are also available.

2. Delivery by Other Courier Services

If graduates wish to use courier services at their own cost other than our designated Speedpost of the HongKong Post, they are required to complete the Application Form for Dispatch of Graduate Certificate by Courier of My Choice and email the completed form with their Application Number, Full Name with the subject “Graduate Certificate Delivery by Other Courier Services” to gradschool@cuhk.edu.hk. 

Note: During peak season, priority will be given to Speedpost service.

3. Collect in Person

Graduate certificates are available for collection at our service counter. 

Graduates should present their original HKID card to the staff. If they have lost the HKID card or do not have one, they should present the original copy of their passport.  The name and date of birth printed thereon must be the same as their registration record at CUHK. 

Graduate School Office, 7/F, Yasumoto International Academic Park 
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (location map)

For office hours, visit Contact Us

For the latest GSO counter service information, check Announcements.
 

4. Collect by an Authorized Person

Graduates may authorize a person to collect the graduate certificates on their behalf. Please provide the following documents:

• A printout of the completed “Authorization Form for Collection of Graduate Certificate”;
• A photocopy of the graduate’s HKID/passport; and
• The original copy of the HKID card/passport of the authorized person for verification purposes. The authorized person’s identification details should match with that on the “Authorization Form for Collection of Graduate Certificate”.

The authorized person will be required to sign and acknowledge receipt of the graduate certificate on behalf of the graduate.

For office hours, visit Contact Us

For the latest GSO counter service information, check Announcements.

With effect from the academic year 2021-22, degree conferment will be decoupled from the Congregation/Graduation ceremonies in November/December.  There will be three specified dates for conferment of Master’s and doctoral degrees awarded by the University in a calendar year, namely 31 March, 31 July, and 15 October. For details of the Degree Congregations/ Ceremonies, students may refer to the Congregation website.

As per Clauses 15.3 and 15.4 of the General Regulations Governing Postgraduate Studies: 

"The Graduate Certificate shall be issued to a student after s/he has been conferred a degree by the University. Graduate Certificates for graduates with outstanding debts to the University will be withheld until the accounts are settled.  Graduate Certificates for graduates of Postgraduate Diploma/Certificate programmes with outstanding debts to the University will be withheld until the accounts are settled.” 

Graduates with any outstanding items (e.g., unreturned library materials, late payment penalties) should promptly settle these with the relevant university offices to avoid delays in receiving their certificates.

The award certificate is an important document. Please keep it in a safe place after collection.  Any award certificates uncollected for SEVEN years from the award year will be destroyed without further notification. 

Collection of Uncollected Award Certificates (Hardcopy)

Starting from 2025, the University will arrange to dispose uncollected certificates seven years after the degrees are awarded. The seven-year retention period will also apply to the award years from 2018 -2023.  

For the award year 2017 and before, a one-time exercise has been arranged for uncollected award certificates for graduates of postgraduate programmes:

For FAQs on Conferment Dates, please refer to here.  

1. Is it required for graduating students to apply for graduation?

No, students do not have to apply for graduation. When students are about to reach the expected graduation date and after the grade for all courses taken have been released, the Graduate School will conduct graduation assessment for the students. If the student fulfills all graduation requirements of the programme (including course work, etc.), he/she will be recommended for graduation. If a student wishes to be considered for graduation before the normative study end date, he/she should apply for shortening of normative study period. The application form can be downloaded at Useful Forms (Login Required).
 

2. After completion of study, is it necessary to apply for a certifying letter and/or transcript?

Starting from May 2025, a complimentary set of a certifying letter and a full transcript will be made available to students via an online system at https://www.gradsch.cuhk.edu.hk/pggraduate/main.aspx. You may log in to the system directly to download the documents when available. 

You will receive a notification at your CUHK @Link Email once your documents become available.  To ensure that you continue receiving emails after graduation, please opt in to retain your @Link email account before it expires.   For details, visit the ITSC website https://www.itsc.cuhk.edu.hk/all-it/email-messaging-and-collaboration/link-email/. 

During the download process, a one-time password will be sent to your personal email.  Please make sure your personal email address is up to date in CUSIS via the MyCUHK portal. 

Note: The complimentary documents will be available for download for approximately six months only. After this period, graduates may request additional copies of transcripts and certifying letters through the Request Official Documents system.  A fee will apply for such requests. 

3. Is it possible to expedite the graduation process or obtain proof of graduation earlier?

The Graduate School will process the graduation assessment and issue the proof of graduation to students as soon as the approval of the Senate has been sought. The procedure of requesting official documents can be found in Q&A 4 immediately below.

4. How long does it take to receive the complimentary set of certifying letter and full transcript?

The complimentary set is typically released via the online system approximately two months after students have fulfilled all graduation requirements. This includes the release of grades for all coursework and/or the submission of the final thesis, as well as the formal approval of the academic award by the Senate. 

To prevent any delay or delivery errors, please make sure that your contact information address in CUSIS is up to date and update it in MyCUHK portal if there are any changes of your contact information.

If graduands require the certifying letter and/or transcript earlier, they may apply through the “Request Official Documents” system.  A fee will apply for such requests.

The certifying letter will indicate whether Senate has approved the academic award and state either that i) the award certificate will be issued on the University's prescribed date, or ii) the award certificate was issued on the prescribed date. Please note that Senate approval will not be reflected in the letter unless and until it has been officially granted.  

For more information on the graduation assessment workflow, visit Graduation.

 

5. How will the complimentary set of certifying letter and transcript be issued?

Please refer to FAQ 2 above.  

6. The Immigration Department requires a certifying letter from CUHK as supporting documents for application of IANG (Immigration Arrangement for Non-local Graduates) entry permit. Is it possible to obtain a certifying letter before receiving the complimentary copy?

Students may apply for a certifying letter to apply for IANG after the recommendation for graduation is endorsed by the Graduate Division. Students may wish to check with Graduate Division on the progress of graduation assessment before applying for the certifying letter.

7. What will happen if I am unable to fulfill all graduation requirements by the expected graduation date?

All students are expected to fulfill a set of graduation requirements as prescribed by their Programme by the end of their normative study period, unless an extension has been granted. For details of the graduation requirements, students should refer to the Course List, Course Descriptions and Study Scheme of their own programmes in the Postgraduate Student Handbook.

Students who have not fulfilled the graduation requirements by the end of the normative study period or the expected graduation date (whichever occurs later) are required to submit an application for an extension of the study period to the Graduate School for consideration. Nonetheless, a student must complete the graduation requirements within the maximum study period, which shall include any periods of leave of absence and any suspension of studies. A student who has not completed all requirements for graduation within the maximum study period shall be discontinued from studies at the University.

8. When will the graduate certificate be issued and how will I receive it?

Award certificates and e-certificates will only be available after the respective degree conferment dates. The University has made arrangements to advance the collection of graduation certificates.  For certificates dated 31 March, 31 July, and 15 October, students may collect their hardcopy award certificates in person from the Graduate School starting six working days after the respective certificate date. For certificates dated 15 November, collection will begin on the earliest available working day. Electronic certificates will normally be available in the e-Certification System two working days before the hardcopy certificates are ready for collection, but not earlier than the certificate date.  An email detailing certificate collection arrangements will be sent to respective graduates, and the announcement will also be posted on the GSO's website under Announcements.

9. How can I collect the graduate certificate if I'm unable to do so personally?

You may delegate an authorized person to collect the certificate. Please provide the following documents:

1. A printout of the completed “Authorization Form for Collection of Graduate Certificate”;
2. A photocopy of the graduate’s HKID/passport; and
3. The original copy of the HKID card/passport of the authorized person for verification purposes. The authorized person’s identification details should match with that on the “Authorization Form for Collection of Graduate Certificate”.

The authorized person will be required to sign and acknowledge receipt of the graduate certificate on behalf of the graduate.

Office Hours: Contact Us
 

10. How do I obtain my Alumni ID to access MyCUHK?

Application procedure for @Link Alumni Email and OneDrive Cloud Storage Services:
https://alumni.cuhk.edu.hk/en/campus-facilities-and-services.html

11. Can I choose to collect my award certificate later?

Any uncollected award certificates will be securely disposed of after the retention period, which is seven years from the award year. For the award year 2017 and before, a one-time exercise has been arranged for uncollected award certificates for graduates of postgraduate programmes, please click here for details. Collection arrangements are detailed in section B of this webpage.

FAQ
https://alumni.cuhk.edu.hk/frequently-asked-questions.html (Chinese only)

Tutorial video on logging in to MyCUHK
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziTkElgAoaA

For FAQs on Conferment Dates, please refer to here.