MAY 2026 GRADUATION: UPDATED GUIDELINES

 

Dear Graduand,

Congratulations on successfully fulfilling the academic requirements for your qualification.

In recognition of this important milestone and its significance for your future academic and professional journey, Walter Sisulu University is pleased to host the forthcoming in-person graduation ceremony for you and your family.

Walter Sisulu Executive Management has approved the arrangement that graduands must graduate at the campuses where they studied and completed their qualifications during the 2025 academic year. As a result, there will be changes to the dates, times, and campuses applicable to certain qualifications.

New individual graduation invitation letters, containing the updated details, will be generated and sent to each graduand via their Walter Sisulu email address. Kindly note that the newly issued invitation letter will supersede the previous invitation letter.

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Confirmation of Graduation Status

Graduands are requested to confirm their graduation status on the Walter Sisulu Student Portal using their student number and PIN.

Verification of Personal Details

Certification details are generated automatically from the information provided during the initial online application for admission to Walter Sisulu University. You are therefore requested to verify that your full names correspond exactly with those reflected on your Identity Document.

Should any discrepancy be identified, you are advised to contact the Administration Office on your campus without delay, and no later than 24 April 2026, to make the necessary corrections.

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GRADUATION CEREMONY DETAILS

Walter Sisulu University will confer all degrees, diplomas, and certificates at the respective campuses on the following dates and venues:

Mthatha (NMD – Great Hall)

• Monday, 04 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Economics and Financial Sciences
  • 13:00 – Faculty of Natural Sciences; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
• Tuesday, 05 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Education
  • 13:00 – Faculty of Education
• Wednesday, 06 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences

Komani (Masibulele – Great Hall)

• Thursday, 07 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Education
  • 12:00 – Faculty of Education
  • 15:00 – Faculty of Education
• Friday, 08 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences

Buffalo City Campus (BCC, Potsdam – Great Hall)

• Monday, 11 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
  • 12:00 – Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology; Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences
  • 15:00 – Faculty of Law, Humanities and Social Sciences; Faculty of Natural Sciences

Butterworth (Great Hall)

• Wednesday, 13 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences
  • 13:00 – Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences
• Thursday, 14 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences
  • 13:00 – Faculty of Management and Public Administration Sciences; Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology
• Friday, 15 May 2026
  • 08:00 – Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Graduation Programme

Faculty and qualification-specific schedules are available on page 6 of this communication and on the University website. The official graduation programme, listing all graduands by faculty and by session, will also be published on the University website.

Individualised invitation letters will be sent directly to each graduand’s registered email address.

Guest Access

Each graduand is permitted to invite a maximum of two guests. Additional family members or guests will not be allowed access to the campus. However, they will be able to view the ceremony online from their homes.

E-Tickets

The University will issue electronic tickets for admission to the ceremony. Your access e-ticket, together with those of your two guests, will be available for download from a link provided on the graduation webpage from 27 April 2026.

Academic Dress

All graduands are required to wear the appropriate academic dress, comprising a gown, hood, and mortarboard, relevant to their qualification. The order form, provided by the University’s officially appointed service provider, House of Graduates, is available on the University website.

Financial Clearance

Please note that your degree, diploma, or certificate will be released only once all outstanding financial obligations to the University have been settled.

For account-related inquiries, please contact:

• Mthatha: studentdebtorsmth@wsu.ac.za
• Butterworth: studentdebtorsbtw@wsu.ac.za
• Komani: studentdebtorskom@wsu.ac.za
• Buffalo City Campus: studentdebtorsbcc@wsu.ac.za

Special Needs

Graduands with specific physical requirements or accessibility needs are requested to inform the Examinations Department in advance so that the necessary arrangements may be made.

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ADDITIONAL NOTES

• No refreshments will be provided at the ceremony.
• Academic records will remain accessible online via the Student Portal using your student number and PIN.
• Graduands are encouraged to complete the graduation survey in order to provide feedback on their academic and student experience.

Graduate Destination Survey May 2026 – Fill out form

For further information regarding the graduation ceremonies, please visit the Walter Sisulu University website.

Walter Sisulu University looks forward to celebrating this important achievement with you.