Students were advised via an automated email that some final year students will not be able to graduate until April 2016 instead of the usual ceremonies held in December for November completions.

Instead they will receive their certificate in the mail in January.

According to the message, this year's December graduation will only be open to Engineering, Business and Information Sciences students.

The move generated criticism that the UOW was "playing favourites" with some faculties at the expense of others.

"Once again arts takes a backseat to other more 'important' degrees," said Liv Funnell in a facebook post.

One UOW staffer, who declined to be named, said graduation split students into a "two-tiered" system.

"It's saying to one group of students you are more valuable and to other students that they're substandard, to study for four years and then to be told you can't graduate at the end is a kick in the teeth," they said.

Nursing and education students say they will be particularly affected as job opportunities for graduates open in December and January, months ahead of the proposed April graduation.

"I don't understand why business students are being prioritised, businesses hire all the time," said the staff member.

In a press release UOW said faculties were given earlier graduation based on "numeric modelling which took into account the number of ceremonies available, the expected number of graduates and historic attendance trends by students and guests from each faculty."

Final year education student Kelly Duroy was particularly upset at the changes.

"I'm moving overseas to work in London so I physically can't be there, our whole cohort spent four to five years studying together and now we've had our graduation experience taken away," she said

"It delays us going out and finding full time jobs, we can't provide paperwork to the department of education.

"We have to wait five months and it's degrading to our degree because we put in as much work as anyone else."

Ms Duroy contacted the UOW to explain her situation but was not granted an exemption despite a UOW media release saying it would consider requests on a case by case basis.

"They said they made the decision at the start of the year.

"But the dates were printed in the university diary so everyone made plans, my parents took work off and other people's parents have booked flights," she said

"They've taken away a right of passage, we all want to wear the gown, throw the cap and get a picture with mum and dad."

Ms Duroy started an online petition which attracted close to 700 signatures with international students commenting online that they were particularly put out by the date change.

"There might even be international students going back home as well due to their student visa expiring after their degree is over ..."