Graduation frequently asked questions

You will receive an email invitation by the end of February 2024. Those with retrievals will be invited at a later date once they have their grades confirmed. The email will provide details on how to register for the ceremony and book guest tickets, photography and gowns via Ede & Ravenscroft’s graduation services. Please ensure you have your Student ID number as it will ask for this. 

All graduand tickets are free of charge and include a complimentary programme. Guest tickets are £25 each. All tickets include a complimentary glass of prosecco or soft drink. 

Each graduand is allocated two guest tickets. Any unsold guest tickets will be available to purchase in a secondary release of tickets. These tickets will be allocated on a first come first served basis and you will be notified by email when these become available.

The deadline to register and purchase tickets and gowns is Thursday 25 April 2024. If you are undecided about whether to come, it is better to register and withdraw at a later stage if necessary. Refunds for gowns, photography and guest tickets will be available until 2 May 2024. After this deadline, any refund request will have to be emailed to Ede & Ravenscroft customer service for processing post-ceremony.

No, each ceremony has a set list of courses for those graduating. You can find those on our Graduation page.

Yes, the graduation ceremonies will be live-streamed online. You can view it online on our Graduation Live Stream page.

Depending on the expiry date of your Tier 4/Student visa and the date of graduation, you may need to apply for a standard visitor visa from outside of the UK. Check if you need to apply for a visitor’s visa to come to the UK and see the list of documents needed when applying for a standard visitor visa to the UK. 

We will only issue a letter of invitation to support your visa application if you have completed your degree and have booked to attend the graduation ceremony. To request a letter of invitation,  please contact us.

There are several ways you can travel to The Southbank Centre. It is within walking distance to public transport links including the tube, train and bus.

Ceremonies take place in a large theatre space with a stage. Along with your fellow graduands, you will be invited up on stage to receive your scroll from our university academics. The running order can be found in the printed programme you will receive on arrival. 

The ceremony lasts approximately 1.5 hours and is followed by a drink reception. We recommend arriving up to 2 hours prior to the ceremony to allow for time to collect your gown and take photographs.

The sale of guest tickets online will close on 25 April 2024. However, more guest tickets will be available to buy on the day of Graduation at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. They will be at the same price as the online sale, £25 per guest ticket and will also include a complimentary glass of prosecco or soft drink. No cash or contactless payments (including smartphones and smartwatches) will be accepted, please make sure to bring your debit or credit card.

No, and it will not be printed in the programme. The only exception will be for those graduands receiving firsts or distinctions.

Graduands and their guests will be seated separately. Graduands will be seated together and, upon registering at the venue, will be given a ticket with a seat number. Guests are free to choose where they sit within the rear stalls.

If you have any accessibility requirements and would like an accessible seat, please contact us.

Yes, but it is an official formal ceremony that lasts over an hour so we do not recommend bringing babies or small children. 

Children under 14 must be seated and accompanied by an adult. There are no crèche facilities available at the venue and children of graduands must sit with guests instead of the graduand.

If you would like an aisle seat to have the option to easily exit the ceremony during its proceedings please contact us.

• Booking confirmation & ID - You will need to bring your booking confirmation email with QR code as well as a valid photographic ID e.g. passport or driving license. 

• Gown and photography booking reference number – Print or download Ede & Ravenscroft booking reference number which you will have received in a booking confirmation email. 

• Safety pins & hair clips – We recommend bringing a safety pin to help fasten your gown to your clothing. You may also wish to bring some hair clips to ensure your hat fits well.  

When you register to attend please provide details of any access requirements. Alternatively, contact us for further support. 

If you further details about the venue accessibility please visit the Southbank Centre’s website. 

You will collect your tickets, including any guest tickets, on the day of the ceremony from the Foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall. Please bring your graduation ticket confirmation email and valid photographic ID e.g. passport or driving license. Registration opens 2 hours before the ceremony starts to allow time for collecting your gown and photos. 

You will collect your gown on the day of the ceremony from the Foyer of the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre. For this, you will need to present the booking reference number to the gowning staff from Ede & Ravenscroft. Gown collection opens 2 hours prior to the ceremony to allow time to take photos. 

Professional photography by Ede & Ravenscroft is available at the Queen Elizabeth Hall on the ceremony day. We highly recommend that you book and pay for your photography in advance to reduce wait times. You can get your photos taken before the ceremony from when registration opens 2 hours before the ceremony starts. If for whatever reason you did not have the chance to take your graduation photographs before the ceremony you can get them done after but there may be a larger queue. 

If you arrive late we cannot guarantee that you will be able to go up on stage with the other graduands from your course to receive your degree. Instead, we will try and slot you into the running order so that you will still get a chance to go up on stage.

You will be sent a link from Ede & Ravenscroft via email between 24 & 48 hours after your event. This link will take you to their photography ordering portal where you can select the image for each product you have ordered. If you have not received an email with a link within 72 hours of your event taking place please fill out the contact form below.

Photography products will be delivered within six weeks after the ceremony at which they were taken or 4 weeks after they were ordered, whichever is the later. For full terms and conditions visit the supplier website for Ede & Ravenscroft.

If you choose not to attend your graduation ceremony, your official degree certificate will be sent to your permanent postal address. If your permanent postal address has changed or is likely to change you must email Registry with your new address.