2010 Graduation Ceremony – FAQs
UPDATE: Applications to attend the 2010 Graduation Ceremony in London are now closed.
An Acknowledgement Pack providing details about the ceremony has now been sent to all graduates who registered their attendance before this deadline.
If you submitted your application to attend the ceremony by 5 February and have not received an Acknowledgement Pack, please email the Ceremonies Office at ceremonies@london.co.uk with the subject line ‘Not received: Acknowledgement Pack’. This will enable us to process your email as quickly as possible.
We look forward to seeing you at the Graduation Ceremony on Monday 15 March 2010 at the Barbican Centre.
To help with your preparation for the Graduation Ceremony we have compiled the following FAQs. If you have any further questions, please email: ceremonies@london.ac.uk
FAQs
ATTENDING THE CEREMONY
When will I receive my tickets for the Graduation Ceremony?
Who is eligible to attend the ceremony?
I have not received my ceremony invitation – what do I do?
How do I reserve my place at the ceremony?
How can I get a visa to come to London for the ceremony?
I can’t pay for my guest ticket(s) yet because a visa is pending – what
should I do?
Can I get a refund of my guest ticket payment?
How much does it cost to attend the ceremony?
What if I want to bring more than three guests?
I have not sent in my form yet – am I too late to attend the ceremony?
How do I collect my ceremony tickets?
Can I pay for my tickets in person?
Do you provide accommodation to stay in London?
Can you recommend any hotels in the local area?
GOWN HIRE
How do I hire my gown?
How much does it cost to hire a gown?
Where do I collect my gown before the ceremony?
Can I wear my own gown?
ON THE DAY
What time should I arrive at the Barbican Centre?
How do I get to the Barbican?
Where do I go once I arrive?
When should my guests arrive?
Is there somewhere to eat and drink at the Barbican?
How long does the Graduation Ceremony last?
PHOTOS/ FRAMING
Can I have professional graduation photographs taken at the Barbican Centre?
Will I be able to get a frame for my photograph and my degree certificate?
Can I buy photographs of the Graduation Ceremony?
Will I be able to take photos during the ceremony?
FILMING - DVD
Will I be able to purchase a DVD of the Graduation Ceremony?
ATTENDING THE CEREMONY
When will I receive my tickets for the Graduation Ceremony?
Tickets for the 2010 Graduation Ceremony will be posted to all given UK and Republic of Ireland addresses by Friday 5 March.
If you requested for your tickets to be posted to a UK or Republic of Ireland address and they have not arrived by Wednesday 10 March, please contact the Ceremonies Office by emailing ceremonies@london.ac.uk.
Tickets will not be posted to addresses outside of the UK and Republic of Ireland.
Graduates that have requested on their application forms to collect their tickets in person will be able to do so from the Ceremonies Office at: Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London WC1B 5DN - between 9.00-5.00pm from Monday 8 March to Friday 12 March 2010.
Alternatively, graduates can collect their tickets from the University of London registration desk at the Barbican Centre on the day of the Graduation Ceremony (Monday 15 March)
All previously unclaimed tickets will be taken to the Barbican Centre for collection on the day of the Ceremony.
Please DO NOT come to Stewart House to collect your tickets on the day of the Graduation Ceremony.
Who is eligible to attend the ceremony?
Those who have successfully completed the following courses are eligible to attend the External
System Graduation Ceremony:
| Undergraduate degrees | Postgraduate degrees | Research degrees | Diplomas |
|---|---|---|---|
| BA | MA | MPhil | DipGrad |
| BD | MBA | MRes | PGDip |
| BSc | MSc | PhD | |
| BSc (Econ) | MClinDent | ||
| LLB | LLM |
I have not received my ceremony invitation – what do I do?
The ceremony invitation packs were sent with the final results notifications. If you have not yet
received yours, please email ceremonies@london.ac.uk to
be sent an electronic version of the pack.
How do I reserve my place at the ceremony?
Please fill out the application form to attend the Graduation Ceremony, which came with your invitation
pack, and return it to the Ceremonies Office as soon as possible by scan (see email address above)
or fax to +44 (0) 20 7862 8349.
How can I get a visa to come to London for the ceremony?
It is the personal responsibility of graduates and their guests to ensure that all paperwork relating
to visa applications is submitted to the relevant immigration authority to ensure they have a
valid visa to enter the UK. If you and/or your guest(s) require a visa support letter from the
University, the Ceremonies Office will be able to issue one on receipt of your ceremony application
form and a written request for a letter. We must receive your ceremony application form before
we can issue a letter to you. Due to the number of requests we receive, letters will be scanned
and sent to graduates electronically. Letters will not be sent out in hard copy format unless
it is an essential requirement by your immigration authority.
I can’t pay for my guest ticket(s) yet because a visa is pending – what should
I do?
That’s no problem; just make sure you enter on your application form, the number of guests
you would like to bring to the Graduation Ceremony. We will reserve these seats for you. Then,
whenever the visa is confirmed, you will need to email the Ceremonies Office to confirm your final
guest numbers and arrange ticket payment.
Can I get a refund of my guest ticket payment?
No, sorry, all guest tickets are non-refundable.
How much does it cost to attend the ceremony?
Graduates’ tickets are free of charge; guest tickets are £45 each. You are entitled
to purchase up to three guest tickets.
What if I want to bring more than three guests?
UPDATE: Due to demand from graduates wishing to attend the ceremony, there are no
additional guest tickets available beyond the standard allocation of up to three per graduate.
I have not sent in my form yet – am I too late to attend the ceremony?
We are still accepting applications until Friday 5th February, so please ensure that the Ceremonies
Office receives your form by then. The quickest method of submitting your form is to scan and
email it to: ceremonies@london.ac.uk
How do I collect my ceremony tickets?
Tickets will only be posted if you have given an address for the United Kingdom or the Republic
of Ireland. Otherwise you will need to select either the ‘Ceremonies Office’ or the ‘Barbican’ option
on your form to collect your ticket(s) in person.
- For collection of tickets from the Ceremonies Office in advance of the ceremony date, please come along to Stewart House, 32 Russell Square, London, WC1B 5DN between Monday 8 March and Friday 12 March 2010 between 9.00am – 5.00pm.
- For collection of tickets at the Barbican on the day of the ceremony, Monday 15 March, please go straight to the University of London registration desk. Please allow yourself time to collect your tickets prior to collecting your academic gown.
All tickets, including all unclaimed tickets prepared for collection at Stewart House prior to the ceremony, will be taken to the Barbican Centre for collection on the day. Please do not come to Stewart House to collect your tickets on the day of the Graduation Ceremony.
Further details about ticket collection times and locations will be sent by email to all graduates registered to attend the ceremony. They will also be published on this site.
Can I pay for my tickets in person?
Yes, in advance of the ceremony day at the Ceremonies Office in Russell Square (9am-5pm), or on
the day at the Barbican by cash or Sterling cheque only.
Do you provide accommodation to stay in London?
No, regrettably the University is unable to make any accommodation arrangements on behalf of graduates
and guests attending the ceremony.
Can you recommend any hotels in the local area?
London offers a wide range of hotels to choose from and the internet would be a good source of
information to help you decide what suits you best.
GOWN HIRE
How do I hire my gown?
Once the Ceremonies Office has received your ceremony application form, an acknowledgement pack
containing details about our gown suppliers, Ede & Ravenscroft, will be emailed to you. Acknowledgement
packs will be emailed from late January onwards to all graduates who have registered to attend
the ceremony.
How much does it cost to hire a gown?
To hire your graduation gown, hood and mortar board for the day will cost in the region of £40,
depending on which degree you are being presented for. The exact price for your particular robes
will be confirmed once you come to place your order with Ede & Ravenscroft. You are also welcome
to purchase your outfit outright if you wish to keep it.
Where do I collect my gown before the ceremony?
You collect your gown at the Barbican Centre on the day of the ceremony – the exact room
location will be given in a set of final instructions which will be emailed to those registered
to attend.
Can I wear my own gown?
No, it must be an official University of London gown representing the degree for which you are
being presented at the Ceremony.
ON THE DAY
What time should I arrive at the Barbican Centre?
We recommend you allow a minimum of three hours before the ceremony start time. Tickets will be
available for collection from 10.00am. The Barbican is a large venue and all graduates will be
required to register their arrival and collect gown orders at the venue. You may also want to
check belongings into the cloakroom, and there is also the opportunity to have studio photographs
taken by Ede & Ravenscroft before the ceremony as well as order your copy of the Graduation
Ceremony DVD.
How do I get to the Barbican?
There are excellent public transport links to the Barbican Centre - download a Tube
map [PDF: 2pgs, 200KB]. Barbican maps will be sent by email as part of the ceremony acknowledgement
pack to all graduates registered to attend the event. It is advisable to travel by public transport,
however, there are two public car parks nearby subject to limited availability. You may like
to check the Barbican website [external
link] prior to arrival.
Where do I go once I arrive?
Please make your way to the University of London registration desk on Level -1 (Minus 1), which
is on the same level as the cloakroom.
When should my guests arrive?
Ideally we recommend that guests and graduates arrive at the same time, but if this is not possible
guests must ensure they arrive before the guests’ seating time of 2.15pm. Please note it
may not be possible to accommodate late arrivals.
Is there somewhere to eat and drink at the Barbican?
Yes, the Barbican has several cafes, restaurants and kiosks across different floor levels; venue
floor plans will be clearly visible on the day.
How long does the Graduation Ceremony last?
About two hours, depending on the final number of graduates being presented. The ceremony is then
followed by a reception where you will have an opportunity to meet with other graduates from
around the world and academics of the University of London.
PHOTOS/ FRAMING
Can I have professional graduation photographs taken at the Barbican Centre?
Yes, Ede & Ravenscroft are the official photographers on the day. They will have photography
studios set up at the Barbican to enable graduates and their guests to be photographed before and/or
after the ceremony. However, where possible we recommend that graduates and their guests take advantage
of the photography session immediately after gowning for the ceremony. You will be able to book
your photography session online with Ede
and Ravenscroft [external link] prior to the ceremony.
Will I be able to get a frame for my photograph and my degree certificate?
Ede & Ravenscroft offer a range of frames for sale for both certificates and photographs.
Please check their website for further
details [external link].
Can I buy photographs of the Graduation Ceremony?
Yes, you can order prints from Ede & Ravenscroft, and they will have a Sales Desk at the Barbican
on the day.
Will I be able to take photos during the ceremony?
All photography is prohibited during the ceremony itself, however, you will be able to take as
many photographs as you like before and after the ceremony.
FILMING - DVD
Will I be able to purchase a DVD of the Graduation Ceremony?
Yes, we will be filming the Graduation Ceremony to capture your special day and you will be able
to buy a copy of the DVD. Further details will be made available on how to order your copy.
Note: After graduation, you qualify to become a member of our Alumni Association, for further details see the Alumni area of our website.