2011 Graduation Ceremony – FAQs
UPDATE: The University of London International Programmes 2011 London Graduation Ceremony will be held on:
Tuesday 8 March 2011 at the Barbican Centre, Central London.
Applications to attend this year’s ceremony are now open. To help with your preparations for the Graduation Ceremony, we have compiled the following list of frequently asked questions which should help guide you through the process of registering your attendance and purchasing guest tickets.
If you have any further enquiries, please contact us at uolia.corpevents@london.ac.uk.
FAQs
ATTENDING THE CEREMONY
How do I know I've had an invitation to attend the ceremony?
How do I register my attendance?
How do I book tickets for my guests?
What if I want to bring more than two guests?
How much does it cost to attend the ceremony?
Can I pay for my tickets in person?
How can I get a visa to come to London for the ceremony?
Can I pay for my tickets after I have got a visa?
My visa has been rejected. Can I get extra support from the University of London to re-apply?
Is there a Graduation Dinner in the evening?
Can you recommend where I stay in London?
I sat my examinations in October/ November this year, can I book a place before
I receive my examination results?
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
Will I be given instructions for the day?
What time should I arrive?
How do I get to the Barbican?
Where do I go when I arrive at the Barbican?
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 presentation at the Graduation Ceremony?
Will I be able to take photos during the ceremony?
Should I book my photography session prior to attending the ceremony?
ATTENDING THE CEREMONY
How do I know I’ve had an invitation to attend the ceremony?
If you have recently graduated with the University of London International Programmes
and received your exam results in August 2010, you should have received an invitation to attend
the 2011 graduation ceremony with your results.
You should have also received an email invitation providing guidance on how to access the online application and payments system to order your ticket. You are required to have a ticket to attend the event.
If you have recently received your exam results and have not had an invitation to attend the ceremony, please contact us at uolia.corpevents@london.ac.uk. Similarly, if you have graduated in previous years and are interested in attending the ceremony you will need to contact us in order to receive the application guidance notes.
How do I register my attendance?
This year all graduates will be required to book their places for the graduation ceremony online.
All those qualifying to attend will be sent an email invitation to make this booking for themselves
and their guests. If you have recently received your exam results and have not had an email invitation
to attend the ceremony, please contact us at uolia.corpevents@london.ac.uk .
We will then provide you with guidance on how to access the online application system.
When you arrive at the home page, please ensure you click on the University of London International Programmes logo to register your attendance and indicate which ceremony - AM or PM - you would like to purchase tickets for. Enter your date of birth and verifiable email address into the required fields in order to register your attendance. Through this process you can also request a visa support letter from us to help you with your travel arrangements. Once you have completed this process and made the appropriate payment, you will then receive email confirmation of your booking. Please print out this e-ticket and bring it with you to London on 8 March 2011 where you will be able to exchange it for your seat tickets.
How do I book tickets for my guests?
You will only be able to purchase guest tickets if you register your attendance as a graduate.
Once you have registered your attendance, using the process above, you can add two guaranteed guest
tickets to your shopping basket.
What if I want to bring more than two guests?
Each graduate is eligible to purchase 2 guaranteed guest tickets and as many additional
tickets as they wish, depending on availability. However, there are a restricted number of additional
tickets which will be sold on a first come first served basis. It is recommended that if you require
more than 2 guest tickets, you should purchase your tickets as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
How much does it cost to attend the ceremony?
Each guest ticket for the graduation ceremony costs £45 and tickets for the evening
dinner reception cost £60 each. Graduate tickets are free.
Can I pay for my tickets in person?
You are required to book your tickets online to attend the ceremony. The only payments
we will accept in person are for any spare additional tickets on the day.
How can I get a visa to come to London for the ceremony?
It is your responsibility to apply for a visa in ample time ahead of the ceremony on 8
March 2011. However, during the registration process on our online application and payments system,
you are required to state whether you or any of your guests require a visa support letter.
If you and/or your guests require a letter then we will email it to the graduate email address
provided. Our main point of contact for all correspondence will be the graduate.
It is also your responsibility to respond to us as soon as you are notified as to whether your
visa has been granted or rejected.
Can I pay for my tickets after I have got a visa?
You are required to pay for your guest tickets before we send a visa support letter, however if
you provide us with confirmation that your visa has been rejected then we will refund the ticket.
This will be subject to a £10.00 administration charge per ticket.
My visa has been rejected. Can I get extra support from
the University of London to re-apply?
We can provide a letter of support to assist you in your visa application. If the office issuing
the visa have any further questions and contact us directly we will respond. However, we cannot provide
any further support.
If your visa has been rejected and you will not be attending the graduation ceremony please email uolia.corpevents@london.ac.uk to
let us know.
Is there a Graduation Dinner in the evening?
Yes, we will hold an evening dinner reception at Hotel
Russell [opens new window/tab].Tickets for graduates and guests can
be purchased on the online payments system alongside tickets for the 2011 London Graduation Ceremony.
These tickets are available on a first come, first served basis.
Can you recommend where I stay in London?
It is your responsibility to book your own accommodation for the duration of your stay. However,
you may wish to consider booking close to Russell Square, where the University is based or near
the Barbican where the ceremony is being held. Both locations are close by.
I sat my examinations in October/November this year, can I book
a place before I receive my examination results?
Although the bulk of our examination results have been sent out, results for examinations
taken during the October/November session will be sent out at the end of the year. As soon
as these are sent, all graduates will be invited by email to register their attendance at the London
Graduation Ceremony as well as book tickets for their guests.
GOWN HIRE
How do I hire my gown?
The University of London International Programmes uses Ede and Ravenscroft for all our academic
gowns. Please visit their website [external
link] to hire your gown. It is recommended you book this as soon as possible and AT LEAST
3 weeks before the event to guarantee your academic attire is at the Barbican. Please view the
step by step guidance [PDF:
1pg, 129KB] on how to
order your gown.
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 all final
instructions for the day are included in the booking confirmation email.
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 Graduation Ceremony.
ON THE DAY
Will I be given instructions for the day?
Yes, we will provide all our graduates with instructions for the day through our online
ticketing system. Instructions will be part of your ticket – please remember to bring this
with you on the day. An outline of the day will be available on our website.
You must gown first, and then proceed to have your photograph taken before making your way to the auditorium. Please allow ample time to do this. There will be up to 4,000 people celebrating your success throughout the course of the day and the Barbican will be very busy during the day. It is important that you carefully follow the instructions given to ensure that everyone attending the Graduation Ceremony has a pleasant day.
What time should I arrive?
We recommend that graduates for the morning ceremony arrive at the Barbican at 8.30am for registration
and to allow ample time for gowning and photography before being seated by approximately 10.30am.
Similarly, we recommend that graduates for the afternoon ceremony arrive at 1.00pm.
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. Make sure that you have your e-ticket confirmation which
will be exchanged for your seat tickets. Please ensure that you gown first, go straight to photography
and then be seated for the ceremony.
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 10.45am for the morning
ceremony, or 2.45pm for the afternoon ceremony. 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?
Each ceremony will last about 1 ½ hours, depending on the final number of graduates being
presented. Each 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.
Should I book my photography session prior to attending the ceremony?
Yes, it is advisable that you do book before attending the graduation ceremony. This will help
us to make appropriate arrangements to ensure that your day is a memorable one.
Note: After graduation, you qualify to become a member of our Alumni Association, for further details see the Alumni area of our website.