Frequently asked questions
What is the date and time of my ceremony?
This winter there will be 7 ceremonies taking place between 13 and 17 December 2011. A full schedule of ceremonies is available here.
Which ceremony do I attend if I am a Joint Honours Student?
Joint Honours students should attend the ceremony for their home school or the school that administers their course.
When can I apply for graduation?
For winter ceremonies students will be contacted in mid September about how they can register to graduate. Students will be contact by email. It is your responsibility to keep the University informed of your current contact details. You should do this through the Portal - please do not send address changes to the graduation team.
What should I do if I do not receive a graduation information?
Please contact the
graduation team if you have not been contacted regarding graduation.
Should I wait for confirmation that I have passed before returning my graduation form?
No! You must complete the application process by the published deadline- we cannot guarantee attendance at the ceremony for students, or tickets for guests, if the form is received after the deadline. Do not wait for confirmation that you have successfully completed your studies. If, subsequently, you do not pass your course, a full refund will be made for any tickets purchased.
What do I do if I can't / don't want to attend the ceremony?
You should complete the application even if you do not wish to attend the ceremony (ie graduating
in absentia ) so that we know where to send your certificate. If you do not complete the application but your name appears on a passlist, your award will automatically conferred
in absentia - you will not be eligible to attend any subsequent ceremony and will need to contact the
Student Administration Office directly to make arrangements to collect your certificate.
What do I need to do if I wish to defer graduating?
You are expected to graduate at the ceremony following the successful completion of your course. In exceptional circumstances, you may be permitted to defer your graduation until a later date. If you wish to do so you must write to the appropriate
Head of Student Administration explaining the reasons for your request and attaching supporting documentation by the published deadline. Requests to defer received after this date will not be considered. If your request is approved you will be given written permission. If you defer to a later ceremony, you will not receive your certificate until after the ceremony has taken place.
What happens if I have submitted an appeal?
You should complete the graduation application by the deadline. If your appeal has not been resolved before the graduation, you can apply for a refund for any guest tickets purchased by completing a refund request form and you will graduate at the next set of ceremonies. If you do not return a form and your appeal is resolved in time for the forthcoming ceremonies we may be unable to guarantee that you can attend or that there will be guest tickets available.
Can I bring family / friends to the ceremony?
Yes, however the number of seats in the Hall is limited by fire certificate regulations. So that everyone has the same opportunity to bring friends and family with them, guest tickets are restricted initially to a maximum of two per student. If you do not complete the application by the deadline we cannot guarantee you any guest tickets. The charge is £20 per ticket and this includes a guest seat at the ceremony, a commemorative programme, free visitor parking and pre- and post-ceremony refreshments. Please do not request more than two guest tickets or send additional payment as we do not operate a 'waiting list' system.
I am a student, do I need to buy a ticket for the ceremony?
No. Students do not pay for their tickets, which are issued at registration on the day of the ceremony.
When will I receive my guest tickets?
Guest and student tickets will be available to collect on the day of the ceremony. You will be sent email confimation of attendance and the number of tickets you have purchased in December. This will include joining instructions and ticket collection information. Please keep the graduation team informed of any change to the contact address you provided on your graduation application.
Can I get more than two guest tickets?
Initially each graduand can purchase up to two guest tickets. There is no guarantee that there will be spare tickets. However if extra tickets are available, information about how to apply for them will be available after the application deadline. Guests will not be allowed entry without a ticket. Therefore please do not make travel/accommodation arrangements for guests until you know that you have tickets for them. Where spare tickets are available they will be sold in November.
What about bringing children to the ceremony?
Experience shows that children become bored and restless during ceremonies although we appreciate it is not always possible to make alternative childcare arrangements. However, every person who attends the ceremony must have a guest ticket to enter the Hall, however young. You may apply for up to two complimentary tickets for children under the age of 2 - children with these tickets must sit on an adult's lap, not in a seat. Children aged 2 and over must have a full-price guest ticket. It may be possible to book a place at one of the University's childcare schemes for the half day of the ceremony (there is a charge). However, there is no guarantee that places will be available and they cannot be booked until a few weeks before the ceremony. Please contact the graduation team for more details.
Can I get a refund for guest tickets?
Tickets are normally non-refundable. However, if your name does not appear on a pass list a refund will be made automatically and you need do nothing further. Tickets cannot be used at the next set of ceremonies and payment cannot be carried over to subsequent ceremonies.
If you are unable to attend the ceremony because of exceptional circumstances and return a completed Refund Request Form by the published deadline, a refund may also be arranged. Requests for refunds under exceptional circumstances received after the deadline will not be considered.
Refund requests will only be considered on receipt of a refund request form. Refunds will be made in the manner in which payment has been received. Cheques will be posted to the permanent address provided on your graduation form when all the ceremonies are over. [ Please note : any additional guest tickets purchased through the Hotline are non-refundable].
I have bought guest tickets but now my name does not appear on a passlist or I am deferring. Can you use my ticket payment for the next set of ceremonies?
No. Summer and winter ceremonies are run as separate events and ticket sales may not be carried over. If you buy tickets but then subsequently do not complete your studies or defer your graduation a refund will be made.
How long is each graduation ceremony?
Each ceremony is approximately one and a quarter hours.
Where do I sit?
Your seat will be assigned to you on the day according to your name and the title of your award. It is very important that you sit in the seat you have been allocated as this determines the order of presentation.
Guest seats are not numbered. The earlier you take your seat the more choice you will have over where you sit.
Can I have my official photographs taken before the ceremony?
Yes- for summer ceremonies the Photographers will be available in the Photography Marquee adjacent to the Graduation Hall before and after the ceremony. In the winter Photography will take place in the East Midlands' Conference Centre.
When will I get my certificate?
If you attend your graduation ceremony your certificate will be handed to you as you leave the platform. Those who graduate
in absentia will be sent their certificate six to eight weeks after the ceremonies have finished. If you have
not completed the graduation application your certificate will not be sent to you and you will need to contact the
Student Administration Office (see Certificates ).
What time should I arrive?
For morning ceremonies registration is between 9.00am and 10.15am.
For afternoon ceremonies registration is between 1.00pm and 2.15pm.
You must be seated in the Hall half an hour before the ceremony begins.
If you have not registered, gowned and taken your seat half an hour before the ceremony you may not be able to go across the platform to receive your award.
When do the doors open for guests?
Doors are opened for guests at 9.45am, for a morning ceremony, and 1.45pm for an afternoon ceremony. Guests must be in their seats half an hour before the ceremony begins. Guest seating is not reserved or numbered so the earlier guests take their seats, the more choice they will have.
What refreshments/food are available?
The graduation ticket includes complimentary tea / coffee on arrival and a light buffet, including vegtarian food, after the ceremony.
Can provision be made for students/guests with individual requirements?
If you, or a guest, have a disability or individual requirement (for example mobility, vision or hearing difficulties) you can complete the
individual requirement form or if you prefer, a hard copy version is available on request. Once we have received your form the graduation team may then follow up to request more detailed information so that we can ensure we put the appropriate arrangements into place. We ask for at least a month's notice of individual requirements if possible. An induction loop is fitted in the Hall.
Who do I contact if I have a query not covered here?
Please contact the graduation team at graduation@nottingham.ac.uk. We will respond to your message within 5 working days unless during University holidays. Remember to state your full name in all correspondence.
Under the provisions of the 1998 Data Protection Act, we are unable to enter into correspondence about the specific details of a student's graduation with anyone other than the student.