1. Registration, guest tickets and special requirements

1.1 Registration process

(a) If you are provisionally eligible, you will receive an invite to register for a graduation ceremony by email to your University of Nottingham account. Please note that this does not confirm eligibility, which may be affected by your circumstances subsequent to the invite being sent. If you were expecting an invitation and haven’t received one, please contact the Graduation team.

(b) You must register using the form on NottinghamHub (the "Registration Form") before the deadline stated in your invitation to guarantee your place at the graduation ceremony.

(c) If you are unable to attend the date of the graduation ceremony, you can apply to defer to a subsequent graduation ceremony or graduate in absentia (without a ceremony) and have your certificate posted to you. If you wish to defer, you must notify the Graduation team no later than 3 weeks prior to the proposed graduation ceremony date. Please note you may only defer twice. If you select to defer and do not attend, you will graduate in absentia.

(d) If you fail to register or defer your graduation ceremony (as set out in (b) and (c) above), you will be unable to attend and will automatically graduate in absentia.

(e) If you have been accepted to graduate via the inter-ceremony process and graduate in-absentia, you are not eligible to attend an in-person graduation ceremony.

1.2 Guest tickets

(a) Each graduand is allocated two free tickets for their guests at the time you register your attendance as stated in paragraph 1.1 above. You must apply for the free guest tickets at the time of registration to guarantee the tickets. Please note that the registration form will direct you to secure your free tickets via a third-party intermediary, Ede and Ravenscroft.

(b) If capacity is still available following the deadline for the free tickets allocation, we will release additional guest tickets which can be purchased by graduands on a first come, first served basis. We will notify all graduands of the second release in advance, including the price of additional tickets.

(c) Please note that we cannot guarantee that any additional tickets will be available.

(d) You will receive confirmation of your tickets and guest tickets by email to your University of Nottingham email address, normally within 24 hours of registration. We strongly advise that you do not make any travel or accommodation arrangements for guests before securing the guest tickets or, where you do so, that you are able to cancel such arrangements. If you do not receive your confirmation email, please contact the Graduation team.

(e) Friends and relatives who are unable to attend can watch the live event free of charge via the live stream link on the graduation webpages. For the avoidance of doubt, access to the ceremonies catalogue for guests who are unable to attend will not be provided.

(f) The University of Nottingham will also provide a live stream venue close to the main graduation ceremony hall, and guests wishing to attend can purchase a ticket for this venue in advance or on the day.

1.3 Children and babies

(a) Children and babies are welcome to join in the celebration of graduands' achievements, but you acknowledge that the graduation ceremony will be a long and formal event, and so it is your decision as to whether it will be appropriate for them to attend. We ask that you ensure young children and babies respect the formality of the graduation ceremony and, where they are unable to, are removed from the venue.

(b) Children under the age of two will be allowed entry without a ticket and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian throughout the graduation ceremony.

(c) Children aged two and above will be counted towards the guest ticket count.

(d) Baby pushchairs can be stored in the graduation hall.

(e) Children aged under 16 must be accompanied by a guest adult at all times (note that graduands are seated separately from guests).

(f) Guests are advised that complementary alcoholic drinks will be available for guests/attendees over the age of 18 at post-graduation reception. Parents and/or guardians of guests who are under 18 years in attendance at the post-graduation reception accept full liability for the actions of those children under the age of 18 and the university reserves the right to reject to supply complementary alcoholic drinks to anyone who is not able to provide proof of age.

1.4 Accessibility requirements

(a) If you or your guests have any special access needs, you will need to let us know as part of the registration process or otherwise by contacting the Graduation team no later than three weeks prior to the first graduation ceremony. Failure to do so may result in those accessibility needs of yourself or your guests not being met, for which we will not be held responsible.

(b) Our Graduation team will use reasonable efforts to meet the accessibility requests of you and your guests which are received on time.

1.5 Tickets are non-transferrable

A graduand cannot give their ticket or their guest ticket(s) to another graduand.

The university will not honour any informal arrangements made between graduands to pass guest tickets on to another graduand.

1.6 Ticket cancellation rights and refunds

(a) We understand that sometimes things don't go as planned. If you need to cancel a ticket for any reason, we request that you do so via your account at Ede and Ravenscroft.

(b) Where you have paid for additional guest tickets, you may be entitled to a refund provided you request this by the deadline stated. Eligible refunds will be processed within 30 working days.

(c) Refunds for students who are no longer eligible to graduate will be processed within 30 days of the final ceremony.

(d) Pleaes be aware that we used a third-party intermediary for you to purchase tickets and the terms and conditions of their website will be applicable to your purchase and use of their website. We strongly recommend that you review these before proceeding.

3. On the day

3.1 Identification

You must carry your University of Nottingham student ID card or other valid photographic ID in order to confirm your identity and ensure that you are admitted entrance.

3.2 Parking

(a) Parking areas may be up to a 15-minute walk from the graduation ceremony venue. If you require disabled parking, you must notify us in accordance with paragraph 1.4 above.

3.3 Seating arrangements

(a) You are allocated a numbered seat based upon the order that the awards are read out and therefore the order you will cross the stage in. You must remain in your allocated seat throughout the graduation ceremony.

(b) Your guests will be seated in a separate section from graduands.

3.4 Timing and punctuality

(a) You and your guests should arrive 90 minutes before your graduation ceremony start time and make sure you're gowned and seated 30 minutes before it starts. Ceremonies last for approximately 75 minutes. You can find a schedule of the day on our On the day webpage.

(b) Check-in will close 45 minutes before the graduation ceremony start time. If you arrive within 10 minutes after check-in has closed, you will still be able to take part in the graduation ceremony but may not be seated with your cohort and you may cross the stage at the end of the graduation ceremony rather than with your cohort.

(c) If you arrive less than 35 minutes before the scheduled start of the graduation ceremony, you will not be permitted to take part in the graduation ceremony. Whilst the Graduation team can attempt to move late graduands to another graduation ceremony on the same day, this may not be possible due to availability and in such cases the graduand will graduate in absentia.

3.5 Facilities for nursing mothers

Facilities can be provided for nursing mothers, please approach a member of our Graduation team who will be able to direct you on the day.

3.6 Etiquette

(a) Mobile phones and other electronic devices must be turned off or put on silent mode. You must refrain from making or taking phone calls during the graduation ceremony.

(b) Mobile phones are not permitted on to the stage and must be left with your guests or on your seat.

(c) Pyrotechnics and confetti cannons are not permitted in the ceremony hall.

(d) The use of photography equipment within official photography areas is prohibited.

(e) Smoking is prohibited inside the venue and on campus except in designated smoking areas.

(f) You and your guests must be in appropriate attire (see paragraph 2).

(g) Applicable rules, regulations, guidelines and policies, including fire, health and safety regulations must be adhered to at all times.

(h) You and your guests must not be under the influence of alcohol or any other substances.

(i) Graduands must adhere to the Student Code of Discipline during the graduation ceremony.

(j) Graduands must ensure their guests are aware of all requirements set out in this paragraph 4.6.

3.7 Refusal to allow entry and removal from venue

We reserve the right at our sole discretion to refuse entry or remove any graduand or their guests if we believe they are in breach of these terms or their conduct is substandard, or they present health, safety or welfare concerns to graduands, guests or staff.

5. Data protection, filming and photography

(a) Graduands eligible to attend the graduation ceremony will have:

i. their name included in a programme. It may also appear on some University of Nottingham merchandise. You can opt ot of having your name published at the time of registration, or otherwise by contacting the Graduation team no later than 3 weeks prior to the graduation ceremony if you would like your information withheld from the programme and/or merchandise; and

ii. their name announced during the ceremony. All information will be taken directly from our student record database. If you feel the name reader at the ceremony would benefit from more information on how to pronounce your name, please complete the name pronunciation section in the registration form.

(b) Please see our student and applicant privacy notice for information about how we handle your personal data for the graduation ceremony.

(c) The main graduation ceremonies will be live streamed in their entirety and footage from the graduation ceremony will be available for you to purchase upon request. For the avoidance of doubt, quiet ceremonies will not be recorded.

(d) We may use footage from the graduation ceremony for marketing purposes, including media postings and online postings. Please see our privacy notice for the subjects of photography and videography for more information.

(e) You and your guests are prohibited from using flash photography within the graduation ceremony venue and must be respectful of other attendees’ privacy when taking photos.

(f) You are prohibited from taking ‘selfie’ photographs on the stage.

(g) You acknowledge that attendance at the graduation ceremony is conditional on you and your guest’s personal information being processed in accordance with this paragraph 5 and, if you object or wish to opt out, you may not be able to attend the ceremony. Notwithstanding, if you wish to opt out or otherwise object to your personal information being processed in the manner set out above, you can opt out during registration.

(h) It is your responsibility to check that all details relating to you are correct at the time of registration. For personal details including name and address, please use the links provided in the Registration Form to update your details. However, if an incorrect award is listed, and you do not inform us it is incorrect, the incorrect award may be read out during the graduation ceremony. If hiring academic dress, it could also cause the wrong type of academic dress you book to be allocated.

Please contact our Graduation team as soon as possible if anything is incorrect. However, after the registration deadline it may not be possible for any amends to be reflected in the graduation ceremony programme.

7. Visa Application Assistance

If you or your guests need proof of your graduation date to get a visa, then you should request a Confirmation of Student Status Letter. You can obtain this via the online store free of charge.

Terminology

Academic Dress means the collective term for the cap, hood and gown worn by graduands.

Graduand means a student of ours who has met all the eligibility criteria and has been invited to apply to attend a graduation ceremony. 

Graduation ceremony means a graduation ceremony event organised by us for the graduand’s graduation.

Guest means a person who is a family member and/or friend of a graduand who attends with a guest ticket.

‘us’, ‘we’, ‘our’ means the University of Nottingham.

‘you’, ‘your’ means the graduand.