Graduation FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Q1: I haven't received my graduation invitation what should I do?

If you haven't received a graduation invitation please email graduation@beds.ac.uk as soon as possible requesting an invitation to be emailed or posted to sent to your contact address.

Q2: Am I eligible to attend a graduation ceremony?

To attend the graduation ceremony you must have passed all elements of your study programme and have these agreed by the appropriate Examination Board. However, you should not wait for your results before you register your intention to come. If you miss the deadline to respond we may not be able to allocate you to a ceremony with your peers or faculty.

Q3: Can I attend a graduation ceremony if I am ‘referred’?

No, any student at the time of the ceremony who is ‘referred’ and has to undertake a resit examination or assignment to successfully complete their studies, will automatically be invited to attend the formal graduation ceremony at the conclusion of the next academic year.

Q4: Where and when is my graduation ceremony?

All ceremonies at Luton take place in St Mary’s church adjacent to the University. Ceremonies held in Bedford take place at the Bedford Corn Exchange. At Milton Keynes ceremonies take place in the church of Christ the Cornerstone.

The exact date and time of your ceremony will depend on your programme of study.

Q5: The date and time of my ceremony is not suitable for me am I able to change it?

It is not possible to change your ceremony date. Students must graduate at the relevant Faculty ceremony.

Q6: Is there anything I should do now to prepare for my graduation?

You MUST return your booking form by the deadline date, without it we don’t know you want to attend. If we have not heard from you by the deadline date we will assume you do not wish to attend.

Paying for guests does not confirm your booking.

Gown hire is compulsory if you are attending the ceremony. You are responsible for your guest tickets and gown hire. Gowns can be ordered from Ede and Ravenscroft no later than 14 days before the first day of graduation, they can be ordered online at www.gownhire.co.uk

Q7: Should I still return the booking form if I am attending on my own?

Yes. If we do not hear from you by the deadline date, we will assume you do not wish to attend the ceremony.

Q8: How many guests can I bring?

The University initially limits graduands to two guests. These seats are guaranteed as long as they are booked before the booking deadline. Please note children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult other than the graduating student.

Depending on the size of the ceremony, extra tickets may be available but only after the allocation of tickets requested via the booking form, and after the deadline to respond. These tickets may be available to purchase on the day of your ceremony after you have registered. If extra tickets are likely to be available a message will be sent to notify you.

Extra tickets are not guaranteed and are allocated on a first come, first served basis when available.

Please be aware that due to Health & Safety Regulations any child/children attending the ceremony must have a ticket in their own right and that such ticket/s will form part of your allocation. For example, if you wish to invite two adult guests and one child guest, you will need to obtain an extra ticket for the third person.

Please note there is no charge for babies. However, they must have a ticket for Health & Safety reasons and special tickets will be allocated to them.

Q9: Are extra tickets available?

Depending on the size of the ceremony, extra tickets may be available but only after the allocation of tickets requested via the booking form, and after the deadline to respond.

These tickets may be available to purchase on the day of your ceremony at the registration desk. If extra tickets are available a text will be sent to notify you. Extra tickets are not guaranteed and are allocated on a first come, first served basis when available.

When extra tickets are allocated, they are not normally next to the first two seats, and are allocated on a first come, first served basis.

Q10: If I, or one of my guests, have a disability what should I do?

Please complete the access requirements section of the booking form and return this to the Graduation team.

Should you or one of your guests become temporarily incapacitated after you have sent your from back, please contact the Graduation team.

Q11: When should I expect to receive my tickets?

Tickets are not sent out; they are collected when you register on the day.

Q12: Can I get a refund for guest tickets?

To enable you to obtain a refund you must write to us at least seven days before the graduation, informing us why your guests are unable to attend your graduation ceremony. Please include your student ID, full name, payments details (method, name of payee, payee bank name, reference or receipt number, Full address where refund should be sent.

Q13: Will my certificate be available for collection?

Yes, your certificate is presented to you in the ceremony.

If you are unable to attend the ceremony, you can arrange to collect the certificate from the office or you can request that your certificate is posted. Please email the Graduation team at graduation@beds.ac.uk including your full name, student ID number and the address to which the certificate should be sent. Certificates will be sent out by Recorded Delivery after the ceremonies have taken place.

It is possible to request delivery by DHL for a charge. Please contact the office for details.

Q14: Will you send a receipt telling me you have received my application?

If you sent your form back by email you will receive and automated response which confirms the email has been received in our inbox. If you do not get this message please contact the team.

If you receive a letter (probably because we do not have a valid email address for you), please complete your address on the postcard enclosed with your invitation letter, returning it to us with your application and we will date stamp it and return it to you once your application has been processed.

Q15: What time should my guests be seated in the church?

Guests should be seated no later than 15 minutes before the start of a ceremony. Please make sure your guests are seated in plenty of time prior to the start of the ceremony. Guests without tickets will not get access to the ceremony.

Please note your ceremony will start at the time indicated in the correspondence you will have received. It is regretted that due to the formal nature of the ceremony, late comers cannot be admitted. Seating is allocated, and any extra tickets that are available will be sold on a first come first served basis.

Q16: How much do the tickets cost?

There is no charge for the graduating student.
Guest tickets cost £12.00 per person (maximum of two per graduand).

Q17: Can I be photographed with my guests?

If you want formal photographs on the day please indicate this when booking photography package through Ede and Ravenscroft Photography. You can do this at the same time your order your gown.

Q18: When should I contact the Graduation Office?

You should contact the Graduation Office only if you have questions about the graduation ceremony itself. Please note the office has limited staff cover during the graduation sessions. You can email us at graduation@beds.ac.uk

Q19: I am still waiting for my results, can I still apply to attend Graduation?

Yes. To attend the Graduation you must apply before the deadline date. If you do not pass all elements of your course a refund will be given.

Q20: I am currently sanctioned/excluded, can I still graduate?

If you are excluded at the time of your faculty's examination board and the University's Scheme Board, you will be unable to attend the ceremony. Once your exclusion has been lifted you will be invited to the next appropriate ceremony.

Q21: What should I do if I have a question about my final result?

If you have a question regarding your final result, you should contact your faculty.

Q22: How long will the ceremony last?

Approximately one hour and thirty minutes, depending on the size of the ceremony.

Q23: Is the ceremony suitable for children?

We politely request that you do not bring children under the age of ten to the Ceremony. If, for an exceptional reason, you are purchasing a ticket for a child, please indicate this on the booking from. Please note children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult other than the graduating student.

Q24: What happens if I am late for my ceremony?

It is vital that you arrive in good time for your ceremony. Please note your ceremony will commence at the time indicated in the correspondence you will have received. It is regretted that due to the formal nature of the ceremony, late comers cannot be admitted.

Q25: Will refreshments be available?

All graduands and guests attending the ceremony are invited to take refreshments of tea/coffee and biscuits after the ceremony. Please keep your entrance ticket in order to gain access.

Q26: Is there a commemorative programme of my special day?

Graduands receive one complimentary copy of the commemorative programme. Additional programmes are also available to buy on the day of the ceremony, priced at £4.50 each.

Q27: Where do I send my completed ticket order form?

If you have paid for your tickets by credit card, you must email your form with the finance receipt number to the graduation email address: graduation@beds.ac.uk

Alternatively you can hand deliver or post the form with payment details to:

Graduation Office, Room B108
University of Bedfordshire
Park Square,
Luton LU1 3JU

Please remember to return the postcard sent with your invitation if you require confirmation your form has been received.

Q28: Is there parking available at the venue?

Regrettable the University does not have parking facilities at any of the venues. However, there are a number of public car parks around the Luton and Bedford town centres. In addition Bedford has a Park & Ride scheme located on the outskirts of the town, which provides transport to the ceremony venue. At Milton Keynes there is a lot of parking, but there are different ‘zones’ with variable pricing.

Q29: I’ve been told that my ceremony is also the Civic Ceremony. What do I need to do?

At the University’s Civic Ceremony at Luton, graduands will join University and Civic representatives to parade through the town before the ceremony commences. The procession starts at the Luton Town Hall. The walk will take about 10 minutes.

You should go to the University to the graduation registration desk on campus to collect your seat number and guest tickets for St Mary’s Church. Collect your gown. Give your guests their tickets.

You need to make your way to the Town Hall, which is situated at the end of George Street, no later than 1.45pm. Entrance to the Town Hall is from Upper George Street.

When you arrive at the Town Hall you will be asked to go to the council chamber to be seated. Please make sure you have your seat number with you. The order in which you are seated is the order in which your name will be called during the ceremony; if you get out of number order you may miss your presentation ‘slot’ in the church.

Please note: your guests will not be allowed entry into the Town Hall. Please make sure your guests have their tickets for entrance into the church. At 2.00pm you will leave the Town Hall and process through George Street to the Church. Guests should at this time be seated in the church.

Instructions and map for civic ceremony - PDF 187.8 KB

Q30: I don’t know what time my ceremony is.

Ceremonies normally start at 10.30am, 2pm and 5pm. If you have sent back your booking form you should receive an email a couple of weeks after the booking deadline which confirms the time of your ceremony. If you haven’t received the email from the team, please get in touch with the graduation office.

Contact Us