Graduation preparation

If you would like to ATTEND your ceremony...

1. Transferring to a future graduation session.

Ceremony Timetable

The ceremony timetables are now available  here, and students eligible for graduation will be emailed after the schedule is available. 

Changing your Ceremony

Unfortunately due to the number of students expected to graduate, we are unable to accommodate any ceremony transfer requests within the summer graduation period. This includes anyone doing Flexible Combined Honours/Combined Honours courses.

Transferring to a future Graduation session

Due to the large numbers of students eligible for each graduation session, it is not normally possible to accommodate requests to attend graduation at a different time of year. If you have specific circumstances preventing you from attending your ceremony and would like to request a transfer to a future ceremony, please log an enquiry via SIDOnline using the category “Ceremony Session Transfer”.

Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and depending on the attendance size of the future graduation session. Please note we cannot guarantee your request will be successful and we will not be able to give you a confirmed response to your transfer request before your assigned graduation session.

This is because of the graduation planning and organisation cycle across the year. Winter graduation sessions are scheduled in late August. Summer graduation sessions are scheduled in early February. Therefore if you are a Winter graduate requesting an exception to transfer to Summer, we will not be able to confirm to you if this is possible until the following February. This means you will need to carefully consider that if you miss your assigned ceremony session, that may be your only opportunity to attend a graduation ceremony as we cannot provide you with a response until after your original ceremony session has passed.

2. Make a note of important deadlines

Graduation Deadlines

To ensure you are able to attend your graduation ceremony without any problems, please make sure you adhere to the deadlines below:

Winter 2023 Graduates
When?	Deadline
Monday 18th September	Online Registration opens week commencing the 18th.
Monday 18th September	Supplier website for booking robes (academic dress) opens.
Friday 13th October	Deadline for completing registration If you do not register by the deadline, you will not be able to attend your ceremony. The registration deadline is final. Late requests will not be able to be processed.
Sunday 22nd October	Deadline for booking robes (academic dress) closes.
Friday 27th October	Additional Tickets for ceremonies will be made available. Registered graduates will be advised of the process for this by email. Additional ticket availability is dependent on the remaining capacity in the graduation venue.
Wednesday 8th November	Deadline for requesting additional tickets closes.
Monday 30th October	Deadline for confirming a name change for your certificate.
Wednesday 1st November	PGR Students: Deadline for uploading your final thesis to ORE.
Monday 30th October	Deadline for clearing all remaining academic debt owed to the University.
Monday 30th October	Deadline for Home Address Change.

To find out when you can expect communications from us, please see our Graduation Communications Timeline here.

3. Register for the ceremony and request your complimentary tickets

Graduation Registration

In order to attend your ceremony, you must register online through the Student Record System by the deadline given in your invitation email. 

Registration for Graduands of  Winter 2023 will open the week commencing Monday 18th September. You will receive an invitation email on this date giving details of your ceremony and asking you to complete registration. Graduation registration will close on Friday 13th October.  If you do not register by the deadline date, you will not be able to attend the ceremony. Late requests will not be processed.

Request Guest Tickets

4. Check that your registration has been successful and that your details are correct.

If you have successfully registered for your ceremony, you will receive a confirmation email. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk mail.
Your registered graduation details are also available in your Student Record System available from the iexeter app. Please check both your confirmation email and the Student Record System to ensure that the details you have registered are correct (example: correct number of complimentary tickets).
If you do not receive the confirmation email or your registered details are not correct in the Student Record System, please log an enquiry in SID Online using category “Graduation Registration Issue” as a matter of urgency and before the registration deadline. If you see a problem with your registration not being confirmed or the details requested are not correct and you only raise this after the registration deadline, we will not be able to correct the issue

5. Check your name is correct

Your Name

During registration, you will be asked to confirm that your name is correct. The name that appears on your certificate must match the name on your official identification, such as your passport, driving licence, and birth certificate.

If you need to amend the name on your student record, you will need to bring your official identification and supporting documents (e.g. deed poll or marriage certificate) to SID in the Forum (Streatham Campus), the Info Point in South Cloisters (St Luke's Campus), or the Penryn Info Point in Peter Lanyon Building (Penryn Campus) by Monday 30th October. Please also bring your student card with you. An advisor will take a copy of your identity documents and log the details.

If you are unable to visit in person, you can upload a clear photograph or scan of your ID documents (e.g. Deed Poll certificate; Birth certificate - Marriage certificate - Passport - Driving Licence. To do this log an enquiry in SID Online using the "name change" category.

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to amend the name on your record  before you are officially awarded your degree by the University. You will not be able to amend your name after your award is confirmed, even if it is before the deadline above.

Your Name Pronunciation

During registration, you will be asked to provide pronunciation guidance for the presenter who will read your name during the ceremony. If you do not provide pronunciation notes, we cannot guarantee that the presenter will know how to read your name. All pronunciation notes are passed to our presenters who will try to pronounce your name correctly.

6. Check you are eligible to graduate

Academic Eligibility

Undergraduate Students: You must have been confirmed as eligible to receive a degree by the University Assessment, Progression and Award Committee in order to be eligible to attend the ceremony. This usually means you must have passed enough credits to be eligible for at least an Ordinary degree. Having referred or deferred assessments does not mean you are ineligible for the ceremony, as long as you have passed 300 credits with at least 60 credits passed at stage 3, you may participate in graduation and cross the stage, but you will be crossing the stage with a lesser award, relevant to your programme of study.
4 Year Integrated Masters Students (MEng, MMath etc). You must have been confirmed as eligible to receive a degree by the University Assessment, Progression and Award Committee in order to be eligible to attend the ceremony. This usually means you must have passed enough credits to be eligible for at least a full Undergraduate level award. Having referred or deferred assessments does not mean you are ineligible for the ceremony as long as you have passed 360 credits of your award, you may participate in graduation and cross the stage, but you will be crossing the stage with a lesser award, relevant to your programme of study
For Winter graduation 2023, you must have received a confirmed award on or before Tuesday 7th November. If you have not received a confirmed award before this date you will be invited to the next graduation session in the Summer 2024.

Please check with your Hub once your results have been released if you are unsure if you are eligible to attend the ceremony.

Postgraduate Taught Students: 

For Winter graduation 2023, you must have received a confirmed award on or before Tuesday 7th November. If you have not received a confirmed award before this date you will be invited to the next graduation session in the Summer 2024.
Your award must have been confirmed by the University Assessment, Progression and Award Committee to be eligible to attend the ceremony.  If any final assignments are not marked or your award is not confirmed by your discipline APAC by the deadline, you will not be eligible to attend the ceremony.
If you are unsure if you are eligible to attend the ceremony, please contact your Hub.

Postgraduate Research Students:

You must have submitted your thesis, received your completed examiners' report, completed any necessary corrections, and uploaded a final copy of your thesis to ORE by Wednesday 1^st November 2023.

Postgraduate Extensions:

You may have applied or are considering applying for an extension of study from your college. You need to be aware that this could cause a delay in gaining your awarding outcome. You must give this careful consideration before requesting an extension as postgraduate students must receive a confirmed award, before the dates noted above, to be included in forthcoming graduation ceremonies. Any postgraduate students who are not able to attend the forthcoming graduation ceremonies due to assignment extensions will be invited to the next available graduation session.

Outstanding Debts: 

If you have an academic-related debt to the University, you will be prevented from graduating.
For Winter graduation class of 2023, all outstanding balances must be paid and cleared by the University before Monday 30^th October. This is a full and final deadline. Payments received after this date will not be able to be processed in time to confirm eligibility for Winter graduation. If balances are cleared after this deadline and your award shows that you are eligible to attend a graduation ceremony you will be invited to the next graduation session in Summer 2024.
You can make a payment online see our website for details. For assistance contact SID on 0300 555 0444 (UK callers) or +44 (0)1392 724724 (International callers).

 If you are unsure or have any questions about your financial status, please contact SID through SID Online or as above.

7. Check when you will receive your Award Documents

Award Documentation

Your award documents will be posted to your home address as in the student record system, please check your address and make any changes by Monday 30th October 2023 once all marks have been received.

Your award documentation (your official transcript and certificate) can only be issued after the official date of your award, which is after you have received your results. Before this date you can obtain an interim transcript from SID or via the 'Your results' page in the Student Record System, accessible through iExeter.

If your award is conferred well in advance of the ceremony, your award documents will be posted to your home address and you will be emailed to notify you of this. Receiving your award documents prior to graduation does not affect your eligibility to attend the ceremony.

Receiving your Award documents early

Please note that we are unable to issue any award documents before you have been officially awarded your degree, which may not be until very close to the ceremony. Once you have been awarded you will receive information about how to access your award documents digitally. The Digital Certificates Web Student Portal enables you to view electronic versions (in PDF format) of your qualification and status documents; it allows you to share electronic documents with third parties by creating connections; and keep personal details up to date by managing your profile.

Additional Copies of your Transcript and Certificate

Additional hard copies of your transcript and certificate can be purchased via the Online Store. Please note that these cannot be ordered until after your original documents have been supplied - either in the graduation ceremonies or via post. Extra documents ordered will be sent via separate mail and will not be included with those issued at your ceremony. Extra documents will not be available before original copies. We recomend wherever possible graduates share their digital documents as proof of attainment.

8. Book your academic dress

Please note: We have been notified of at least one company falsely claiming to offer official academic dress for the University of Exeter's graduation ceremonies. Please be aware that Graduation Attire is our recommended supplier of academic dress for these events. Graduands must wear academic dress which abides by the University of Exeter Academic Dress scheme. Those not in correct academic dress will not be permitted to cross the stage.

How to Order your Robes

In order to graduate, you must wear full academic dress to the ceremony (gown, hood and cap). You can hire or buy your academic robes from Graduation Attire online at: https://exeter.evess.co/ The online ordering system will be open from Monday 18th September 2023 at 12:00pm and closes on Sunday 22nd October 2023 at 5:00pm. 

To order your robes, you will need the following details:

Your name and student number

Your height (from head to floor)
Your head circumference (measure 1 inch above your eyebrows)
Your payment card details

If your details are not recognised by the Graduation Attire site, please contact us via SID online.

Price Information

All prices are correct as of September 2023

	1-Day Hire	5-Day Hire (Starting from Graduation Day)	Purchase
Bachelors	£42.00	£75.00	£150.00
Undergraduate Masters	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
Postgraduate Masters	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
PGCE/PGCert/PGDip	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
PhD	£45.00	£80.00	£210.00

Questions about your order? 

If you have any questions about your robe order, you can contact Graduation Attire directly via Live Chat or Email, using the details found on their website: 

https://exeter.evess.co/

Please note: We have been notified of at least one company falsely claiming to offer official academic dress for the University of Exeter's graduation ceremonies. Please be aware that Graduation Attire is our sole recommended supplier of academic dress for these events. Graduands must wear academic dress which abides by the University of Exeter Academic Dress scheme. Those not in correct academic dress will not be permitted to cross the stage.

Robe Collection

Robes can be collected on campus from the Terrace Restaurant in Devonshire House, (number 2 on the central campus map) next to the Forum Building. Representatives of the University's robing suppliers will be in attendance to help you when you collect your robes. If you are collecting your robes early and will not be wearing them straight away, please consider bringing your own bag to reduce the number of plastic bags used on the day.

You can collect your robes at the following times:

9am Ceremony: (Saturday 16th December only) Between 4pm and 6pm the evening before your ceremony, or from 7am on the day of your ceremony.

10am Ceremony: From 8am on the day of your ceremony.

11.45am Ceremony: (Saturday 16th December only) From 9am the on the day of your ceremony.

2pm Ceremony: From 12pm on the day of the ceremony.

3pm Ceremony: (Saturday 16th December only) From 12pm on the day of your ceremony.

Please aim to arrive at least 1 hour before your ceremony to allow plenty of time for prior to the start of your ceremony. There is the option to collect your robes Between 4pm and 6pm the evening before your ceremony.

How to wear your robe

Representatives from our robing supplier, Graduation Attire, will be on hand to help you when you collect your robe, however for those collecting in advance, there are also helpful video guides here: https://exeter.evess.co/videos

Robe Return

If you have selected 1-day hire for your robe, please ensure you return your robes in the Terrace Restaurant, Devonshire House before the times below:

9am Ceremony: Return robes by 6pm.

10am: Return robes by 6pm.

11.45am Ceremony: Return robes by 6pm.

2pm: Return robes by 6pm.

3pm Ceremony: Return robes by 7pm. 

If you have selected 5-day hire, please send this back using the Courier pre-paid returns bag provided at gown collections by the Graduation Attire team.

There will be a late return rail and plastic boxes outside for any latecomers to drop their attire into should they not quite meet our deadlines but want to drop off the robes.

9. Book additional guest tickets

Additional Tickets

During registration, you will be able to request up to 2 guaranteed guest tickets. If any additional tickets for your ceremony are available after graduation registration closes, they will be made available through a separate process in October 2023. 
Graduands who have confirmed their registration will be emailed with instructions on Friday 27th October explaining how to request additional tickets through the online store. Additional guest tickets, subject to availability, will be released over a number of days starting at 10:30am on Friday 27th October on a first-come, first-served basis and close on Wednesday 8th November 2023.

Guests without tickets 

Guests who do not have tickets for the ceremony can watch the event live via web streaming in the Forum Alumni Auditorium. You do not need a ticket to watch the ceremony via the live web stream.

The ceremonies will also be live streamed on our watch the ceremonies page.

Dogs

Please be advised that dogs (except for registered assistance dogs) are not permitted inside the ceremony venues or in campus buildings. We therefore strongly recommend that dogs are not brought to campus during graduation.

10. Plan your travel and accommodation

University websiteTravelling to Graduation

Please see here for details of travel options and directions for Graduation ceremonies in both Exeter and Cornwall.

Accommodation

Exeter Off-Campus Accommodation

There are a variety of hotels and B&Bs available near to the Exeter campuses. For further information, please see the Visitor Accommodation pages on our Accommodation website. 

11. Check your visa validity (International Students only)

Student Visa Information

If you have a valid Student visa, you can re-enter the UK as long as you carry a copy of your Graduation email in your hand luggage to show the immigration officer if asked or request a Graduation Letter. It is also advisable to carry a copy of your onward flight tickets to show that you will be leaving the UK before your visa expires.

To obtain a Graduation Letter, please contact SID. Log enquires in the SID Online portal using the "Letter Request" category or see alternative contact details here.

If your Student visa is no longer valid, you will need to apply for a Visitor Visa instead.

Visas for Friends and Family

If you would like your friends or family to attend your graduation or just to visit you in the UK, they may need to apply for Visitor visas. You will need to send them documentation confirming your current study and immigration status and there are a number of documents that they will need to prepare. You can print your graduation invite letter by logging into your student record and choosing the option of 'self-service letters' or you can request a letter from the SID desk.

More information can be found on our International Support pages.

12. Graduation - Accessibility request

If you or any of your guests have any accessibility requirements such as special seating arrangements at the ceremony or a disabled parking space, please provide details when completing the online registration task outlined in your invitation email.  It is important to register your accessibility requirements as part of registration if possible so that the graduation team has time before the ceremonies to contact you and confirm the organisation of your request directly with you.

If you did not request a disabled parking space as part of your registration or have a change in circumstances and require other accessibility adjustments, please log an enquiry via SIDOnline using the category “Accessibility Request” by Friday 17th of November. If we do not receive your additional request by this date, then we cannot guarantee that we will be able to process your request before the start of the ceremonies. Large volumes of late requests hinder our ability to successfully deliver all requirements in time for the ceremonies so please log your request as early as possible, if you did not complete this at registration. 

Access to the Stage (Exeter)

The graduation stage will have two levels. There will be a lower level stage that graduands will cross during the degree ceremony. This means no one will need to ascend stairs. Instead, ramps will allow graduands to access the lower level stage, while the top stage will be used for seated members of the official graduation stage party. More information about the stage can be found at On the day – Exeter.

Once registration has closed, a member of the Team will be in touch with all students who specify their accessibility needs during registration to discuss your options and make arrangements with you.

If you have any queries about the arrangements or need further information, please contact graduationsuoe@exeter.ac.uk.

13. Plan your day

Make sure you check our On the Day information pages to plan your graduation day and get the most out of your ceremony:

Exeter

15. Photography on the day

Streatham Campus

Professional Photography Services

Tempest Photography is the official photographer for the University of Exeter graduation ceremonies. They will be operating multiple studios on graduation day, which will be located in The Sanctuary, in the Great Hall Foyer. The photography studios will be open Wed - Friday from 8:15am until 5pm & Saturday 7:45am to 5:30pm. You are welcome to visit them at any time on your graduation day, though to avoid large queues we recommend that you visit before your ceremony. Please note that groups of seven, including the graduate, are the maximum number that can be accommodated in any one photograph. For more details of recommended photography times, please see our Timetable page.

You do not need to order in advance of the ceremonies - you can simply turn up to have your photographs taken, either on your own or with your guests. Instant proofs will be given to you in the studio after your photographs are taken, enabling you to choose your favourites and to place your order online.

To view Tempest's range of products in advance of your ceremony, please see their website here: www.tempest-graduations.co.uk

Presentation Photographs

Tempest Photography will also be on hand to capture the moment you cross the stage and are awarded your degree by the Chancellor or his representative. You can view these on our display in our Marquee outside the Forum and copies are avaliable to take away on the day. You can also visit  www.tempest-events.co.uk. after the event.

Large Group Photographs

Immediately following the ceremony, the photographers will take a group photograph of all graduates in that ceremony. This will be taken outside on the Great Hall Piazza, or in the Great Hall in the case of inclement weather. You can view these on our display in our Marquee outside the Forum and copies are avaliable to take away on the day. You can also visit  www.tempest-events.co.uk. after the event.

Please be advised that dogs (except for registered assistance dogs) are not permitted inside the Great Hall or the Forum. We therefore strongly recommend that dogs are not brought to campus during graduation.

9:00am Ceremonies (Saturday 16th of December only)

Time

Where

What

7:45am

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography studios open

To avoid long queues, we recommend visiting the photography studios before your ceremony if possible. Alternatively, later in the day during the afternoon ceremony (3pm-5pm) is also a quieter time.

5:30pm

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography closes.

10:00am Ceremonies

Time

Where

What

8:15am

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography studios open

To avoid long queues, we recommend visiting the photography studios either before your ceremony once you have collected your robe (during the morning ceremony, 9am-11am), or after the college reception event during the afternoon ceremony (3pm-5pm).

5:00pm

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography closes.

11:45am Ceremonies (Saturday 16th of December only)

Time

Where

What

7:45am

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography studios open

5:30pm

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography closes.

2:00pm Ceremonies

Time

Where

What

8:15am

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography studios open

To avoid long queues and ensure you have time to attend the Forum Reception event, we recommend visiting the photography studios before your ceremony once you have collected your robes. 

5:00pm

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography closes.

3:00pm Ceremonies (Saturday 16th of December only)

Time

Where

What

7:45am

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography studios open

To avoid long queues, and to ensure you are able to attend the Forum reception event, we recommend visiting the photography studios before your ceremony once you have collected your robes.

5:30pm

The Sanctuary, Great Hall

Photography closes.

If you will NOT ATTEND your ceremony...

1. Check important deadlines

Graduation Deadlines

To ensure there are no issues with your award documentation, please make sure you adhere to the deadlines below:

Winter 2023
When?	Deadline
Monday 18th Sept	Online Registration opens week commencing.
Friday 13th October	Deadline for completing registration. Please complete registration to confirm that you will NOT be attending.
Monday 30th October	Deadline for confirming a name change for your certificate
Wednesday 1st November	PGR Students: Deadline for uploading your final thesis to ORE.
Monday 30th October	Deadline for clearing all remaining academic debt owed to the University
Monday 30th October	Deadline for ensuring that your Home Address in the Student Record system is correct to ensure successfully delivery of your award documentation.

To find out when you can expect communications from us, please see our Graduation Communications Timeline here.

2. Register your non-attendance

Graduation Registration

Even if you are not planning on attending your ceremony, please still register your non-attendance online through the Student Record System to ensure all your details are correct. If you do not register your non-attendance you will continue to receive reminder emails throughout the registration period. Further information on this is available below.

Registration for Graduands of  Winter 2023 will open the week commencing 18th September. Registration will close on Friday 13th October (midnight).

3. Check your name and address details are correct

Your Name

If you need to amend the name on your student record, you will need to bring your official identification and supporting documents (e.g. deed poll or marriage certificate) to SID in the Forum (Streatham Campus), the Info Point in South Cloisters (St Luke's Campus), or the Penryn Info Point in Peter Lanyon Building (Penryn Campus) by Monday 30th October. Please also bring your student card with you. An advisor will take a copy of your identity documents and log the details.

PLEASE NOTE: We are only able to amend the name on your record before you are officially awarded your degree by the University. You will not be able to amend your name after your award is confirmed, even if it is before the deadline above.

Your Address

When you register your non-attendance, you will be asked to confirm your home address. It is very important that your address is up to date so that your award documentation can be sent to you. If you need to amend your address after registration, you can do this via the Student Record System. You must ensure your address is correct in SRS by Monday 30th October to ensure successful delivery. If you are having trouble accessing SRS, please contact SID.

Please note that your award documents will be sent to your home address, not your term-time address. Please ensure this address is up to date. 

4. Your Documents

Award Documentation

Your award documents will be posted to your home address as in the student record system, please check your address and make any changes by Monday 30th October 2023 once all marks have been received.

Receiving your Award documents early

We recomend wherever possible graduates share their digital documents as proof of attainment. Please follow the registration guidance carefully, using your University of Exeter details to register first-time or you may have difficulty accessing your account. 

Digital documents Guide.

Additional Copies of your Transcript and Certificate

5. Book your academic dress (optional)

In Absentia Robe Booking

You can hire or buy your academic robes from Graduation Attire online at: https://exeter.evess.co/ The online ordering system will be open from Monday 18th September 2023 at 12pm and closes Sunday 22nd October 2023 at 5pm. 

To order your robes, you will need the following details:

Your name and student number

Your height (from head to floor)
Your head circumference (measure 1 inch above your eyebrows)
Your payment card details

If your details are not recognised by the Graduation Attire site, please contact SID.

Price Information

All prices are correct as of September 2023

	1-Day Hire	5-Day Hire (Starting from Graduation Day)	Purchase
Bachelors	£42.00	£75.00	£150.00
Undergraduate Masters	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
Postgraduate Masters	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
PGCE/PGCert/PGDip	£42.00	£75.00	£162.00
PhD	£45.00	£80.00	£210.00

Questions about your order?

If you have any questions about your robe order, you can contact Graduation Attire directly via Live Chat or Email, using the details found on their website: 

https://exeter.evess.co/

Please note: We have been notified of at least one company falsely claiming to offer official academic dress for the University of Exeter's graduation ceremonies. Please be aware that Graduation Attire is our sole recommended supplier of academic dress for these events. Graduands must wear academic dress which abides by the University of Exeter Academic Dress scheme. Those not in correct academic dress will not be permitted to cross the stage.