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UCL announces changes to graduation ceremony ticket costs

19 February 2016

UCL is pleased to announce that students attending graduation ceremonies will no longer have to pay for their graduand ticket.

Graduation Previously students were asked to pay £35 for their ticket as well as purchasing guest tickets and paying for academic dress hire. 

The fee for graduand tickets has been an issue raised for a number of years and highlighted in the National Student Survey. UCL Senior Management have responded to the concerns of UCL students and scrapped the graduand ticket fee. 

Professor Anthony Smith, who as Vice-Provost for Education and Student Affairs oversees the student experience, said: "Students have expressed continuing dissatisfaction with the university's practice of charging them to attend their graduation ceremony. We listened to students' arguments, including their view that the practice contradicted UCL's values of openness based on merit, and recommended to the university Council that we stop charging students with immediate effect."

Wahida Samie, Education and Campaigns Officer at UCLU, said: "Graduation ceremonies are a chance to reflect and celebrate a student's time at UCL. I have been pushing for students to attend their graduation ceremony for free since I took office at UCLU. It is with great pleasure that UCL have committed to no longer charging students to attend their own graduation.

"This has been made possible by students voicing their concerns to their representatives and other student feedback methods, such as the National Student Survey. The student voice is very important in a university environment. Together with staff, we can make sure students get the best possible experience here at UCL. I would also like to express my gratitude to Anthony, the Vice-Provost of Education and Student Affairs, who really went out of his way to help make this happen."

Involving students in decision-making is a key aim for UCL. The National Student Survey is crucial in this and allows us to find out what is important to you. The results of the National Student Survey are published on the government website 'UniStats', which helps future students make an informed choice about university and whether UCL is right for them. If you are a final year student, take 10 minutes to share your views through the National Student Survey. Go to thestudentsurvey.com before 30 April 2016.

Applications for 2016 graduation tickets are open now and eligible students can apply online. Students' tickets are free and tickets for relatives or friends of students graduating will cost £40, an increase from £35 in 2014 and 2015, to help cover venue and other related costs.

UCL Office of the Vice-Provost (Education & Student Affairs)