Graduation Ceremonies 2026 Terms and Conditions

Introduction

These Terms and Conditions were last updated on 10 January 2026.

By applying to attend the 2026 UCL Graduation Ceremonies, you agree to the terms set out on this page.

Location, date and time of ceremony

• The 2026 Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions will take place at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX.
• The dates and times of all Graduation periods are finalised as detailed on the Schedule page. 
• It is anticipated that the confirmed Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions time and date will be emailed to students by the UCL Graduation Ceremonies Team by mid-February 2026 for those registering for May and July 2026 ceremonies and mid-July 2026 for those registering for September 2026 ceremonies (such confirmation email being referred to in these terms and conditions as the Confirmation Mailing).
• Students and any anticipated Guests are strongly advised not to make any travel or accommodation arrangements until the Confirmation Mailing is received by the Student. UCL is not responsible and accepts no liability for any costs including but not limited to travel or accommodation costs that are incurred by Students and Guests. 

Student registration and tickets

• Attendance at a UCL Graduation Ceremony and Reception is not mandatory and has no impact on the awarding of a Student’s degree. Degree certificates may be presented at some of the Graduation Ceremonies for undergraduate students in September, but this is not guaranteed. If degree certificates are not presented at a Graduation Ceremony or a Student does not attend a Graduation Ceremony, then degree certificates are posted to those Students up to five months following the awarding of their degree.
• Students attend their Graduation Ceremony and Reception free of charge.
• Student Tickets for the Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions will only be issued to eligible Students. UCL strongly recommends Students look at the Graduation website for further information about eligibility.
• In order to attend their Graduation Ceremony and Reception, Students MUST first register to attend their Graduation Ceremony and Reception before the deadline by end of day, Wednesday 28 January 2026 by logging into Portico and completing the application form. Students who submit their application after the deadline are not guaranteed attendance at any UCL Graduation Ceremony or Reception. No Student Ticket will be reserved until
  • the application has been completed in full and submitted by a Student on Portico; and (ii) the Student Ticket has also been reserved by the Student on the Graduation Portal.
• The Confirmation Mailing sent to Students who have registered to attend their Graduation Ceremony and Reception on Portico, will give a web-link to the Graduation Portal. In addition to initially  registering to attend the Graduation Ceremony and Reception on Portico, Students MUST also log into the Graduation Portal and create a profile and reserve their student ticket within the timescales set out in the Confirmation Mailing (ie by Friday 13th March 2026 for the May ceremonies, Friday 24th April 2026 for July ceremonies and Friday 31st July 2026 for the September ceremonies) in order for the Students’ attendance at their Graduation Ceremony to be confirmed and for Students to be included in the running order of crossing the stage for graduation at their Graduation Ceremony.  
• Guest Tickets per Student will be available to purchase once the Graduation Portal opens. Further information is set out in the Guest Tickets section below.  
• Due to the year on year increase in the number of Students eligible to attend the Graduation Ceremonies and venue capacity restrictions, UCL is not able to automatically guarantee to offer the deferral of Graduation Ceremony and Reception attendance. 

Guest tickets

• Guests due to attend a Graduation Ceremony and Reception must have a Guest Ticket.
• The timeline for purchasing Guest Tickets will be set out in the Confirmation Mailing. Students must purchase Guest Tickets during the allocated timeline.  
• All Guest Tickets must be purchased through UCL’s Guest Ticket provider, Marston Events Ltd.
• The number of Guest Tickets may be restricted per Student dependent on the capacity available at the Graduation Ceremony venue, however, all Students will be provided with the opportunity to secure at least some Guest Tickets whilst the Graduation Portal is open. If there are any Guest Tickets still available for a particular Graduation Ceremony and Reception, these tickets will be available to purchase in person on the day of the Graduation Ceremony at the Graduation Ceremony venue. On the day tickets will be sold on a first come first serve basis. No Guest Tickets can be reserved prior to the Guest Tickets going on sale and must be purchased by the graduating Student.
• Guest Tickets cost £35 each.
• Full terms and conditions for the purchase of Guest Tickets can be viewed at the point of purchasing from UCL’s Guest Ticket supplier. 

Ticket refunds and transfers

• Students wishing to cancel any or all of their Guest Tickets must request a refund through UCL’s Guest Ticket supplier. 
• Refunds for Guest Tickets must be requested up to 7 working days before the Graduation Ceremony date.
• Refunds for Guest Tickets may be subject to the deduction of an administration fee equivalent to £2.50 per ticket.
• Student Tickets are non-transferrable. A Student who decides that they can no longer attend their Graduation Ceremony cannot give their Student Ticket to another Student.
• A Student must have their own Student Ticket to be able to graduate at the Graduation Ceremony. A Student who only has a Guest Ticket and no Student Ticket cannot graduate at the Graduation Ceremony.
• Guest Tickets can be transferred to another guest, but only for the same Graduation Ceremony that the Guest Ticket was purchased for, without the need to inform UCL. Due to needing to monitor venue capacity and seating arrangements, Guest Tickets are not transferable between Graduation Ceremonies. A Guest cannot attend a Graduation Ceremony or Reception on a Student Ticket. 

Academic dress

• Academic Dress for Students is mandatory at UCL Graduation Ceremonies.
• UCL has appointed Marston Events Ltd to supply Academic Dress for the UCL 2025 Graduation Ceremonies. The terms and conditions, including the charge to hire or purchase Academic Dress, can be viewed when hiring or purchasing your Academic Dress.

Children and babies

• Children are welcome at UCL Graduation Ceremonies, however, from previous experience, UCL advises that the Graduation Ceremonies may  not be wholly suitable for babies or young children as they are long, formal occasions.
• Children aged 3 and over who are attending a Graduation Ceremony and Reception must have their own Guest Ticket.
• Students should clearly indicate when they purchase Guest Tickets if any Guests Tickets are being purchased for a child under the age of five or if a Guest shall be bringing a child under the age of three years old so appropriate seating can be allocated. 

Data Protection, filming and photography

• Please see UCL’s Local Privacy Notice for the Graduations 2025 for information about how UCL handles student personal data.
• Please see UCL’s student privacy notice for more information about how UCL handles student data.
• Students who attend a Graduation Ceremony will have their name announced at the Graduation Ceremony as detailed in the “phonetic pronunciation” field detailed in the registration via the Graduation Portal. If a Student has a query about how their name will be announced they should email the UCL Graduation Ceremonies team at ceremonies@ucl.ac.uk. The UCL Graduation Ceremonies team will endeavour to pass on information on preferred pronunciation of Student’s names to the name reader in that Student’s Graduation Ceremony, but cannot guarantee it will be followed if it is not provided through the Graduation Portal.
• Each Graduation Ceremony will be professionally filmed and livestreamed in its entirety.
• UCL may use footage from the Graduation Ceremonies for marketing purposes, including media postings and online postings. Please see UCL’s student privacy notice and UCL’s Local Privacy Notice for the Graduations 2025 for more information about how UCL handles student personal data.
• Flash photography within the Graduation Ceremony venue and video recording of the Graduation Ceremony by Students and Guests is strictly prohibited.
• Further information on any UCL organised filming and/or photography at the Graduation Ceremony and Reception will be provided prior to your Graduation Ceremony. 

Tuition fee debts

• Student tuition fees debts to UCL must be settled in full prior to a Student’s attendance at their Graduation Ceremony. If you are concerned how a tuition fees debt will affect your attendance, please email the Student Fees team at: fees@ucl.ac.uk
• If any Student tuition fee debt has not been cleared in full by the deadlines set out in communications from UCL, then that Student will not be eligible to attend their designated Graduation Ceremony and Reception. 

Attendance, right to refuse entry and removal from the venue

• The Academic Manual and Student Code of Conduct applies to Students attending Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions. UCL reserves the right to refuse entry to any Students not abiding by the Academic Manual and/or Student Code of Conduct, prior to or during the event.
• UCL reserves the right to refuse admission, re-admission or attendance to any Student or Guest to the Graduation Ceremony and Receptions. UCL reserves the right to ask any person to leave the Graduation Ceremony and Reception venue including if they act in any manner which is disruptive to the proceedings or to other attendees. No ticket refunds will be available in such circumstances.
• Students and Guests must abide by any instructions of UCL and any applicable rules, regulations, guidelines and policies, including fire, health and safety regulations, in relation to their attendance at the Graduation Ceremony and Receptions.
• Students must arrive at the Graduation Ceremony venue a minimum of 60 minutes before their Graduation Ceremony start time, check-in, dress in Academic Dress and be seated in the auditorium at least 20 minutes before the start of their Graduation Ceremony. Guests must be seated before the start of the Graduation Ceremony.
• Students who arrive late may lose their place in the Graduation Ceremony to have their name read out alongside their cohort and will have their name read out at the end of the ceremony instead. 

Accessible seating

• Any Accessible Seating requirements for a Student, such as wheelchair access, sight or sound facilities should be submitted by the Student on the Graduation Portal when the Student is confirming their attendance on that portal, so that appropriate arrangements can be made.
• Any Accessible Seating requirements for Guests, such as wheelchair access, sight or sound facilities should be submitted at the point of Guest Ticket purchase so that appropriate seats can be allocated to Guests.
• A hearing loop system will be accessible during the Graduation Ceremony and live captioning will be provided during the ceremony. 

Additional terms

Read additional information relating to Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions on the Graduations website:  

• Events outside UCL’s control. UCL reserves the right to cancel any Graduation Ceremony and Reception for reasons beyond its control, including but not limited to by reason of war, fire, flood, storm, explosion, act of God, failure or shortage of power supplies, national emergency, labour dispute, strike, civil disturbance, acts or threats of terrorism, non-performance by suppliers or subcontractors, serious illness, epidemic or pandemic, national or London-based lockdown or any other cause or event not within the control of UCL (including without limitation the actions of any authority or body whose approval or licence is required for the Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions, issues arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, or the evacuation of the whole or any part of the ceremony venue by reason of emergency). In such circumstances, UCL shall not have any liability to the Students or Guests.
• Changes to these Terms and Conditions. UCL may update these Terms and Conditions and any guidance on Graduation Ceremonies and Receptions at any time. If any changes may affect your Graduation Ceremony and Reception, UCL will notify you via email to your UCL email address.
• Third parties. A person who is not party to these Terms and Conditions has no right to enforce them. 
• Governing law. These Terms and Conditions are governed by English law and claims made arising out of or in relation to them can only be brought in the English courts. 

Failure to comply with any of the above Terms and Conditions may result in the Student and their Guests losing their places at the Graduation Ceremony and Reception. 

When registering interest on Portico, Students will be asked to accept these Terms and Conditions and will not be invited to proceed to the Graduation Portal to get their Student Ticket without doing this. 

2024 Graduation Ceremony Glossary

• Academic Dress or Robes - The collective term for the cap, hood and gown worn by Students and Academic staff. It is mandatory for Students to wear academic dress when they are presented on stage at their Graduation Ceremony.
• Accessible Seating - Students and/or Guests who have access requirements.
• BST - British Summer Time.
• Confirmation Mailing - The correspondence sent to Students by email by the UCL Graduation Ceremonies Team notifying them of the confirmed and final date and time of their ceremony, which will only be sent once all Student registrations have been processed.
• Guest - a person who is a family member and/or friend of a Student who holds a Guest Ticket.
• Graduation Portal – The website managed by Marston Events Ltd which Students must log onto to confirm their Student Ticket, order their Guest Tickets and where they are able to hire or purchase Academic Dress.
• Guest Ticket - A ticket that is purchased by the Student for a Guest.
• Portico – the UCL Student record system.
• Student - A student who has met all the eligibility criteria and has been invited to apply to attend the UCL Graduation Ceremonies.
• Student Ticket - A designated ticket to be used solely by the Student which is not transferable to any other Student or Guest.
• Reception - The drinks celebration which takes place immediately after the Graduation Ceremony. Students and Guest Tickets grant access to this.