Graduation FAQs

Quick Find:

Eligibility

Registration

Guest Tickets

Gown

Academic Dress

Photography

Accessibility

Deferral

Children

Parking

On the day

Certificates

How do I know if I will be invited to graduation?

If you are eligible to attend summer graduation you will receive an email into your student email account after 27 March 2017. The email will advise you on the date and time of your ceremony and how you can register your wish to attend. If, after 27 March you hear from people on your course who have already received an email but you haven’t,please .

How do I register to attend?

When you get your email advising on your graduation date and time you should log in to your e-Vision [ account, and select My Graduationwhere you will be guided through the registration process. Please note you cannot register in any other way.

What is the registration deadline?

Friday 19 May 2017.

If I register, does this guarantee attendance?

No, registration advises us that you are expressing your wish to attend your graduation ceremony. Your eligibility is only confirmed once you have made satisfactory academic progress and have received confirmation from us that you can attend. We confirm attendance in late June / early July. In addition you won’t be able to attend if you have any outstanding debts to the University.

What happens if I have an outstanding debt?

If you have an outstanding debt you will be ineligible to attend the graduation ceremonies. You will also not be able to receive your award certificate and you will not be included in the awards brochure.

You can check your account and make payments here:

How do I tell you that I don’t wish to attend graduation?

Go online to the e-Vision [ graduation portal. You have the option to select ‘I do not wish to attend’.

I have registered, should I order my gown and make travel arrangements?

No, don’t make any arrangements until you have been notified by the University that you have made satisfactory progress. You will receive this in late June / early July, and shortly after you will receive a confirmation letter (or email if you are a non – UK/EU student) and your guest tickets.

Where do I hire my gown from and how do I arrange photographs?

All students must wear academic dress which can be purchased or hired from Ede & Ravenscroft ( The website will guide you through the ordering system, but we recommend you don’t do this until you have been notified by the University that you have made satisfactory progress. Please note that it is the level of your final award, and not the programme you were enrolled on to, that determines the colour of your gown. The gowning company will be located on campus on your graduation day. A photography sitting can be arranged at The photography company will be based on campus on your graduation day.

What colour gown do I wear?

The level of your final award, and not the programme you were enrolled on to, determines the colour of your gown.

A grey gown, with University hood and grey mortar board with grey tassel is for the following awards…

  • Higher National Certificate
  • Higher National Diploma
  • Certificate of Higher Education
  • Diploma of Higher Education
  • Certificate in Education
  • Foundation Degree

A black gown, with University hood, black mortar board with black tassel is for the following awards:
  • Advanced Diploma
  • Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts
  • Bachelor of Engineering
  • Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
  • Postgraduate Certificate
  • Postgraduate Certificate in Higher Education
  • Postgraduate Diploma
  • Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
  • Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology

A red gown, University hood, black mortar board with red tasselis for the following awards:

  • Master of Arts
  • Master of Science
  • Master of Philosophy
  • Master of Engineering
  • Master of Business Administration

A red/grey gown, University hood, cloth bonnet with red tassel is for the following awards:

  • D Prof
  • PhD
  • PhD by completed work
  • Clinical Psychology (all taught Doctorates)

How can I get tickets for my guests?

During the registration process on e-Vision you will be asked to state how many guest tickets you require. Bear in mind that all students will have their own seat in the graduation venue therefore you don’t need a ticket for yourself. You may request up to five tickets but please note that we can only guarantee two guest tickets per student.

I have applied for more than two guest tickets, will I get them?

It depends. We guarantee every student two guest tickets. The number of students choosing to attend each ceremony dictates the number of guest tickets above two that we can allocate. If a ceremony has space we will begin an additional allocation process. We make this allocation as fairly as we possibly can, but sometimes we have to make random allocations of remaining guest tickets. There may be instances where someone you know on the same ceremony has received more guest tickets than you. Please avoid making guest travel arrangements until the number of your guest tickets has been confirmed.

When will I know how many guest tickets I have been allocated?

The number of guest tickets you have been allocated will be the number you receive with your confirmation letter in early July (or as advised by email if you are a non UK/EU student).

For guests that can’t get a ticket is there anywhere else on campus to watch the ceremony?

Yes, the ceremonies will be filmed and streamed live on the University website (allowing you to view live on your PC/mobile device at and on large screens in the Campus Heart, and the Students’ Union.

I live outside the UK/EU how will I get my tickets?

We do not post guest tickets to students who do not have a UK/EU address. Instead we make tickets available for collection form the graduation office (M2.08 in Middlesbrough Tower) from 10 July. We will email you in advance to let you know the number of tickets you have been allocated.

Can I defer my graduation and come at a later date?

Yes,you can defer once. Please log into your e-Vision [ account and select My Graduation. You will see an option to defer to next year’s ceremonies.

I have missed the deadline for registering to attend graduation, can I still attend?

We encourage everyone to register before the closing date. We try our best to accommodate those who have missed the deadline, but late registrations run the risk of not being able to attend the same ceremony as their course-mates.

I have special attendance requirements, how do I let you know, and what will happen at the ceremony?

During the e-Vision registration process, you will be asked to provide any information relating to any special attendance requirements you or your guests may have. For example if you or a guest uses a wheelchair. Advising us of special requirements at this stage helps to avoid last minute arrangements which may affect your enjoyment of the ceremony. The graduation ceremony will take place in Olympia Building on campus. There is level access to the venue, and the ceremony takes place on the ground floor. Graduands are seated in rows of up to 13 people. This is not suitable for those in wheelchairs or users of crutches, and in these instances we allocate a seat at the end of a row or in a specific wheelchair area. No matter where you are seated you will still receive your award along with your course colleagues. The stage is accessed and exited by a gentle ramp with a gradient of approximately 1 in 5, which is sufficiently wide enough for wheelchair users. If you feel you may have difficulty using the ramp please indicate this before arrival at the venue so that we can determine the best way for you to access the stage. In most cases we find that with help, which is in good supply, the ramp is manageable. But early warning is useful. Disabled parking is available on site to holders of disabled badges. Please refer to the University guide to parking on our website.

Can I bring children?

Yes, children are welcome to attend the ceremonies, however families are reminded that the ceremonies can take up to 1½ hours and are not children oriented. Children over three years of age will require their own seat and therefore their own guest ticket. Only children under three years of age will be allowed to share a seat with a guest. Any child will have to be removed from their pushchair, pram or buggy on entrance to the graduation venue as the seating layout does not provide for these to have access. A storage area will be provided for the duration of the ceremony.

Where should I park?

Free car-parking, for you and your guests, is available in the University pay and display car-parks on the day of your graduation ceremony. You don’t need to buy a ticket from the parking meter. Car parking is available on a first come first served basis.Additional pay and display car-parking is available in nearby Middlesbrough Council car-parks. Please check the Middlesbrough Council website for a list and location of the long stay car parks. Please ensure you pay sufficient car-parking fees to avoid penalties in the council car-parks.

What happens at the ceremony?

On arrival at Olympia Building (the graduation ceremony venue) graduands and their guests proceed to the main entrance. Once inside, graduands will be guided to a student entrance where they will be met by University representatives and shown to their seats. Guests will show their tickets at the inner door and will be shown to their seating area.

Graduands sit together, away from their guests, in alphabetical order by course. Your seatwill be identified with a name card, and, if you are the first alphabetically in your course, a course name card also. You must not change seats as the presentation of names is based on the seating plan.You must look after your name card and course card (where applicable) because you need to take this (these) card(s) with you when you make your way up to the stage.

You must hand the card(s) to the presenter on the stage who will read the course card and your name before you cross the stage to shake hands with the Vice-Chancellor or senior University representative.University staff will manage the ceremony, instructing you when to rise from your seat and walk to the stage in preparation for crossing the stage. Backstage, final checks will be made to ensure that your name is correctly stated on the card, and that everyone is in the correct order. It is important that students are silent whilst backstage as noise can travel onto the stage. We also ask that students respect the traditions of the event and cross the stage in an orderly manner. Please note that students are not permitted to use photography equipment or devices while on stage.

When all graduates have crossed the stagethe ceremony will be formally closed. You and your guests are then free to take photographs before proceeding to the Campus Heart where complimentary refreshments will be available.

What time do I need to be at the University on the day of my graduation?

Please click here[word document attached] to see the times of key events on your graduation day.

I need some more help, what should I do?

Please email or call 01642 342080 for further help.

When will I receive my certificate?

Certificates will be posted to your home address as recorded on our student record system. International students will have the option to have their certificate sent to a nominated UK address or collect from the reception desk in the Student Centre. It is important to ensure that your home address is correct on our system. This can be amended through e-Vision.

Diploma supplements can be downloaded from e-Vision once you have received notification of your award. Diploma supplements are only available to students studying a main award who achieve the intended award. The Diploma supplement includes your transcript.