FAQ’s Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
About the Awards Ceremonies:




When will I receive my Awards Ceremonies invitation?
Invitations to prospective graduates will be emailed to your University
(@Arts.ac.uk) email address in March. For those students who have completed
their courses since the 2014 ceremonies however, a postcard invitation will be
sent to your permanent home address (in addition to an invitation sent to
external e-mail addresses). In all cases, you need to use the online registration
form found on the Awards Ceremony website. Once you have registered, you
will receive confirmation of your booking by e-mail.
Should I wait for my results before I apply for the Awards Ceremonies?
No. You should register as soon as possible and no later than Friday 8th May
to avoid being charged a late registration fee of £60. Before this date, you will
only need to pay for guest tickets. Each year we have to disappoint students
who have left it until they receive their results to decide whether or not to
attend as by then all the seats may be taken. If you are undecided about
whether to come therefore, it is better to register and withdraw at a later stage
if necessary. Any registration submitted after Friday 5th June may not be
accepted so it is important that you do not wait.
What happens if I don't successfully complete my course?
You'll be sent a letter from your School Office containing information on any
next steps you should take regarding resubmitting your work. Provided you
successfully complete your course in the next academic year you will be
invited to the 2016 Awards Ceremonies. You will also be given a full refund
of any guest ticket payments you have made.
Am I eligible to attend the ceremony?
If you have received confirmation from your college that you have achieved
your degree then, providing you have no outstanding debts to the University
(including library fines), you will be eligible to attend your ceremony.
You will be eligible to attend Graduation if you successfully completed a
Higher Education Course since July 2014. These include PhD; MPhil; MA; Pg
Dip; Grad Dip and Grad Cert; BA (Hons) / BSc (Hons); FdA / FdSc and Cert
HE. Please note that all students must register in order to attend their
Ceremony.

What if I owe money to the University?
You cannot attend the Awards Ceremonies or collect your certificate whilst in
tuition fee debt to the University. However, it is expected that you clear all
debts before you complete your studies. These debts can consist of unpaid fees
accommodation, library fines or any unreturned equipment and books. So
please make sure that you quickly clear any outstanding debts by contacting
your college office. They'll help you sort everything out.
1

How do I get my certificate if I'm not attending my ceremony?
Due to the high volume of preparation for the ceremonies, it will NOT be
possible to collect your certificate prior to the ceremonies. The awards team
will be attending the ceremonies between 14th July and 17th July 2015 and on
return to the office on the 20th July it will be closed until 22nd July to prepare
for the collection days. The office will therefore not reopen until Thursday
23rd July.
You can receive your certificates by either of two methods: Collection or
Posting.
1. Collection The dates for collection after the ceremonies are as follows:
If you are a graduate of CCW or London College of Fashion:
Your certificate will be available for collection on provision of identification
from 272 High Holborn on Thursday 23th July 2015 ONLY
If you are a graduate of Central Saint Martins or London College of
Communication:
Your certificate will be available for collection on provision of identification
from 272 High Holborn on Friday 24th July 2015 ONLY.
Certificates must be collected by the student who has received the award. If
you wish a friend or family member to collect it on your behalf you must
contact graduation@arts.ac.uk with the full name of the person who is
collecting it and it must be collected on the nominated day. A phone call will
not be sufficient to arrange this.
2. Posting If you do not collect your certificate as advised above, it will be posted out to
you to the “end of academic year” address that you nominated using the
Student Contact Management System (this must be done by Friday 10th July
2015). If an address has not been nominated, it will be sent to your permanent
address (by Recorded Delivery).

Where and when is my Graduation?
There are different dates and times for each College and Faculty - click the
link to be taken to the Dates, Times and Location of the Awards Ceremonies.
Back to top
2
Registering for the Awards Ceremonies:






Why do I need to register?
If you do not register for the Awards Ceremonies we cannot plan for your
attendance and make sure your guests will be seated.
My friend is attending a different ceremony - can I go to that one instead?
This will not be possible.
How do I buy guest tickets for my ceremony?
You can apply for guest tickets on the registration form. These will be
available for collection on the day of your ceremony.
Do I have to pay for my ticket?
As long as you register by Friday 8th May 2015 graduate tickets are free of
charge. After this date you will be charged a late fee.
How much do guest tickets cost?
The charge of £28 (including VAT) for each guest ticket helps to pay for the
cost of the ceremony. (Ticket prices have remained stable since 2013).We do
our best to keep costs, and therefore ticket prices as low as possible. The
tickets include a complimentary programme, glass of Prosecco, soft drinks and
cake.
How many guests’ tickets can I buy?
Due to variations in the number of students at the Colleges and Faculties the
number of guest tickets you can purchase varies for each day of ceremonies.
Provided you purchase the maximum amount of guaranteed tickets you can
then apply for additional tickets. Please note the additional tickets are not
guaranteed and are allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Confirmation
of your ticket allocation, including any additional tickets you have been
allocated will be emailed to you approximately one week before your
ceremony. It is not possible to confirm ‘extra tickets’ earlier because of the
very short time between exam boards and the ceremonies. We need to know
who has passed so we can allocate any ‘spare tickets’.
Additional tickets will need to be paid for on the day of your ceremony.
Instructions on how to do this will be included in your ‘joining instructions’
that will be sent to you with your ticket allocation in the week before the
ceremony.
I would like to change my ticket order. How do I do this? When you
register you need to make sure you are sure what tickets you would like
before paying for guest tickets. Ticket requests can only be changed in
exceptional circumstances and no later than Friday 8th May 2015. If you have
a ticket query, please contact us via graduation@arts.ac.uk quoting your
ceremony name in all correspondence and your student id or we will not reply
to you.

Can children attend the ceremony?
Children can attend but as the ceremonies may last over 2 hours we do not
recommend bringing babies or small children to the ceremony, and there are
no ticket reductions on children occupying seats. When registering, you may
wish to tell us if you are bringing children so we can try to provide aisle
seating should you need to go out during the ceremony. Children cannot sit
3
with graduates, they must sit with the guests and no unaccompanied children
are permitted in the hall.
Please note that due to Royal Festival Hall regulations, children over the
age of 2 must have their own seat and there are no crèche facilities
available at the venue.






What do I do if I or my party are disabled or have any special
requirement?
When you register please provide details of any special requirements for you
or your guests - such as wheelchair access/requirement for a signer/mobility
issues etc. (There is an additional form for you to complete if this is the case
so we can do our best to accommodate your requirement and try and arrange
the best possible seating to meet your needs). If we don't know your
requirements well in advance however, we cannot guarantee that we'll be able
to accommodate them on the day so please try and provide as much
information as possible.
Within the hall, there are ample lifts to all areas of the building and an infrared hearing system operates. Marshals will be available to assist you on the
day. View access information for the Royal Festival Hall.
When do I need to register by?
There are a number of deadlines you need to keep to, you may still register
after the deadlines but you will be subject to a late fee:
Registration Deadlines
- Friday 8th May 2015 - the first deadline that we require all registrations
forms to be submitted by. Registrations after this date will be subject to a £60
late fee.
- Friday 5th June 2015 - the final deadline for registrations. After this stage,
we cannot guarantee any registration will be accepted, and any that are will be
subject to a £90 late fee.
What is my student ID number?
This can be found on your Student Card, and is the first three letters of your
surname followed by eight numbers.
I can't complete the registration form!?
Please make sure you are using a PC (using the latest version of either Internet
Explorer or Mozilla Firefox) or an Apple (using the latest version of Safari)
I applied for my graduate ticket but can't attend / my plans have
changed. What should I do?
If you decide not to or realise you cannot attend your ceremony after you have
registered please let us know as soon as possible via:
graduation@arts.ac.uk. You MUST include your college name in the email so
we can reply to you (eg re LCF graduation; re Camberwell graduation etc)
After Friday 5th June 2015 we regret that cancellations will not be
refunded (unless you have not passed your course).

I failed my course - can I get a refund?
Students who are unsuccessful will be refunded the full costs of tickets from
August onwards.
4


How and when will I receive my tickets?
All tickets for the ceremonies are collected on the day of your ceremony - we
do not post tickets. You will be sent a Ticket Confirmation email
approximately 7 days before your ceremony. You will need to print this email
out and present it to a member of the Awards Team on the day in order to get
your tickets. This email will also confirm if you have been allocated the
additional tickets that you requested when registering.
I need a visa letter to attend the Awards Ceremonies - how do I apply for
one?
You must register to attend your Ceremony first of all, and then contact
Student Services for further advice, but only after you have received your
confirmation of registration e-mail.
Early Bird Draw:

How can I enter and what are the prizes?
Registrations received 17.00 on Wednesday 1st April 2015 will be entered in a
prize draw. Three prizes will be offered for each Ceremony – a Private Box at
Royal Festival Hall, academic robe hire and graduation photography. Please
see Terms and Conditions for full details. Prize winners will be contacted
directly by the Awards Ceremony Team.
Back to top
On The Day:





How do I get to the Royal Festival Hall?
Please visit the Royal Festival Hall's visitor info page for information on
travelling to the venue. We advise that you use regularly check the Transport
For London website for updates on travel issues.
When should I arrive?
Registration and robe collection will close 45 minutes before the ceremony
starts. To allow enough time to collect your tickets and robe, and should you
wish, have an official graduation picture taken - we suggest you arrive at least
one and a half hours before your ceremony is due to start.
What happens if I get there late?
If you arrive late, are unrobed or sit in the wrong seat we cannot guarantee that
you will be admitted into the auditorium or that you can cross the stage with
the other graduates from your course. If the 'presentation of awards' part of
your ceremony has finished, you will not be able to cross the stage.
How long does the ceremony last?
Approximately between one and a half to two hours, but times do vary.
Where will I and my guests be seated?
Graduates and their guests will not be seated together. Graduates will be
seated in the front stalls (your ticket will have a seat number which is your
allocated seat) and your guests will be seated behind the graduates and in the
5

balconies. Ushers will show you to your seats. Don’t forget to arrange with
your guests where to meet following the ceremony as you will not be seated
with them.
What happens during the ceremony?
All guests and graduates are seated in the hall at the start of the ceremony.
Ushers will direct you from your seat out of the auditorium and onto the stage.
You will each have a name card which you must hand to the member of staff
on the rostrum. Graduates are presented individually by name and will
progress alphabetically by surname within their course. When your name is
announced you walk to the centre of the stage to shake hands with the ViceChancellor or his representative.
You then cross to the exit at the far side of the stage and after collecting your
certificate (if applicable), you will be ushered back to a seat in the hall. Your
seat will not be the same one you had before so for this reason you must leave
your belongings with your guests.





Will my classification be read out?
No, and it will not be printed in the programme.
What should my name card say?
Your name card should have your full legal name printed on it.
When can I collect my certificate? If you completed your award in Autumn
or Winter 2014 you should already have received your certificate and once
you cross the stage we will direct you back to your seats. Students who
complete their qualifications in Summer 2015 will be directed out of the hall
where your certificate will be available for collection in most cases. You will
then be directed back into the hall for the remainder of the ceremony. Please
note that if you have any outstanding tuition fee liability to the University, it
will NOT be possible to collect your certificate until the debt is cleared.
What happens after the ceremony?
After the ceremony is over, you will be directed out of the hall where light
refreshments will be served and you can meet your guests. There is also an
opportunity to purchase DVD's of the ceremony or have graduation
photographs taken.
Will I be sent any more information about my ceremony?
When you submit your online registration, you will be sent an e-mail to
confirm that your order has been received, and then another within the next
few days when it has been processed. On the registration form you are also
asked to confirm an external (non-UAL) email address which we use to email
you your ticket confirmation order approximately 7 days before your
Ceremony. You will need to print this out and present it to a member of the
Awards team on the day in order to collect your tickets.
In addition to this you can sign up to the UAL 2015 Awards Ceremonies Facebook
Page where regular updates and information will be posted - you can even sign up to
the UAL 2015 Awards Ceremonies Event so you can be messaged directly on
Facebook with reminders and important information.
Back to top
6
Robes, Photography and Dress Code:

What should I and my guests wear?
All graduates must wear an official UAL gown, hat and hood in order to
be able to cross the stage. You will not be permitted to cross the stage if
you are not wearing these.





Where and when can I get my gown?
Book your gown before the 22nd June from Ede & Ravenscroft. You will be
sent an email confirming your gown hire which includes your gown reference
number. You will need to print out and present this email to the Ede &
Ravenscroft staff at the ceremony in order to collect your gown. You are
strongly encouraged to book your gown in time to avoid extra queuing on the
day and to guarantee that they have your size available. An extra charge is also
made if the robe has not been booked on time.
Which robe do I order?
Please see the Awards Ceremony website for more information on which
specific robe to order. You need to search for University of the Arts London
rather than your College and then look for your qualification level eg
Bachelors or Masters. You will need to know your hat size and height before
you book.
The Awards Ceremonies are friendly rather than formal but, as it's a special
occasion, most people, including guests go smartly dressed. From a practical
point of view, it's best if graduates wear a shirt or blouse so that the hood of
your robe can be fastened on a button. Alternatively, bring safety pins. You
may also wish to bring some hair clips to ensure your hat fits well.
Personal belongings should be left with your guests as they cannot be taken
into the hall. All graduating students must be wearing official UAL robes in
order to cross the stage. Ede & Ravenscroft supply the gowns for our
ceremonies; please book your gown on their website.
If I can't go to the ceremony, can I get a refund on my gown?
You may cancel your robe up to 7 working days before your awards ceremony
for a refund; however you must contact Ede & Ravenscroft for more
information.
Can I buy photographs on the day?
There will be opportunities to have your photograph taken, purchase a DVD of
the ceremony, and buy University and other merchandise both before and after
your ceremony. You can also book your pictures before the ceremony (as
robing and photography are supplied by the same company – Ede and
Ravenscroft). However, if you decide to upgrade or change your reserved
photography package when you get to the ceremony, you can still do so.
7

Awards Ceremony Contact Details:

My question has not been answered by the FAQ’s. What can I do?
Please contact the Awards Team by email. The email address is
graduation@arts.ac.uk. Please include your ceremony in the title of the email and
ensure you include your student id, date of birth and contact phone number so we can
respond to your query (eg Joseph Smith SMI0900007, LCF morning).
By Post:
Awards Ceremony
Academic Registry
University of the Arts London
272 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7EY
Back to top
8