Graduation
Schedule of Ceremonies
The upcoming ceremonies will take place on the following dates:
- Thursday 13th & Friday 14th March 2025: All Chester graduands (award dates up to 12th February 2025) in Chester Cathedral.
Those receiving awards after 12th February and by 8th October will graduate at the ceremonies taking place from 3rd – 7th November 2025. The schedule for these ceremonies will be confirmed in June.
The booking form will confirm which ceremony you have been allocated to, so please log in there if you are unsure which department you belong to. Joint honours students will always go to the ceremony for the subject they majored in. If the subjects are equally weighted, the first subject alphabetically determines the ceremony (e.g. a Biology and French student would graduate with Biological Sciences). Students cannot choose which department they graduate with.
Please note that the department structures below may have changed since your time of study.
Preparing for the day
Please complete your registration form. For March 2025 ceremonies you can do this from Monday 13th January until Friday 14th February. You must complete the registration form to let us know if you are attending the ceremony or not. If we do not hear from you, you will automatically graduate in absentia.
Tickets
Each Graduand/Diplomate will be allocated up to 2 guest tickets if they apply by the deadline of Friday 14th February. After this date, guest tickets are not guaranteed. You will be able to request additional guest tickets but these are not guaranteed and are subject to availability. You will be notified nearer to the time, if you have been successful.
International Students
In order to invite your parents, family members or friends to come to the UK to attend your Graduation Ceremony it is your responsibility to make sure that they apply for the appropriate visas. For more information about the requirements for a visa application, please visit the Home Office website.
Accessibility
If you require any form of assistance during your Graduation Ceremony, it is your responsibility to contact the Graduation Office on 01244 511170 and make them aware of your requirements, giving at least 4 weeks’ notice. Alternatively, you can email graduation@chester.ac.uk.
Academic Dress
In order to participate in the Ceremony, you will be required to wear the full academic dress of the University. It is your responsibility to order your gown, hood and hat. Our recommended suppliers are Ede & Ravenscroft. You can do this online from Monday 13th January. If you have any queries about gown hire, please go to edeandravenscroft.com/help. Please make sure that you have ordered your academic dress at least 21 days before the Ceremonies are due to take place otherwise you may have to hire a gown on the day at an additional cost.
N.B. Your Graduation Ceremony is a formal event and as such it is recommended that you dress smartly. Casual attire such as jeans, t-shirts and trainers are not considered appropriate for this type of event. Staff from Ede & Ravenscroft will be at the ceremony to ensure that your academic dress is correct before you receive your degree/award.
ALL gowns must be returned to the Town Hall by 6.00 pm on the day of your Ceremony.
Photography
The official photographer for the University is Ede & Ravenscroft. Photography studios will be located in the Crowne Plaza Hotel. It is not compulsory to book, though it is advisable, to avoid congestion on the day. You should allow enough time to have your photographs taken and be at the Cathedral at least 30 minutes before your ceremony start time. Photography studios will remain open until 5:30pm so you can have your photographs taken after the ceremony.
A photographer from Ede & Ravenscroft will also be present at the ceremony to take a photograph of you as you receive your award. For more information, visit the Ede & Ravenscroft website
Gown Hire Collection and Photography Times
- Ceremony One: from 8:30am on Thursday 13th March
- Ceremony Two: From 12:30pm on Thursday 13th March
- Ceremony Three: From 7:30am on Friday 14th March
- Ceremony Four: From 9:30am on Friday 14th March
- Ceremony Five: From 12:00pm on Friday 14th March
Debt
University policy specifies that no award or degree will be presented to any person with an outstanding tuition fee debt. It is your responsibility to check if this is the case. Unpaid tuition fees must be settled Friday 14th February. Any student who has not settled their tuition fee debts by this date will not be eligible to attend their Graduation Ceremony and their degree or award certificate will be withheld until such time as the debt has been cleared. You cannot defer if you have an outstanding tuition fee debt.
The Ceremony
The Cathedral doors will open approximately 45 minutes before the ceremony is due to start. You and your guests should arrive at the Cathedral, having first collected your gown, no later than 30 minutes before the ceremony start time.
Guests without tickets cannot be admitted.
The doors will close 10 minutes* before the ceremony start time. This allows our ushers to check the attendance. Once this check has been completed any latecomers, for whatever reason, will not be able to participate in the ceremony.
To maintain a safe and secure environment, we ask that you and your guests DO NOT bring large bags/backpacks/suitcases into the Cathedral. You should make alternative arrangements to leave baggage elsewhere as there are no storage facilities at the venue.
Any bag larger than A4 size will be subject to a bag search. We ask for your cooperation to minimise time delays to enter the venue. Guests cannot be admitted once the doors have closed*.
What happens when I arrive at the Cathedral?
Graduands should enter via the South West Porch. Guests will enter through the South Transept. Entrances are fully accessible. You and your guests should have your unique e -tickets ready to be scanned, either on your mobile device or printed off.
Please give your name to an Usher at the door who will advise you of your seat number and direct you to your seating. You will then be seated by a Nave Usher who will check to make sure you are sitting in your designated seat.
Graduand/Diplomate Seating
You should occupy the seat that corresponds to the number given to you by the Usher on the door. It is most important that you do not move from your allocated seat position even if there is a gap next to you. Failure to occupy the correct seat will mean that you are recorded as ‘absent' and you will not be presented with your award.
The Presentation of your Award
At the appropriate time, you will be guided by an usher to the left-hand side of the nave in a continuous procession. You should give your name to the usher at the front of the queue and when your name is called, proceed towards the Presiding Officer, and shake their hand (if you would prefer NOT to shake hands, please contact The Graduation Office). Proceeding across to the opposite side, you will make your way down the right side of the nave and return to your seat.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, on a given signal, the graduates/diplomates will process out.
Collection of your certificate
Your certificate will be presented to you at the ceremony. Graduates who DO NOT attend the ceremonies will receive their certificates in the post within 4 weeks of the ceremonies taking place.
