See below for frequently asked questions about graduations. If you cannot find the answer below or in this website, please contact graduation@abdn.ac.uk
- How to register to graduate?
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For full details on how to graduate, key dates and where to submit applications to please refer to the Prepare for Graduation page.
- When is my Graduation?
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- Visit the Find my Ceremony page to find out more details.
- Tickets
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How will I know what ceremony to buy guest tickets for? Ceremonies dates and times, along with the degrees will be listed on the website.
When will I be able to buy tickets for my friends and family?
The online booking system will open for purchasing of guest tickets from 11am, 23 October 2024. Students will be informed by email when it opens as well as on the website.All guests admitted to the Graduation Ceremony must be in possession of a ticket. Graduating students can purchase a maximum of 2 guest tickets.You must log into the online booking system and use your assigned Ticket Code to purchase tickets. This code will be emailed to you on or before Tuesday 22 October 2024. Your code is unique to you and should not be shared with anyone else. Only students who are graduating will be able to purchase tickets.Please also see the tab "Can guests attend ceremonies without a ticket?" for information on where guests can visit should they not have tickets to enter the venue.At this time, no additional tickets are available. Should additional tickets become available, they will be released for sale through the online booking system with all students being notified by email in advance.Refunds
Students should log into their online booking system account and request a refund.Any ticket refund requests should be requested before the day of graduation. Tickets cannot be refunded on the day or after the graduation has taken place.How many guest tickets can I buy?
All students wishing to graduate, who submitted their Application to Graduate for an in-person ceremony by the published deadline, can purchase a maximum of 2 guest tickets that they can purchase for their ceremony.
Students must log into the online booking system and use their ticket code to purchase.
Tickets are limited to 2 per person due to venue capacities.
At this time, no additional tickets are available. Should additional tickets become available, they will be released for sale through the online booking system with all students being notified by email in advance.
My ceremony has no more tickets left, what can I do?
At this time, no additional tickets are available. Should additional tickets become available, they will be released for sale through the online booking system with all students being notified by email in advance.Why are tickets chargeable / why are tickets for sale rather than free?
All guest ticket holders get access to the main ceremony hall and post ceremony reception where drinks and canapes are served. All of this is included in the price of the ticket.Do children/babies need a ticket?
All guests, including children aged 2 and older, must have a ticket for entry to the Graduation Ceremony. Seating is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Children under the age of 12 must always be accompanied by an adult who is not graduating.
Children under 2 do not require a ticket, but must share the seat of parent or guardian.
When will I get my tickets?
Tickets are digital and will be emailed to the email address provided at time of booking.
Can I collect tickets instead of having them posted?
No, all tickets are digital, and will be emailed to the email address provided at time of booking.My guest has a disability or additional accessibility needs / a carer
Guest additional accessibility requirements should be submitted via the ticketing system.How much do tickets cost?
Guest tickets cost £12.50 each plus booking fee. Graduating students DO NOT require a ticket.Are there any alternative methods to book my tickets and make payment?
Tickets are only available for purchase through the online booking system. Digital tickets will be send to the email address provided upon purchase.
When are the deadlines for guest ticket sales?
All graduating students can purchase a maximum of 2 guest tickets.Can guests attend ceremonies without a ticket?
All guests (including children) admitted to the Graduation Ceremony must be in possession of a ticket. Guests will be asked to present tickets to be scanned at the entrance to the main ceremony, and those without tickets will not be able to access the main ceremony hall or the reception hosted after the ceremony. Children under the age of 12 must always be accompanied by an adult. Children under 2 do not require a ticket, but must share the seat of parent or guardian.Sold out ceremonies
If you wish to bring more guests than you can obtain guest tickets for, we still warmly welcome your friends and family to campus and there are several options available to you:
Live Screenings
A live screening of the ceremony will take place on campus in King's College Conference Centre Auditorium. The Auditorium can seat up to 125 guests, and spaces will be offered on a first come first serve basis.
Our ceremonies will also be live-streamed and can be watched on mobile devices, or at the Students' Union or the Sir Duncan Rice Library. You do not need to purchase tickets for live screenings on campus. Seats cannot be reserved.
Hospitality Marquee
Your guests can locate themselves in the Hospitality Marquee on King's Lawn, open from 8.30am, and watch a live screening on mobile devices. They can then join you after the ceremony in the Marquee, where light refreshments and drinks can be purchased
Can I bring my children?
Yes, absolutely children are very welcome to celebrate your success. All guests (including children) admitted to the Graduation Ceremony must be in possession of a ticket. Graduating students sit in a separate area from guests, therefore we are unable to seat children with graduates.Will I be allowed to sit with my guests?
Unfortunately, graduating students cannot sit with their guests. Graduating students process from the student briefing area and will be sat in allocated seating ready to walk across the stage in a set order. Graduating students must sit in their allocated seats.What does the hospitality include?
As part of your ticket price, you and your ticket holding guests can enjoy a celebratory drink in addition to a selection of canapes. These will be available as you leave the graduation marquee.Is other hospitality available?
There will be a wide variety of catering options available during the graduation period. You will be able to visit the hospitality marquee where you can purchase drinks, snacks and University memorabilia. In addition, A selection of campus outlets will be serving food and drink throughout our graduation days. - Ceremony Venue Information
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The Graduation ceremonies will be held at the Old Aberdeen Campus, University of Aberdeen.
Please be aware that graduation briefings and ceremonies can often be noisy environments. With large numbers of fellow graduates and families in attendance, you should be aware that there will be lots of clapping and cheering taking place.
If you’re sensitive to large crowds or loud noises, please let the graduation team know on the day or email graduation@abdn.ac.uk so that we can do our best to support you.
- Graduation Celebration Event
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Join the Students’ Union for the Class of 2024 Graduation Celebration on Wednesday 27th November in the Elphinstone Lawn Marquee with a 2-course buffet, welcome drink, ceilidh dancing, and free entry to the AURA after-party! Tickets are available through the link.
- Can friends/family watch my ceremony online?
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The in person ceremonies will be streamed live on YouTube.
Each Graduation Ceremony will be professionally filmed and live-streamed in its entirety. There will also be photography taken before, during and after the ceremony. UoA may use footage and photographs from the Graduation Ceremonies for marketing purposes, including media postings and online postings. Please see UoA student privacy notice for more information about how UoA manages student personal data.
- When will I receive my certificate?
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If you graduate in person, you will receive your certificate at the ceremony.
Students graduating in-absentia will have their certificates posted to them. You can view approximate dates on the key dates section of the website.
- What if I don't attend my ceremony?
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If you are expected to attend a ceremony and you do not turn up or are turned away (because you are too late), your degree/diploma certificate will not be issued as you will not have graduated. You must reapply for a future graduation.
- What if I want to change my application?
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If you need to make any changes to your application to graduate after you have submitted it, please email graduation@abdn.ac.uk as soon as possible to notify them of the required changes.
- How will I know if I am eligible to graduate?
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You should check your results in your Student Hub.
If you do not appear to be eligible to graduate with the degree that you have applied for, please contact a member of staff in Registry as soon as possible to advise if you still wish to attend the ceremony with a lower degree e.g. designated instead of honours. We cannot assume that you will want to do so and the Team will be unaware if you are taking resits.
- How much does it cost to graduate?
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There is no fee for the graduation ceremony.
Graduating students will need to hire a gown and have the option of purchasing photography as well.
- What happens if I submit a late application to graduate?
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If you apply after the deadline there is no guarantee that your application will be accepted. So, do not wait until you receive your results, assume you will pass and apply before the deadline.
- What if I owe the university money?
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If you owe the University money for any reason (fees, library fines for unreturned books, etc.) you will not be permitted to graduate, so please ensure that you have cleared any debts. Any money you owe will normally be displayed on the Application to Graduate form. However, as the Graduation Team receives notice of debt daily from various sections of the University it may not be displayed on your form. If you receive a letter or email saying that you owe money or have unreturned library books please do not ignore it even if you think the information is wrong. Contact us immediately to resolve the issue.
If you continue to owe money your application will be kept on hold until the debt is paid. The onus is on you to advise the Graduation Team that the debt has been paid.
To be included in graduation you will need to clear any debt and notify graduation@abdn.ac.uk
- What happens to my IT Account after I graduate?
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Please be aware that when you finish your studies at the University of Aberdeen, your IT account will close. You will receive an email notification 30 days prior to this closure date. You may have already received this.
Once your account has closed, you will no longer have access to the following systems and services:
- MyAberdeen and other VLEs
- MySkills Portfolio and MyAberdeen Area
- Your University Email and OneDrive
- MS Office applications on your personal devices
- Your Home (H:) drive
- Network access, including wireless
- Electronic resources (e.g. Library catalogue)
Make sure you copy any files you want to keep from your mailbox, OneDrive and H drive. Should you have any questions please contact the IT Service Desk.
Please download any assignments or other work you submitted to the courses on MyAberdeen that you wish to retain - just revisit the assignment on MyAberdeen to download a copy.
- I want to share my graduation success story
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Let us share your graduation successes.
We invite graduates to submit a photo and short message or a success story.
The local and national media also traditionally seeks out interesting stories regarding our new graduates. If you would like to take part in these opportunities simply complete this form.
*The Communications team cannot guarantee that every story will be followed up but they thank you for your participation.
- Data Protection
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If you have applied to attend a graduation ceremony in person, you should note that your name may be published in an awards list that the University may release to the media for their onward publication. If you do not wish your name to be included you must notify graduation@abdn.ac.uk to this effect.
In addition, if you qualify for the award of a degree you should note that, unless you apply to the Registrar of the General Council for exemption on ground of conscience, you will automatically become a member of the General Council of the University, and your name will be included in the published Register of members of the Council.
Following graduation, your contact details and degree/diploma/certificate information are transferred to our alumni and development database where our alumni archive is maintained. The Alumni Relations and Development teams keep in contact with former students regarding further education and Continuing Professional Development opportunities, career mentoring and development, reunions, alumni and University events, University updates and fundraising initiatives.
Your contact details are only used for University-related activity and are not passed to any third-party organisations for other purposes. You can at any time opt out of receiving any or all of these communications by contacting our Alumni Relations Office at alumni@abdn.ac.uk
- Degree Fraud - How can I avoid this?
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Advice and guidance on degree fraud for students can be found here