Prepare for Graduation

In this section
Prepare for Graduation

Your graduation is an official celebration of your accomplishments during your time at the University of Aberdeen.

Students expecting to complete their studies and wishing to graduate should register by completing and submitting the online application form.

The deadline for applications for Summer 2025 graduations will be announced soon.

Please check the table below to see if you can apply to attend a ceremony.

Ceremonies (in person):

  • All degree programmes
  • Professional Graduate Diploma in Education
  • Diploma in Professional Legal Practice
  • Postgraduate Diploma in Person-Centred Counselling

In-absentia (no ceremony):

All Degree, Diploma and Certificate programmes

 

 

Please note that if you graduate in-absentia, you are normally unable to also graduate in person and vice versa.

Graduation Preparation

What you should do in the run up to Graduation

Preparation Information

In person
How to Apply

Application Deadline: Summer Graduation deadline will be announced soon.

Don't wait until you receive your results, assume you will pass and apply now.

Debt

Please note: If you owe the University money for any reason (fees, library fines for unreturned books etc.) you will not be permitted to graduate - please refer to the FAQs.

Key Dates

Winter 2024

Application deadline

Will be confirmed in due course

Tickets issued

Will be confirmed in due course

Graduation Ceremonies

Will be confirmed in due course

Robe hire ordering deadline

Will be confirmed in due course

Graduation Checklist

1. Complete your application. It is important that you include:

  • your name as you want it to appear on your certificate;
  • the award you are applying to graduate with;
  • a phone number and/or a non-University email address in case we need to contact you in an emergency, or your University email account closes;

2. Buy your guest tickets

3. If you require additional assistance on the day such as assistance to your seat or the stage, and have not stated in your application please email the graduation team.

Guest additional assistance should be submitted through the ticketing system.

4. Book your robe and hood

5. Book a photography session with Ede & Ravenscroft photography

6. Submit your photo for the venue and social media as well as your graduation success story

Share your Success

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.

You can also contact the Communications Office via email.

Data Protection

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

In-absentia
How to Apply

Application Deadline: see Key Dates

Don't wait until you receive your results, assume you will pass and apply now.

Debt

Please note: If you owe the University money for any reason (fees, library fines for unreturned books etc.) you will not be permitted to graduate - please refer to the FAQs.

Postage Information

Postage and Courier Service

Please ensure that you give an address location covering the period 2 weeks before and 5 weeks after the graduation date you are applying for. If you do change your address, please advise the Graduation Team as soon as possible.

There is an optional fee to have your certificate sent by courier service. You will be able to pay for this through the Online Store. If you make this payment you MUST write your order number on your application form so we know that you require courier service. Please note that DHL courier services will not deliver to a PO Box address.

Please note that because of the time taken to process courier shipments it may take up to a week after the certificates are issued before a certificate gets sent out. This means that sending by courier is NOT a way to guarantee faster delivery. It is merely a more secure method. Certificates posted by standard mail are usually sent out the same day they are issued.

If a certificate is sent to an incorrect address, we will wait approximately 8 weeks to allow time for the certificate to be returned to the University before issuing a replacement.

Key Dates

Applications to graduate in absentia should be submitted by the deadline closest to the date you are due to complete your studies. If you do not qualify in time you will have to reapply to graduate as your original application will be destroyed.

Application Deadline Graduation Date

Expected date of Certificate Posting

Friday 17 May 2024 Sunday 30 June 2024 5 August 2024
Friday 11 October 2024 Saturday 30 November 2024 10 January 2025
Friday 24 January 2025 Sunday 16 February 2025 7 March 2025
Friday 14 March 2025 Sunday 6 April 2025 2 May 2025
Graduation Checklist

1. Complete your application. It is important that you include:

  • your name as you want it to appear on your certificate;
  • the award you are applying to graduate with;
  • the address where your certificate is to be sent to. If a certificate is sent to an incorrect address, we will wait approximately 8 weeks for the certificate to be returned to the University before issuing a replacement.
  • a phone number and/or a non-University email address in case we need to contact you in an emergency, or your University email account closes;

2. Update your contact details

Share your success story

Let us share your graduation successes. We invite graduates to submit a photo and short message, a success story or take part in a marketing photoshoot. 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.

You can contact the Communications Office on 01224 272014.

Data protection

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