You will need to leave enough time on arrival to collect your tickets, collect your robes and for you and your guests to be seated 30 minutes BEFORE the start time of your ceremony. For this reason we recommend arriving an absolute minimum of an hour before your ceremony starts. Ensure that you read the Key Timings for the Day to know where you will need to go and what to do.

Please allow additional time for traffic and parking if you are arriving by car.

It is your responsibility to ensure you arrive in time for the ceremony.

Ceremonies usually last approximately 1hr to 1:30hrs.

The ceremony will commence with the entrance of the academic procession for which all graduands and guests should stand. After an opening address from the Master of Ceremonies and the Presiding Officer, the first row of graduands will be led down towards the stage.

All graduands present in the Butterworth Hall will be presented to the Presiding Officer by the Master of Ceremonies in order of qualification and course of study.

You will be prompted to go up on stage as your name is read out, where you will be congratulated by the Presiding Officer as you cross the stage.

Typically, approximately half way through the proceedings an award such as an honorary degree for an honorary graduand will be presented, with a speech delivered by an invited orator.

No, as we will need to seat you with other graduands in presentation order. Your guests will be seated in a separate guest seating area. Your guest tickets are not numbered and they will be shown to seats when they enter (read more).

You must collect your ticket before entering the ceremony and remain in the seat allocated to you (the number is shown on your graduand ticket). A member of the graduand seating team will guide you to your seat. Your seat will be labelled with your name. Please ensure you are seated on time (at least 30 minutes before the start of your ceremony) and you do not move seats, otherwise you may not be able to graduate.

YOU MUST NOT SWAP SEATS WITH ANYONE ELSE otherwise you will be in the wrong order to be presented and you will receive the wrong certificate. It may also mean that you will not be able to graduate if we cannot locate you in your seat when the graduand seating team are checking for absentees after doors close. You must remain in your specified seat so that we can confirm that you are present and that you will not be crossed off the list of proceedings as absent!

No, degree classifications are not read out during the ceremony. You will be presented in alphabetical order by qualification, then in alphabetical order within your course.

Honours level qualifications will be listed before all non honours qualifications.

Only qualifications, course titles and names are read out.

Usually, there is an Honorary Graduand presented for an honorary award in each ceremony. A Chancellor's medal may also be awarded. We also present The Warwick Awards for Teaching Excellence (WATE), The Warwick Awards for Personal Tutoring Excellence (WAPTE), The Warwick Awards for Public Community Engagement (WAPCE) and the Outstanding Student Contribution Awards during the ceremonies.

Yes. The University's official photographers, Ede and Ravenscroft, will be present on the day to take your official photographs should you wish (read more).

You will be asked to tick the boxes relevant to your needs as part of the registration process. We will always seek to ensure we make appropriate arrangements if you need assistance/support on stage to receive your degree or if you or your guests require flat floor seating.

The stage will have ramps at either side ensuring access for everyone to receive their award on stage. The seating area is mostly tiered and accessed via stairs which are low and wide. Wheelchair access is available throughout the Warwick Arts Centre and marshals will be on hand to assist upon arrival should you require assistance.

Assistance dogs are welcome throughout Warwick Arts Centre. Please let us know in advance if you will be bringing an assistance dog. Assistance dogs may be taken into the ceremony or they can be cared for by a member of staff during the ceremony.

If for some reason you were not able to indicate that you require accessible seating or similar during the registration process please let us know as soon as possible.

We encourage anyone unwell not to attend the ceremonies. First Aiders will be in attendance on the day of ceremonies at all times, should anyone become unwell on the day.

Your department may organise their own reception for their students. Please contact your department to check, as you may need to register to attend this separately.

The ceremonies can be quite long and tiring for children. You are encouraged to make use of the FREE kids club/crèche (operated by staff from the University's Ofsted outstanding rated nursery) for the comfort of your children and other guests in attendance. Children are allowed into the ceremony, although children over the age of 2 will require their own seat and therefore a guest ticket (only 2 guest tickets are guaranteed, and so please plan accordingly).

The kid's club/crèche is booked on a first come first served basis. Check the kid's club/crèche section for more information.

Mygraduationfilm.com provides video coverage at your graduation, allowing you to buy a DVD or Digital Download before and after the ceremony. You can find further information on their website.

Details and the link to the booking form will be available in the kid's club/crèche section of our website.

The booking is made direct with the crèche provider and they will contact you to confirm if your child/children have a place. Spaces are limited and are on a first come first served basis so we would recommend that you complete the booking form as soon as this this available.

One form per child is required.

Yes, we will be live streaming all the ceremonies.

You can access the live stream here. The live stream will begin around 30 minutes before the start of each ceremony.

On campus parking (payable in advance) will be available for graduands and their guests. We will be contacting students with further details about parking facilities and a link to the booking form in the fortnight before the ceremonies once full details are confirmed.

More information about parking arrangements will be published on our Graduation Travel and Parking page when this link is shared.

If you or your guest(s) require parking spaces for blue badge holders you should indicate this when you complete the graduation registration process. We will then be in contact in the fortnight before the ceremonies with details for blue badge parking.

Information can be found on the Warwick Retail website.

Handshaking will return to degree ceremonies in July 2023. Any graduand will have the option to not shake hands, should they not wish to do so. Graduands wishing not to shake hands should hold their hands together as they cross the stage