In 2007 King’s was granted degree-awarding powers in its own right. One of the impacts of securing its own degree-awarding powers was the need for King’s to design its own academic dress.
We are most grateful to Dame Vivienne Westwood for the major role she played in bringing the academic dress, which is based on a medieval design, up to date. Through her reworking of the traditional robe, Vivienne Westwood hoped to “link the past, the present and the future”. The new King’s academic dress design was approved by the university and does not include a mortarboard.
Important to know: Academic dress must be worn by all students/graduates, who should also be in smart clothing underneath the gown (no jeans or trainers are allowed).
To see what the King’s graduation gowns look like, take a look at our academic dress.
How do I book my graduation gown?
Gown hire is provided by Ede & Ravenscroft and you can book your gown online or by calling 01223 86 1854. You must book your gown by approximately 3 weeks prior to your graduation ceremony.
Most students will receive a King's College London award and will therefore need a King's College London gown. However, if you are expecting to receive a University of London award please log a case and let us know, and we will be able to advise you on ordering your gown.
Important to know: The only approved gown supplier for King's College London is Ede and Ravenscroft. Please be wary of alternative gown companies that offer cheaper rates (including Churchill Gowns) as they do not have patents to produce King's College London academic dress.
What colour will the hood be on my gown?
The colour of your hood will be the colours of your faculty. The King’s faculty colours are as below:
- Faculty of Arts & Humanities: Green
- Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences: Fuchsia
- Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine: Orange
- GKT School of Medical Education: Purple
- Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences: Coral
- Faculty of Social Science & Public Policy: Gold
- Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care: Lilac
- Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience: Deep Red
- King’s Business School: Teal
- School of Bioscience Education: Orange
- The Dickson Poon School of Law: Silver
Gown cost (by qualification)
Foundation degree, BA, BSc, BEng, LLB, PGCert, PGDip, PGCE:
Online: £40.50
Call Centre: £45
On the day: £50
MA, MSc, LLM, Mphil:
Online: £45.90
Call Centre: £50.40
On the day: £54.00
PhD, MD:
Online: £52.20
Call Centre: £56.70
On the day: £59.00
Important to know: These costs are a guide; for an up-to-date price please check with Ede & Ravenscroft.
Does my gown hire include a hat?
For graduates receiving a King's College London award the gown and hood don’t feature a hat/cap (officially known as a ‘mortarboard’) as part of their design, and so won’t be included in your gown hire.
However, many students like to wear mortarboards in their photographs, and so we have a selection available at the photography booths on graduation days. You can use these free of charge; just let us know at the photography booth you’d like to use one.
Alternatively, you can hire a mortarboard hat for a small fee for use during graduation event from Ede & Ravenscroft Private Hire service on 01223 20 5617.
Important to know: Since the hats don’t form part of the official academic dress, you will not be allowed to wear it when crossing the stage, and any students hiring hats will be asked to remove them during the ceremony itself.
What happens if I've completed the Associateship of King's College?
If you're graduating with a King’s College London award and have completed the Associateship of King's College (AKC), you will wear a black epitoge embroidered with the University's lion 'Reggie'. The epitoge is a short streamer of black fabric that matches the fabric of the university's gowns, and is buttoned to the left shoulder as part of your academic dress.
This will be given to you to attach to your gown as you are checked before you cross the stage. The epitoge will be collected by an usher after you have crossed the stage.
Important to know: epitoges cannot be ordered through Ede & Ravenscroft. They are provided by the Graduation Office based on information from the Dean's office. Please contact us about this through our Ceremonies & Events contact form should you have any queries.
Can I use a different gown hire company?
The only approved gown supplier for King's College London is Ede & Ravenscroft. Please be wary of alternative gown companies that offer cheaper rates (including Churchill Gowns) because they do not have patents to produce King's College London academic dress.
The university is also not affiliated with any certificate framing companies, including King’s Photo Frames and Momento Frames.
Can I purchase my gown instead of hiring?
If you prefer to purchase your gown instead of hiring, you can. You can purchase it online or by calling 01223 86 1854.
If you are a clergy graduate wishing to purchase a King's hood to be worn with your choir dress, please use the Ede & Ravenscroft contact form.
Important to know: These hoods can’t be worn on the day of the ceremony as they are designed specifically to be worn with choir dress.
Can I cancel my gown hire?
If you ordered your gown online you may cancel the order via the website – Ede & Ravenscroft gown hire, but this must be done no later than 7 days before the ceremony.
If you booked your gown by telephone, you will need to request your cancellation either by email or by writing to:
Ede & Ravenscroft Ltd, Unit A Denny Industrial Centre, Waterbeach, Cambridge CB5 9QD
Important to know: The refund will have an administration fee of £1.50.
What if I need to defer my ceremony to a later date?
If following your gown booking your situation changes, and you will be re-sitting exams and intend to attend a future ceremony, you can request that your booking and payment retained and transferred to a future ceremony. You will need to notify Ede & Ravenscroft of this, and let the company know the date of the next ceremony as soon as you can.
Important to know: If you don’t intend to come to a future ceremony after re-sitting your exams, no refund will be made.
How can I contact Ede & Ravenscroft?
If you would like to contact Ede & Ravenscroft or are having an issue relating to gown hire, please use the Ede & Ravenscroft contact form and a customer service representative will get back to you.