What’s the plan for the day?
Ceremony timings
- Ticket collection opens around two hours before your ceremony is due to begin.
- The ticket desk will close 40 minutes before the start time at which point it will be too late for you to join the ceremony in the place allotted.
- Our staff will do their best to include you in the ceremony should you arrive late.
- The ceremony will last between one hour 30 minutes and two hours, and will be followed by a 45 minute reception.
Please see your booking confirmation email for exact timings of your ceremony.
Photographs
Your official graduation photography will be available two hours before your ceremony starts.
For more information about this, please see our article Photography and filming at your graduation ceremony.
Ceremony programme
On the day you will be given a programme for the ceremony.
If you have misplaced your hardcopy, please let us know by logging a case; we have a limited number of copies available for students who attended a ceremony.
What should I bring with me?
Most importantly, please remember to bring a form of photo ID with you, for example a KCL card, passport or photo driving licence. You must present this ID in order to collect your tickets on the day of your graduation ceremony.
In addition:
- You will need to be able to show the email with your guest e-tickets (if you booked any) at the entrance to the Hall. This email does not have to be printed, but can be shown on a phone or tablet.
- You might also wish to bring a camera with you, although please ensure that you remain seated when in the auditorium to avoid blocking the view of those around you.
- Small bags and coats can be stored in the Royal Festival Hall cloakroom for a charge of £1 per item. We recommend allowing plenty of time if you need to use the cloakroom in case there are long queues.
Important to know: Space for storage is limited so we are unable to receive any suitcases, large bags or folding bicycles. We only allow bags that will fit underneath your seat in the auditorium. There are luggage storage facilities available nearby at Waterloo Station.
Where & when should I collect my ticket?
You will be able to collect your ticket (student ticket) on the day of your ceremony, approximately two hours before your ceremony starts.
Important to know: You must collect your own ticket. Your friends, family or any other guests will not be able to collect your student ticket for you. You’ll need to present a form of photo ID for collection.
Tickets for Royal Festival Hall ceremonies can be collected from the ticket desk on Level 1 of the Royal Festival Hall.
Guest tickets
If you are graduating at the Royal Festival Hall, your guest tickets will have been emailed to you a few days before the ceremony.
If you don’t receive this email one working day before your ceremony:
- Firstly, please check your junk/spam email folders to ensure it has not landed there.
- Then please check your Student Record to ensure your allocation has been confirmed.
On your arrival at the venue, please go to the Ticket Desk and ask for the manager, who will be able to help.
Where & when should I collect my gown?
Your gown and any other part of academic dress you may have booked, (e.g. mortarboard) will be available for collection on the day from the Level 2 Blue Side of the Royal Festival Hall.
Please collect your gown as soon as you arrive after collecting your ticket, and have your gown booking confirmation email open and ready for inspection.
Important to know:
- You must collect your tickets from the ticket desk on Level 1 first.
- You will need to bring a form of photo ID such as your KCL student ID card, passport or driving licence to collect your gown.
Where should I meet my guests?
We suggest that you arrange to meet your guests on the Southbank Centre Square via Belvedere Road. There is also a meeting point at the information desk by the entrance to the venue.
We advise checking the Royal Festival Hall website to plan your journey in advance - Southbank Centre - Getting here & around.
What happens if I or my guests are late?
If any of your guests are running late please ensure that you have forwarded them the email with their guest ticket seats. We cannot permit entry to the Hall for guests who do not have a ticket.
If you are running late, you will need to visit the Ticket Desk as soon as you arrive to see if it is still possible for you to be a part of the ceremony.
How will my guests and I find our seats?
Once you have collected your ticket, gown and had your photos taken, you will be able to take your seats.
All graduates or 'presentees' as they are known, sit in the stalls in front of the main stage. Guests will be seated in the front stalls, rear stalls and on the balcony.
Important to know:
- Please pay particular attention to your seat number.
- Your ticket is marked ‘Presentee’ to distinguish it from your guest tickets. You will not be sat with your guests.
- It is extremely important that you sit in the seat allocated to you, as presentees sit in the exact order in which their names will be announced.
- If you are not in the correct seat your name will not be read and you will not be presented.
Please remain in your seat throughout the ceremony except for when you are presented.
How do I know when to cross the stage?
You will be presented by School within your course of study. Ushers will guide you from your seat to the stage. As you cross the stage you can pause and shake hands with the University's Presiding Officer. You will be directed back to your seat by ushers after you have crossed the stage.
Important to know:
- Please pay particular attention to your seat number.
- Your ticket is marked ‘Presentee’ to distinguish it from your guest tickets. You will not be sat with your guests.
- It is extremely important that you sit in the seat allocated to you, as presentees sit in the exact order in which their names will be announced.
- If you are not in the correct seat your name will not be read and you will not be presented.
- Please remain in your seat throughout the ceremony except for when you are presented.
- It is custom for graduates to shake hands with the Presiding Officer as they cross the stage, but this is not an official requirement of graduation. If you would prefer not to shake hands, please clasp your hands in front of you as you cross the stage.
Will I receive my degree certificate at the ceremony?
Your certificate will be posted to you within three months of your date of award. For more detail, we advise reading our article Your Degree Certificate.
For more information about what happening during your ceremony, please see our article What happens in the graduation ceremony?
What happens after the ceremony?
After the ceremony you and your guests are warmly invited to attend a reception. Please make your way to the foyer areas on Levels 4 & 5 where light refreshments will be served.
After the ceremony, please return your robes to Ede & Ravenscroft.