In this article:
- Ceremony dates
- Attending your ceremony
- Booking tickets
- Keeping up to date with ceremony news
- Proving your graduated status
- Further support
Summer 2025 graduation ceremonies
Invitations for Summer 2025 graduation ceremonies will be sent in early April. If you are expecting an invitation and have not received one by the end of April, please contact the Graduation Team.
January 2026 graduation ceremonies
The dates for the January 2026 ceremonies have now been confirmed and will take place between Wednesday 14 — Friday 23 January. Specific dates for ceremonies will be published in September 2025.
Important to know:
- You will only be able to book your place at a ceremony, purchase guest tickets and order your gown once you receive your invite.
- Please do not book non-refundable travel until you have received confirmation of your conferred award.
- The deadline to book a spot at our Summer 2025 graduation ceremonies is Thursday 5 June at 17.00. Student bookings won't be accepted after this date. If you missed the deadline to book your place, please contact the Graduation Team to discuss your options and next steps.
Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences
Thursday 3 July, 14.15
Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
Friday 4 July, 10.15
School of Medical Education
Friday 4 July, 14.15
School of Medical Education
Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine
Monday 28 July, 10.30
- Undergraduate students from the Departments of:
- Anatomy
- Biochemistry
- Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
- Medical Physiology
- Molecular Genetics
- Neuroscience Education
- Nutrition & Dietetics
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics
- Physiology
- Sport & Exercise Medical Sciences
- Postgraduate Research & taught students from the following disciplines:
- Aerospace Medicine
- Basic & Medical Biosciences
- Biomedical Engineering & Imaging Sciences
- Centre of Human & Aerospace Physiological Sciences (CHAPS)
- Clinical Dermatology
- Clinical Sciences
- Clinical Ultrasound
- Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences Research Division
- Genetics & Molecular Medicine Research Division
- Healthcare Technologies
- Human & Applied Physiology
- Imaging Sciences & Biomedical Engineering Research Division
- Medical Ultrasound
- Nutrition & Dietetics
- Pharmacology
- Randall Division of Cell & Molecular Biophysics
- Stem Cell & Regenerative Therapies
Tuesday 29 July, 17.30
- Undergraduate students from the Departments of:
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- All Intercalated students
- Postgraduate Research and taught students from the following disciplines:
- Analytical Toxicology
- Biomedical & Molecular Sciences Research
- Biomedical and Translational Science
- Cancer & Pharmaceutical Science
- Cancer Studies
- Cardiovascular Medicine & Science
- Clinical Education
- Clinical Pharmacology
- Drug Development Science
- Education Research for Medicine and the Life Sciences
- Forensic Science
- Global Health
- Health & Social Care
- Immunology & Microbial Science
- Life Course Science
- Life Sciences & Medicine Research with NUS
- Medical Affairs
- Medical Ultrasound
- Pharmaceutical Analysis, Technology & Biopharmaceuticals
- Pharmacy
- Physiotherapy
- Population Health & Environmental Science Research
- Public Health
- Women & Children’s Health
- King’s Digital courses
Friday 1 August, 14.00
- Undergraduate students from the Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine Biomedical Science
Dickson Poon School of Law
Monday 28 July, 14.00
Faculty of Arts & Humanities
Tuesday 29 July, 10.30
Department of Digital Humanities only
Tuesday 29 July, 14.00
Departments of:
- Classics
- CMCI
- Film Studies
- History
- Philosophy
Wednesday 30 July, 14.00
Departments of:
- English
- Theology & Religious Studies
Friday 1 August, 10.30
Departments of:
- Liberal Arts
- Languages, Literature and Culture
- Music
Faculty of Natural, Mathematical & Engineering Sciences
Monday 28 July, 14.00
Departments of:
- Chemistry
- Engineering
Thursday 31 July, 10.30
Department of Physics only
Thursday 31 July, 17.30
Departments of:
- Informatics
- Mathematics
Faculty of Social Sciences & Public Policy
Thursday 31 July, 10.30
School of Security Studies
Thursday 31 July, 14.00
- School of Politics & Economics
- International School for Government
- Policy Institute
Friday 1 August, 10.30
School of Global Affairs
Friday 1 August, 14.00
School of Education, Communication & Society
Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery & Palliative Care
Thursday 31 July, 14.00
Institute of Psychology, Psychiatry & Neuroscience
Tuesday 29 July, 10.30
All departments except Distance Learners and King’s Digital
Wednesday 30 July, 14.00
Distance Learners and King’s Digital students only
King's Business School
Wednesday 30 July, 10.30
When will my ceremony take place?
For more information on ceremony eligibility, please read our article When is my graduation ceremony?
Can I attend a later graduation ceremony?
All students will have the opportunity to defer to a ceremony in the following session. This can be done through the booking task once you have received your invite.
Important to know: You are only permitted to defer once after which point it will not be possible to include you in a ceremony.
From October 2023, students whose graduation was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are no longer eligible to attend a graduation ceremony. This is to ensure there is sufficient space for current graduating students.
Can I graduate without attending a ceremony?
If you don't want to attend your graduation ceremony, you can choose to graduate ‘in absentia’.
Selecting to graduate in absentia means that you will not attend your ceremony, your name will not be read out at the ceremony and it will not be included in the graduation ceremony programme.
Important to know: if you select this option then you will not be able to attend a future ceremony.
You can choose to graduate in absentia via the booking system on Student Records or by accessing the booking system through your one-time access link. Instructions on how to access the booking system can be found in your invitation email.
Important to know: Your degree certificate will still be available to you as you don’t need to attend a ceremony to receive it. For more information, please see our article Your Degree Certificate.
What if I have concerns about the accessibility of the ceremony?
Graduation is a milestone event in every student's journey and we are committed to making our ceremonies as accessible and welcoming as possible for our entire student community. We understand that a large ceremony can be intimidating or present challenges for some students, whether due to physical or mental health accessibility needs, neurodiversity or other specific requirements. A range of options are available to ensure all of our graduates can celebrate their amazing achievements with their loved ones in a way that accommodates their individual needs.
Accessibility requests
We can accommodate many accessibility requests at our graduation venues. During the booking process you will be given the opportunity to advise us of any particular arrangements that might affect your ceremony experience and we would be happy to discuss individual requirements with any student who has concerns. For more information, please contact the graduation team.
Relaxed Graduation ceremonies
We also organise a Relaxed Graduation event primarily for students who don't want to attend our ceremonies at Southwark Cathedral or the Royal Festival Hall for accessibility reasons. This ceremony offers a more comfortable setting where attendees will be able to have professional photos in their gowns, invite guests and receive a scroll from a senior member of staff.
To register your interest in attending the relaxed graduation event, please complete this form. We'll be in touch closer to the time to let you know when bookings open and to provide further information on the event logistics, including time, location and cost.
Important to know: this event is designed for students whose accessibility, neurodiversity or other specific needs cause them to feel unable to attend our main graduation ceremonies. If you were unable to attend summer graduation ceremonies due to scheduling clashes or other reasons, but would have otherwise been able to attend a graduation ceremony, you will have been given the option to defer your place to January ceremonies. For more information, please contact the graduation team.
I need a visa to attend my ceremony; what do I do?
Please see our article Visa assistance for your graduation ceremony for more information.
Can I reclaim costs for flights or accommodation if I am unable to attend a ceremony?
The university is unable to help with the reimbursement of flights, accommodation, or any costs associated with attending your graduation ceremony.
Please speak to your travel/accommodation provider in the first instance. We would advise all attendees to ensure cancellation is available on any bookings.
For information on booking tickets for you and guests, please refer to Key information about booking tickets and preparing for your graduation ceremony
How will the Graduation Team contact me regarding my ceremony?
For anything related to King's graduation ceremonies, you'll be contacted at the personal email address listed on your Student Record, so please ensure this is up to date.
If you experience any difficulties accessing Student Records, please refer to our troubleshooting guidance in I need help accessing my student record.
The email address listed on Student Records will be the one at which we contact you going forward, so please ensure this is up to date if you wish to continue receiving communications regarding your re-arranged ceremony.
I’m a parent or guest of a graduating student. How can I keep up to date with the latest information regarding what options are available?
We know that graduation ceremonies can be just as important to parents and supporters as they are to our students themselves.
We will keep information up to date in this article, so please do check back regularly.
Will I still receive my degree certificate?
All graduates will receive their certificates by post within 3 months of the date of your award. Please ensure your home address is updated on your student record, as this is where the certificate will be sent.
We hope that your certificate will reach you sooner, but please be aware that this window allows for postal delays, international shipping and other unforeseen issues.
For updates and more specific information about degree certificates, please see Your Degree Certificate.
For details on how to access your transcript, please see I need a transcript.
To prove your degree award, module marks and other details about your course, we recommend using your HEAR.
How do I prove I have graduated whilst I wait for my hard copy degree certificate to arrive?
The quickest and simplest way for you to access documents proving your results, is to do so electronically.
To find out more about the options available, see our article I need to prove I’ve graduated.
Do I need to attend a ceremony to officially graduate?
Attending a graduation ceremony is not a requirement; you will still graduate and be awarded your degree once all your results have been ratified.
Once this process is complete, you have officially graduated. Attending a ceremony is a celebration event to mark your achievement.
Who can I contact with additional questions about graduation ceremonies?
If you’re still looking for more information, please check our related articles to the right, or take a look through our Graduation category for further articles about graduating and broader information about finishing university.
If you’re still not sure or can’t quite find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to log an enquiry with us and we will support you.
If you are studying on a King's Digital programme, please do reach out to your dedicated Student Success Advisor directly if you have any queries.