Graduation

It is unlikely that we will have space at any of our ceremonies for students who have missed registration. However please email graduationtickets@tees.ac.uk to see if we have had any cancellations.

Your e-tickets will be sent to your registered email address(es) approximately one week before your ceremony.

Teesside University works with Ede & Ravenscroft and Marston Events, our commercial partners for academic dress and photography respectively, and receives a small commission. This is re-invested into the graduation ceremony. Students are free to look at alternative providers should they wish.

Book your gown

Please note that hire orders close online a few days before ceremonies. If gown hire has closed for your ceremony, we advise you arrive early on the day and go to the Ede & Ravenscroft hire desk to book a gown. They can be found on the second floor of the Students' Union.

Book photography

Ede & Ravenscroft and Marston Events are on campus during graduation for gown collection and photography.

If you have already received your ratified results and confirmation of your award, then you can proceed with organising your travel arrangements and gown hire. It is recommended that you order your gown and photography as soon as your award is confirmed.

If you have not received your ratified results, you should delay ordering your gown and photography until you have received confirmation of your place at graduation. You will receive this confirmation by early July at the latest.

If you are unsure, please check with Student Records by logging an enquiry on UNIverse.

It is the level of your final award, and not the programme you were enrolled on to, that determines the colour of your gown.

A grey gown, with Teesside University hood and grey mortar board with grey tassel for:

• Certificate in Education
• Certificate of Higher Education
• Higher National Certificate Diploma of Higher Education
• Higher National Diploma
• Diploma of Higher Education
• Diploma in Nursing Studies
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education
• Graduate Conversion Diploma in Psychology
• Foundation Degree
• Graduate Diploma in Professional Policing Practice

A black gown, with Teesside University hood, black mortar board with black tassel for:

• Advanced Diploma in Nursing Studies
• Bachelor of Arts
• Bachelor of Engineering
• Bachelor of Engineering Technology
• Bachelor of Science
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Postgraduate Certificate
• Postgraduate Diploma
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education

A red gown, with Teesside University hood, black mortar board with red tassel for:

• Integrated Masters Degree (Master of Computing, Master of Engineering, Master of Science, Master of Arts, Master of Optometry) Master of Pharmacy
• Master of Arts
• Master of Business Administration
• Master of Science
• Master of Education
• Master of Laws
• Master of Public Administration
• Master of Public Health
• Master of Surgery
• Master of Research
• Professional Practitioner Qualification
• MPhil

A red/grey gown, with Teesside University hood, cloth bonnet with red tassel for:

• Doctor of Business Administration
• Doctor of Clinical Psychology
• Doctor of Education
• Doctor of Criminal Justice
• Doctor of Health Psychology
• Doctor of Health & Social Care
• Doctor of Public Health
• Doctor of Professional Practice
• Doctor of Psychology
• PhD

On arrival, please go immediately to the graduation registration desk located on campus. You should arrive at least 90 minutes before your ceremony starts to allow you time to collect your event wristband, pick up your gown, and have photographs taken.

• For a ceremony start time of 10.30am, you should arrive on campus no later than 9.00am
• For a ceremony start time of 1.30pm, you should arrive on campus no later than 12.00pm
• For a ceremony start time of 4.00pm, you should arrive on campus no later than 2.30pm

Please view the campus map to find everything you need on your graduation day.

On campus:

Free car parking, for you and your guests, is available in the University pay and display car parks on the day of your graduation ceremony. You don't need to buy a ticket from the parking meter. Car parking is available on a first come first served basis.

Additional parking options:

Additional pay and display car parking is available in nearby Middlesbrough Council car parks. Please check the Middlesbrough Council website for a list and location of the long stay car parks.

Please ensure you pay sufficient car parking fees to avoid penalties in the council car parks.

Some students find it helpful to know what to expect at graduation, to help them plan their day and give them time to prepare. This can be useful for those that may find the day overwhelming due to a disability or mental health condition. All students attending ceremonies will:

• Register and collect a wristband
• Collect their gown, which is sometimes called robing or academic dress
• Attend their ceremony
• Go for refreshments after the ceremony
• Have their photograph taken, if they choose to.

Registration and wristband collection
Everyone needs to register at the wristband collection point when they get to campus. You will queue here for your tickets to be checked. You and your guests will receive a wristband. If a lot of people are queuing, it can be busy.

Collecting the gown
You will collect your gown, hood and cap from the second floor of the Students' Union. During certain times of the day, this can be busy and noisy due to students queuing. If you need support, you can ask to take someone with you like a friend or family member. Someone from the gowning company will help you put on your robes. If wearing them makes you feel uncomfortable, you can ask to wait and put it on when you arrive at the ceremony.

Arriving at the Olympia building for your ceremony
The venue will open about 45 minutes before the ceremony starts. There is usually a queue to get in. If you or your guest has a bag, it will need to be searched.

Inside the venue, students sit at the back of the hall. Someone will ask your name and the course you studied, so we can show you to your seat. These people are Ushers and will help you throughout the ceremony. They will be wearing a black graduation gown. In the hall you will sit with your classmates. You will have a card on your seat, which you must keep until you cross the stage.

About the ceremony
In each ceremony there is about 1,000 people in the venue, and noise levels can be quite high when people are talking. There will be music playing when you arrive. In the ceremony there are two large screens with a video playing whilst everyone takes their seats. If you need help, you can talk to an Usher, who will be stood in the hall.

When the ceremony starts, music will play. The academic procession will enter the hall. The academic procession is made up of the Vice-Chancellor, and academic staff. All students and guests need to stand at this point. The Vice-Chancellor will make a brief speech. During and at the end of the speech the audience will clap.

After the Vice-Chancellor's speech, all students will cross the stage. You do this as a celebration of you graduating, and there will be someone stood on the stage. This person is the Presiding Officer.

Crossing the stage
You will be told when to stand, and you will be taken to a backstage area. Your name card will be checked, and a member of staff will help you with your gown if you need it. You will need to queue backstage for a few minutes as you wait to go up on stage and this can feel like a long wait. If you need help, you can speak to an Usher.

Someone will show you to the stage. When it is your turn, you will give your name card to someone who will read your name out. You will then cross the stage, where you can shake hands with the Presiding Officer. If you do not want to shake hands, you can nod to the Presiding Officer as you walk up to them.

After you have crossed the stage, someone will show you back to your seat. As each student crosses, the audience claps; some will shout or cheer. It takes about 40 minutes for everyone to cross the stage.

The procession then leaves the stage and walks back out of the hall. An Usher will tell you when to stand, and you will walk out of the hall. The academic procession will stand and clap for every graduate as they leave the building.

After the ceremony
You will wait outside while everyone else leaves the building. Because guests leave from different exits it may take a little while for you to find your friends or family. It can get busy at this point, so you can move to a quieter area if you need to. You may wish to agree a meeting point with family and friends before you go into the ceremony.

Photography
There will be official photographers in the Student Life Building. You can book a photo package with the photographers, Marston Events, before you arrive if you want to. If you haven't booked before but still want your photo taken, you can go and see them on the day. Talk to the photographer if you want them to make any adjustments for you such as not using a flash.

Refreshments
There is a marquee in the Campus Heart where you can get some refreshments after the ceremony. Someone will ask to see your wristband so you can get into the marquee. The marquee can be busy and noisy.

All certificates are usually distributed to students 6-8 weeks after the confirmation of results by the board. If your results are confirmed at the boards in June and you are planning to attend graduation, your certificate will be available to collect from the Student Life Building on your graduation ceremony day.

Alternatively, certificates will be posted to your home address as recorded on our student record system. It is important to ensure that your home address is correct on our system. You can edit your address details on e-Vision via Personal Details.

Digital copies of your Diploma Supplements can be downloaded from e-Vision once you have received notification of your award. Diploma Supplements are only available to students studying a main award who achieve their intended award. The Diploma Supplement includes your transcript.

Transcripts, Diploma Supplements (internationally recognised qualification description) and Certified copies (a verified/stamped digital and paper copy of your certificate) of your certificate are available for purchase to collect on your graduation ceremony day via pre-order on the online shop.

Your legal name at the time of award is the name that appears on your certificate and other official documentation.

Your forename and surname will appear in the graduation brochure, on the television screens and will be read out as you cross the stage. Your name will appear on a card on your allocated seat, and you can update this to have a different name read out during your ceremony.

It is not possible to change the name in the brochure, or the television screens or on any official documentation without officially changing your legal name - see UNIverse FAQ for more details on how and when this is possible.

All students were asked during ticket booking if they did not want their name to appear in the brochure - students have until 23rd June 2024 to update their preferences in e-Vision - it is not possible to change your mind either way after this date as brochures are printed by an external company.

Graduation provides an opportunity to celebrate with family and friends. Although children are able to attend our graduation ceremonies, we do advise that the ceremonies are a formal occasion that last around an hour and therefore may not be suitable for very young children. We do have a family friendly space in the Students' Union where family and children can watch the ceremonies, and they are also live-streamed in Campus Heart. We would encourage guests with young children to watch the ceremony from the Students' Union or Campus Heart, as this will allow more flexibility to enjoy the occasion.

If you do wish to bring children into the graduation ceremony, all children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over at all times. As a graduate, you will not be seated with any child guests and you must ensure children are supervised throughout the ceremony by an adult aged 18 or over and are also supervised at all times whilst on campus.

Children aged 3 or over must have their own ticket and require their own seat to attend graduation. Children aged under 3 are able to attend without a ticket but will not have their own seat and must be able to sit with an accompanying adult. If you have any questions about children at graduation, please email graduationtickets@tees.ac.uk.

A baby changing room is available in the Centuria building. There are no baby changing facilities in the ceremony venue.

Each ticket holder must be present when collecting their wristband. If your guests are arriving separately, they must have a copy of their own ticket. We recommend you share your tickets with your guests in the event that you need to collect wristbands separately.

Please note each ticket can only be used once.

Doors open 45 minutes before each ceremony, but you must be seated at least 15 minutes before the ceremony starts. If you are not seated in time you may not be able to graduate.

Due to strict capacities in the ceremony hall, guests without tickets will not be allowed into the venue. Additional guests are welcome to watch the ceremony in the Students' Union, or on the large screen in Campus Heart. Similarly, only guests with tickets can access the complimentary refreshment marquee.

We cannot allow graduands or guests into the Olympia building without a wristband. Please ensure you and your guests have collected them from the registration point before going to the venue. Please ensure your wristband is secure as we may not be able to replace these if you lose them.

You can bring small bags into the ceremony venue. Please note that bags will be searched as a condition of entry. The following are not allowed into the venue: illegal/recreational drugs, offensive weapons (or any item that could be used as such), unauthorised objects such as laser pens, fireworks, paint sprays, or alcohol.

Yes, if you have accepted the interim/fallback award you can still attend. If you intend to decline the award and continue studies/resit/submit a reassessment then you should not attend graduation, please notify graduationtickets@tees.ac.uk as soon as possible.

You can cancel your attendance by emailing graduationtickets@tees.ac.uk or call 01642 342080 for further help.

Unfortunately the University is not able to support with the costs of travel or accommodation for graduation ceremonies, though we can support students in purchasing their academic gowns where cost is prohibitive. A limited number of gowns are available and can be arranged for students on a first-come first-served basis where their financial circumstances are clearly outlined. Applications must be submitted by 5.00pm Tuesday 2 July.
Request support with hiring your academic gown

All students who have been awarded since 30 June 2023 and have not yet attended graduation and all students who are due to be awarded in academic year 2023/24 before 30 June 2024. This includes all students who are awarded a fallback award before the 31 March 2024. Also, those who chose to defer their graduation by formal request in 2023.

All non-UK partner students, including Transnational Education (TNE), and all TUCP college students, will be invited to attend graduation ceremonies at their local college only. Please also note University Certificate awards are not eligible for graduation - this includes all intended qualifications or fallback awards that start with 'University Certificate in...'

Based on the above timescales, if you believe you should have received an email regarding attending a graduation ceremony and you have not, please contact Student Records by logging an enquiry in UNIverse or emailing records@tees.ac.uk.

If you have already received confirmation of your award, your place at graduation will be guaranteed as soon as you complete the ticket booking process (unless you have an outstanding debt to the University). 

If you have not yet received your results, you will still be asked to book tickets, but your eligibility to attend will only be confirmed once you have made the required academic progress and have received confirmation from us that you can attend. The date we send confirmation depends on your programme of study, but will be after the release of your results, and at the latest, in early July.

If you have an outstanding academic debt, you will not be eligible to attend the graduation ceremonies. You will also not be able to receive your award certificate and you will not be included in the awards brochure.

Check your account and make payments

For friends and family that can't get a guest ticket, the ceremonies will be filmed and streamed live on the University website and on large screens in the Campus Heart, and the Students' Union. We encourage additional guests and guests with children to watch in the live stream spaces.

You can tell us about any specific access requirements you or your guests have during the ticket booking process.

Telling us about any specific requirements at the booking stage helps us to plan for your arrival and make adjustments for you if needed. Some examples of the types of adjustments we can make are given below.

• For wheelchair users we reserve spaces nearer to the stage. The stage is accessed by a gentle ramp, and we have Ushers on hand to help if needed.
• For those with limited mobility we can offer seats at the end of rows or closer to the stage, and for those who prefer not to sit within a crowd or need to sit with family members we can seat you in quieter reserved seating areas.
• If you feel unable to cross the stage, this is fine - you can remain in your seat throughout the ceremony.
• Disabled parking is available on site to holders of disabled badges. Please refer to the University guide to parking
• Registered assistance dogs are welcomed in university buildings and marquees used for graduation

For students with a disability or a mental health condition who may be overwhelmed by the ceremony that takes place in Olympia, there may be an opportunity to attend a quieter graduation event. At such events, you will be able to attend a quiet space where a member of University staff will congratulate you on your graduation. If you wish to do so, you can wear academic dress and have your photograph taken. You can also book an official photograph. You will be able to discuss your needs in advance with someone before you attend.

It is important to note that this event is very different to the ceremonies that are held in the Olympia building. They are only open to those that need to attend for a specific reason, such as a disability or mental health condition. If you choose to attend this event, you will not be able to attend your originally scheduled ceremony.

If you are interested in a quieter graduation ceremony, please complete the ticket booking process for the ceremony you have been allocated to and then contact graduationtickets@tees.ac.uk to discuss options.

Support letters are not required as there are alternative documents available for this purpose. We recommend that you use your Graduation ceremony booking acknowledgment email and Proof of Award letter which will become available to you once your award has been released. This applies to your own and dependants' visa applications, these documents will also need to be presented for any dependants linked to their application.

These documents do clearly state that you were a student here, what you studied, and the dates you were enrolled with us, along with your graduation ceremony booking acknowledgment confirming the date, location, time, and how many guests you intend to join you at your ceremony. These documents in conjunction with one another do provide a lot of detail about the reasons for your visit and do also apply to your dependant's visa applications.
Read the current guidance on applying for a Standard Visitor Visa

You must ensure that you make arrangements to leave the UK on or before your current visa expiry date (unless you are planning to extend your current visa or switch into another permissible immigration category on or before this date).

If you wish to apply to return to the UK to attend your Graduation Ceremony at a later date, you can apply to return on a Standard Visitor Visa. A Standard Visitor Visa allows you to visit the UK for up to 6 months. The application fee is currently £115.00 and the earliest you can apply is 3 months before you travel.

Further information is available on the Gov.uk website, including a list of supporting documents required.

Please note: UKVI currently advise that Standard Visitor Visa applications are taking on average 4 weeks to process.