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Graduation

Schedule of Ceremonies · Applying to Graduate · General Information · Procedures on the Day
Fee Payment · Additional Ticket Request · Assistance Request Form
Hoods Information · Stories · Data Protection · Graduation Home

Applying to Graduate

Who should register to graduate?

All final year degree students should register to graduate by completing the application form, available via your Student Portal; or from the InfoHub on on production of a student ID card. If you are not on campus, we can email you a copy to complete and return. Contact us at graduation@abdn.ac.uk. It is extremely important that the correct option is ticked at the top of the form, i.e. whether you wish to graduate in absentia or in person.  You cannot normally graduate in person if you have already graduated in absentia and vice versa.

When do I register to graduate in absentia?

Apply for in absentia by the deadline closest to the date you are due to complete your studies. If you do not qualify in time your application will be carried forward to the next in absentia or until such time as you qualify.

Diploma and Certificate students do not appear at graduation ceremonies, but are required to submit an Application Form to request their Award. Apply via your Student Portal or go to the InfoHub on production of a student ID card. If you are not on campus, we can email you a copy to complete and return. Contact us at graduation@abdn.ac.uk. From 1 August 2012 the fee to graduate in-absentia will be £10. It will take about a month after the published date of graduation to prepare and check all parchments before despatch.

When do I register to graduate if I want to appear at a ceremony?

Don’t wait until you receive your results, assume you will pass.  Apply now!

It is also important that you check:

What does it cost?

Up to 31 July 2012 the ceremonial fee is £40 for students graduating in person. From 1 August 2012 the fee will be £45. You will also need to hire a robe, which carries a separate charge made by the gown hire company. The Application to Graduate form will not be processeed until it is signed and payment made for the cermonial in person graduation, together with any late fee, if appropriate. From 1 August 2012 there is a £10 fee to graduate in absentia, and students must still submit an Application to Graduate form. For details on how to make payment please go to www.abdn.ac.uk/registry/graduation/payment.shtml

Payment can be made as follows:

AT THE INFOHUB

• Cash
• Cheque (made payable to the University of Aberdeen)
• Debit/Credit Cards (excluding American Express)

BY POST

• Debit/Credit Card via the On-line Store (www.store.abdn.ac.uk)
• Cheque (made payable to the University of Aberdeen)

The On-line store is a secure environment to make your payment. If you pay by this method you must write the confirmation of payment reference number on the bottom of your application to Graduate form. The payment reference number will be emailed to you. This is the only way that we will be able to match your payment to your Application.

You should then post, fax, email your Application to Graduate to us with your payment reference number written clearly on the bottom of the form. If you are on campus you can also place your Application to Graduate form in an envelope and deposit it in the Infohub Post Box. Don't wait in a queue if you don't need to.

We accept most credit and debit cards with the exception of American Express. The fee helps to cover some of the costs of staging the ceremonies (programmes, flowers, additional staffing, first aiders, etc.) and the University subsides the rest of the costs.

What if I owe money to the University?

If you owe the University money for any reason (fees, rent, library fines for unreturned books, etc.) you will not be permitted to graduate, so please ensure that you have cleared any debts.  Any money you owe will normally be displayed on the Application to Graduate form.  If you receive a letter saying that you owe money or have unreturned library books please do not ignore it if you think the information is wrong.  Contact us immediately (tuitionfees@abdn.ac.uk) to resolve the issue.

Students who continue to owe money to the University after the following dates will not have their application processed. You will not be permitted to graduate in person on this occasion and you will have to reapply once the debt is paid.

Summer	Friday 18 May 2012
Winter	Friday 28 September 2012

Even though we accept your application to graduate along with the fee, this cannot be taken as a guarantee that your results will be confirmed in time to allow your inclusion in the ceremony. Schools will not be marking papers for students who are in debt and only debts paid in full by the above deadlines will be guaranteed to be marked. It is therefore in your own interest to adhere to this deadline.

Once the debt is paid the Credit Control office will then contact the relevant School to commence the marking process of the work still outstanding. This may take several weeks or months dependant on the date of the next Examination Board meeting.

What if I change my mind?

If, after having registered to graduate in person you decide not to do so, or to change from in person to in absentia, you must inform the Registry in writing as soon as possible.  If you have applied to graduate in person and you do not turn up at the ceremony your degree will not be conferred (bestowed upon you) and the ceremonial fee will not be refunded or carried forward.  Please note that it is easier to apply to graduate in person and change to in absentia rather than vice versa as there are other in absentia graduations throughout the year.  If your degree is conferred it will normally be too late to change your mind.  A full refund will be given for those transferring from in person to in absentia as long as the Registry is informed in writing or by email: graduation@abdn.ac.uk by 2 weeks before the start of the graduation ceremonies.  Normally, no refunds will be given after this time. If you change your mind and want to appear at a ceremony you will be charged the ceremony fee and any late fee if appropriate. You will not be able to switch to an in person ceremony if you apply after the absolute cut off date.

May I invite guests?

Every guest (including children) admitted to the Ceremony must be in possession of a ticket.  This is to comply with the fire safety regulations. Each student wishing to graduate in person will receive tickets for TWO guests (graduating students do not require a ticket).  If you do not require one or both of your tickets please indicate this on your Application to Graduate Form. In most cases the allocation will be in the main Hall, but if there is an unusually high volume of applications, those that apply after the published deadline might only receive tickets for the video link-up in the King’s College Auditorium. 

In addition, you may apply to get an extra ticket(s): Please print out the downloadable form and attach it to the completed Application to Graduate form.  Applicants for an additional ticket(s)  will be accepted but those applying by the closing date deadline will receive priority if any spare tickets are in the main Hall.  If you are successful, your extra ticket(s) will be enclosed with your main allocation.  There is a fire safety limit on the number of seats we are permitted to allocate in the Elphinstone Hall itself.  The number of applicants who apply to graduate determines the number of guest seats available in the Hall.  Sometimes there are no spare tickets at all.  We have to be fair to all those who apply for an additional ticket(s) by the first stated deadline.  Tickets will also be available for the King’s College Auditorium, which will be video-linked to the Elphinstone Hall.  If unsuccessful in the main allocation for the Hall then it is likely that additional guests will be allocated these tickets instead.

If you do not receive your tickets by a week before graduation please contact the Registry on 01224 273505 (Tickets for those with non-UK addresses can be collected from InfoHub - at the very latest, 3 hours prior to the start of a ceremony). For morning ceremonies tickets can be collected up to 4pm the previous working day.

Tickets are always in great demand: if you do not need any of your guest tickets, please return them to the Registry or InfoHub, and if having requested an additional ticket you find that you no longer require it, please notify the Registry by letter, e-mail (graduation@abdn.ac.uk) or telephone (01224 273505): that will allow the tickets to be allocated to others on our waiting lists.

How will I know if I am eligible to graduate?

Your graduation tickets will be sent to you as confirmation of your eligibility to graduate.  They are normally despatched a week to 10 days in advance of your ceremony.  If you do not appear to be eligible to graduate with the degree that you have applied for a member of Registry staff will contact you either by email, in writing, or by telephone. You might still be eligible to graduate with a lower degree e.g. designated instead of honours, but we cannot assume that you still want to appear at a ceremony. Please let us know as soon as possible.

What do I do if I need assistance for myself or a guest with mobility or other difficulties?

In person ceremonies will be held in the Elphinstone Hall on the King’s College campus in Old Aberdeen.  In the Elphinstone Hall graduating students should note that there are 6 steps on the left leading up to the stage and the same again coming back down centre stage.  There are handrails on both sides of the centre steps but only a right-side handrail on the steps to the left of the stage.  A portable ramp is available for wheelchair users.

If you, or any of your guests have mobility or other difficulties and you would like assistance please complete the downloadable form and return it with your Application to Graduate form to state if any special arrangements (e.g. for wheelchair users) are needed.  This form should also be completed if you or any of your guests have visual difficulties.  A Sign Language interpreter attends every ceremony but does not sign the student names.  A hearing loop facility is in the Elphinstone Hall, and also in the King’s College Auditorium which is video-linked to the Hall.  We’ll be delighted to help if we can, so please let us know.

If you, or your guests have mobility difficulties you can also request a car pass to allow you closer access to the Elphinstone Hall, at the Taylor Building car park.  No cars will be permitted without a pass.