Attending the Graduation Ceremony
Graduation 2025
7th and 8th July 2025
Venue: Usher Hall, Edinburgh
The Graduation Ceremonies in 2025 will be held on 7th and 8th of July 2025.
Students will attend the relevant ceremony for their course. Students cannot choose to attend another ceremony.
Exact timings and which courses attend which ceremony will be available on this webpage from February 2025 onwards.
UPDATE: Please note that Graduate names are no longer published in The Herald and Scotsman Newspapers (20th June 2024)
Apply to Attend the Ceremony
Registration to attend the July 2025 graduation will open in May 2025.
The ceremony takes place at the Usher Hall, Lothian Road, Edinburgh.
Potential graduates will be sent an e-mail to their student and personal e-mail addresses in May 2025. This email will contain information about graduation and instructions to engage with the Graduation Registration system.
Please contact graduation@qmu.ac.uk if you have any queries.
Graduation Fee
There is no fee for graduating students to attend the graduation ceremony.
There are fees for guests tickets, reserved directly with the Usher Hall. Details are below.
There are fees for gown hire and photography. Details are below.
On the Day
Graduating students are expected to arrive at least one hour before the ceremony to allow time to check-in, collect their robes and prepare for the ceremony.
Upon arrival at the Usher Hall, graduating students should check-in at the Registration Desk. Graduating students will receive a ticket showing their own seat allocation. Under no circumstances should graduands change places or seats.
Graduating students should then proceed as directed to the robing area.
All graduating students must be robed and seated at least 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
Graduating students arriving after the beginning of the ceremony will not be allowed to take part.
During the ceremony, attending graduating students receive their certificate as they cross the stage.
Timings for the day
Morning Ceremony | |
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08:30 | Registration Desk Opens After registering, you will be guided upstairs in the Usher Hall to collect your own. Photographs can be taken at the Lyceum Theatre from 08:30. |
09:30 | Auditorium Opens for Graduates and Guests. |
10:15 | All Graduates should be seated in the auditorium. |
10:20 | Registration/attendance closes - students who are not registered and seated by this time will not be permitted to walk across the stage. |
10:30 | Graduation Ceremony begins. 10:30-11:00 - Academic Procession and Speeches from University Chancellor and Honorary Graduate(s). 11:00-11:45 - Awards presented to Graduates. 11:45-12:00 - Speech from University Principal and Academic Procession. |
12:00 | Ceremony Ends. Gowns can be returned at Usher Hall (at the place where these were collected) until 17:00. Photography sessions will take place at the Lyceum Theatre until 17:00. |
17:00 | Graduation Reception on University Campus. Gowns can be returned on campus (Student Services Reception) until 19:00. Photography sessions will take place on campus (Main Atrium) until 19:00. |
Afternoon Ceremony | |
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12:30 | Registration Desk Opens After registering, you will be guided upstairs in the Usher Hall to collect your own. Photographs can be taken at the Lyceum Theatre from 08:30. |
13:30 | Auditorium Opens for Graduates and Guests. |
14:15 | All Graduates should be seated in the auditorium. |
14:20 | Registration/attendance closes - students who are not registered and seated by this time will not be permitted to walk across the stage. |
14:30 | Graduation Ceremony begins. 14:30-15:00 - Academic Procession and Speeches from University Chancellor and Honorary Graduate(s). 15:00-15:45 - Awards presented to Graduates. 15:45-16:00 - Speech from University Principal and Academic Procession. |
16:00 | Ceremony Ends. Gowns can be returned at Usher Hall (at the place where these were collected) until 17:00. Photography sessions will take place at the Lyceum Theatre until 17:00. |
17:00 | Graduate Reception on University Campus. Gowns can be returned on campus (Student Services Reception) until 19:00. Photography sessions will take place on campus (Main Atrium) until 19:00. |
Dressing for the Occasion
All graduating students must wear the proper gown along with their appropriate academic dress.
Reserved robes can be collected at the venue before the ceremony and should be returned the same day, either to the robing areas at the Usher Hall or at the QMU campus where the reception is held.
Graduation ceremonies are a formal occasion. The dress code consists of your gown, hood, and formal dress.
Gowns should be booked through Ede & Ravenscroft (from May 2025)
We recommend one of the following:
- Dark coloured clothes with a white collar and a tie
- Sleeved black or white dresses
- Black or white blouses and dark skirts or trousers
- Normal or full evening Highland dress
- Other formal attire related to your cultural tradition or national costume
You will be required to ascend and descend stairs on either side of the stage and when your name is called, you are required to walk across the stage (unless you have requested access assistance via the graduation reply form). We recommend you wear flat or low-heeled shoes.
Ede and Ravenscroft would advise arranging your gown hire at least 21 days before your ceremony. For July 2025, we would strongly advise making any arrangements with Ede and Ravenscroft by Friday 20th June 2025 at the very latest.
Tickets for you and your Guests
Attending graduating students can purchase up to three guest tickets initially via the Usher Hall at a price of £15 per ticket (plus £1.50 booking fee).
Details will be provided in the confirmation email students will receive upon completing the Graduation Registration system.
Graduating students will collect their own allocated seat ticket upon check-in at the venue.
Children can attend the ceremony, but you should note that it may not be suitable for very young children because of the content and length. Children under the age of 3 are able to sit on an accompanying ticketed adult's lap without requiring a ticket of their own. Children aged 3 and up require their own ticket.
Please note that there are unlikely to be extra tickets available for the Ceremony. Extra tickets for additional guests will be available to purchase via the Usher Hall at the end of June on a first come first served basis. Further details of this will be sent to those who have indicated that want to attend the ceremony closer to the date.
Please note that extra tickets are not available for the Graduation Reception held on campus.
Photography
Graduating students can arrange professional photography with Ede & Ravenscroft (from May 2025). Graduating students wishing to attend the photographer prior to the ceremony are reminded they must be seated 30 minutes before the ceremony.
Photographers will be present before and after the ceremony at The Royal Lyceum Theatre (adjacent to the Usher Hall).
Photographers will also be in attendance at the Reception held at Queen Margaret University from 5.00pm to 7.00pm.
Filming the Ceremony
The Ceremony will be filmed and the recording will be made available online after the event. If you have any queries regarding the filming, please contact Media Services on 0131 474 0000.
Graduands should remind guests that video recording equipment is NOT permitted within the hall.
Data Protection
You can find a statement and guidance on how personal data will be processed for and during the graduation event here.
Graduating students, guests and staff should be aware that graduation ceremonies are regarded as public events. Names and awards of graduates (including those graduating in absentia) are published in the graduation programme. Audio and visual images of the ceremony are publicly available through online video. If you object to publication of your personal data (name and award) in the press you should inform the Assistant Secretary (June Ross jross@qmu.ac.uk) at least three weeks before the ceremony. You can also use the online Graduation Registration system to indicate your consent for your name to be published.
Please note that your name, award and classification must be published in the graduation programme.
Graduating students should remind guests that video recording equipment is NOT permitted within the hall.
Celebratory Reception after the Ceremony
QMU Campus, July 2025, Monday 7th July 2025 at 5pm
QMU Campus, July 2025, Tuesday 8th July 2025 at 5pm
Graduates are warmly invited to celebrate their academic achievements at the QMU Graduation Reception at 5pm on the day of their attendance at the graduation ceremony.
Upon arrival at the campus, you and your guests will be greeted in the traditional Scottish manner by a pipe band. Within the atrium you can mingle with friends and academic staff whilst enjoying complimentary sparkling wine and canapés . A selection of non-alcoholic drinks will also be available.
Ede & Ravenscroft photographers will be in attendance for those who wish to preserve their graduation day memories. In addition, graduation robes can be returned to Ede & Ravenscroft at the campus following the reception.
We look forward to welcoming you and your guests in celebrating your achievement.
Outstanding Debts
If you have any outstanding debts with the university or any unreturned library books you will not be eligible to attend the ceremony until the debt has been cleared or the library books have been returned. Please contact the Finance Department or the LRC if this affects you. All debts/books must be paid/returned at least 21 days before the ceremony.
Wording on your Certificate
Your certificate will be printed with your FULL NAME as recorded on your student record. Graduating students can request that another name be printed during the online Graduation Registration process.
Please note that we can usually only consider name changes that involve the reordering of names you have previously matriculated under, or the inclusion or removal of middle names. Requests to change your name from the official name you provided us with during matriculation cannot be considered without evidence that you completed your course under a different official name.
In the event of a change of name being requested, QMU reserves the right to request proof of identity. Please therefore forward copies of any documents which you consider relevant. Changes to names cannot be accepted after your award has been ratified by Senate.
QMU Merchandise
Please click here to view our QMU Shop where you can purchase QMU branded merchandise.
Graduation Enquiries
For information or enquiries relating to graduation please get in touch.
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