HKVS students

Arrival

When should I arrive? 

The RCVS admission ceremony will commence promptly at 14.30, please ensure you allow sufficient time to travel to Harper Adams University. The ceremony will take place in the Queen Mother Hall (QMH), location 25 on this campus map. 

Where shall I park?   

When you arrive on campus, you will be directed to the appropriate parking area by our staff. Please follow their instructions to allow for a smooth process. We recommend allowing extra time for your journey to ensure you arrive on time.

If you require accessible parking, on arrival please let parking marshals know, and they will direct you to an accessible parking bay located in the Harris car park, close to the Queen Mother Hall (QMH). 

There are no parking charges on campus during the event. 

Travel information

• Advice and information about travel to Harper Adams
• Campus map 

Lunch

Lunch

We are delighted to host ceremonies across both universities and have factored in time for you to celebrate at each, take a break for lunch, and travel between the two campuses. 

Please see details of the catering venues which will be open on the day: 

Keele University 

• Chapters Café, Union Square, 08.00-17.30 
• CENTRAL Café, The Food Court, Chancellor’s Building, 08.00-15.00 
• Students’ Union, 08.30-18.00 
• The KPA Clubhouse, 11.30 until late 
• Courtyard by Marriott at Keele, including the Scholars Restaurant & Terrace and the Campus Coffee House 

Harper Adams University: 

• Kaldi Café, Bamford Library, 08.00–16.00
• Costa Café, Agri-Tech Innovation Hub, 08.00–15.00
• Dining Hall, QMH Building, 12.00-13.30 

Proceedings

What happens in the RCVS admission ceremony?

On admission to membership of the RCVS, and in exchange for the right to practise veterinary surgery in the UK, every veterinary surgeon makes a declaration. Following an address from the RCVS, as a cohort you will be asked to take this oath, which, since 1 April 2012, has been:

"I PROMISE AND SOLEMNLY DECLARE that I will pursue the work of my profession with integrity and accept my responsibilities to the public, my clients, the profession and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, and that, ABOVE ALL, my constant endeavour will be to ensure the health and welfare of animals committed to my care." 

A printed copy of the oath will be available on the day, and displayed on screens around the venue.

The RCVS admission ceremony will last approximately one hour. 

Where will I be seated? 

Graduates will be seated together at the front of the venue. Guests, with tickets for the ceremony venue, will be invited to sit in the rows behind. Please note, seat numbers are not allocated for this ceremony. 

Guests with tickets for the live stream venue can watch this in the Weston Lecture Theatre located inside the Weston Building, number 15 on this campus map. 

Closure of ceremony

A closing address will be delivered to the congregation to close proceedings.

Graduates and guests will stand as the platform procession leave the Queen Mother Hall. Ushers will guide graduates to process from the QMH behind the platform procession. All guests are asked to stand and remain by their seats until the last graduate has left the Hall. 

After leaving the Queen Mother Hall, graduates are invited to have a group photograph taken outside the Main Building. 

Gowns

Gowns

Please ensure you keep your gown after the graduation ceremony at Keele University, you will need to wear this for the RCVS Admission ceremony. 

Gowns can be returned to the ground floor of the Faccenda building, opposite the Students’ Union, please ensure you return your gown before 18.00.

For more information about ordering your gown, please click here

Photography

Guest photography 

Guests are welcome to capture your special moment during the ceremony.  
 
Please note that to avoid obstructing the view of other guests or causing a distraction, members of the audience may take photographs from a seated position, but should not move about the venue, use flash apparatus or selfie sticks.  

Use of images 

All graduands and guests should be aware that the ceremony and receptions are public events. Audio/visual images of the ceremony and reception are publicly available and will often be used in Harper Adams University, Keele University, and Harper & Keele Veterinary School web pages and publications. Each ceremony will also be broadcast live on the day. 

For more information about how we will use your data, this privacy statement tells you what to expect when you attend a graduation ceremony as a graduand or guest.

Guest tickets

Guest tickets

You can apply for up to six guest tickets when you register, at least four of these will be confirmed automatically. Please note: Graduands do not count in this number, this is the graduand and up to six guests.

Your guests may be split between the ceremony venue and a live stream in the Weston Lecture Theatre, located inside the Weston Building, number 15 on this campus map.
 
Guest tickets 1 – 2: Tickets confirmed automatically and seated in the Chapel and Queen Mother Hall. 

Guest tickets 3 – 4: Tickets confirmed automatically and seated in the live stream theatre, this applies to both the graduation and admission ceremonies. 

We will try to accommodate guests within the ceremony venues, but this may not be possible, and we will be unable to confirm this before your arrival on the day. 

Guest tickets 5 – 6: Not automatically confirmed. We will contact you one week before graduation to confirm if you have been successful in obtaining a fifth and sixth ticket. If successful, these tickets will be for the live stream theatre for both ceremonies. 

Ticket collection 

Once you have arrived at Keele University, make your way to the Walter Moberly building in the centre of campus. Here you will be able to collect your ticket and your guest tickets from 08:00 on the day of your graduation ceremony. Please ensure you have your confirmation email to hand and proof of ID. 

Please note, only graduands will be allowed entry to collect tickets and gowns. Your guests will need to wait for you outside the Walter Moberly building. 

You will collect tickets for both ceremonies, please remember to bring these with you to the afternoon ceremony at Harper Adams University. 

Live webcast

Live webcast

We know that some family and friends won’t be able to join you in person on this special day, but they can still share this moment by watching both ceremonies live on our webcast. This service will allow your loved ones to feel more involved in the celebrations – wherever they are.

The graduation live stream will be available here: keele.ac.uk/livekeele 

The RCVS admission ceremony live stream link will be available here before the ceremony.

Celebration event

Celebration event

The RCVS admission ceremony will be followed by a celebratory reception where you can mark the occasion with friends, family, and colleagues from across the School and both universities. All graduates and guests are invited to attend this event. Light refreshments will be available to purchase at this event.  

We are planning to hold this on the lawn outside Queen Mother Hall, however should this not be possible due to inclement weather alternative arrangements will be shared on the day. 

Accessibility

Accessibility

At both ceremonies, there is provision made for any particular access requirements (for example, hearing loops). 

Letting us know 

In order for us to make arrangements, please inform us of your/ your guests’ requirements by filling out the ‘Ceremony Invitation’ and 'Additional Graduation Details’ forms on eVision when registering your attendance. Please complete these by Friday 13 June 2025. This information will be used when we create the seating plans.  

Alternatively, if you have already registered, please notify us of your requirements so that we can ensure the appropriate services are in place. Get in touch by emailing gradoffice@keele.ac.uk before Monday 23 June 2025. 

Support available 

Both ceremony venues are wheelchair accessible, and the Chapel, QMH, and live stream theatres all have dedicated seating zones for wheelchair users, for graduands and guests. 

On the day of the ceremony, anyone in a wheelchair or with limited mobility can make their way to the side entrance of the marquee next to the Chapel 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time. The Graduation Welcome Team will ensure you are seated first. 
 
Accessible seating is in a designated position in the Chapel and, where possible, we will seat all guests in your party together here. These seats are pre-allocated and reserved for guests for each ceremony.

For the RCVS admission ceremony, anyone in a wheelchair or with limited mobility can make their way to the ground floor of the QMH up to 45 minutes prior to the ceremony start time.  

Accessible seating is in a designated position in the Hall and, where possible, we will seat all guests in your party together here. These seats are pre-allocated and reserved.

Car parking 

We regret that parking at the Chapel, Keele University, is very limited, but a drop-off facility is available for guests with limited mobility. A small number of disabled parking spaces are available and allocated on a first come, first served basis to Blue Badge holders only. Please alert the car parking attendants on arrival to campus who will direct you.  

Accessible parking will be located in the Harris Car Park, close to the Queen Mother Hall, Harper Adams University. On arrival, please advise a parking attendant that you require accessible parking. 
 
There are no parking charges on either campus during graduation ceremonies.