Preparing for the day

Registration

All students must register to graduate whether attending the ceremony or not.

How do I register to graduate?

We will send an e-invitation to your email address and you should complete the online registration by Friday 13 December 2024; to do this, please log in to your eVision account at scims.keele.ac.uk.

During the invitation process you will be able to choose from three options:

1. Graduate in person on the date you have been offered
2. Graduate in person at a later date
3. Graduate in absentia

What can I do if I cannot access my eVision account?

If you are having any difficulties accessing your eVision account, please contact it.service@keele.ac.uk or telephone 01782 733636.

When is the deadline to register?

You must register to graduate by Friday 13 December 2024.

What happens if I don’t receive an invitation?

If you are potentially eligible or are eligible to graduate at the forthcoming graduation ceremony in January 2025, an Invitation to Graduation will be sent to your personal email account. If you have not received an email and are expecting to graduate, please contact gradoffice@keele.ac.uk.

What happens if I forget to register?

The University aims to accommodate all students who wish to graduate, but only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered after registration closes. If you are late but still wish to graduate, please contact the Graduation Office immediately on 01782 734206 or gradoffice@keele.ac.uk

Do I receive a confirmation email after I have registered?

Yes. The email will also explain your guest ticket allocation.

What happens if I don’t wish to attend the graduation ceremony?

You may choose to graduate in absentia. In this case, you will not graduate in person. Please note that once you have chosen this option, you do not have the opportunity to attend a future ceremony in person.

What if I wish to cancel my registration for graduation?

If, for any reason, you no longer wish to attend your forthcoming graduation ceremony, please see below for your options. Please note that if you have not fulfilled all academic requirements, you may be ineligible to graduate.

If you wish, you can either graduate in absentia or defer your graduation until Graduation in July 2025. Please email gradoffice@keele.ac.uk detailing your request and including your full name and student number. If your address has changed from what you previously advised in the graduation invitation, please ensure you include your new address in your email.

Tickets    

Do I need to book a ticket for myself?

No, you are automatically allocated a ticket once you accept your invitation.

How many guest tickets can I have?

You can apply for 6 guest tickets at the time of registering. The breakdown below explains what your allocation will be according to how many guest tickets you apply for. Please note, the ceremony takes place in the Chapel (note we can only guarantee 2 guest tickets within the Chapel), and the ceremony will be livestreamed in the Live Stream Theatre in the Chancellor’s Building.

1 guest ticket: Your ticket will be confirmed for the Chapel.

2 guest tickets: Your tickets will be confirmed for the Chapel.

3 guest tickets: Your tickets will be confirmed but your guests may be split (Chapel x 2, Live Stream Theatre x 1). We will try our best to fit all guests within the Chapel, but this may not be possible. It will be a case of finding out on the day.

4 guest tickets: All 4 tickets will be confirmed but your guests will be split (Chapel x 2, Live Stream Theatre x 2)

5 guest tickets: 4 of these tickets will be confirmed and your guests will be split (Chapel x 2, Live Stream Theatre x 2). You will receive an email no later than one week prior to graduation if you have been successful or not in obtaining a 5th ticket. If successful, this ticket will be for the Live Stream Theatre.

6 guest tickets: 4 of these tickets will be confirmed and your guests will be split (Chapel x 2, Live Stream Theatre x 2). You will receive an email no later than one week prior to graduation if you have been successful or not in obtaining a 5th and 6th ticket. If successful, these tickets will be for the Live Stream Theatre.

Will all my guests be able to sit together?

As indicated above, due to venue constraints, we can only allocate two guest tickets for the Chapel per graduand. Any remaining guest tickets will be for the Live Stream Theatre.
Please note that there is no reserved seating for guests and seats are allocated on a first come, first seated basis.

When will I receive my tickets?

You will be able to collect your ticket and your guest tickets on the day of your graduation ceremony from K2, Students' Union.

Can non-ticket holders come onto campus?

Additional guests without tickets are welcome to join you in celebrating your day on campus. All ceremonies are live streamed on plasma screens in the Students’ Union. Please note that there may not always be seating available in these areas.

Some of my family and friends cannot travel to Keele – can they still watch the ceremony?

Yes, our ceremonies are transmitted live on the day at no charge. Visit keele.ac.uk/livekeele for more information.

Gown and dress code

Deadline to order

You should order your gown by Friday 13 December 2024.

Where do I order my gown?

Academic dress can be ordered from Ede and Ravenscroft via their website. The portal will be open after you have received your e-invitation to graduation. 

Most graduands choose to hire their robes for the day; however, you can purchase robes if you wish. 

Can I order my gown from an alternative supplier?

You may hire your graduation gown from an alternative supplier if you wish. Please note, this will need to be a black gown and the hood will need to be the correct colours for your award. See 'What will my gown and hood look like?' below.  
 
You will be allowed to graduate if the gown/hood isn't as per the guidelines provided by Keele, however, please be aware that you may be wearing a gown that is different to your cohort/friends and Keele cannot be held responsible for any differences, as the University has not had sight of or agreed any alternatives. 
 
Please ensure you check the delivery and return details for your gown carefully and ensure it is delivered in time for you and note any return charges, as this is sometimes hidden and can add to your hire costs. 
 
Should there be an issue with your gown not being delivered in time and you need to hire an alternative on the day, this will be subject to availability and Ede & Ravenscroft cannot guarantee they can supply for all emergencies on the day. 

The cost to hire a gown and hood on the day of your ceremony will be more expensive than ordering in advance from Ede & Ravenscroft. 

Information required to order your gown

You should have the following information ready when hiring academic dress: 

• Height
• Chest measurement 
• Hat size (circumference of your head taken just above your ears) 
• Date of your ceremony 
• Time of your ceremony 
• Qualification (PhD, MSc, BA) 

How do I know which gown and hood to choose?

Academic dress relates to the qualification you will be awarded (e.g. BA, MSc, PGCert) rather than your subject. For example:

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing: Bachelor of Science gown and hood
• Master of Science in International Business: Master of Science gown and hood

Dress code

Graduation ceremonies are a formal occasion, which is reflected in the dress of graduands and their guests. It might be an idea to check the weather forecast in advance and dress appropriately.

Please note: jeans and trainers are not permitted.

Useful tips

• Wearing a shirt and tie or a blouse with buttons will make it easier to fix the hood of your academic dress.
• Hair pins are useful to secure the mortarboard (hat).
• Safety pins can be used to secure gowns and hoods.

Financial support

If you are struggling to afford the hire cost of your graduation gown, please contact our Financial Support Team (student.services@keele.ac.uk) so that a member of the team can discuss the range of financial support available to you.

Outstanding debt

Can I graduate if I have outstanding fees or other debts?

All outstanding debt to the University should be settled by Friday 13 December 2024.

If you have a debt to the University after the above deadline, you will not be allowed to attend the graduation ceremony.

Graduands are advised to speak with the Finance Department as a matter of urgency.

To pay outstanding fees please use the following link keele.ac.uk/payments/

Visa support

Can you provide a visa support letter for my guests?

For graduands who require a letter from the Graduation Office to support a standard visitor visa application, please email gradoffice@keele.ac.uk once you have received your e-invitation confirming your ceremony date and time. You will need to provide your name and student number to obtain the necessary paperwork. A letter will be emailed back as soon as possible. 

Please note, your visa letter will only state: 

• your name
• address
• qualification and award
• plus the maximum number of guests you are entitled to (4).

We do not include visitor names on your visa letter.

Access requirements

Are you able to support graduands / guests with access requirements? 

At our graduation ceremonies there is provision made for any particular access requirements, whether that be poor mobility, the use of a wheelchair, partially sighted, hard of hearing etc.

Who should I inform if either my guests or I have access requirements?

In order for us to make arrangements for you or your guests, please let us know by filling out the notes section on eVision when registering your attendance to your ceremony. This information will be pulled through when we undertake the seating plans and we can make arrangements for you and your guests then.

Alternatively, if you have already registered, please notify us of your requirements so that we can ensure the appropriate services are in place. Email gradoffice@keele.ac.uk by Friday 13 December 2024. 

How do you support wheelchair users and guests with limited mobility?

Access to all the graduation venues is wheelchair accessible. The Chapel and the Live Stream Theatre has a dedicated seating zone for wheelchair users for graduands and their guests. You must notify us when booking tickets if either you or any of your guests are wheelchair users or have limited mobility.

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.

Wheelchair seating is in a designated position in the Chapel and, where possible, we will seat your other guests alongside your wheelchair guest. These seats are pre-allocated and reserved for guests for each ceremony.

Car parking for blue badge holders / people with limited mobility

We regret that parking at the ceremony venue 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. 

There are no parking charges on campus during graduation ceremonies.

Are you able to loan a wheelchair?

Unfortunately, this is not something we are able to offer. However, there will be a drop off point close to the Chapel for guests with limited mobility.

Accommodation

Looking for a place to stay for your graduation? Please see our local hotel information below.

Hotel information

Courtyard by Marriott

University Drive,
Keele, Newcastle ST5 5NU

01782 376820
marriott.com
Located on-campus 

Borough Arms Hotel

26 King Street, Newcastle,
Staffs, ST5 1HX

01782 629421
borough-arms-hotel.co.uk
Distance from Keele 3 Miles

Holiday Inn

Stoke on Trent, M6 JT15
Clayton Road, Newcastle, Staffs, ST5 4DL

0871 942 9077
holidayinn.com
Distance from Keele 5 Miles

Premier Inn Newcastle-under-Lyme

Talke Road, Chesterton,
Newcastle, Staffs, ST5 7EH

0871 527 8808
premierinn.com
Distance from Keele 5 Miles

Slaters Country Hotel

Stone Road, Baldwins Gate,
Newcastle, Staffs, ST5 5ED

01782 680052
slaterscountryhotel.co.uk
Distance from Keele 6 Miles

Travelodge Newcastle-under-Lyme Central

Lower Street, Newcastle,
Staffs, ST5 2RN

0871 984 6446
www.travelodge.co.uk/hotels/424/Newcastle-Under-Lyme-Central-hotel
Distance from Keele 2.5 Miles

Wychwood Park Hotel

Wychwood Park, Weston,
Crewe, CW2 5GP

0871 222 4830
wychwoodparkhotel.com
Distance from Keele 12 Miles

Childcare

For those who are unable to attend their graduation ceremony due to not having childcare arrangements in place, the University have an on site nursery for children aged 0-5 years of age, however spaces are subject to availability.