Graduation ceremony terms and conditions

By registering for the graduation ceremony, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agree to these terms. You can contact the graduation team if you have any queries regarding these terms, via the Student Enquiry Centre:

Student Enquiry Centre

1. Registration, guest tickets and special requirements

1.1 Registration process

(a) If you are provisionally eligible, you will receive an invite to register for a graduation ceremony by email to your University of Nottingham account. Please note that this does not confirm eligibility, which may be affected by your circumstances subsequent to the invite being sent. If you were expecting an invitation and haven’t received one, please contact the Graduation team.

(b) You must register using the form on NottinghamHub before the deadline stated in your invitation to guarantee your place at the graduation ceremony.

(c) If you are unable to attend the date of the graduation ceremony, you can apply to defer to a subsequent graduation ceremony or graduate in absentia (without a ceremony) and have your certificate posted to you. If you wish to defer, you must notify the Graduation team no later than 3 weeks prior to the proposed graduation ceremony date. Please note you may only defer twice. If you select to defer and do not attend, you will graduate in absentia.

(d) If you fail to register or defer your graduation ceremony (as set out in (b) and (c) above), you will be unable to attend and will automatically graduate in absentia.

1.2 Guest tickets

(a) Each graduand is allocated two free tickets for their guests at the time you register. You must apply for the free guest tickets at the time of registration to guarantee their tickets.

(b) If capacity is still available following the first release, we will issue a second release for additional guest tickets which will be sold on a first come first served basis. We will notify all graduands of the second release and its details, including the price of additional tickets, prior to the second release issue.

(c) Please note that we cannot guarantee that any additional tickets will be available.

(d) You will receive confirmation of your tickets and guest tickets by email to your University of Nottingham email address, normally within 24 hours of registration. We strongly advise that you do not make any travel or accommodation arrangements for guests before securing the guest tickets or, where you do so, that you are able to cancel such arrangements. If you do not receive your confirmation email, please contact the Graduation team.

(e) Guests who are unable to secure tickets may watch the graduation ceremony on live stream at the University of Nottingham website or at a venue on our campus in close proximity to the graduation ceremony venue.

1.3 Children and babies

(a) Children and babies are welcome to join in the celebration of graduand’s achievements, but you acknowledge that the graduation ceremony will be a long and formal event, and so it is your decision as to whether it will be appropriate for them to attend. We ask that you ensure young children and babies respect the formality of the graduation ceremony and, where they are unable to, are removed from the venue.

(b) Children under the age of two will be allowed entry without a ticket and must sit on the lap of a parent or guardian throughout the graduation ceremony.

(c) Children aged two and above will be counted towards the guest ticket count.

(d) Baby pushchairs can be stored in the graduation hall.

(e) Children aged under 16 must be accompanied by a guest adult at all times (note that graduands are seated separately from guests).

(f) Guests are advised that complementary alcoholic drinks will be available for guests/attendees over the age of 18 at post-graduation reception. Parents and/or guardians of under 18 years in attendance at the post-graduation reception accept full liability for the actions of those children under the age of 18 and the university reserves the right to reject to supply complementary alcoholic drinks to anyone who has is not able to provide proof of age.

1.4 Accessibility requirements

(a) If you or your guests have any special access needs, you will need to let us know as part of the registration process or otherwise by contacting the Graduation team no later than three weeks prior to the first graduation ceremony. Failure to do so may result in those accessibility needs of yourself or your guests not being met, for which we will not be held responsible.

(b) Our Graduation team will use reasonable efforts to meet the accessibility requests of you and your guests which are received on time.

1.5 Tickets are non-transferrable

A graduand cannot give their ticket or their guest ticket(s) to another graduand.

The university will not honour any informal arrangements made between graduands to pass guest tickets on to another graduand.

3. Your cancellation rights and refunds

3.1

We understand that sometimes things don't go as planned. If you need to cancel a ticket for any reason we request that you notify us as soon as possible so that we may allow for others to attend. Where you have paid for additional guest tickets, you will be entitled to a refund provided you notify us by emailing our Graduation team at least two weeks prior to the graduation ceremony. You will not receive a refund for any cancellations after this time. Eligible refunds will be processed within 30 working days. Please note that guest tickets are not allocated to any particular individual and so you may reallocate your guests to your friends and family of your choice.

3.2

Academic dress must be arranged separately by you with the supplier. The University is not a party to this arrangement. Refunds for academic dress will be subject to the supplier’s refund policy, and you must contact them directly.

5. If we change, postpone or cancel the event

5.1

We reserve the right to make changes to the agenda, format, location and any other aspect of the graduation ceremony without notice and without liability to you. We may at any time, with or without giving notice, in our absolute discretion and without giving any reason, change, cancel or postpone the ceremony, change its venue or any of the other published particulars.   

5.2

In the case of postponement, we will offer an alternative date which will be within 12 months of the postponed date. In case of a cancellation, we will provide a refund within 30 working days.

5.3

Except in the case of cancellation, we will not return any money paid by you in connection with the ceremony unless we are satisfied that it is reasonable to do so, about which the decision shall be in our sole discretion and, when announced, final and conclusive. In any case, we shall not be liable for any loss, liability, damage or expense suffered or incurred by you or any other person.

7. Debts

If you have any outstanding academic tuition fee debt with us you will not be able to attend the graduation ceremony. You must settle such outstanding debt a minimum of 3 weeks prior to the graduation ceremony to ensure your name is included in ceremony materials.

9. Other terms

(a) How we will contact you. Communications relating to the graduation ceremony will be sent to your University of Nottingham email address. 

(b) Changes to these terms. We may update these terms and any guidance on graduation ceremonies at any time. If any changes may affect your graduation ceremony, we will notify you via email to your University of Nottingham email address.

(c) We are not responsible for events outside of our control. We will not be liable for any losses direct or otherwise incurred by you or your guests relating to or arising out of the graduation ceremony due to circumstances beyond our reasonable control including (but not limited to) fire, explosion, terrorist act (or threat of terrorist act), act of God, epidemic, pandemic, national mourning, or as a result of any industrial action or dispute involving the University of Nottingham, or the venue at which the graduation ceremony is due to be held.

(d) Nobody else has any rights under this contract. This contract is between you and us. Nobody else can enforce it.

(e) Resolving disputes. These terms are governed by English law and claims made arising out of or in relation to them can only be brought in the English courts.