Frequently Asked Questions:
Your A - Z Guide

If you're planning an overnight stay before or after your graduation ceremony, there are a wide range of hotels in the area. For ceremonies in Derby, please see hotels in the area.

For ceremonies in Buxton, there are plenty of hotels and guest houses in the area if you wish to stay overnight – we recommend you book well in advance. For more information, please see the Visit Buxton website.

Please help us to meet your requirements by stating clearly when you order your tickets via Grad Hub whether you (the graduate) have any accessibility requirements that we should be aware of.

A ramp is used by all graduates to access the stage at the award ceremonies.

For any guests with accessibility requirements, please speak to one of our helpful members of staff in a maroon gown on the day as they can find a suitable space.

If you or any of your guests need to be seated near our BSL interpreters, please let us know in advance so we can make arrangements before the day. Please contact the team at graduation@derby.ac.uk

Accessible parking is available at the Derby Arena – you must display your blue badge. Please note that the car parking bay will usually be a standard size parking space rather than the wider accessible parking bay.

We can also arrange on-campus car parking at our Buxton ceremonies taking place at the Devonshire Dome. This is available for blue badge holders. However please bear in mind we only have a limited number of these spaces. You can request this at the time of booking your attendance and guests tickets via Grad Hub.

If you (the graduate) have specific needs, you can be accompanied by your carer for your ceremony. You can request this at the time of booking your attendance and guest tickets. Your carer will not require a guest ticket therefore you do not need to purchase one for them. If you're not sure whether this applies to your circumstances, please contact us at graduation@derby.ac.uk.

Any carer accompanying a guest will require their own guest ticket.

Wheelchairs are not available at the venue for guests. You can hire a wheelchair via the British Red Cross website.

For Derby Award Ceremonies, there is a significant amount of walking to and from the Arena and Pride Park stadium. We recommend that any graduates and guests with walking or mobility difficulties bring their own wheelchairs or mobility assistance.

Keep connected with the University after you graduate through your Alumni Relations team. Register now to receive our monthly newsletter which will keep you up to date with the latest news and events at Derby. Plus you’ll receive inspiring career opportunities and information.

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Our Careers and Employment Service give recent graduates free careers advice and helps with interview techniques, CV writing and completion of application forms. This is available for all University of Derby graduates for up to three years after completion of studies.

The ceremony you’ll need to attend is shown on your official invitation as well as your ticket purchase screen. It is not possible for you to change your ceremony allocation, but you will be provided the opportunity to defer to our next set of ceremonies if required.

More information on the Award Ceremonies can be found on our Derby Award Ceremonies or Buxton Award Ceremonies webpages.

The length of each Award Ceremony varies. You can find a schedule with timings through our Derby Award Ceremonies or Buxton Award Ceremonies webpages. Select your ceremony to view the schedule.

You will be asked to remain seated for the duration of your ceremony.

When you (the graduate) register at your Award Ceremony, you will be informed of your allocated seat. It is important that you remain in this seat for the duration of your ceremony, so you are in the right place when your name is called to cross the stage.

You will be allocated your seat in order by your cohort/course and in alphabetical order.

If you are unsure where to find your allocated seat, please find one of our helpful members of staff in a maroon gown – they will be able to show you where to sit.

Your official invitation will have a form you can fill in to request deferral to the next available award ceremony. Please note that you can only defer your attendance once. Please see our  terms and conditions or contact graduation@derby.ac.uk for further information.

Security checks will be conducted on all bags before you enter the venue.

A cloakroom is available on the day of the ceremonies – there is a charge of £1 per item. Larger items such as suitcases must be stored in the cloakroom.

There will be space for small items under your chair. After you cross the stage, you will return to your original seat.

If you're attending a Derby Award ceremony, you can visit the Grad Lounge located at Pride Park Stadium after your ceremony. You (the graduate) will receive a voucher for a complimentary drink here after your ceremony.

If you're attending a Buxton Award ceremony, there will be a drinks reception taking place after your ceremony at the Devonshire Dome where complimentary drinks will be available.

If you have not already received your certificate, it will be presented to you during the ceremony as you cross the stage. If you have already received your certificate, you will receive a letter as you cross the stage.

Both the certificate and the letter are presented in a folder as you cross the stage to celebrate the occasion.

If you are not attending your Award Ceremony, your certificate will be posted to the home address on our system after the ceremonies have taken place. All students will receive a physical and digital copy of their certificate.

If you have an address outside the UK, we will contact you with delivery options prior to posting your certificate.

We ask that you ensure that your home address is up to date.

We issue one copy of your certificate free of charge. If you require additional copies for a fee, please visit our online shop.

Please wear formal dress. Please do not wear jeans or casual trousers. The University colours used on the gown hood are mainly light blue and red.

We recommend you dress appropriately for the weather on the day of your ceremony, as you may be outside for a duration of time before entering your ceremony venue. We would also recommend wearing comfortable shoes as you may be required to walk between locations.

Yes, you can bring a small umbrella into the venue. Large umbrellas are not permitted.

Gowns may be hired through Ede & Ravenscroft on Grad Hub, or from an alternative supplier that provides University Regulation compliant academic dress.  

For more information see our guidance on ordering your gown with Ede and Ravenscroft. 

To order the correct gown, you’ll need to measure your head circumference, chest, and height. You’ll also need to know the level/qualification and title of your award, and provide your surname as it is on our system. You’ll also be asked to provide your ceremony number as confirmed in your invitation email.

You do not have to hire a gown, however we strongly encourage students to hire the formal ceremonial wear (gown and hood), as this adds to the occasion and enjoyment of the day. We find that the majority of graduates will choose to hire a gown.

For gowns purchased with Ede & Ravenscroft, you can collect your gown at Pride Park Stadium for our Derby Award Ceremonies, or from the Devonshire Dome for Buxton Award ceremonies. Your gown can only be collected on the day of your ceremony for Derby, meanwhile for Buxton ceremonies you can collect gowning on the day of your ceremony or the day before from 2pm to 5pm.

Please see the schedule on our Derby Award Ceremonies or Buxton Award Ceremonies webpages for timings to collect your gown. Please remember to bring confirmation of your order with you on the day to assist staff in finding your gown order.

Ede & Ravenscroft gowns can be returned after your ceremony.

For our Derby Award ceremonies, gowns should be returned by the time specified on your order confirmation at the Grad Lounge at Pride Park Stadium.

For our Buxton Award ceremonies, gowns should be returned after your ceremony to the gowning room in the Devonshire Dome (where you collected your gown).

If you have not been awarded and are not eligible to attend the award ceremonies, Ede & Ravenscroft will refund your hire payment if they receive your claim for a refund 7 full days before the date of your ceremony.

You can cancel your Ede & Ravenscroft order online on the Ede & Ravenscroft website. 

Further guidance on tickets, gowns, and photography can be found within the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or by contacting them directly.

If you arrive once the Award Ceremony has started, whether you can collect your gown is dependent on the remaining duration of the ceremony. We advise you to report to the Registration Desks immediately to register your arrival.

We can make arrangements for your gown (if hired through Ede & Ravenscroft) to be collected on your behalf and brought to you at the Registration Desk.

A limited number of gowns will be available to hire on the day and will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. To avoid disappointment, we recommend you arrive ahead of schedule where possible to increase the likelihood of securing one.

If you have or are planning to hire a gown through Ede & Ravenscroft, further guidance can be found within the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, by contacting them online, or by calling 01223 861854.

If you want to purchase something to remind you of your time at Derby, we’ll be selling graduation mementos and gifts at the ceremony venue before and after each ceremony.

For our Derby Award Ceremonies graduation mementos and gifts can be purchased in the Grad Lounge at Pride Park Stadium.

For our Buxton Award Ceremonies, graduation mementos and gifts can be purchased in the Devonshire Dome.

These can also be purchased online.

An Award Ceremony brochure which names graduates eligible to attend is produced and is available to all graduates on the day of their ceremony. If you don’t want your name to appear in the brochure, please email the team at graduation@derby.ac.uk.

Yes – a complimentary GraduationClip of you crossing the stage will be available to download.

Your GraduationClip is a short video of you crossing the stage and celebrating your achievements.

You can access your GraduationClip within 24 hours of you crossing the stage and attending your ceremony. You can register to access this here.

We have introduced an exciting partnership with GradFinale where you can purchase a yearbook. This yearbook offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your student journey and share special memories with your fellow graduates. You will receive an email from us with the details on how to register for and purchase your yearbook.

You will receive an email from us with the details on how to register for and purchase your yearbook.

Your Award Ceremony invitation will outline how many guest tickets you are eligible to buy.

If additional guest tickets are available after all deadlines have passed, we will contact students who have already confirmed their attendance with details on how to purchase them.

These tickets may be issued via Grad Hub and provided as e-tickets alongside any tickets you have already purchased. Please note that additional tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

A limited number of tickets may also be available to purchase on the day; however, this cannot be guaranteed. We will provide further updates ahead of the ceremonies.

Your Award Ceremony invitation will contain a link for you to purchase guest tickets via Grad Hub. It will also outline how many guest tickets you are eligible to buy. Guest tickets must be purchased via Grad Hub using online card payment.

Guest tickets cost £21 each. Guest tickets must be purchased using online card payment using the Grad Hub system.

You (the graduate) will receive a final ticket order confirmation email with your tickets attached a few days before your ceremony.

If any of your guests need a visa to attend the Award Ceremony, you can use your Save The Date or Official Invitation email as provisional confirmation when applying for a visitor visa. Guests should include the guest visa template from our website with their application.

Please be advised that we are unable to issue personalised letters to support the visa application process.

For more information, please see our Visitor Visas for Graduation Ceremonies webpage.

Guest seating is unreserved, meaning that guests can sit in any available seat in the designated guest seating area. If you are unsure where to find this, please speak to one of our helpful members of staff in a maroon gown.

We suggest that small children do not attend the ceremony as it can be a long event. However, if a child aged 3 or above is attending, you will need to purchase a guest ticket for them. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee a separate seat for children under 3.

Children must be seated with an adult guest and cannot be seated with the graduate. Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times.

Children are not permitted to cross the stage with the graduate.

Please note that if you or your guests bring children in a pushchair, we cannot guarantee space in the venue for the pushchair.

If you (the graduate) have specific needs, you can be accompanied by your carer for your ceremony. You can request this at the time of booking your attendance and guest tickets. Your carer will not require a guest ticket therefore you do not need to purchase one for them. If you're not sure whether this applies to your circumstances, please contact us at graduation@derby.ac.uk.

Any carer accompanying a guest will require their own guest ticket.

The Honorary Awards are made to individuals carefully selected by the University. Honorands are deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to their field and have a connection to Derbyshire or the University.

Your invitation will typically be sent to you by the end of May for the Summer ceremonies, and by end of September for the Winter ceremonies. This will be sent to your Unimail and any other active email addresses that we have on record for you. Please ensure we have your up-to-date email address – this can be changed via UDo if required. Your invitation will include links to information about the ceremonies and how to obtain tickets.

If you were expecting an invitation but haven’t received one, please email graduation@derby.ac.uk as soon as possible.

If you have received an invitation and know that you won’t complete your course of study in time, you do not need to take any further action. You will be invited to a future ceremony if you are eligible.

If you do not plan to attend the ceremony, you do not need to register an account with Grad Hub.

However, if you wish to request attendance for a future ceremony, you must still respond by the deadline. 

If you have purchased any guests tickets and are no longer able to attend, you can request a refund via the Grad Hub system by the deadline. Further guidance can be found within the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or by contacting them directly.

If you have an extension in place for your coursework hand-in date, you’ll need to check with your tutor to ascertain if they will be able to mark your work and process your award in time for the ceremonies.

Further information:

• Academic Regulations – Student Guidance RAC

• Academic Regulations – Request for Additional Consideration

If you do not confirm your attendance in time, you will not be able to attend your allocated ceremony.

It may be possible for you to defer to the next round of ceremonies. Your official invitation has a Microsoft form that you can complete to request a deferral to the next round of ceremonies. Please note that you can only defer your attendance once. Please see our terms and conditions or contact graduation@derby.ac.uk for further information.

If you arrive late, we advise you to report to the Registration Desks immediately to register your arrival. Whether you are still able to attend your allocated ceremony is dependent on the remaining duration of the ceremony.

If you arrive late, whether you are still able to cross the stage during your allocated ceremony is dependent on the remaining duration of the ceremony.

In some circumstances, we can change the ceremony listing so that you cross the stage at the end of the ceremony. This means that you will not sit with or cross the stage with your course members/cohort. Do not worry – your full name and award title will be read out as you cross the stage.

In other circumstances where the ceremony is coming to a close, you will be unable to cross the stage at this ceremony.

In all instances, we ask that you report to the Registration Desks immediately so that we can make arrangements based on your circumstances.

If you arrive at your Award Ceremony late, whether you can collect your gown is dependent on the remaining duration of the ceremony. We advise you to report to the Registration Desks immediately to register your arrival.

Arrangements can be made to ensure that your gown (if hired through Ede & Ravenscroft) is collected on your behalf and brought to you at the Registration Desk. We recommend you have your order number to hand with you so our staff can collect the correct gown for you.

If you arrived too late to attend your allocated ceremony, it may be possible for you to attend a different ceremony. In exceptional circumstances dependent on when your allocated ceremony was due to take place, you may be able to attend a different ceremony on the same day, or a ceremony scheduled on another day. We& advise you to report to the Registration Desks immediately in these circumstances. These arrangements are at the discretion of the ceremony co-ordinator on the day.

It may also be possible for you to defer to the next round of ceremonies. Your official invitation has a Microsoft form that you can complete to request a deferral to the next round of ceremonies. Please note that you can only defer your attendance once. Please see our terms and conditions or contact graduation@derby.ac.uk for further information.

You can purchase photography directly through Ede & Ravenscroft via Grad Hub once you have received your official invitation. For photography purchased with Ede & Ravenscroft, photographers will be available on the day of your ceremony (for Buxton ceremonies you can also do this the day before your ceremony between 2pm-5pm).

Photographers will be located at Pride Park Stadium for our Derby Award Ceremonies, and at the Devonshire Dome for our Buxton Award Ceremonies.

Photography at Derby Arena is limited to prize photography and is available on request for graduates and guests with mobility concerns.

Photography is available until the time indicated on your Derby Award Ceremonies or Buxton Award Ceremonies schedule.

If you have purchased photography through Ede & Ravenscroft, Further guidance on tickets, gowns, and photography can be found within the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or by contacting them directly by calling 01223 861854.

Private photography and personal cameras must be shown at reception in Derby Arena for security purposes and permission to use in the building.

Photographers will not be allowed on the stage to take the photos and will be asked to remain in their seat. Only graduates are allowed across the stage.

Yes – our awards ceremonies are streamed live. The live stream will be available to view on our Derby Award Ceremonies or Buxton Award Ceremonies webpages. The live stream will only be available to view once the ceremony has commenced.

Yes – a complimentary GraduationClip of you crossing the stage will be available to download.

Your GraduationClip is a short video of you crossing the stage and celebrating your achievements.

You can access your GraduationClip within 24 hours of you crossing the stage and attending your ceremony. You can register to access this here.

We have introduced an exciting partnership with GradFinale where you can purchase a yearbook. This yearbook offers a wonderful opportunity to reflect on your student journey and share special memories with your fellow graduates. You will receive an email from us with the details on how to register for and purchase your yearbook.

You will receive an email from us with the details on how to register for and purchase your yearbook.

Our Press Office is on the lookout for interesting news stories that involve student research and academic success. If you’d like to tell the Press Office at the University about your final year work, you can contact them on 01332 591942 or email pressoffice@derby.ac.uk - you could be our next media star!

If you have purchased your ticket but do not meet the eligibility and attendance criteria, you will be automatically refunded your ticket purchase after the ceremonies have taken place.

If you cancel your attendance and guest tickets ahead of the deadline to confirm your attendance, you can request a refund by contacting graduation@derby.ac.uk. For more information, please see our terms and conditions.

Refunds are not ordinarily issued for requests made after the ticket purchasing deadline.

All graduates must register their attendance at the Registration Desks which close 30 minutes before the start of the ceremony. Please ensure that you arrive in plenty of time.

The registration desks for our Derby Award Ceremonies are located at Derby Arena. Graduates will enter the arena and will be directed to the inner right door, and then will be signposted to their registration desk. Guests will be separated from graduates at the time of registration.

The registration desks for our Buxton Award Ceremonies are within the Devonshire Dome. Graduates will enter the Devonshire Dome and will be signposted to their registration desk. Guests will be invited to the refreshment area whilst you register.

If you arrive late, we advise you to report to the Registration Desks immediately to register your arrival. Whether you are still able to attend your allocated ceremony is dependent on the remaining duration of the ceremony.

If you do not register your attendance, your name will not be called out for you to cross the stage, and you will not be able to take part in the ceremony.

Your Award Ceremony invitation will contain a direct link for you to confirm your attendance, book your student ticket, and purchase any guest tickets via Grad Hub. You can find more guidance on booking your tickets via our Ticket Information webpage, within the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or by contacting them directly.  

Graduates do not have to pay to attend the Award Ceremony.

Guest tickets are priced at £21 each.

Graduates are responsible for purchasing guest tickets. Your Award Ceremony invitation will contain a direct link for you to purchase guest tickets via Grad Hub. It will also outline how many guest tickets you are eligible to buy.

You (the graduate) will receive a final ticket order confirmation email with your tickets attached a week before your ceremony.

This will be sent from our suppliers Ede and Ravenscroft, from a no-reply email address. It will be sent to the email address you used to register on Grad Hub. Please look out for this email, including in your junk or spam folder. 

If you do not receive this email, you (the graduate) can visit the Box Office at the venue on the day of your ceremony, and we'll support you with the next steps.

We will confirm closer to your ceremony if additional guest tickets will be available to purchase. We offer a generous allocation of guest tickets which are initially limited per person to ensure the venue’s capacity is managed fairly and that all graduates can invite guests. Once all deadlines have passed, we will email eligible graduates with further information if additional guest tickets are available.

If additional guest tickets are available after all deadlines have passed, we will contact students who have already confirmed their attendance with details on how to purchase them. These tickets may be issued via Grad Hub and provided as e-tickets alongside any tickets you have already purchased. Please note that additional tickets will be offered on a first-come, first-served basis.

A limited number of tickets may be available to purchase on the day; however, this cannot be guaranteed. We will provide further updates ahead of the ceremonies. If additional tickets are available on the day, they will only be available to purchase once the box office for the relevant ceremony opens, and not before. The box office for your ceremony will ordinarily open 2 hours before your ceremony is due to start. You can find this time on your ceremony schedule on our website. We recommend arriving early to avoid disappointment.

To purchase an additional guest tickets on the day, the graduate must be present with their guest so that we can confirm the invitation has been issued by the graduate. If the graduate is unable to be present, the guest may instead provide confirmation via a live video call with the graduate, or by showing the graduation invitation email and the graduate’s acceptance, visible at the point of purchase. This process is in place to support security and ensure that all guests attending have been invited by the graduate.

Additional guest ticket purchases on the day can only be made by card or contactless, we are unable to accept cash payments.

Please check that you have selected the correct institution when registering:

• For Buxton ceremonies, select University of Derby, Buxton
• For Derby ceremonies, select University of Derby

You should also ensure that you register using your name exactly as it is recorded with the University. Using a different name - particularly an incorrect surname - may result in errors and prevent you from accessing your booking.

The Award Ceremonies at Derby are held at Derby Arena. The full address of Derby Arena is:

Derby Arena,
Royal Way,
Pride Park,
Derby,
DE24 8JB

Train

Derby Station is located just a short walk away from the venue.

Buses

The Arriva bus services: Park and Ride, 4, and 4A run from the bus station and take 8 minutes to reach the stop. The stop is a 1-minute walk from the venue.

Car Parking

Car parking at the rear of the Arena is limited, as spaces are reserved for blue badge holders (accessible parking). There is car parking in front of the Arena and at Pride Park Stadium.

Travelling from overseas

Manchester Airport (MAN) is 73 miles from Derby, and roughly 2 hours 30 minutes on the train.

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is 24 miles from Derby, and roughly 50 minutes on the train.

For more information, please see our Venue, Transport and Parking webpage.

The Award Ceremonies at Buxton are held at the iconic Devonshire Dome. Please plan and allow plenty of time for your journey, as Buxton can become congested at peak times. The full address of the Devonshire Dome is:

Devonshire Dome,
Devonshire Road,
Buxton,
SK17 6RY

Train

Buxton Station is located just a 9-minute walk away from the Devonshire Dome.

Car Parking

On-street parking is available close to the Devonshire Dome or within town-centre car parks

Travelling from overseas

Manchester Airport (MAN) is 24 miles from Buxton, and roughly 1 hour and 37 minutes on the train. If you are driving from Manchester, take the A6 (following signs for Stockport and Buxton).

East Midlands Airport (EMA) is 54 miles from Buxton, and roughly 3 hours on the train.

Accessible parking is available at the Derby Arena – you must display your blue badge. Please note that the car parking bay will usually be a standard size parking space rather than the wider accessible parking bay.

We can also arrange on-campus car parking at our Buxton ceremonies taking place at the Devonshire Dome. This is available for blue badge holders.

Please email us at graduation@derby.ac.uk to discuss any requirements you or your guests may have.

If you or your guests need a visa to attend the Award Ceremony, you may use your Save The Date or Official Invitation email as provisional confirmation when applying for a visitor visa. Please be advised that we are unable to issue personalised letters to support the visa application process.

For more information about the process as a student/graduate, please visit our webpage for further guidance.

If any of your guests need a visa to attend the Award Ceremony, you can use your Save The Date or Official Invitation email as provisional confirmation when applying for a visitor visa. Guests should include the guest visa template from our website with their application.

Please be advised that we are unable to issue personalised letters to support the visa application process.

For more information, please see Visitor Visas for Graduation Ceremonies webpage.

You must confirm your attendance before the deadline outlined on your invitation to ensure that you are on our final attendance list. If you do not confirm your attendance in time, you will not be able to attend your allocated ceremony. If you are having any difficulties confirming your attendance, it is your responsibility to resolve this via the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or by contacting them directly before the deadline. 

In some instances, you may be asked to confirm your attendance before your final award has been confirmed. It is important that you still confirm your attendance in these circumstances. If you are not awarded in time, you will be invited to the next available ceremony.

We also recommend confirming your attendance via Grad Hub before booking any gowning, photography or making travel arrangements for your ceremony.

You must book your guest tickets prior to the deadline outlined in your official invitation. Please ensure that you book any guest tickets at the same time as confirming your attendance via Grad Hub. You will be asked to make an online payment for your guest tickets at this time. 

If you forgot to purchase guest tickets when confirming your attendance or you are experiencing issues with purchasing guest tickets, please view the Ede & Ravenscroft FAQs, or contact them directly to resolve this.

You must pay all outstanding tuition fees by the deadline outlined on your official invitation to attend your award ceremony.

If you are unable to do this before the deadline, we recommend you request to defer graduation ceremonies using the form on your invitation. We are unable to make any exceptions.

Please allow plenty of time to arrive, collect your gown, and complete registration to ensure your ceremony runs smoothly. Registration will close 30 minutes before the ceremony begins. If you arrive after this time, you may not be able to participate in your ceremony.

Considerable preparation and planning go into each ceremony, and we make every reasonable effort to accommodate students who arrive late. However, please note that inappropriate or disrespectful behaviour towards staff will not be tolerated.

We kindly ask that all attendees remain seated for the duration of the ceremony to celebrate your achievements and recognise the contributions of staff, academics, and partners who have supported you.

Our award ceremonies require significant planning and coordination from dedicated staff. All attendees are expected to always treat staff with courtesy and respect. Inappropriate behaviour will not be tolerated and will lead to removal from your ceremony.