Information for Research Candidates

Invitations and Registration

Invitations to eligible research students will be emailed during the week commencing 8 April. 

Please register for your graduation ceremony using the link provided in our invitation email.

The deadline to register will be Friday 26 April. Please note, even if you do not wish to attend in person, you do still need to complete the registration form to confirm this.

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Your name

Your name on your certificate will be printed exactly as it is held on your student record. It is your responsibility to check your name on your student record before submitting this form.

If you need to make any changes to your name held on your student record you must do so by contacting SSiD before completing this form.

No changes can be made to the name on your certificate after it has been issued.

Name pronunciation
Your forename and surname (as held on your student record) will be announced as you cross the platform. If you have a name that is frequently mispronounced, you can provide guidance on how to say your name correctly. This information will be added to the presenter's script.

You can complete the name pronunciation form here.

The deadline to complete the name pronunciation form is Friday 31 May. 

Examples below:

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Robe hire

It is a University Regulation that graduands wear the correct academic dress. You can hire or purchase these directly from the official robe makers for the University, Ede & Ravenscroft, or an alternative supplier that provides University Regulation compliant academic dress.

How to hire

The deadline to hire robes is Friday 21 June.

Order robes hereThe deadline to hire robes is Friday 21 June.

Robing times

Cancelling robe hire
If you are no longer able to attend your ceremony, you can cancel your order using the 'Review/Amend/Cancel' option on the Ede & Ravenscroft website. For security reasons, cancellations cannot be made over the phone.

Robe types and hood colours
View examples of the different types of robes and hoods for each level of study and department here:

Academic dress examples (PDF, 743kb)

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Tickets

A maximum of 2 guest tickets are guaranteed, along with your own graduand ticket.

Your etickets (containing assigned seat numbers for you and your guests) will be emailed to you on Friday 5 July.

Additional tickets
It is unlikely that tickets over the two guaranteed will be available. However, if further tickets are available, you will be notified via email between Wednesday 5 & Friday 7 June.

Special seating arrangements/access arrangements

You must inform us of any specific access requirements or special assistance that you or your guests may need in advance of the ceremony. There is a dedicated section of the registration form to do this..

Once tickets have been allocated, we may not be able to accommodate special arrangements, but we will do our best to meet these requirements.

If you require the loan of a wheelchair for the day, visit your local British Red Cross Association

Children

Children over the age of three will require a ticket for the ceremony.

Due to the length and formal nature, we do not recommend bringing young children to the ceremony.  Guests with young children may wish to watch the ceremony live in the Auditorium in the Students’ Union, where the atmosphere is informal and tickets are not required.

Children are not permitted on the platform at any time.

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Travel and venue

Octagon Centre
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield
S10 2TN

We recommend using public transport or park and ride to get to graduation as parking on campus is limited. We suggest using the following car parks if you are travelling by car: 

• QPark Durham Road, across from the Octagon
• QPark Rockingham, approximately half a mile from the Octagon Centre
• A map detailing all the car parks in the city centre can be found here

Disabled parking spaces for blue badge holders are available in QPark, Durham Road.  Blue badge holders can also park on double yellow lines for a maximum of 3 hours providing there are no loading restrictions and the vehicle is not causing an obstruction. Please ensure the blue badge and parking clock are displayed. See Sheffield City Council for more details.

Security
The safety of visitors to the University is our highest priority. With this in mind, the following procedures are in place at the venue:

• Bags will be searched. No bag larger than a small handbag will be allowed into the building. Please do not bring large bags or suitcases to the Octagon Centre. There will be person searches on entry. 
• Anyone who appears to be under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted entry.

Arrive as near as possible to the published opening times, bearing in mind that security checks take place.

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Accessibility and support

We are committed to making graduation inclusive and accessible for all our graduands and guests. If you have accessibility or support requirements, detail these in the appropriate section of the registration form and we will do our best to ensure suitable arrangements are put in place. 

Alternatively, you can email graduation@sheffield.ac.uk and we will be happy to talk through the options available to you.  Please give us sufficient notice to put arrangements in place

Ceremony and robing venues
The Octagon Centre is accessible by ramp and has lifts and accessible toilet facilities. More detailed information can be found on AccessAble.

Items such as mobility scooters and pushchairs should be left in the cloakroom once guests have taken their seats as it is not possible to store them in the ceremony hall.

Robing is on Level 4 of the Students’ Union.  The building is accessible by level access and contains lifts and accessible toilet facilities.  The Octagon centre can be access from the Student’s Union via the link bridge. More detailed information can be found on AccessAble.

Gender neutral toilets are located in the Students’ Union Building, next door to the Octagon Centre.

The Students’ Union Building (Level 2) has a Prayer Room with Wudu facilities.

Parking information can be found under travel and venue. 

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Dining and activities on campus

Departmental receptions
Some departments hold receptions before or after the ceremonies. Please contact your department about these.

The Concourse
The Concourse bar will be open throughout the week and there will be live music for graduands and guests to enjoy. 

Students' Union
A full list of what is taking place at the Students' Union, including club nights, will be available nearer the time.

Coffee Revolution and Interval are open all week serving breakfast and lunch options. Interval also live streams the ceremonies.

Inox Dine
Inox is the perfect place for a special graduation meal on campus.  The special graduation menu will be available closer to the time.

Cafes
A full list of the University's cafes can be found here.

Live stream

Ceremonies will be live streamed through the week and available to view on the graduation website.  A link will be provided shortly before each ceremony.

Purchase your graduation film
Your graduation ceremony will be recorded by the University and will be available for you to purchase on a USB memory stick. A link to purchase will be available here shortly.

Relay link to auditorium
Each graduation ceremony is relayed live to the Students' Union Auditorium, to enable family and friends without allocated seats to see the ceremony. 

This facility may be particularly useful for guests with young children who may not be able to remain seated throughout the ceremony. Seats in the Auditorium are not allocated or ticketed and are available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Tickets are not required.  However, it should be noted that whilst the Auditorium seats 400 people and does not normally reach capacity, the Events Team cannot be held responsible should seats be unavailable at busy times.

The Auditorium has tiered seating and 10 spaces for wheelchair users.

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Schedule

The full ceremony schedule can be found here.

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Photography and souvenirs

Official photographs

The official photographers are Ede & Ravenscroft Photography, located in the Students' Union on each day. You can pre-book photography packages when you order your robes through Ede & Ravenscroft or you can turn up on the day.

Opening times:

Monday/Tuesday/Friday - 7.30am to 6.00pm

Wednesday/Thursday - 7.30am to 8.00pm

Location:
Level 4 Students' Union

Official graduation film
Your graduation ceremony will be recorded by the University and will be available for you to purchase on a USB memory stick. You can order your ceremony via the Online Store.

University gifts and souvenirs
University gifts and souvenirs are an excellent way to remember your time at the University of Sheffield. A full range of gifts and souvenirs, including 'Made in Sheffield' items, will be available for purchase in the foyer of the Octagon Centre on graduation days.

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Graduands' checklist

Task	Deadline
Register to confirm if you wish to graduate in person or in absentia	Friday 19 April
Ensure the name pronunciation form has been completed (if relevant)	Friday 31 May
Inform the Events Team if you do not want your name to appear in the graduation programme	Friday 31 May
Ensure you have read all information on visas (if applicable)
Order your robes from Ede & Ravenscroft	Friday 21 June
Pre-order photography from Ede & Ravenscroft	Friday 21 June

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Terms and conditions

Cancellation or postponement of the event
While every effort will be made to host graduation ceremonies as planned, the University may cancel, delay, or postpone its graduation ceremonies due to circumstances beyond its control or where ceremonies can no longer reasonably or safely take place.

In the event of any postponement or cancellation, the University will communicate this clearly on its website and will contact each attending student directly with as much notice as is reasonably practical. 

The University will not be liable for any costs incurred by either the graduand or guests due to postponement or cancellation of the event.  This includes, but is not limited to, travel, accommodation and subsistence costs or any loss of business or earnings. 

Therefore, the University strongly advises that graduands and their guests ensure they have sufficient insurance protection to cover any losses they may incur as a result of postponement or cancellation of ceremonies and book flexible rates for travel and accommodation wherever possible.

Academic robes
By confirming your attendance at graduation, you the graduand confirm that you agree to wear official University of Sheffield academic robes provided by our official supplier, robing company Ede & Ravenscroft Ltd, or an alternative, University Regulation compliant supplier at the ceremony.

Data Protection

Publication of names
The names of graduating students will be printed in the graduation programme which is available to all ticketed guests on the day.  If you would like your name removed from this publication, you must advise the Events Team in writing. Please email graduation@sheffield.ac.uk giving your full name, student registration number and award title and clearly confirm that you wish to be removed from the programme by Friday 31 May.

We do not print degree classifications in the graduation programme.

Digital media
Graduation video - The ceremony proceedings are filmed and the recording is available to purchase after the ceremony. By electing to take part in the ceremony proceedings, you are giving permission for your image to be recorded.

Graduation live web cast of the ceremony - The graduation ceremonies are broadcast live over the University web site. By electing to take part in the ceremony proceedings, you are giving permission for your image to be recorded and broadcasted.

Photography - Professional photographers will be on campus during graduation and their photographs may be used in the university's future promotional literature. By electing to take part in the ceremony proceedings, you are giving permission for your image to be photographed and used.

Graduand and guest conduct
Graduands and guests are expected to behave in a manner fitting for the occasion. Any person who becomes disruptive will be asked to leave the hall.

More on data privacy and terms and conditions can be found here.