Please note, this information is for Summer 2024 graduations but can be used as a rough guide for future ceremonies.
How to get there
Guests with cars should leave adequate time to find parking spaces. Parking should be paid for when leaving the venue.
For more information about parking at P&J Live, visit the venue website:
When you arrive
Graduands should arrive 1.5 hours before your ceremony start time.
Enter from either the Sub-T Car Park or Surface Car Park entrance. Bags will be checked on entry to the venue as per their security regulations.
On arrival, all graduands must check-in for their ceremony. Please make your way to the check-in area in the ground floor foyer of P&J Live. Ushers will provide directions. Those who do not check in within the allocated times will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.
Once you have checked-in, you must collect your gown, which can be found upstairs in Meeting Room 4. Official photography can be found close by in Conference Suite 3.
E-Tickets will be scanned upon entry to Hall C, the ceremony room. Graduating students do not require a ticket to enter, however all guests do. Please ensure that your guests have their e-tickets downloaded on their phone and ready before entering the hall to minimise additional queuing. All guests entering Hall C must have a valid ticket, including children over the age of 2.
You must then take your allocated seat downstairs within the ceremony room, Hall C. Doors close 20 minutes before the ceremony start time, and all students and guests must be seated by this time. You should be wearing your gown and hood before the ceremony starts. Hats are not worn during the ceremony. RGU ushers will be on hand to guide you through the ceremony and direct you to the stage when it is time to receive your award.
Late arrivals will not be accepted into the ceremony.
Seating
All graduands will be allocated a seat according to their course, surname, and award they are receiving. You must sit in the seat you are allocated at check-in. Graduands are called onto the stage in a specific order and therefore the seating plan is designed around this. Failure to do so may result in your name not being out called out during the ceremony.
Guest seating is not allocated and is on a first-come-first-served basis. There will be ushers in the hall to direct guests to the correct areas. All guests must be seated before doors close 20 minutes before the ceremony.
All guests must have a seat. Children under 2 can sit on a knee, but any child above this age must have a ticket and a seat specifically for them.
During the ceremony
The ceremony begins when the doors open to the Academic Procession, who will enter the hall and make their way to the stage. After a short prayer from the Chaplain, the Chancellor or Vice-Chancellor will welcome everyone to the ceremony.
The School Deans will be called upon to confer degrees and at this point a member of the Graduation team will ask each row to stand and line-up ready to cross the stage. It is important to be courteous to your surroundings and ensure you are not disrupting what is happening on stage, allowing each Graduand the chance to have their special moment.
When you proceed to the stage, do not take anything up on the stage with you, this includes your hat. Your hat should be left at your seat with any other belongings, as you will return to the same seat after you have received your award.
Once you have crossed the stage, you will be directed back to your original seat and you must remain seated for the remainder of the ceremony.
Ceremonies last approximately 90 minutes.
After the ceremony
There will be a celebratory reception held in Conference Suite 1 following your ceremony.
Upon check-in, each student will be provided with 1 drinks token which can be redeemed at the bar for any wine, sparkling, beer, or soft drink. This is a token of congratulations from the University. All other drinks can be purchased from the bar inside Conference Suite 1 or at The View opposite.
Enjoy your special day!