About the ceremony

Before the ceremony

Your Graduation ceremony will be held in the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall (ICLH). The hall opens 45 minutes before the start time of each ceremony. Graduands and guests should be seated 20 minutes before the ceremony start time and the doors will close 15 minutes before the ceremony begins. Guests will not be permitted to enter the hall once the ceremony has started.

Stewards will be on duty at all times to help and advise you. 

Travel information

Information on how to get to our Colchester Campus can be found on our visit us page, along with a detailed map of the campus.

Parking

Parking in the University car parks is free of charge during Graduation.

With regard to disabled parking, students and/or guests can park in the south campus car park in a reserved area closest to the ICLH. Please ensure you register your need for accessible parking in step 3 of the online booking system and provide us with details, for example, the car registration number and the name of the disabled person.

Ticket and gown collection

Graduands are asked to arrive two hours before their ceremony to ensure they have time to collect their tickets and gowns from the Lecture Theatre Building (LTB 6 and 7).

Facilities for students and guests

Lakeside Theatre

Guests who do not have tickets to enter the ICLH auditorium to watch the Graduation ceremony, are welcome to watch it free of charge via live stream in the Lakeside Theatre or Cine10 in the Lecture Theatre Building. Spaces are limited in both venues and seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis. It is not possible to reserve your seating in either venue.

Catering and refreshments

The University's catering outlets on campus will be open during Graduation.

Graduands and guests are also welcome to make use of the various water dispensers located across campus, free of charge.

Absence from the ceremony

Your degree will be conferred at the Board of Examiners, not at the Graduation ceremony, so if you choose not to attend Graduation, this will not impact your award eligibility at all. The Graduation and Awards team will contact you, by email, when they are preparing your certificate. They will provide a deadline for you to confirm whether you would prefer to collect your certificate from campus, or have it posted to an alternative address to the one held on your record. If you do not respond by the deadline given, your certificate will be posted to the permanent home address registered on your MyEssex account.

If you choose not to attend your Graduation ceremony, you will not be invited to a future Graduation, unless a formal deferral request is submitted and approved.

During the ceremony

The ceremony begins with the procession of Academic Staff, Officers of the University and the Presiding Officer entering the auditorium. The University Mace is carried in front of the Presiding Officer and signifies their authority to preside at the ceremony.

The Presiding Officer opens the ceremony and makes a welcome speech.

Each Graduand is presented individually to the Presiding Officer and will receive a scroll. Doctoral Research students will also be formally presented with their cap. If you prefer not to shake hands, for cultural, religious or other reasons, as you approach the Presiding Officer please keep your arms lowered as a sign to them that a handshake is not required.

If there is an Honorary Graduand or the Alumnus of the Year attending the ceremony, they will be presented after all graduands and may make a speech.

The Presiding Officer formally closes the ceremony.

The processions leave the auditorium, followed by the graduates of the University.

The Scintillo String Quartet play music in the hall before and after the ceremony, and during the entrance and exit of the processions and graduates

Live streaming

All Graduation ceremonies are live streamed on our website and screened at various venues on campus so that guests without tickets, babies and children under the age of five and latecomers who cannot enter the hall, can watch the ceremony. Children under five years of age must be accompanied by an adult. The service is free of charge and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. All ceremonies are filmed and recordings are produced for sale.

After the ceremony

After the ceremony you are invited to attend to your Departmental Reception. The receptions are attended by graduands, their guests and members of staff from the Department, School or Centre. Light refreshments are also provided. Each guest ticket includes entry to the Graduation ceremony and reception, and reception only tickets are also available to purchase for guests who are unable to obtain ceremony tickets or only wish to attend the reception.

Alternatively, you can visit the University's catering outlets on campus for refreshments which will be available throughout the day and will need to be paid for individually.

Returning Graduation gowns

All gowns must be returned on the day of your ceremony. 

There are two drop off points on campus:

• LTB 2 in the Lecture Theatre Building
• The foyer of the Essex Sports Arena

Please note that if you do not return your gown you may be charged by The Graduate Gowning Company.