On the day
Here’s what you need to know about your graduation day.
Before Arrival
By Tube: There are a number of London Underground and Elizabeth Line stations that are close to the Barbican:
- Barbican - Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Circle lines (4 min walk)
- Moorgate - Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan, Circle lines (7 min walk)
- Farringdon - Elizabeth line (8 min walk)
- St Paul's - Central line (11 min walk)
By London Overground. The nearest train stations are Liverpool Street and Farringdon:
- Liverpool Street (11 min walk)
- Farringdon (8 min walk)
By Bus:
- Bus Route 153 runs directly past the Barbican along Chiswell Street - Alight at 'Silk Street'
- The Barbican is also close to Bus Routes 4 and 56 which serve Barbican tube station
See Transport for London for public transport information and to plan your journey to the Barbican.
We would strongly recommend all graduates and their guests use public transport if possible to attend the ceremonies. Whilst paid parking at the Barbican is available, spaces are extremely limited and must be booked in advance. Further information can be found on the Barbican website.
You are welcome to bring baby prams into the Barbican, however due to space restrictions, they will not be permitted inside the ceremony room. There will be a signposted dedicated space outside the room for you to leave any prams or car seats.
You are welcome to bring baby prams into the Barbican, and we will do all we can to accommodate you and your baby on the day. However due to space restrictions prams will not be permitted inside the ceremony room. There will be a signposted dedicated space outside the room for you to leave any prams or car seats. Please note: Graduates will be seated near the front of the venue as they will be invited on stage as part of the ceremony. If you have a baby or small child with you, they will need to be accompanied by another adult to look after them while you take part in the ceremony.
Upon Arrival
Please ensure you bring your tickets with your unique QR code (which will be emailed to you prior to the ceremony), and two forms of ID (i.e. Passport, driving licence, bank card etc.).
Upon arrival, you must register at the sign-posted Registration Desks. Here, you will be checked-in and, if purchased, given your physical guest ticket(s) which will have their seat number(s) on them.
Please ensure you keep these guest tickets safe, as you will need them in order to access the ceremony room and we are unable to re-issue them once collected.
Gown Collection & Photographs
Staff will be on hand to guide you to gowning and photography. We encourage all attendees to arrive at least 90 minutes before the ceremony starts, so that you can collect your gown and have your photos before taking your seats.
On-the-day photography will be available to purchase, if you have not yet pre-purchased them. Please note that we are unable to take cash payments on the day. Any purchases must be done via credit or debit card.
No flash photography or video recording is allowed inside the hall. We are recording and live-streaming the ceremonies and a link to the stream will be circulated prior to your chosen ceremony day.
Timing & Seating
Guests are seated in the stalls and circle level of the Barbican Hall, separate to graduates. Guests will be issued with tickets for Barbican Hall at the registration desk and must sit in the seat number on their ticket.
Any children attending must be accompanied by an adult who is not graduating as there are no childcare facilities available.
Guests are not required to be smartly dressed. However, as it is a formal event most guests do prefer to be appropriately dressed for the occasion (e.g. collar and tie).
Registration closes 45 minutes before the ceremony starts. This is to ensure that we can manage the event effectively with those who are in attendance.
Whilst we will endeavour to accommodate late arrivals, due to the nature of the event, this may not always be possible. For this reason, we encourage all attendees to arrive at least 90 minutes before the ceremony, so that you can register, collect your gowns and have any photographs taken before the ceremony starts.
If you are late for your ceremony, we will try to add you to the list for the next ceremony. If you are late for the final ceremony, then we will do all we can to help you walk across the stage.
During the Ceremony
Don’t worry! There will be a live demonstration before the ceremony starts to show you what to do as you cross the stage.
Yes. There will be a live stream of each ceremony for those that wish to follow the day from afar, and a link will be available on this webpage for a few days before the event. This can be sent to family and friends so they can watch even if they can’t attend on the day.
If you feel unwell before your ceremony, please do not attend and seek medical advice If you start to feel unwell during the ceremony, please let a member of University staff know – we will be obvious within the hall and throughout the venue.
If you do need to leave the theatre you will still be able to watch a live stream. There will be hall stewards in the room to provide assistance throughout the ceremony.
No flash photography or video recording is permitted inside the hall. We are recording and live streaming the ceremonies and official photographs will be available to purchase.
After the Ceremony
Yes, we will be hosting a short post-ceremony drinks reception after each ceremony within the Barbican. Ushers will be on hand to guide you to the reception area.
Cancellation and refund policy
Please read our revised terms and conditions for 2025 (coming soon)...