About the ceremony

Before the ceremony

Your graduation ceremony will be held in the Ivor Crewe Lecture Hall. The Hall opens 45 minutes before the ceremony starts. 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 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 the online booking system and provide us with details, for example, the car registration number and the name of the disabled person.

Gown collection

All academic robes will be available for collection from LTB 6 on the day of your graduation, 2 hours before your ceremony start time.

Facilities for students and guests

Lakeside Theatre

For any guests who do not have tickets to enter the auditorium to watch the Graduation ceremony, they can watch this free of charge live streamed in the Lakeside Theatre.
Please note that there are limited spaces within the theatre and seats are available on a first come first served basis. It is not possible to reserve your seating in the theatre.

Catering

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

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 to arrange posting your Award Certificate to you. You will be provided a deadline to respond by; if you do not respond by that deadline notifying the team of an alternative address, your Award Certificate will be posted to your permanent home address as registered on your MyEssex.

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

During the ceremony

1. The ceremony begins with the procession of Academic Staff, Officers of the University and the Presiding Officer (such as the Chancellor) entering the auditorium. The University Mace is carried in front of the Presiding Officer and signifies their authority to preside at the ceremony.
2. The Presiding Officer opens the ceremony and makes a welcome speech.
3. This is followed by a representative from the department who delivers a short address on behalf of the department.
4. Each Graduand is then presented individually to the Presiding Officer. Doctoral Research students will be formally presented with their caps. (If you prefer not to shake hands, for cultural or religious reasons, then as you approach the Chancellor or Presiding Officer, keep your arms lowered as a sign to them that a handshake is not required.)
5. If there is an Honorary Graduand or the Alumnus of the Year attending the ceremony, they will then be presented and may make a speech.
6. The Vice-Chancellor makes a brief closing statement and the Presiding Officer formally closes the ceremony.
7. The processions leave the auditorium, followed by the Graduates of the University.
8. 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 screening of the ceremony

The Graduation ceremony will be screened live for guests without tickets to attend the ceremony or for latecomers who were not able to enter the Ivor Crewe Hall. Children under five are welcome to watch the ceremony too so long as they are 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. At the reception, other Graduates from your Department, School or Centre and their guests will be there, along with members of staff from your Department. Light refreshments are also provided. Each Guest Ticket includes entry to the Graduation ceremony and Departmental reception, and Reception Only tickets are also available for guests who may wish to only join for the post-Ceremony reception, or where full Guest Tickets for a ceremony have sold out.

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 academic robes must be returned  on the day of your graduation to LTB2. Please note that if you do not return your gown you may be charged by the gowning company.