Your academic dress may vary depending on what type of ceremony you have chosen to attend.
Academic dress
For the virtual graduation, you may wish to wear traditional academic dress (gown, cap and hood).
For the in-person ceremonies traditional academic dress is a requirement of attendance.
Booking academic dress
Our official gowning company is Graduation Attire.
Academic Dress bookings will open after midday Monday 3 April 2023, you can access the website to book gowns via My Graduation. The gowning company has an in-depth knowledge of the University’s academic attire requirements and will provide you with the correct gown and hood based on the award you are due to receive.
You must hire or purchase academic dress in advance through Graduation Attire.
Booking deadlines
- For ceremonies in July 2023, the deadline for booking is Monday 23 May 2023
Costs of academic dress rental or purchase.
Day Hire Extended Hire Purchase Home Delivery
Bachelors £39.60 £75.00 £150.00 £39.60*
Masters £39.60 £75.00 £162.00 £39.60*
PhD £45.00 £78.00 £210.00 £45.00*
*Please note there is a £10 delivery charge for the home delivery option. If you wish to book for home delivery you should book through this website.
What to wear with academic dress
We recommend you wear clothing that accentuates the traditional gown.
Suit jackets help to puff out the shoulders, giving the hood more security. Shirts with visible top buttons are recommended, as they attach to the hood via a loop, anchoring the hood and preventing it from slipping back. Low-cut tops provide less security for the hood.
Academic dress will be available for collection in advance of the ceremony from the Ravelin Sports Centre. There will be staff from Graduation Attire on campus during the in-person ceremonies to provide advice and guidance on how to wear your gown. You should return your gown to Ravelin Sports Centre by 8 pm on the day of your ceremony.
There will be a late return rail in the University Library after the gowning room has closed. However, we would recommend returning your gown to the team in Ravelin to enable its prompt processing.
Photography
All official photography is undertaken by our official supplier, Graduation Attire.
Booking photography
You can pre-book your photography packages online and this will save you time on the day. If you do not pre-book, please come along with your family/guests to the studios which will be located in Ravelin Sports Centre. You can also choose your packages on the day.
Within 3–5 days of your ceremony you will be emailed with a link to view and order your images; please complete orders online within a further 7 days as this will assist us in printing and dispatching orders as soon as possible.