Convocation

When are the Convocation ceremonies taking place?

Convocation ceremonies will be held on Wednesday 30 September 2026 and Thursday 1 October 2026 at the Royal Festival Hall.

Do I need to have been awarded to register for Convocation?

In order to be eligible for your Convocation you must have been successfully awarded your degree. Students will be able to purchase their guest tickets regardless of whether they have received their results. Students will only receive their personal ticket in mid-September once they have officially been awarded.

When can I register for the event?

An email with a registration link will be sent out before Easter.

Is there a deadline for registration to take part in the Convocation events?

Yes, the deadline is Friday 7 August 2026. Once registration is closed it will no longer be possible to sign up for your event. We will be sending reminders.

Can I defer my Convocation?

This is only possible in extraordinary circumstances.

Where is the reception held?

The post-ceremony reception will be held at the Royal Festival Hall for graduates and their guests to continue the celebration with light refreshment.

Why this venue?

Historically, the College holds its Convocation ceremonies at one of three Royal Patronage venues: the Royal Festival Hall, the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Geographical Society.

Our 2026 ceremonies will take place at Royal Festival Hall - a historic venue with amazing views of the city from the South Bank as well as having strong ties to the RCA dating back to the Festival of Britain in 1951.

The venue is an excellent location for the size and scale of the RCA’s Convocation ceremonies, has suitable availability and most importantly, is a fully accessible space for those attending.

This is the forth consecutive year we will have held our ceremonies at the Royal Festival Hall and we are looking forward to working with their experienced events team to deliver our graduation ceremonies for our students and their guests.

What is the address of the venue?

Southbank Centre, Belvedere Rd, London SE1 8XX

Access requirements

This is a rundown of key information about accessing the Royal Festival Hall venue:

• Parking: Accessible parking is available at the Royal Festival Hall.
  
• Step-free access: Approach the Southbank Centre Square via Belvedere Road or the Queen Elizabeth Hall Slip Road. Both lifts can be accessed from this area.
  
• Lifts: There is an external lift via the Artist's Entrance and an internal lift (the JCB glass lift) via the Southbank Centre Square Entrance.
  
• Toilets: There are accessible toilets on every level of the Royal Festival Hall and can be accessed from either side of the auditorium.
  
• Hearing: The Royal Festival Hall uses a Sennheiser infra-red assisted hearing system which is available throughout the auditorium. Headsets can be collected from the Cloakroom on Level 1 up to one hour before the start of the ceremony. This facility is free of charge and there is no need to pre-book. Before booking tickets, please click here to understand the areas that provide the best coverage for assisted hearing
  
• Seating for guests: Guests in wheelchairs and/or with special needs can be seated with the other guests in their group in areas suitable for wheelchair users. When booking a wheelchair position in the Royal Festival Hall for large motorised wheelchairs (more than 65cm wide), please book in the rear stalls or side stalls. Boxes aren't able to accommodate larger wheelchairs due to limited space. If you have any queries about how to book accessible seating for guests, please contact [email protected] or call 020 3879 9555
  
• Seating for graduands: Graduands that use wheelchairs must inform the Convocation team of their access requirement at the point of registration. We will be able to seat you in a wheelchair accessible space as long as we are aware in good time.
  
• Photography: The photography area in the Clore Ballroom on Level 2 can be accessed via the main lifts.

Guest ticket booking

Guest ticket booking will open in summer term 2026.

How many guests can I bring?

Each student can purchase 2 guest tickets each at £25 per ticket (+ booking fee for each transaction). The number of guest tickets available for purchase is likely to increase when registration closes and we know how many graduands wish to attend each ceremony. Please indicate on the registration form if you would be interested in purchasing extra tickets, and if any become available at a later date, we will notify you.

How much are tickets?

Your student ticket is free, while guest tickets are £25 each (under 12s are free). There are no concessions and no group discounts. The money that you pay for each guest ticket will cover the cost of a seat, a souvenir programme, and light refreshments after the ceremony.

Are children allowed to attend the ceremony?

Yes. Children/babies in arms under two-years-old may sit on an adult guest's lap without a ticket. Children over two-years-old who attend must have their own ticket and must be accompanied by an adult.

Please note, children of all ages will still be classed under a strict capacity number for each ceremony. For example, if you have a partner and a child this is classed as two guest tickets. Please ensure to opt-in for additional tickets if you require.

Children and minors under the age of 16 who attend as guests need to be accompanied by an adult. Please note that children and other guests do not sit with graduands during the ceremony.

Do I have to pay for my ticket?

There is no charge for graduand tickets. Your ticket will be issued in mid September.

Me/My guest have accessibility needs, how can these be accommodated?

Please let us know by emailing [email protected]. Your guests should contact the venue to ensure they are aware and the box office can assist.

Will I be seated with my guests?

No. You will be seated with your fellow graduands at the front of the hall, directly before the stage. All guests will be seated behind the graduands.

Can I buy extra tickets?

When registering to attend the ceremony, you must inform us if you would like to invite more than your allocated number of guests. If extra tickets become available closer to the ceremony, these will be sold on a first come, first served basis. We also aim to sell any extra tickets on the day.

How long will the ceremony last?

Each ceremony will last around 1 hour and 30 min, however this will depend on the number of students in attendance.

Who will be sat on stage during the ceremony?

Usually on stage during the ceremony are the Chancellor, Pro-Chancellor, President & Vice-Chancellor, and Deputy Vice-Chancellors, alongside the Chief Operating Officer, Public Orator, and the Academic Registrar.

They will be joined by Deans, Heads of Programmes, and Professors, as well as honourands, who will be announced at a later date.

What happens after the ceremony?

We host a reception for graduates and their guests to celebrate and enjoy the day. Further details are outlined below.

Will I receive my certificate/scroll at the ceremony?

Certificates and transcripts are not presented at the Convocation ceremonies.

Is the ceremony being streamed/recorded?

The ceremony will be live streamed for those who cannot attend on the day. Please note that the stream will only become available close to the start of the ceremony, and will remain available for a number of weeks afterwards.

How do I order an academic gown?

You will not need to order a gown, the College will arrange this on behalf of graduating students attending the ceremonies.

What should I wear underneath my academic gown?

As the Convocation ceremonies are formal occasions, we advise you to dress smartly, and we recommend if possible for you to wear a shirt or top that buttons up in order for your gown hood to sit comfortably.

How do I put on my academic gown?

Please see below for a short video showing how to wear your academic gown the correct way.

Can I book professional photographs?

Yes, this will be available on the day, provided by Tempest Photography. Pre-booking will not be required.

What merchandise can I buy on the day?

You will be able to purchase a wide variety of products from the College shop which will have a presence at the venue on Convocation days.

Certificates

We will email all potential graduates to check on the spelling of your name. If there's any change required please ensure you indicate this on the form sent to you via email. Changes cannot be made retrospectively.

For the issuing of the award documentation the College uses a secure online portal. Further details will be available shortly.

Convocation booklet (publication)

A small booklet is published for Convocation listing the names of all the graduating students, along with a foreword by the President & Vice-Chancellor, and details of the people being made honorands. This booklet will be the event programme available to all graduating students and everyone attending the Convocation ceremony. If you do not wish to have your name listed please inform us via email to [email protected]

The end date on your student visa will depend on which programme you are studying. If your programme end date is 14 August 2026, your visa end date should be 14 October 2026 (or 14 December 2026 if you are studying Architecture or IDE). If your visa end is not correct please get in touch with the Student Visa Compliance team on [email protected]

Visitor visa

If you or your guests require a visitor visa in order to enter the UK and attend a graduation ceremony, we can provide you with a letter to support your application. A form to request a letter will be made available early in the summer term.

All guests travelling from abroad will be responsible for ensuring they comply with UK entry requirements.

You can also use this template letter (32.0 KB DOC) to create a supporting letter.

ETA requirements

Please also be aware of the latest ETA requirements which you can read on the UK Government website by clicking here.

Note that from 25 February 2026 this requirement is now in force for all non-visa nationalities for travel to the UK for short stays, tourism, or business, including those transiting through UK airports.

If your guests need a visitor visa to travel to the UK they do not also need an ETA.

Irish citizens do not need to apply for an ETA.