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Graduation
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Seating

Our ceremonies take place in the main auditorium of Central Hall. Each graduand is allocated a specific seat to ensure that awards are presented in the correct order.

Seating information for graduands will be made available on e:Vision.

  • You must sit in your allocated seat. If you wish to change your seat due to accessibility or disability concerns, you must discuss this with the Graduation Office before your ceremony.
  • You must bring your seating information on the day. Your seating card can be printed or stored on an electronic device, and is confirmed by stewards when entering Central Hall.

Guest seating

Guests in Central Hall sit in different areas to graduands, and guests of the same graduand are not required to sit together.

All guest seating is unreserved, but you can request arrangements for additional needs (such as disabled access) under the 'Specific arrangements' section when completing the registration process on e:Vision.

Additional guest requirements

Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns about specific needs. If the query relates to a guest, please let us know whether or not they are receiving one of your guaranteed tickets.

Bags and belongings

Due to space restrictions within Central Hall, guests are limited to one laptop-sized bag, handbag or briefcase per person. For security reasons, bags may be searched on entering the venue.

Coats, large bags, pushchairs, etc, can be left at the free cloakroom at Central Hall. We don't advise leaving small items (such as cameras or phones) in the cloakroom.

Pushchairs and prams are not permitted within the Central Hall auditorium; if brought to Central Hall they must be left in the foyer at the owner’s risk.

Guests with children

Graduation is a family occasion, and babies and children are welcome at the ceremonies. We do ask, however, that guests be prepared to leave the auditorium with them if they become restless - please notify a steward to be seated near an exit to help keep disruption to a minimum.

All children must be supervised by their parent/guardian(s) at all times.

Access and mobility

Central Hall is a tiered auditorium. During registration, please let us know if any guests may have difficulty climbing stairs so that we can reserve them seats that are accessible by lift.

  • The Central Hall lift is accessed from outside the building - stewards will help direct guests to their seats on the day.
  • Unfortunately, the University is unable to supply wheelchairs for guest use on ceremony day.

For safety reasons, only eight people who cannot 'self evacuate' (such as wheelchair users) can be in the Central Hall auditorium at any one time; if more than eight guests fall into this category for any given ceremony, it will be necessary for some guests to watch from the Live Screening Room or another screen on campus.

Guests with partial sight or partial hearing

Large screens either side of the Central Hall stage help provide guests with a better view of the ceremony.

Both Central Hall and the Live Screening Room are equipped with hearing loops.