On the Day

Key locations

Symphony Hall
International Convention Centre (ICC)

• Registration checkpoint – ICC, level 2, hall 10 (b)
• Robing – ICC, level 2, hall 9
• Photography – ICC, level 3, hall 11
• Prayer rooms will be available within the ICC on level 3.

Order of the day

• Arrive at the ICC and go to the registration checkpoint in hall 10 on level 2.
• Then, go to robing in hall 9 on level 2.
• Once you are robed you can proceed to the professional photographers (H Tempest) in hall 11 on level 3. You must have professional photography taken before your ceremony.
• After photography, head across the mall to the Symphony Hall. You must be seated half an hour before your ceremony begins.

There will be no car parking available at the ICC or Symphony Hall as it is a city-centre location.

We recommend that you use public transport where possible. The Symphony Hall and ICC is easily accessible by train, bus or coach and air. For more information, including advice on travelling in by car and parking, click here.

Graduands arriving late to their ceremony risk the possibility of not graduating as there are procedures that need to take place before a ceremony can happen. Please make sure to leave home in plenty of time to arrive at the Symphony Hall and ICC (taking any road works into consideration).

You should arrive for registration at the below times:

• 7:30am for the 10am ceremony.
• 11:30am for the 2pm ceremony.
• 2:30pm for the 5:00pm ceremony.

After registration, robing and photography, you should aim to arrive at Symphony Hall by the below times:

• 9:15am for the 10am ceremony.
• 1:15pm for the 2pm ceremony.
• 4:15pm for the 5:00pm ceremony.

Registration Checkpoint

When you have gone through checkpoint procedures, you will then be allocated your seat number on a T-card. Please look after your T-card and show it to the Aston University staff located in the auditorium at Symphony Hall, who will then escort you to your seat.

Late arrival

• If you arrive late, please report to any member of University staff (Aston University staff will be dressed in purple ushers’ robes).
• If you are late to your ceremony, we cannot guarantee you will be admitted.

Your degree certificate will be issued within 4 weeks of an award list being approved and sent to the Student Records team by your School. 

Upon receipt of this award list following an Exam Board, you will be sent a link to order your documents which will remain active for 21 days. Please note we will only issue to the address you specify when you complete this task.

In addition to your degrees, Aston University often confers honorary degrees. These are presented at the beginning of the ceremony.

• All graduates are eligible to book two guest tickets initially to allow everyone an equal chance to bring guests with them. If you do book more than two tickets during the initial sale period (Monday 15 December – Monday 5 January), these will automatically be cancelled. These bookings will be monitored against your student ID.
• Tickets will be available to book via the Symphony Hall’s website via a private link we will send to you in advance. The first round of tickets will open on 15 December at 10am.
• If there are any remaining tickets after Monday 5 January, these will be made available for booking from Thursday 8 January via the Symphony Hall’s website. These tickets are on a first come first served basis, subject to availability, and will be in a different area of the hall to any previously booked tickets.

Guests

• There is strictly no admission to the auditorium at Symphony Hall without a ticket (graduands do not need a ticket themselves).
• Please ensure your guests have access to their digital tickets as guests and graduands will enter separately.
• Please be reminded that children under the age of five will not be permitted to enter the auditorium. Children over the age of five must have a guest ticket as they must be seated at all times.
• Please ask your guests entering the auditorium to take their seats no later than 30 minutes before the ceremony is due to begin. Late admission to the ceremony will not be permitted once the ceremony has begun.

We advise you have your official graduation photography taken before your ceremony. Please note the final entry time for your ceremony.

• The official photographers, H Tempest Photography, will be in the hall 11, level 3 in the ICC to take official photography.
• You can choose to purchase photography on the day, there is no requirement to pre-book.
• Photography should be taken before your ceremony. Please bring all guests who you wish to be photographed with to Hall 11 for official photography prior to your ceremony.
• Tempest will also be taking a photo of you crossing the stage as your name is read out. This digital photograph will be available to order online.
• Please note, the maximum number for group photos is ten people in any photo. This includes the graduand.