Congregations

You need to be on a pass list around 4 weeks prior to the congregation periods to be eligible to attend the graduation ceremony. 

The Congregations Team liaise with Schools and Graduate Schools, around 5 months before the congregation period, to ascertain who they think will be eligible to attend. You do not need to be on a pass list before you apply to graduation - please follow the steps below: 

• The Congregations Team invite all eligible students by email. You will need to complete a form to confirm if you plan to attend that graduation ceremony.
• If you are not sure if you will finish in time, it is better to apply to attend graduation and then drop out closer to the date (if you are not going to finish in time), rather than try to register for the graduation last minute.
• If you are definitely not going to finish in time, please respond to the graduation form choosing 'Defer to the next congregation period'. 
• If you do not receive this email and graduation form by 20 February 2026, and believe you will finish your course by June 2026, please contact the Congregations team and your School.

The pass list deadlines are typically mid-June for the summer ceremonies, and mid-November for winter ceremonies.

• Ensure you are on track to complete be on a pass list by that date.
• If you are concerned, get in touch with your Graduate School / PGR Director who can help work out the timeline for your pass list.

Late applicants can sometimes be accommodated, but not always. If it is not possible for you to attend the upcoming graduation ceremony, you will be invited to the next available congregation period.

Extra guest tickets for the Live Screening will made available for purchase, approximately 6-8 weeks after the graduation invitations are sent. The Live Screening allows guests to watch the ceremony live on big screens in a lecture theatre, and is in the same building as the graduation hall, so guests are only separated from the graduate for the duration of the ceremony (approx. 45 – 75 minutes).

If there is any space in the graduation venue (after all students have confirmed if they are attending) for your ceremony, limited extra guest tickets will be made available for purchase. These will go on sale at the same time as the Live Screening tickets (approximately 6-8 weeks after graduation invitations are sent to students). 

When extra guest tickets are released initially, they are limited to 2 per graduate. A few weeks after the initial release, any remaining tickets may be unlimited.

All tickets include:

• entry to the Congregation Ceremony
• entry to the post-ceremony reception
• complimentary drink at the post-ceremony reception

We will email graduates with further information about when the Extra Tickets will be released, and also update our Extra Tickets webpage.

Professional photography studios will be set up on campus by our trusted supplier Tempest Photography.

The photography studios will be open daily (Monday-Friday) during the congregation period. There is no pre-booking required. Simply drop in for your photography proofs and then purchase online, after your graduation, via the Tempest Photography website.

If you are graduating in an afternoon ceremony, we recommend you visit the photography studios before your graduation ceremony.

Tempest photographers will be present in the graduation ceremony itself. They aim to capture special moments during the ceremony. The ceremony photographs will be on display in the post-ceremony Reception, and available for purchase.

They also have roaming photographers on campus during the congregations, capturing special moments of you with your friends, guests and those special places on campus. Roaming photographs will be available to purchase after the congregation period from the Tempest website.

MyGraduationClip create short, personalised video clips which capture your special moment on-stage during the ceremony. Each graduate will receive a free personalised clip which you'll be able to download and share to your favourite social media apps. 

To receive your free personalised video clip, you'll need to register your email address via a booking form which will open in May. You will be sent your video moments after your ceremony.

Alongside the official photography provided by Tempest Photography, there are many other photo opportunities on campus, including:

• Photobooth in the Boiler House
• Grass letters in the Student Forum
• 360 video booth in the post-ceremony Reception
• Flower wall in the post-ceremony Reception
• Light up letters in the post-ceremony Reception
• The Arches
• The Quad

Ensure you have plenty time around your graduation ceremony and the reception to enjoy celebrating on campus, in your gown and with your friends and guests.

Photography and filming will be taking place during all ceremonies and around campus. The ceremonies will be streamed live and videos will then be openly available on demand via the University’s YouTube channel for a period of 6 months. Occasionally, these photographs and film will be used for University marketing materials, both print and digital. If you do not wish to appear in the photographs or film please make this known to our photographer, film crew or a member of staff. Every effort will be made to ensure that you are removed from any photographs or film.

In the event that the congregation ceremonies have to be cancelled, delayed, postponed or curtailed due to circumstances beyond the University’s control, the University shall endeavour to provide graduates with as much notice as is reasonably practical.  

The University will not be liable for any losses, direct or otherwise, incurred by graduates or their guests in the event of Newcastle University’s Congregation Ceremonies being cancelled, delayed, postponed or curtailed due to circumstances beyond the control of the University.

Circumstances that would constitute a force majeure may include, but are not limited to:

• fire
• flood
• explosion

This also includes any other incident that renders the venue or areas in which the event is due to be held unsafe to use;

• terrorist act (or threat of a terrorist act)
• natural disaster
• pandemic
• industrial action
• a period of national mourning