Congregations
Booking Your Place
If you are expected to complete your course by June 2025, we have emailed you an application form to complete by 10 March. If you have not received this form, please contact us.
Your graduate ticket and up to two guest tickets are free of charge.
All tickets include:
- entry to the Congregation Ceremony
- a ceremony programme (1 per graduate and 1 per 2 guests)
- entry to the post-ceremony reception
Your ceremony time and information regarding extra tickets will be released by 31 March.
Eligibility:
To be eligible to graduate at these ceremonies, you must complete your course and appear on a pass list by Tuesday 24 June 2025.
If you have debts to the University, these must be reduced to under £100 by 24 June in order to attend your ceremony and must be cleared completely for you to receive your parchment (certificate).
If you do not wish to attend:
Please complete the application form to let us know you will not be attending. We will contact you to check that we have the correct delivery address for your certificate and offer you the chance to order for DHL delivery (international only) or to collect it in person.
The application form will also let you defer your ceremony to the December 2025.
Visa Invitation Letter
If you need an invitation letter to your ceremony, to support a visa application for you or your guests, complete the visa letter request form.
Student Orator
We appoint one Student Orator for each Congregation ceremony. The orator speaks at their ceremony on behalf of their cohort of students.
If you are chosen, you'll provide an invaluable contribution to the day. You'll help to make it unique and memorable for everyone there. It will be an unforgettable experience for you - and one which will enhance your CV.
Student Orators are awarded a certificate in recognition of their contribution, and a studio photography package with our official photographers free of charge.
We welcome applications from all students attending the Congregations. Academic performance is not taken into account when we choose the Orator.
To apply to be student orator, please complete this application form. Applications close 10 March.
Disclaimer
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
Photography and Filming
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.