Guests
Graduation dates
The Winter Graduation Ceremonies for 2011 will take place on:
Thursday 15 December
Friday 16 December
The Ceremonies are arranged by School. View the December 2011 ceremony list
Invitations will be sent to students expected to graduate via email in mid-September. Check and update your contact details on the RISISweb portal.
On the day
- Location
- Travel and Parking Information
- Refreshments
- Accommodation
- The Graduation Ceremony
Location
Graduation ceremonies take place on the London Road campus
Click on the link to see a map of the London Road Campus (black & white map, PDF - 373KB)
The original home of the University, which was donated by the local Palmer family, of the famous biscuit manufacturer Huntley & Palmers, in 1904.
The ceremonies are held in the Great Hall, whilst various other buildings around campus are used during Degree Days. There is wheelchair access to all of the buildings and marquees that you may wish to enter at London Road.
Travel and Parking Information
Travel
Detailed instructions are available about how to find the University, whether you are travelling by car, rail or coach, or from Heathrow or Gatwick airport.
click on the link to find out how to find the University.
Those travelling on public transport should go directly to the London Road campus, and should arrive at least an hour before the ceremony start time.
Free Parking
Due to heavy traffic in the town centre and limited parking on the Whiteknights campus graduands and guests are advised to consider taking public transport.
view a map of the Whiteknights Campus (black & white map, PDF - 186KB)
Graduands and their guests will be able to park for free on the Whiteknights campus. If you are driving you should arrive at Whiteknights campus at least one and a half hours before the ceremony is due to begin to allow time to get to the London Road campus. You will need to make allowances for heavy traffic in the town centre.
Please follow the AA signs for the Queen's Drive entrance on the Shinfield Road where Security Officers will direct you to a car park. Toilet facilities will be available at Whiteknights.
Free Shuttle bus to the London Road campus
A free shuttle bus service will operate between the Whiteknights car parks and London Road throughout the day. Buses will drop passengers in the Acacia Road car park at London Road, but will pick up from the front entrance.
Parking for graduands and guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties
The shuttle busses are all fully accessible and can be lowered to accommodate wheelchairs, pushchairs and those with mobility difficulties.
In addition Readibus run a free separate shuttle bus service for graduands and guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties.
Security Officers at the entrance to the Whiteknights campus will direct you to a designated parking area next to the pick up point. The Readibus will drop and pick up passengers by the Great Hall at the London Road campus.
Alternatively, you can book a Readibus service individually:
T: +44 (0) 118 931 0000 or visit the Readibus website for details.
Refreshments
London Road site
A marquee is erected on the lawns at London Road, where hot and cold drinks and snacks are available to purchase. 
View the refreshments on offer:
Refreshments Price List (PDF, 33KB)
Town
There are many bars and restaurants in the town centre, which is a ten minute walk from the London Road campus. Further information on restaurants in the town centre, and discounts available for graduands and their families can be found here.
Buses run every ten minutes between the town centre and Whiteknights campus.
Accommodation
Further information on hotels in the local area, prices and discounts available for graduands and their families can be found here:
The Graduation ceremony
Tickets
Guests with tickets for the Great Hall should make their way to the north doors of the Great Hall at least ten minutes before the start of the ceremony. They may be asked to queue for a short time while the Hall is prepared between ceremonies. As space is limited in the Great Hall, it may not be possible to take large items such as prams inside. If guests arrive late or do not have tickets, they will only be admitted if space permits.
Each ceremony lasts approximately one hour. Guests should stay in their seats throughout the ceremony and should avoid taking photographs and video recording inside the Hall, as this can cause disruption.
Guests without tickets for the Great Hall can watch the ceremony live on a large screen in a nearby room on the campus. They will not need a ticket for the video relay, but entry may have to be restricted for safety reasons.
Guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties
We can reserve seats (or spaces for wheelchair users) in the Great Hall for guests with disabilities or mobility difficulties, and can make similar arrangements in the lecture theatre for those without ceremony tickets. Please contact the Graduation Office at least two weeks before the ceremony for further information. Induction loop facilities are available in the Great Hall for those with hearing impairments.
Guests with Children
Children 2 and under do not need a ticket for the Great Hall provided they sit on an adult's lap. Children under the age of 10 should not be left unsupervised in the video relay marquee. Baby changing facilities are available on the London road campus.