Graduation: frequently asked questions

Here are some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQs) we receive about graduation ceremonies at Birkbeck.

Preparation

Birkbeck graduation ceremonies are held twice a year: in April/May for postgraduate students and in November/December for undergraduate students. All eligible students receive an invitation to their ceremony approximately six to eight weeks in advance.
All correspondence about your graduation will be sent by email to the email address listed on your My Birkbeck profile, so please ensure your contact details are up-to-date.

If you are an undergraduate student and would like to attend your graduation ceremony, but feel you're not able to for financial reasons, you may be eligible to apply for the Birkbeck Graduation Fund. The fund will cover gown hire and one guest ticket.
The Graduation Fund is available to students who would otherwise be unable to attend their graduation ceremony for financial reasons. Please do not apply if this is not the case for you. We have a limited budget and expect to be able to support around 20 students in the 2024/25 academic year. If you apply for the Graduation Fund you must wait until you have been notified of the outcome to place your order for gown hire and guest tickets. We will not reimburse any graduation costs incurred prior to awards being made.
The Graduation Fund is now open. The deadline to apply is Friday 18 October at 11.59pm. You must have received an invitation to graduation in order to apply. Please apply using the online application form.

We strongly advise that you don't make any travel bookings (flights, trains, car hire etc.) or accommodation arrangements, until you've received your invitation from us and booked your ticket.  Birkbeck cannot take responsibility for transport or accommodation costs incurred and you make these arrangements at your own risk.

Please check the UK Government guidance on whether you need a visa to travel over to the UK. If you require a visa invitation letter from Birkbeck, you must request one as soon as possible by emailing the graduation team with the subject: Graduation Visa Letter. Please be aware that obtaining a visa may take a number of weeks. As a graduating student it's your responsibility to ensure you have requested a visa letter from Birkbeck if required and that you have completed all legal requirements before you travel. Please note that while we are able to provide a visa letter for every graduating student that requires one, letters for friends and family will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.

Your certificate will be posted to you by the Diploma Production Office at Senate House, whether or not you choose to attend the ceremony. This will happen automatically and you don't need to do contact us or take any other action. If you've any queries about this process please contact the  Diploma Production Office at the University of London.

Hand sanitiser will be available throughout Birkbeck Central and Senate House for all students and guests. We ask that all attendees bring a face mask with them on the day, as current university guidelines request all visitors to Birkbeck Central to wear a mask when entering the building. If there are any changes to the guidelines, we'll update students in advance of their ceremony.

If you're unable to find the information you're looking for on our main graduation information pages and these FAQs don't answer your questions, please contact the Graduation Team and we'll be happy to help with your query.