Graduation terms and conditions
Winter 2024
Applying to graduate
Degrees from the University of St Andrews are not automatically issued upon successful completion of a programme of study.
In order to receive your degree, including your certificate and HEAR (Higher Education Achievement Report) documents, you must complete the application process, even if you are not planning to attend the ceremony. Degrees are conferred publicly on behalf of the Senate at the University's graduation ceremonies in June and in November or December.
Graduating in person or “in absentia”
If you do not wish to graduate in person, or if you are unable to graduate in person, you may apply to graduate “in absentia”. If you choose to graduate “in absentia”, you will have your name read out during a ceremony by the Dean of the relevant Faculty, and your degree certificate and HEAR will be posted to the address provided on your application form. The University aims to post documentation within two weeks of the last graduation ceremony.
Deferring graduation
You may defer your graduation. You will be invited to graduate on two more occasions. You may defer your graduation at the next invitation, then if you do not apply to graduate in person on your final invitation, you will automatically graduate “in absentia” provided that you have no outstanding debt to the University or an ongoing appeal.
For example, if you are eligible to graduate in Winter 2024 you may defer to Summer 2025 or Winter 2025. If you do not graduate in person in Winter 2025 you will automatically graduate “in absentia” in Winter 2025. Registry will contact you to arrange the delivery of your degree documentation at that point.
If you are unable to graduate due to external factors, such as a serious illness, a global pandemic or conflict within your home country or region, we will allow you to attend a ceremony for up to three calendar years (six graduation diets) or you may elect to graduate “in absentia”. If you do not apply to graduate in person by your final invitation, you will automatically graduate “in absentia” provided that you have no outstanding debt to the University nor an ongoing appeal.
Outstanding debt
Please note: any student with an outstanding debt to the University may not be permitted to graduate. This may also include debt which your sponsor has not settled on your behalf.
Name
The graduation programme and your degree certificate and HEAR documents will state your official name.
In order to confer your degree, the Dean of the relevant Faculty will read out your first name and your family name only. Your first name will be either your official first name or your known-as first name, as submitted in your graduation application form.
If you give consent for the publication of graduation details through the media and on merchandise, your first name will be either your official first name or your known-as first name, as submitted in your graduation application form.
Additional ceremony tickets
If any additional tickets become available after the graduation application closing date, they will be allocated by ballot. Please ensure that you apply for additional tickets during the application process before the closing date.
A request for additional tickets is made on the understanding that the number of additional tickets may be limited or may not be available. Arrangements made on the assumption of success in the random ballot or on the assumption that additional tickets will be available are made at the student's own risk. The University accepts no liability for consequences or arrangements if a request is unsuccessful or additional tickets are not available.
Tickets for the ceremony are not transferable and should not be sold to other parties. Please contact the Graduation Office if you have any spare tickets you wish to return.
Degree awards
Undergraduate and taught postgraduate students
When you apply to graduate, unless your degree has already been approved, during the application process your degree will be your current intended award. Degree awards are only approved following the reporting of final results and degree classification. It is your responsibility to check your final degree classification on your personal student record prior to the ceremony at which you are graduating. The degree you are awarded at your graduation is final and the act of graduation, either in person or “in absentia”, marks your formal acceptance of your academic results and award.
Research postgraduate students
If you have either submitted your final thesis copies or are expecting to do so by the deadline given below, you may make an application to graduate and have your award conferred. When you apply to graduate, unless your degree has already been approved, your degree will be your intended award.
Deadlines
MSc (Res), MSt (Res)
In order to graduate in Winter 2024, your School must submit the Examining Committee Report, recommending that your thesis has been approved and the degree be awarded, to Registry by Monday 28 October 2024.
PhD, MPhil and MFA
Examining committee reports
In order to graduate in Winter 2024, your School must submit the full set of Examining Committee Reports (including the final report recommending that your degree be awarded) to Registry via the online tool by Monday 28 October 2024.
Submission of final copy of thesis
Students intending to graduate must submit the final copy of their thesis electronically by Monday 11 November 2024 into the St Andrews Research Repository. If the final copy has not been received by this date, the student will not be permitted to graduate in December.
These deadlines are non-negotiable.
Academic dress code
Students graduating in person are required to wear the following academic dress on the day of their graduation.
Academic dress consists of a gown and a hood plus one of the following:
- Dark lounge suit or dress kilt outfit, white shirt, white bow tie and dark shoes.
- Dark skirt, dark trouser suit or dress kilt outfit, white blouse/shirt and dark shoes.
- The national costume or dress for your country of birth or ordinary residence.
Please ensure that you order the University of St Andrews gown and hood of the appropriate degree that you will be graduating with from Ede & Ravenscroft.
Where academic dress is sourced from a provider other than the University’s official robing provider, it is the graduand’s responsibility to ensure that it complies with the University’s specifications as outlined on the University's graduation 'what to wear’ web page. Any graduand wearing academic dress which is not deemed to meet the University’s requirements will not be permitted to graduate in person or may have to hire the correct academic dress on the day from the official provider at additional cost.
Mortar boards are not worn at the University of St Andrews graduation ceremonies.
Please note that jeans, trainers and other casual clothing are not permitted; you will be excluded from the ceremony if you are not wearing appropriate academic dress. Finally, for your safety, we may ask you to remove items that could cause you harm or interfere with the graduation proceedings.
Appeals and complaints
Students who wish to submit a formal academic appeal against a module grade or grades that contribute to the calculation of a final degree classification or award should refer to the appropriate process outlined in the University’s Policy on Student Academic Appeals.
Students who have a pending Stage 1 or 2 academic appeal, a pending Stage 1 or 2 complaint (on academic or non-academic grounds), a pending disciplinary issue, or are subject to ongoing Fitness to Practise procedures are not eligible to graduate until the appeal, complaint, disciplinary issue or Fitness to Practise case has been considered and a final outcome reached.
If a student submits an appeal or complaint after applying to graduate, it is the student’s responsibility to notify the Graduation Office immediately of any potential consequence to their intended degree award as it may require the postponement of the student’s formal graduation.
Further programmes of study
Graduating in person or “in absentia” marks the end of your studies on the associated programme of study at the University of St Andrews. If you have been accepted onto another programme of study at the University, the new programme will be treated as a separate and distinct programme of study from the one from which you have graduated. You will, therefore, be an entrant student on the new programme and liable for all fees associated with the new programme of study.
Once you graduate in a particular programme of study you cannot request the academic credit which formed part of this programme to count towards a higher-level degree at St Andrews and form the basis for a change to your registration status. If you are planning to transfer credits attained from your current St Andrews programme to another institution or re-register onto a new St Andrews programme, you should ask for advice before registering to graduate and ensure that you do not go through the graduation process either in person or “in absentia”.
Graduation privacy notice
Graduation: how the University will make use of the personal data of graduands and guests
Graduands
Your personal data, which in this instance includes your name, country of domicile and award (degree title and classification), will be used for:
- administering and planning for your attendance or non-attendance at an award ceremony; and
- the act of conferring an academic award, that is graduation, which also requires that each graduand’s name is read out at the corresponding ceremony (with some details appearing in the graduation programme).
When you apply to graduate, you will have the option to give your consent for your personal details (as listed above) to be made available to the media and for your name to be printed on the Graduation T-Shirt.
Following graduation, the University is required by law to maintain a register of graduates which is available for public inspection, that is the General Council Register (“the Register”). The Register will contain the same details as noted above.
Guests
Your personal data will be used for administering and planning your attendance at an award ceremony, and for the purposes outlined below.
Filming and photography
Graduation ceremonies are filmed and broadcast live on the University website. The footage of award ceremonies will be made available on YouTube for a short time. Recordings and photographs may be used by the University and the media to promote the institution and to celebrate academic achievements.
The legal basis for making use of your personal data as described above.
| Use of your personal data | Legal basis |
| Administering and planning your application to graduate in person or “in absentia” | Contract |
| Conferring academic awards | Exercise of official authority vested in the University |
| Publication of graduation details via the media and on merchandise | Consent |
| Maintaining a record of graduates via the Register | Legal obligation (The Universities (Scotland) Act 1966, when read with University Ordnance number 96) |
| Guest attendance at ceremonies | Contract |
| Filming and live and retrospective broadcasts of award ceremonies | Public task |
If you have any questions about the use of your personal data, please contact the University Data Protection Officer, Christopher Milne, at dataprot@st-andrews.ac.uk.