Attending your graduation and the visa you and your guests may need

If your student visa has expired

If you are not currently in the UK and your student visa has expired, you may need to apply for a standard visitor visa before you enter the UK. Check if you need a UK visa.

When you apply, you’ll be asked to prove that you will be attending your graduation ceremony. You can prove this with one of these documents after applying to graduate:

• email invitation from the Graduation Office
• student status letter
• eligible to graduate letter.

Email transcripts@st-andrews.ac.uk to get a student status letter or an eligible to graduate letter.

Your graduation guests

To attend your graduation ceremony, each guest must apply for a standard visitor visa if required and provide their supporting documents.

You’ll need to give each guest two documents to include with their application:

• a letter where you formally invite your guest to attend. The letter must show:
  • your name, the name of your course, and the name of the University
  • the name of your guest (anyone attending your graduation is a guest – this includes your parents)
  • where your guest will be staying
  • the date of the ceremony
  • how long your guest will stay in the UK.
• a copy of the University email invitation to graduate, or the eligible to graduate letter

You should carry all your supporting documentation in your hand luggage, as UK Border Force may request to see your documents when you arrive.