Before booking your ceremony

Check your eligibility to attend

In order to be eligible to book a ceremony:

• You must have received an official email invitation; these 
  are sent shortly before booking opens to eligible students.
   
• All required modules for your qualification must be correctly 
  linked to your student record. Check this on StudentHome 
  or contact the Qualifications Centre at [email protected].
   
• You must allow at least six weeks between accepting your 
  qualification offer and the date of your ceremony, due to 
  administrative completion processes.

You can attend a ceremony if you have completed one of the following qualifications:

• Master of Arts (MA)
• Master of Business Administration (MBA)
• Master of Education (MEd)
• Master of Engineering (MEng)
• Master of Environmental Science (MEnv)
• Master of Laws (LLM)
• Master of Physics (MPhys)
• Master of Public Administration (MPA)
• Master of Science (MSc)
• Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work
• Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)
• Bachelor of Arts (BA)
• Bachelor of Design (BDes)
• Bachelor of Engineering (BEng)
• Bachelor of Laws (LLB)
• Bachelor of Science (BSc)
• Foundation Degree (FD), Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)
• Professional Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE)

If you have completed a research qualification:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
• Doctorate in Education (EdD)
• Doctorate in Health and Social Care (DHSC)
• Master of Philosophy (MPhil)
• Master of Research (MRes) 

You will receive guidance on how to book your ceremony in your invitation. If you believe you are eligible and have not received this ahead of booking opening, please contact the Ceremonies Centre so that we can check your record. 

Please note that bookings for research qualifications cannot be made via the List of Ceremonies page or StudentHome.

Graduate & guest information

• Your graduate place at the ceremony is free of charge – do not include yourself in the guest total.
• Guest tickets cost £30.00 each for those aged 4+. Children aged 3 and under can attend free of charge but must be declared in your booking.
• Ceremonies last approximately 1½–2 hours, which may be challenging for young children. Out of consideration for other graduates and guests, we ask that they be removed from the hall should they become restless during the speeches.
• All children under 14 must be accompanied by an adult guest (graduates do not sit with their guests).
• All guest tickets are non‑refundable, and are sold on a first come, first-served basis, subject to availability.
• You must agree to the Terms and Conditions when making a ceremony booking.
• If you wish to bring more guests than the maximum permitted for the ceremony, please indicate the total number required when booking. Tickets for guests over the limit will be added to a waiting list, and we’ll contact you if extra tickets become available.
• If you would like to add more guest tickets to an existing ceremony booking, please call the Ceremonies Centre. All guest tickets are subject to availability, so we recommend making your request as early as possible.
• Venue staff reserve the right to remove graduates and guests from the ceremony auditorium as deemed appropriate. 

When making your booking, you’ll be asked to tick a box to consent to the following:

• Your name appearing in the Directory of Graduates (included in the souvenir programme).
• Your name appearing on the Open SU ceremony t‑shirt, which is sold on the day at the Open Students Union merchandise stall. 

If you do not tick either box to consent, your name will not appear in our printed items available on the day. 

If you book or accept your qualification less than four weeks before the ceremony, your name may not be included on either the Directory of Graduates or the T-Shirt, due to print and production deadlines.

What to do if you or your guests have a seating or mobility-related requirement

If you or your guests have accessibility needs, for example wheelchair use, mobility issues, or challenges with stairs, please indicate this when making your booking. No details are required at this stage; the Ceremonies Centre will contact you in the weeks leading up to the event to request further information.

Please note that if you (the graduate) require assistance crossing the stage, this must be provided by one of your guests;  neither OU nor venue staff can fulfil this role. 

If you or your guests require a BSL interpreter, please contact the Ceremonies Centre as soon as possible after booking. We cannot guarantee availability, but we will do our best to secure an interpreter for your ceremony.

If you would like to discuss whether a venue is suitable before making a booking, please contact the Ceremonies Centre in advance. Do not wait until the day booking opens, as this may delay your booking. Please note that all places are subject to availability.