Congregations
Summer 2024
The Summer 2024 ceremonies are primarily for students finishing courses between December 2023 and June 2024. They will take place between 8 - 19 July 2024.
All eligible students have been emailed their congregation date. You can see the full schedule below:
Congregations Schedule Summer 2024 (PDF: 156KB)
Booking Your Place
If you are expected to complete your course by June 2024, we have emailed you an application form to complete, if you have not received this form, please contact us.
Your graduate ticket and up to two guest tickets are free of charge.
All tickets include:
- entry to the Congregation Ceremony
- a ceremony programme (1 per graduate and 1 per 2 guests)
- entry to the post-ceremony reception
Eligibility:
To be eligible to graduate at these ceremonies, you must complete your course and appear on a pass list by Tuesday 25 June 2024.
If you have debts to the University, these must be reduced to under £100 by 25 June in order to attend your ceremony and must be cleared completely for you to receive your parchment (certificate).
If you do not wish to attend:
Please let us know you will not be attending, we can then confirm that we have the correct delivery address for your certificate and offer you the chance to order for DHL delivery or to collect it in person.
Visa Invitation Letter
If you need an invitation letter to your ceremony, to support a visa application for you or your guests, complete the visa letter request form.
Student Orator
We appoint one Student Orator for each Congregation ceremony. The orator speaks at their ceremony on behalf of their cohort of students.
If you are chosen, you'll provide an invaluable contribution to the day. You'll help to make it unique and memorable for everyone there. It will be an unforgettable experience for you - and one which will enhance your CV.
Student Orators are awarded a certificate in recognition of their contribution, and a studio photography package with our official photographers free of charge.
We welcome applications from all students attending the Congregations. Academic performance is not taken into account when we choose the Orator.
Applications have now closed. Please contact the congregations team if you are interested in the orator position.
I would like to comment that the student speech was exceptional and being a student at Newcastle had clearly meant a lot to her. She could not have summed up student life and experiences any better.
Extra Tickets
Most ceremonies are already close to capacity so there will only be very limited extra tickets available within the ceremony venue (King’s Hall).
Most extra guest tickets will be for the Live Screening Venue. This is a lecture theatre within the same building as the ceremony venue (Armstrong Building) where guests will be able to enjoy the live streaming of the ceremony on large screens.
All extra guest tickets cost £5 and also provide entry to the post-ceremony reception.
Each graduate is only permitted to purchase up to 2 extra guest tickets from the first release. If there are any remaining following the first release, you will have the opportunity to purchase further guest tickets from Monday 13 May onwards.
Ticket Release Schedule
Extra guest tickets will be available for purchase on a first come, first served basis.
You will be able to purchase tickets via web links below:
Please see the Congregations Schedule Summer 2024 (PDF: 156KB) for the date and time of your ceremony.
In the event that the congregation ceremonies have to be cancelled, delayed, postponed or curtailed due to circumstances beyond the University’s control, the University shall endeavour to provide graduates with as much notice as is reasonably practical.
The University will not be liable for any losses, direct or otherwise, incurred by graduates or their guests in the event of Newcastle University’s Congregation Ceremonies being cancelled, delayed, postponed or curtailed due to circumstances beyond the control of the University.
Circumstances that would constitute a force majeure may include, but are not limited to:
- fire
- flood
- explosion
This also includes any other incident that renders the venue or areas in which the event is due to be held unsafe to use;
- terrorist act (or threat of a terrorist act)
- natural disaster
- pandemic
- industrial action
- a period of national mourning