Graduation tickets

Pre-book your tickets

To attend any part of the graduation experience you will need to pre-book your tickets. Bookings must be made by a graduand, but you can book up to two guaranteed guest tickets as part of your booking.

Wristbands with your seat number on are issued to all graduands and to those guests who have reserved seats. All other guests are issued with a plain wristband.

Ticket dates for the postgraduate ceremonies in April/May 2025

• Invitations to Graduation ceremonies were sent via email in December 2024.
• Ticket bookings closed on Friday 21 March.
• Confirmations of additional ticket requests were sent via email on Tuesday 25 March. For those who are successful, tickets are on sale now, and you will have until Friday 4 April to book. Please check the email you used to book your tickets for more information.

Ticket dates for the undergraduate ceremonies in July 2025

• Invitations to Graduation ceremonies were sent via email in March 2025.
• Bookings for you and your guests' attendance are open now and will close on Friday 6 June 2025.
• During the booking process you can request additional tickets.
• You will be contacted about your additional ticket request W/C 9 June 2025.

Wristbands for graduands

We are proud to be able to offer graduating students free access to both your ceremony and the celebratory reception, including unlimited visits to the buffet tables, sweet treat stands and free-flowing drinks during the exclusive themed reception!

Your graduand wristband gives you:

• Your own seat at the degree conferment ceremony in Guildford Cathedral
• Access to our exclusive themed reception
• Delicious afternoon tea with sparkling wine and unlimited refreshments. Check out the menu for the full list of food and drink available.
• Brilliant photo opportunities, entertainment and a fantastic atmosphere alongside your friends, family, and course mates
• Two guaranteed tickets for your friends and family, with the option to request more tickets if you need them. 

You can find out more about the graduation experience on our on-the-day page.

Be sure to book your ticket before the deadline - we are unable to take late bookings, and we don't want you to miss the occasion!

We want to ensure that your name is pronounced correctly when being presented with your degree. If you find that people often have difficulty pronouncing your name you can fill out our Graduation ceremony name pronunciation form here.

Please note: You can't book your place at graduation if you have any outstanding tuition fees. Please check our eligibility guidance for more information.

Tickets for your friends and family

Graduation is a milestone worth celebrating with those who matter most.

Pre-booking Ceremony/Live Stream and Reception tickets is the ONLY way to guarantee that your special guests can be part of the full Surrey Graduation experience!

• You are guaranteed up to two guest tickets for both the ceremony and the reception which must be booked online.
• You can request additional tickets when booking if you would like to bring more guests. Once bookings have closed, confirmation of additional tickets will be sent via email to confirm how many of your additional tickets can be booked.
• All tickets (including those for the reception) for under 12s are free! We recommend that under 12s don't attend the Ceremony (their own special day will come in a few years!) but if they do attend and become restless or start crying we kindly ask that you take them out of the Cathedral to reduce disruption.

Types of friends and family tickets available

• Ceremony plus reception (recommended) - this is the best way to make the most of the full experience. Your guests will be present in the iconic Cathedral for your big moment on the stage and will also get exclusive access to the themed reception with all food and drink included in the ticket price! These tickets are £27.50 per person (free for under 12s). Check out the menu for the full list of food and drink available.
• Live stream plus reception* - a more informal setting to watch the ceremony, your guests can watch a professional live stream in one of our comfortable lecture theatres. Ideal for those who prefer a quieter environment, or do not want to walk up to the Cathedral but still want to be part of your memorable day and enjoy all the food, drink and snacks at the themed reception. These tickets are £27.50 per person (free for under 12s). Check out the menu for the full list of food and drink available
• Reception only - for those who want to join the celebration but not attend the ceremony, this simple option allows your guests to still make the most of our exclusive themed reception. These tickets are £27.50 per person (free for under 12s) and include all food, drink and snacks. Check out the menu for the full list of food and drink available
• Ceremony only - your guests can be present in Guildford Cathedral to see you take the famous walk alongside your course mates and fellow graduands. These tickets are free, but your guests will miss out on the post-ceremony celebratory reception!
• Live stream only* - a comfortable option for those who want to celebrate with you from the comfort of one of our lecture theatres. These tickets are free, but your guests will miss out on the post-ceremony celebratory reception!

* Should the Cathedral become full, live stream tickets will be offered as an alternative.

Book your tickets online now (July 2025 undergraduate ceremonies only)

Mobility and dietary requirements

Disabled, elderly and small children

The route from the University to the Cathedral involves climbing a lot of steps and is very steep. Entrance to the Cathedral is via a series of ramps.

If you or a guest in your party are in a wheelchair, have difficulty in negotiating steps or might find the climb from campus to the Cathedral particularly strenuous or difficult, please select the appropriate drop down box when making your booking. We will then provide you with a cathedral car parking permit which you can collect on the day when you collect your wristbands.

If any member of your party is a blue badge holder, please email the Exams and Graduation team at ceremonies@surrey.ac.uk as we will provide you with a cathedral car parking permit to accompany your blue badge.

There are a number of disabled parking bays at the Cathedral which are available for those with a blue badge. This enables us to monitor the amount of parking required each day.

If you have any queries or concerns about access to the Cathedral do please contact the Exams and Graduation team (ceremonies@surrey.ac.uk).

Dietary requirements

When making your booking, please select your dietary requirements from the drop down menu. If your dietary requirements are not listed then please select the ‘other’ option and email ceremonies@surrey.ac.uk with your dietary requirements.

Parking permits

If you are coming to graduation by car you will need a parking permit to park in the main university car park. Please make sure you book parking before arriving on campus.