Timings

CEREMONY ONE – MORNING – CLASS OF 2025

CEREMONY TWO – AFTERNOON – CLASS OF 2025

Venue Location

The Barbican Centre is 7-minute walk from Moorgate, or 4 minutes from Barbican underground.

Google Maps

Arrival, Registration, Gowning and Photography

On arrival head straight to the Silk Street Entrance of the Barbican Centre.  Your first step will be to register your arrival.   The registration area is on Level -1. Look out for members of the RVC Graduation team wearing purple sashes – they will guide you to the right place.

• Graduands will need to collect wristbands at registration for their guests before proceeding to gowning and photography. Please give your guests their wristbands as these will need to be shown on entry to the ceremony and Celebration Reception.
  
  Guests, graduates and graduands may leave items in the cloakroom which can be found directly behind the registration desks on Level -1. 
  • Once registered, collect your gowns from the collection point on Level -1.
  • If you have photography booked, then go to the Fountain Rooms, located on the ground floor (Level G) of the Barbican Centre.
  • We have found, over the years, that pre-booked times for gowning and photography do not work and normally lead to disappointment and longer waiting times. Therefore, slots will not be allocated, but available on a first-come-first- served basis so please do allow time for this process.   Due to the demand for photography, you must have your photographs taken before your ceremony commences or during the Celebration Reception.  There will not be the opportunity to access the photography studios after the Celebration Reception ends.

Remember there is also the opportunity to book photography on Tuesday 8^th July at the Hawkshead Campus.

• When you have had your photograph taken, you can wait on Level -1 and Level G. There are waiting areas outside and, in the foyers, and cafés on both levels.  Announcements will be made when you can make your way to your seats for the ceremony (no earlier than 45 mins prior to ceremony).
• If you would rather not wait for photography on the day, there is the option to collect to the gown from the Hawkshead Campus on Tues 8^th July, and have your formal photographs taken then.
• If you have guests with you who are not attending the ceremony and reception, they are welcome to wait in the café on Level G but will not be able to enter the roped off areas for the ceremony or celebration reception. 

The Ceremony

Guest seating will begin approximately 45 minutes before the ceremony commences. This will be allocated on a first-come-first-served basis.  Accessible seating is in the stalls area of the main hall accessible on Level -1. If you have booked accessible seating, you will be allocated a seat in this area, but we must know in advance of the day.

Prior to the ceremony commencing, announcements will be made to let graduands, and guests know when to leave the waiting areas and proceed to seating.   Guests must be seated 15 minutes before the ceremony commences.

Graduands, when called, will need to go Level -1 (Stalls) where you will be shown to allocated (named) seats by our marshals (who are dressed in purple gowns).

Some graduands/graduates will be given specific instructions on where to walk when they go to the stage and will be guided by the marshals. Everyone else simply follows the person in front. Please take your time walking, particularly up the stairs as you make your way to the stage. Please remember you will not wear a hat (mortar board) when you cross the stage.

During the Ceremony

As a rough guide the ceremony will last around an hour to an hour and a half.

As the President & Principal and ceremonial staff enter the room everyone who can, should stand.

Take your seat when the President & Principal does and remain seated until instructed.

The Chairman will open the ceremony.

Honorary Degrees and Fellowships are conferred (if being awarded)

The presentation of graduands/graduates.
You should walk onto the stage with your hood in your left hand, and when instructed stand before the President & Principal to receive your hood and shake hands. You will be guided by marshals in purple gowns. Please leave your hat under your seat.

Graduates in Veterinary Nursing and Veterinary Medicine may also shake hands with the representative from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

The President & Principal will then present any graduate prizes. 

During the afternoon ceremony, Nursing graduands and Veterinary Medicine graduands will then be admitted to the RCVS by standing and when called upon, making the declaration:

Staff prizes will be awarded.

The President & Principal will give an address.

The ceremony will close, and the ceremonial staff will leave the Hall.

After the Ceremony

At the end of the ceremony, the ceremonial procession leads out of the hall, followed by the graduates, to the Celebration Reception which takes place in the foyers of Levels -1 and Level G of the venue.  

Ceremony ONE reception will end at 12.00 hrs and the Ceremony TWO reception will end at 16.30 hrs. All gowns must be returned to the gowning collection area before you leave the venue.

Please collect all personal items from the cloakroom before departure. Bear in mind that there may be queues if left too late as the next ceremony’s guests will be arriving.

The outside area of the Barbican Centre is available as a social space.  It’s a perfect place for informal photographs or meeting friends/guests.

Guidance on Graduand/Graduate Dress Code

1. Gowns are obligatory and must be hired or purchased via our approved supplier when booking.

2. Graduation is a formal ceremony, and we encourage all guests and graduands/graduates to dress in a manner that is appropriate for the occasion. While suits, jackets, shirts, ties, dresses, skirts, or similar attire are encouraged, we also embrace and respect the diversity of our community. Formal attire that is culturally or religiously relevant to students and their families is not only welcomed but celebrated. Please avoid casual wear or denim. 
   As there will be stairs and walking involved, we recommend wearing comfortable footwear, and we are happy to accommodate any additional accessibility requests.

Facilities at the venues

There is a free cloakroom facility provided on the Stalls Foyer (Level - 1), which is staffed by uniformed Barbican hosts at all times during the event. Please note that random bag security checks may be carried out by the Barbican team. Please do not leave any items unattended elsewhere in the Centre.

Accessible Toilets

There are accessible toilets located throughout the Centre.  Please ask Barbican staff to direct you.

Accessible Parking

Blue badge holders are able to access Blue Badge bays in Car Parks 3 & 5.  Take your blue badge to one of our reception desks or the Barbican Shop on the day in order to receive a complimentary car park voucher.  The car parks are accessed from Silk Street and Beech Street.

Hearing
There is an induction loop in the concert hall. You can use this by adjusting your hearing aid to the ‘T’ setting.

Travel

Please allow plenty of time for travelling to the venue. Whilst efforts will be made to help late arrivals access the ceremony, this may not be possible.

Public transport is the best way to get to Graduation. There is parking at the Barbican but central London driving can be subject to long delays.  Details of parking can be found here

‘Transport for London’ is a useful resource to help plan your journey www.tfl.gov.uk

Food and drink

Alcohol and soft drinks will be provided at the Celebration Receptions.   If you have any specific allergens, please speak to a member of the catering team at the venue to ask any questions.

There are several cafés, bars and restaurants in the area if you wish to continue celebrations after the reception.  It would be advisable to book a table in advance if you require a restaurant.

Health and Safety

Please note that the Barbican test the fire alarm system every morning between 08.00 and 09.00.  Barbican staff will always alert you if a genuine fire alarm takes place at any time. If you hear a continuous, electronic, very loud ringing, it is the fire alarm and you will need to leave through the nearest exit and follows direction from the Barbican staff.  Please do not use lifts and please leave belongings in the building. We will follow the procedures set by the venue.

The venue is open to the public throughout the day, but if you do see anyone acting suspiciously, please inform security immediately as you would in normal circumstances.

Information Point

There will an information desk next to the registration area on Level -1 with RVC staff available to answer any questions you may have specifically about Graduation on the day.

RVC4Life

 You are and always will be a member of the RVC alumni community. Please remember to register for RVC4Life online before Graduation day (the link will be sent to you by email). You will receive news and information from the RVC, be invited along to class reunions, receive an annual magazine, keep your RVC email address for life and much more!