Graduation ceremony details

Fort William Ceremony 2025

Timings for the Day 

11am - 1.45pm Gowning at Fort William Campus for HE students 

2.00-2.30 pm Registration at the Nevis Centre 

2.30 pm Your family and guests will be seated 

2.30 pm Students will be lined up  

2.45 pm Students will be seated 

3.00 pm Ceremony begins 

5 pm approx. Ceremony ends /Drinks Reception  

Cloakroom 

It’s important you don’t take large bags or valuables into the auditorium – please use the cloakroom in the foyer of the Nevis Centre or leave them with your family. 

Photography 

Official photography to commemorate your day will be available before and after the ceremony in a studio set up at the rear of the Nevis Centre foyer.  Watch out for the signs directing you to the studio. 

Seating 

Please note you will be seated separately from your family and guests, you will be seated with fellow students from your course. 

Once all your guests have been seated, you should move towards the coloured banner that matches the card you will be given at Registration on arrival.  Staff will line you up in alphabetical order and you will be guided to your seat.   Please make us aware if you have any mobility issues. 

Receiving your award 

At the appropriate point in the ceremony, everyone seated in your row will be asked to join a queue ready to go on stage.  Our Stewards will tell you when to go forward, the Announcer will call your name, and you should walk onto the stage to be handed your presentation tube containing a commemorative letter scroll.  You will receive your official certificate separately from your awarding body. 

HE Students only: 

• You will be “doffed” with the UHI academic bonnet which means you should bow your head slightly. 

ALL students should: 

• Shake hands with the Presenter 

• Pause and turn slightly to have your photograph taken 
• Walk off stage as directed and return to your seat. 

Students should remain seated after the ceremony for a few moments for an official group photograph, following which you will be able to join your family and friends and the college staff for some light celebratory refreshments. 

We hope you have a wonderful day! 

Wi-Fi code: Nevis Centre2 

Stornoway Ceremony 2025

Our event will take place in several different venues -Stornoway Town Hall, Martin's Memorial Church of Scotland and UHI North, West and Hebrides - Stornoway Campus.  

HE Graduands (Gowning)  

Participants are to report to Stornoway Town Hall at 9.30 am on Friday 31st October 2025 for registration, collection of tickets and gowns  

FE & HE Graduands (Photography)  

Our photographer, Malcolm Macleod Photography, will be available to take individual and family photos between 9.30 -11 am. Please ensure you take your photographic form along with you on the day.  A group photograph will be arranged after the ceremony.  

FE & HE (Rehearsal and Ceremony)  

• 11.30 am Graduands MUST assemble in Town Hall for rehearsal  
• 1.00 pm Graduands MUST assemble in Town Hall for procession to commence  
• 1.30 pm Ceremony commences in Martin's Memorial Church of Scotland 
• 2.30 pm Group Photograph 
• 3.00 pm Celebratory event for Graduates and guests will be held at UHI North, West and Hebrides - Stornoway Campus  

If you have any further questions, please email graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk or telephone Mabel Finlayson on 01851 770 207 

Thurso Ceremony 2025

Timings for the Day 

11am – 1:00pm Registration of all Students and Gowning of HE Students in the Pentland Hotel 

1.15 pm Students will be lined up and escorted from the Pentland Hotel 

1:40 pm Your family and guests will need to be seated in St Peter’s and St Andrew’s Church 

1.45 pm Students will be seated 

2.00 pm Ceremony begins 

3:30 pm approx. Ceremony ends /Drinks Reception  

Photography 

Official photography to commemorate your day will be available in the Pentland Hotel before and after the ceremony in the Pentland Hotel, this must be arranged prior to the ceremony with Ede & Ravenscroft.  

Seating 

Please note you will be seated separately from your family and guests, you will be seated with fellow students from your course. Please make us aware if you have any mobility issues. 

Receiving your award 

At the appropriate point in the ceremony, everyone seated in your row will be asked to join a queue ready to go on stage.  Our Stewards will tell you when to go forward, the Announcer will call your name, and you should walk onto the stage to be handed your presentation tube containing a commemorative letter scroll.  You will receive your official certificate separately from your awarding body. 

HE Students only: 

• You will be “doffed” with the UHI academic bonnet which means you should bow your head slightly. 

ALL students should: 

• Shake hands with the Presenter 

• Pause and turn slightly to have your photograph taken 
• Walk off stage as directed and return to your seat. 

Students should remain seated after the ceremony for a few moments for an official group photograph, following which you will be able to join your family and friends and the college staff for some light celebratory refreshments at the Pentland Hotel. 

We hope you have a wonderful day! 

Register for your graduation ceremony

Registration is quick and easy – everything is done in one place. We’re excited to welcome you to your graduation ceremony! Once you’ve received your official invitation, you’ll just need to complete your registration form. From there, you can:

• Confirm your attendance and choose your ceremony location
• Purchase guest tickets
• Hire your gown for the ceremony
• Pre-order photography packages (optional)
• Request extra guest tickets (subject to availability)
• Provide dietary preferences and accessibility requirements
• • If you have completed a Higher Education qualification, including a postgraduate degree, degree, HNC/HND or Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ) at SCQF level 7 and above, register here.
  • If you have completed a Further Education qualification, including an Access, NC, NQ or SVQ qualification at SCQF 6 and below, please register here.

Guest information and tickets

You have two guest seats reserved for you.

Please confirm when you register if you’d like to use these places. As numbers are limited, we can’t guarantee additional seats, but if more become available, we’ll be happy to let you know so you have the chance to book them.

Guest tickets are £5 each (adults and children) and are payable online as you complete your registration.

What to wear on the day?

Contact us and FAQs

How will I be informed whether or not I can attend Graduation? 

HE Students will receive a communication from UHI informing you that you have achieved your award.  You’ll be asked to indicate which ceremony you wish to attend. However you still need to reply to the email you receive from the Graduation Team at UHI North, West and Hebrides to confirm that you are coming.  These will be sent out shortly after August 25.  

All successful students 
Will receive an email invitation soon after August 25 using the mailing address that you provided. 

Please note, it is very important that you keep your personal contact details, including email address and mailing address up to date with us, so that we can contact you.   

All students can update their personal details through UHI records email registry.nwh@uhi.ac.uk

If you haven’t received an email and feel you should have, please contact us on 01847 889000 or graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk.  

What should I wear to Graduation? 

Graduation is a formal, celebratory occasion, so all students should dress smartly (no jeans/joggers).  This could be national dress, dark tie, dark suit or trousers, dark skirt or dress, white shirt or blouse and smart shoes.  

Higher Education students MUST wear a graduation gown in order to graduate and it’s vital that you order this in good time – and no later than the dates shown above for your chosen ceremony.   Gown hire is £36 and you should order and pay for your gown and book guest tickets using this link to Ede & Ravenscroft.   

Where will my guests be sitting? 

Your guests won’t be sitting with you for the ceremony, they will be seated in the main part of the audience just behind you. You will be sitting with the rest of your fellow students in alphabetical order, by course, so that we can more easily present your award. 

Who is the guest speaker for the event? 

Our guest speaker will be announced nearer the time. 

How do I confirm my attendance? 

You must accept your invitation by confirming your attendance and booking your place no later than two weeks before hand – the dates for this are shown above.   Bookings will open on August 25th 2025. 

For Higher Education, including Postgraduation, Degree, Higher National Certificate, Higher National Diploma, Scottish Vocational Qualifications at SVQ level 7 and above students, you should complete your gown booking and ticket reservations here at Ede & Ravenscroft - booking will open on August 25th 2025. 

For Further Education, SVQ and Modern Apprenticeship students, you should complete our Graduation Registration here and order your tickets via the link provided. 

If you have any questions at all, contact graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk as soon as possible, or you can call us on 01847 889000. 

What happens if I forget to confirm my attendance? 

We want to include everyone who wishes to attend, but only in exceptional circumstances will applications be considered after the deadlines given. If you are late in responding, but still wish to attend, contact our Graduation Team urgently on 01847 889000. 

What do I do if I don’t want to attend the ceremony? 

If you do not wish to attend, please let us know by emailing graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk  

How many guests can I bring? 

You are automatically allocated 2 seats for guests, and these are reserved for you. Our numbers are limited, however, we may have space to accommodate additional guests so please confirm whether you would like your allocated guest places and whether you would like us to notify you of any additional seats over and above this allowance that may become available. 

Guest tickets are £5 each (this price is for both adults and children) and you will need to pay for these when you register to attend.   

We hope to open any spare seats for allocation at least one week before the ceremony and will inform you as soon as possible. Please ensure we have your correct contact details. 

Can I bring my child/children to the ceremony? 

Families are an important part of the celebration, and children are welcome at our ceremonies. Do bear in mind that the events are formal and can run for some time, which younger guests may find challenging to sit through. 

I’ve booked a place and tickets for my guests, but can no longer attend – can I get a refund? 

The cost of tickets can be refunded up to 1 week before your graduation ceremony – contact us at graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk to request this. 

Do I need a Gown/Hood? 

You are required to wear a gown/hood if you have been awarded with a PhD, Postgraduate, Degree with Honours, an ordinary Degree, a Diploma in Higher Education, a Certificate in Higher Education, a Higher National Diploma, a Higher National Certificate or higher award. We do not wear mortar boards as part of the academic dress for our ceremony. 

The hire charge for gowns for the day will be £36.00. To hire your gown, you need to visit the Ede & Ravenscroft website  CHECK LINK and type "UHI North, West and Hebrides" in Institution Details, click continue and follow the steps from there. 

The deadlines for hiring gowns for each ceremony are: 

• Thurso - 10th October 
• Stornoway -17th October 
• Fort William - 24th October 

Will I receive an official certificate? 

Your certificate will have been posted to your registered address (normally your home address) by your awarding body. You will, however, receive a commemorative letter scroll in a tube on the day as a memento of the occasion. 

Will there be formal photography on the day? Any other publicity? 

There will be official portrait photographs at each ceremony to commemorate your day. Please watch out for details of local arrangements. 

During the day, UHI North, West and Hebrides' staff and our photographer will also be taking more informal photographs and possibly video footage which may include participants and guests. These marketing shots may be used by us in promotional material and on our website. If you do not wish your photograph to be used, please let us know in writing or by email to graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk. 

Names and awards (including those in absentia) will be published in our Graduation Programme and will also appear in the press. Again, please let us know in writing or by email to graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk if you have any issues with this. 

I have outstanding fees to the college/university – will I be able to attend graduation? 

No. If you have outstanding debts to the University or one of its Academic Partners, i.e. UHI North, West and Hebrides, you will not be able to attend the Ceremony. If you have an outstanding debt, please contact our finance department as soon as possible on 01847 889000. 

Can I request ground level /accessible seating? 

If you are bringing guests with limited mobility or accessibility needs, just let us know and we will try to find appropriate seating to make the ceremony as comfortable as possible. 

I have additional support needs – how do I advise the College of this? 

We are happy to make appropriate arrangements for any graduand with additional support needs. If you have mobility challenges, or any other disability or condition that may affect your enjoyment of the ceremony, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate all needs. 

I have a question – who can I speak to? 

If you have a question that isn’t answered here, please contact, Graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk and we will get back to you as quickly as possible

Data protection

Privacy Notice: Learn how we handle your personal data regarding our graduation ceremonies.

Filming and Photography:

UHI North, West and Hebrides’ graduation ceremony is a significant event for our graduates, their guests and our staff. This ceremony is a public event and therefore there is no expectation of privacy under data protection legislation for any attendees. Our Privacy Notice explains how personal data will be processed for, and during, the event and provides guidance should you not wish your personal data to be processed in this way. This applies to all students who are intending to graduate or may be eligible for an award, whether they attend the ceremony or not. Please read this important information and ensure your invited guests are also aware of the information relevant to them. Your name will appear in the graduation programme and other print media. If you object to the publication of your personal data in this way please email graduation.nwh@uhi.ac.uk no later than 3 weeks prior to the date of the ceremony. All graduands and guests should be aware that the graduation ceremony and Reception are public events. Audio/visual images of the ceremony and reception are publicly available and may well be used in College webpages and publications. Notices are posted around the graduation venues on the day to remind you and your guests of this.