Graduation 2023
All the information you need to help you prepare for your day
Graduation is an opportunity to celebrate your achievements and success, with family, friends and the LSTM community.
This year, Graduation for our Class of 2023 will take place on Monday, 11 December 2023 in the historic St George’s Hall, Liverpool.
Further details will be shared in the run up to the event via email and through these webpages so please keep checking back to this page for updates.
Invitations and ticket booking
All students who are eligible to attend Graduation will receive an email which will include a link to book your place and your guest e-tickets, as well as to book gown hire and photography.
Due to capacity in the venue, guest tickets are initially limited to two per graduand, but all graduands will have the chance to apply for extra guest tickets via a ballot after the initial ticket deadline has passed. We’ll contact all students with details of the ballot as soon as we can after the deadline.
A live stream will also be available during the event should graduands and guests wish to watch the ceremony online from anywhere in the world. Any guests who travel to Liverpool but don’t have a ticket for the ceremony can watch live from Pembroke house.
Gown booking and photography
Once you have booked your tickets for graduation you will receive details of how to book your gown. The deadline for booking gowns is 14 November.
All graduands will need to wear an LSTM gown for the ceremony. As Graduation is a formal academic celebration, we recommend wearing smart, traditional or national dress under your robes. The gowns are heavy and will need to be secured to your normal clothes in order to stay in place – you may wish to wear a shirt or blouse so that the hood can be securely fastened onto a button. You may also find it helpful to bring some small hair clips with you to keep your mortar board in place.
You will receive an email (usually to your lstmed address) which will include a link to book your place and your guest e-tickets.
You can book formal Graduation photography to take place at St George’s Hall before the ceremony. There are a range of packages available, but you will need to book a place in advance.
See the link in your email to view all the photography options available.
Frequently asked questions
Tickets and attending the ceremony
Is there a charge for graduation tickets?
There is no charge for graduand or guest tickets for the Graduation ceremonies.
It is important that you confirm your attendance before the closing date via the link in the email you will receive. If you don’t, we will assume that you and your guests will be unable to attend, and your tickets will be reallocated.
If I’m not coming to the Graduation Ceremony, will my name be called out?
We only call out the names of those students in the room, however the Dean will formally note all those Graduands who aren’t in the room and stand as proxy for them when their achievements are formally awarded. Your name will appear in the brochure and we’ll send you a copy by post in early 2024.
How many guest tickets am I able to book?
Each graduand can book two free guest tickets for their nominated ceremony.
If venue capacity allows, additional guest tickets will be released and allocated by ballot after the ticket deadline has passed.
Will the ceremony be live-streamed and recorded?
The ceremony will be live-streamed and recorded. Any guests who travel to Liverpool but don’t have a ticket for the ceremony can watch live from Pembroke house. Details of the live stream will be sent to you with the briefing information around a week before the Graduation day.
Can I bring children to my Graduation?
Graduation ceremonies are an opportunity to celebrate your achievements with family and friends.
The ceremony is a formal event which will last around 60-90 minutes and we would ask that young children or babies are able to sit quietly for that period of time so as not to disrupt the proceedings for others.
All guests, including young children, will require their own guest ticket and you will need to make sure that you book these before the deadline.
Travelling to the UK
I am an overseas graduate; will I need to get a visa to attend my Graduation?
If you have very recently completed your studies, your existing visa may still be valid for you to attend your graduation ceremony. Please check the expiry date on your visa before travelling to Liverpool.
However, if your visa expires before Monday 11 December 2023, you will need to apply for a UK visitor visa as a tourist to enable you to attend the ceremony. Your invitation email to the ceremony should be used as evidence, if required by UKVI.
If you have any questions about visa requirements, please email studentsupport@lstmed.ac.uk
Will my guests require a visa to attend the ceremony?
If you are inviting guests from overseas to attend your Graduation ceremony, they may require a visitor visa to come to the UK.
Your guests may need evidence that you have all been invited to the Graduation ceremony. You should provide them with a copy or screenshot of your invitation to the ceremony. The invite should be sufficient to obtain a visa, but you can also obtain a status letter or provisional transcript by contacting PGR@lstmed.ac.uk (PGR Graduands) or studentsupport@lstmed.ac.uk (PGT Graduands), if required.
In advance of the ceremony
Before the ceremony day it is important to confirm your place by booking your robe, photography and guest tickets. You will be emailed a link for this, so please check your email account regularly.
Where can I and my guests stay?
There are lots of options for accommodation in the city of Liverpool, many within walking distance of St George’s Hall. Nearby hotels include Pembroke Studios, International Inn,Premier Inn (Lime Street), Holiday Inn (Lime Street), and Novotel (Paddington Village).
You can find more details about accommodation options by visiting visitliverpool.com.Other useful sites include www.booking.com and www.airbnb.com.
On the day
Our Class of 2023 Graduation Ceremony will begin at 11am.
All guests and graduands must be seated at least 20 minutes before the start of the ceremony.
You will need to allow enough time to collect your robe and have photography (if you have booked this) before your ceremony.
Late guests or graduands will not be allowed to enter the hall once the ceremony has started so it is important you allow enough time for your journey, gowning and photography.
Doors will open from 9am and we recommend arriving no later than 10am.
How can I get to St George’s Hall?
St George’s Hall is in the centre of Liverpool City Centre and is easy to get to on foot, by bus, train or car. There is limited car parking nearby. You can find more details about how to get here by visiting the St George’s Hall website
Please arrive at the North Entrance, by William Brown Street where you will need to register. (Google maps link: https://goo.gl/maps/ibrptA62DJyKKW648 )
Address: St George’s Hall, St George’s place, Liverpool L1 1JJ.
The drop off area is approximately 200m from the entrance over an uneven surface.
If you, or your guests, have any specific mobility issues, please contact us via graduation@lstmed.ac.uk before Thursday 7 December, providing a telephone number so that we can support your arrival.
What happens at the Graduation ceremony?
During the ceremony all graduands will be seated together in the Hall, with guests seated nearby. Each graduand will be invited on stage when their name is called. They will then walk across the stage and greet the Presiding Officer before returning to their seat for the remainder of the ceremony. Staff from across the school will be on hand to guide you.
Graduands will not be allowed to graduate without a gown, so it is important that you book online. You will receive a further email with the details of how to book your gown when the online booking system opens.
Will I be able to book photography on the day?
Photography needs to be booked by the 14 November. There is very high demand for official graduation photography and there will be no opportunity to sign up on the day, so it is important that you book online. You will receive details of how to access the online booking systems via email nearer the graduation date.
Will I receive a certificate for my LSTM qualification at the graduation day?
Depending on when your course ended you may have already received your certificate by post. For the majority of graduands, certificates will be available for collection at the venue following the ceremony.
Dress code
As this is a formal event, we recommend that you wear smart clothing. You are very welcome to wear national dress.
St George’s Hall is a very old building. Whilst there is lift access for those who cannot manage stairs, the majority of graduands will need to be able to navigate over 200 stairs in the building as you make your way from the front door to the stage and back to your seat. We strongly recommend that you wear comfortable shoes.
Graduation gowns are traditionally made to fit onto buttons, so if you are wearing clothing without buttons you may need some safety pins to keep it in place. These are not provided by our gown suppliers.
Returning your gown
You are welcome to have photographs taken around St Georges Hall after the ceremony, and in the Christmas markets if you wish, but please note that if you have hired your gown, you must return it by 6pm.
Further questions or need help
For any queries please contact studentsupport@lstmed.ac.uk
Graduation 2023 livestream
We broadcast our graduation ceremony live, enabling friends and family who cannot be present to participate remotely.