You may need to apply for a visa to attend your own graduation ceremony, or your family members may need to apply for visas to visit the UK as your guests at the ceremony.
If you currently hold a valid Student visa, and you will remain in the UK until the date of the graduation ceremony, then you are allowed to remain in the UK (and attend the graduation ceremony) until your visa expiry date.
If there is not sufficient time on your Student visa to attend the graduation ceremony, unfortunately UKVI will not extend a Student visa for this purpose. The best option is to leave the UK and then apply to re-enter the UK to attend your graduation ceremony by making a Standard Visit visa application.
We recommend you prepare the following documents for a Standard Visit Visa application:
- a current passport;
- evidence that you can financially support yourself during your time in the UK, for example bank statements;
- details of where you intend to stay and your travel plans;
- your tuberculosis (TB) test results;
- a letter of invitation to your graduation
**Once you have registered to attend your graduation ceremony, hired your gown, and purchased any guest tickets, the Graduation Team will be able to provide you with a letter of invitation. The letter will confirm the date of your graduation ceremony and that you have registered to attend. Please note that invitation letters cannot be issued until your registration to attend has been completed.
To request a visa letter, please email graduation@arden.ac.uk.
If you wish to bring guests with you, they should also make Standard Visit visa applications, following the guidance above.
Nationals of countries that do not need a visa before arriving in the UK will still need to prove that they are genuine visitors when they enter the UK. To do this, they may need to show proof of their graduation ceremony, that they intend to leave the UK and that they have the money to support themselves whilst in the UK.