Pay for graduation?

Nenen

I think it all depends on the university how lucky you are!

My ds1 graduated from Nottingham in 2007 and he got in free but we had to pay (can't remember exact cost but around £15 each I think) for tickets that included great seats watching the ceremony (with huge live screens showing close ups too) and a lovely eat-all-you-want buffet with free drinks afterwards. We were free to wander around the and enjoy what was for us a momentus occasion. His faculty then provided a free supper and celebration after that... we went home full to bursting and it was a wonderful day! The organisation went like clockwork and there was just the right amount of pomp but in a relaxed and happy atmosphere.

My dd graduated from de Montfort this year and we paid about £16 each and that was just for the seats... they were pretty naff too (sideways on in a balcony). There wasn't so much as a glass of water to drink afterwards and we even had to pay extra to park the car. It was a quick 'in and out' with the expectation that we would all clear out quickly in the morning as they had another lot coming for another ceremony in the afternoon. It reminded me of weddings you go to where the guests for one service are arriving before the previous one has finished! They held it at a hall owned by the University of Leicester which was nice but emphasised the fact that de Montfort have not got the facilities of the established redbrick unis. Of course dd knew that when she chose the place but it makes me mad that they charged even more for a far less 'special' ceremony that was rather chaotic with long walks between car park, gown hire place and hall and far more chaos getting photos done. To be fair to de Montfort I guess LU probably charged them a fortune to host it for them!

Having said all that I would have paid far, far more to watch any of my children graduate... I couldn't be more proud! Two down and one to go! Ds2 starts at Loughborough next week... I'd love to know what his graduation ceremony will be like.

Nenen

Just had another thought.... I'm starting an MPhil at Cambridge myself in a couple of weeks... does anyone know what their graduation arrangements are like? I'd particularly like to know if there's a limit to the number of tickets I will be able to get (ds1 was strictly limited to two) as ideally I'd like my three children and dh to all be there. Bet they won't cry as much at mine as I do at theirs though!

merlinormartin

I didnt have to pay *puzzled face* .. each student was given "2 tickets" but you could apply for "extra" i was given 4 in total ... although i did have to pay for the "gown", photographs, new outfit, hair, and £49.99 for the "graduation ball"

bobbiely

My graduation at Uni of York was free, got two tickets free, applied for 3 more (if my grandparents didn't go, we'd have to document every minute of day lol!) got them free and easily. Had to hire gown, wore clothes I already had, simply brushed hair (had it cut 2 weeks before for grad ball) and bought some very expensive photos as Mum had always wanted family photos. Also free departmental reception after with free drinks and cakes (luckily my professors weren't there so no embarrassing introductions). After all the fees you pay, graduation shouldn't be charged for the student at least.

lolly-i-pop

I have just paid for my graduation in November from Sheffield Hallam....
£15 for me to attend
£6 per guest
£37 for gown hire
£???? For photos.

Being as I have paid for everthing else, the wrinklys can pay for the photos!!

kr15snw

lolly your lucky! My mum made me paid for mine but made me get them.... Not sure how this works.... Lol

Oh forgot to say. It was an extra £20 per person (and for the student) to go to the after show party with a cheapy buffet. Lol. Luckily we didnt go as we were jetting off on our hols the next morning so didnt have time.

Oh and my dress cost me £120 but I have also worn it to my 21st, my best friends 30th and will be wearing it to two weddings. Thats moneysaving I tell that..... lol

o_c99

At my ceremony the people graduating didn't pay anything but the guests did (£18 per guest up to a maximum of four I think). Photos were around £45 and the gown hire was roughly £30-40.

Useful site on gown hire costs:
www.gownhire.co.uk (Used by many Universities as the official supplier of gowns)

Chris2685

Just had my graduation and it cost a fortune.

£17.50 per ticket, had 7 guests + me all paying £17.50 each
3 sets of photos cost something like £100
Gown was about £40
Parents & grandparents stayed in a B&B which cost quite a bit for a couple of days

Luckily my dad offered to pay before I told him how much it would all cost

morg_monster

my nottingham uni graduation was a fabulous day, as a poster above said her son's was! A brilliant day. Leicester uni, not so great, but it was my MSc, so a bit less of an occasion. Again i think we paid about £12 or £15 for parents tickets and my cousin came too as I lived with her while I was studying for that one. Now I'm starting a PhD (UCL) so will bear in mind that I will have to pay! Am really wishing I had bought my own gown way back in 2003 now, would have been a good investment!, but hey... had no intention of doing an MSc back then let alone a PhD...

djhworld

Didn't have to pay anything other then hiring the gown - I think it was around £38.