Graduation

We are delighted to announce University of Staffordshire London's Graduation Ceremony will take place on Thursday 10 July 2025 at Hackney Church (St. John's at Hackney) in East London. 

The address for Hackney Church is:

Hackney Church (St. John's at Hackney)  
Lower Clapton Road  
London  
E5 0PD  

Given the central location of this venue we unable to offer car parking to our guests. Hackney Central Station is a 6-minute walk away and we encourage our guests to use sustainable transport when attending events.

Registration

All graduates and their guests will need to report to the registration desk on arrival at Church House.  Here you’ll find:

• Registration 
• Gowning
• Formal Graduation photography
• Pre-Ceremony refreshments
• Share Your Experience (Alumni Team)

All graduates and guests are asked to take their seats 30 mins before their ceremony starts, so you should arrive promptly to ensure you have adequate time to register and collect your academic dress. 

The Ceremony

The ceremony lasts approximately an two hours, the exact timings will vary a little depending on the number of graduates receiving awards in each ceremony.

Once you arrive at the Hackney Church, catch up with peers from your course, and the teaching staff who will be excited to hear what you have been up to since completing your studies.

The stage party (who will include members of Executive and academic staff) will process into the ceremony hall and there will be an opening address. Then graduates will be called forward by award and your name will be announced as you cross the stage and doff your cap to the Chancellor/ Vice-Chancellor. We hope that this moment is one you never forget. 

Award ceremonies are important and formal occasions but they are also lively and family friendly so please clap, cheer and whoop for your friends.

After the ceremony, graduates and their guests will have the opportunity for photography, enjoy a glass of prosecco (or equivalent), cake and/or chocolates, as well as enjoy the grounds of the Church location. 

Gowns should be returned to the drop-off location before departure, and the event is expected to have concluded by 3pm.

After the Ceremony

After the ceremony has finished, refreshments will be served in the church hall. You will be able to go back to Hackney Church House to collect your certificate, have your formal graduation photographs taken, and have some fun family and friends photographs taken by our Alumni Team.  You will also need to return your cap and gown to the Gown Return Point in Hackney Church House before you leave.

Dress code for guests 

The award ceremonies are a formal occasion, we encourage graduates to wear their academic dress and we tend to find guests dress smartly and appropriately.  We also encourage attendees to be prepared by checking the weather forecast.

Additional Requirements 

Both graduates and guests with special requirements are provided for, but we do ask that you notify us of your requirements in advance so we can ensure the appropriate services are in place.

Details of any special requirements, for either graduates or guests, should be given during the booking process.  If you wish to discuss your requirements in more detail please get in touch with the team at graduation@staffs.ac.uk.

The ceremonies will be in English. If you have any guests who don't speak English, you may want to explore options for translation, such as an app or support from another guest in advance of the ceremony. 

Wheelchair users

Please notify us during the booking process if either yourself, or any of your guests, will be in a wheelchair. 

Wheelchair seating is in a designated position alongside the aisle, so your other guests will be seated alongside your wheelchair guest.  These seats are pre-allocated and reserved for guests for the ceremony. Hackney Church is wheelchair accessible with a disabled access toilet. The ceremony will be taking place on the ground floor but there is lift access should it be required.