UCL to hold in-person graduation ceremonies for 2020 and 2021 graduates

The Students’ Union has announced that the classes of 2020 and 2021 will get in-person graduation ceremonies after they were originally disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

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The Students’ Union Activities and Engagement officer, Ilyas Benmouna, made the announcement on the Students’ Union Instagram page on 12 November, stating that the ceremonies will take place between 7 and 17 March 2022 in the Excel arena, a large events venue in East London. Friends and family of graduates will be able to attend to see them walk across a stage in their cap and gown and receive their diplomas.

When the ceremony is over, graduates, along with their guests, will be invited back to the main campus for a reception with activities and photo opportunities. After nearly two years of online learning, graduates will appreciate this opportunity to celebrate their achievements.

Last year, UCL was the first university in the UK to cancel its in-person graduation ceremony. In an email sent to all students in 2021, UCL explained that “Unfortunately, the course of this pandemic remains difficult to predict […] Given this uncertainty, we have decided not to hold any in-person ceremonies until 2022.” All students eligible to graduate in 2021 were invited to attend online ceremonies that took place in July, September, and October. 

Benmouna also said in their announcement that “there is a massive backlog of students graduating over the last two years”. Due to this backlog, graduates will be required to book slots within the aforementioned dates.

According to Benmouna, UCL will be reaching out shortly with more information and instructions on how to book a slot at the ceremony via email. As for 2022 graduates, stay tuned for an email next summer.