Visas and Immigration for study in the UK

Visas for graduation ceremonies

If you want to attend your graduation ceremony, you and your guests may need a Visitor visa

Visas for attending your graduation ceremony

Graduation ceremonies at the University of Greenwich normally take place shortly after the end of your course. To find out about the ceremonies themselves and how to book your attendance, see our information about award ceremonies.

In most cases, your visa is likely to be valid for you to attend your graduation ceremony. However, if your visa expires before the date of your ceremony, you may have to return to your home country and come back to the UK on a visitor visa.

Re-entering the UK on your Student Visa

If you leave the UK at the end of your studies, you should be able to come back with your Student Visa to attend your graduation ceremony, provided it is still valid and has not expired. However, please note that re-entry to the UK is never guaranteed, and is at the discretion of the Border Force officer.

If you have any questions about returning to the UK on your Student Visa, or you are not sure if your visa is valid, please contact the International Student Advice Service to discuss this before you travel.

Returning to the UK on a visitor visa

If your Student Visa expires before your graduation ceremony, you won't be able to extend it for this purpose.  Unless you are eligible to switch to another type of visa in the UK, the best option is usually to leave the UK and make a new application to come back with a visitor visa.

You can support your visa application with your official results letter and your invitation to the awards ceremony.

If you are a non-visa national, you may be eligible to get a stamp at the airport rather than applying for a visitor visa in advance. We recommend that you bring your results letter and invitation with you in your hand luggage and show this to the Border Force officer.

For a faster entry in the UK, you may be able to access the e-Gates. The e-Gates are an automated self-service barrier operated by the UK Border Force and are an alternative to getting your documents checked at the desk by an officer. You can find out who has access to the e-Gates by reading the Home Office guidance.

Visitor visas for guests

If you are inviting guests from overseas to attend your award ceremony, they may need a visitor visa to come to the UK.

Your guests may need evidence that you have completed your degree programme to support their visa application. You could provide them with a recent student status letter, or a copy (or screenshot) of your official results. They may also need a copy of your invitation to the awards ceremony. You should write them a letter of invitation using  our suggested template for the invitation letter .

For more information, please see our information about inviting a visitor to the UK.