Commencement schedules
One of your best moments as a student is the day you graduate, and the Academic Registry is proud to be the main co-ordinator of graduation ceremonies at Trinity. All eligible students will be invited to attend their ceremonies through their my.tcd.ie inbox or TCD email.
If you cannot attend your graduation, you may choose to graduate in absentia. This can be selected on receipt of your formal invitation. Candidates who have not responded to their invitation will not have their degree conferred, and will be expected to apply to have their degree awarded in a future ceremony. Please note, we cannot provide you with your degree parchment until your degree has been formally conferred by the University during a formal graduation ceremony.
All postgraduate research candidates must submit a Notice of Candidature form via this link.
Candidates who have deferred their graduation from a previous academic year are also asked to submit a Notice of Candidature if they would like to be included in a future ceremony.
Candidates wishing to hire academic gown/hood can book online at http://www.armstrongandoxford.com. Candidates are recommended to book at least one week in advance.
Entry to the event is strictly limited to the candidate and up to two guests. Tickets are no longer issued for graduation ceremonies. Your guests can use your name at the door to gain entrance to the Public Theatre. All candidates and guests are required to be seated in the Public Theatre no less than 30 minutes before the start time of their ceremony. Candidates and guests may not be permitted entry to the ceremony after this time.
All children will be considered as a guest.
Apply to attend a Graduation ceremony
All Undergraduate & Postgraduate taught students
All eligible final year undergraduate and taught postgraduate students will receive details of their upcoming commencement ceremony and confirm attendance to the ceremony through their my.tcd.ie portal inbox.
If you have deferred your graduation from a previous academic year, you must submit this Notice of Candidature to be included in a future ceremony.
Postgraduate Research
If you are a postgraduate research student wishing to apply for graduation you must complete a Notice of Candidature form. A conditional application may be made in advance of the publication of final degree results.
Master of Arts
If you are a bachelor of the University of at least three years standing you may obtain a Master in Arts. Candidates must complete a Notice of Candidature Form. Please see University of Dublin Calendar for more information.
Diplomas and Certificates
You are awarded your Diploma and/or Certificate upon completion of final examination and will receive invitations to the ceremonies from the Academic Registry via your institution email.
Academic dress hire
Academical dress may be collected / returned to Armstrong and Oxford, located in the Atrium, two hours prior to and two hours after the ceremony. Candidates are advised to arrive at least one hour prior to the ceremony to collect their academicals.
Online pre-booking is strongly advised to reduce queuing on the day. Queries regarding the hiring and payment of your academicals should be addressed to Armstrong & Oxford emailing info@armstrongandoxford.com.
Graduation ceremony dress code
Degree ceremonies dress code
The academic dress of the various degrees is prescribed in the Statutes, and College Calendar.
- Candidates must wear black or white formal attire or a combination of both. An example of acceptable dress would be dinner jackets or full evening wear (tuxedo), white shirt, black or white bow tie (military dress accepted), hood, and gown. Cap is optional. Clerical graduands may wear black and/or white with a clerical shirt that is either black or grey.
- All candidates must wear the gown and hood of the degree they are qualified to receive; the wearing of caps is optional. Candidates receiving more than one degree, wear the gown and hood of the senior degree. Advice on seniority of degrees may be obtained from the Academic Registry.
- Candidates wishing to independently source their academic gown and hood must apply in writing to graduation@tcd.ie. Confirmation must be provided that the proposed gown and hood meets the University’s requirements. On the day of your graduation ceremony, candidates that have sourced their academic gown and hood independently must agree to present the proposed gown and hood for inspection and compliance with the strict academic dress code.
- Casual attire, jeans, trainers, etc., are not permitted.
Note: candidates who do not adhere to the above dress code or whose academic dress is deemed to be unsuitable may be denied permission to proceed with conferral on the day.
Diploma/Certificate ceremonies dress code
All candidates must adhere to the following dress code:
- Candidates should wear black or white, or a combination of both. For Diploma awards, a gown, and epitogue are also required; for certificate awards, the wearing of a gown is optional.
Candidates wishing to independently source academic gown and epitogue must apply in writing to graduation@tcd.ie. Confirmation must be provided that the proposed gown meets the University’s requirements. On the day of your graduation ceremony, candidates that have sourced their academic gown and epitogue independently must agree to present the proposed gown and epitogue for inspection and compliance with the strict academic dress code for graduation.
Note: candidates who do not adhere to the above dress code or whose academic dress is deemed to be unsuitable may be denied permission to proceed with conferral on the day.
Tickets
Tickets are no longer issued for these events. Two guests may enter the ceremony by using the name of the candidate at the door. Children are considered guests. However, to avoid disturbance to other guests, we kindly ask that children be taken out of the Public Theatre should they become restless or distressed. In the interest of safety, prams / buggies will not be permitted in the Public Theatre.
Photography
The University has contracted Lafayette Photography to provide a service to graduates for the commencement ceremonies and will be located in the Atrium. They will be wearing easily identifiable badges. To avoid disappointment, you are strongly advised to deal only with the accredited photographers.
It is recommended that class representatives book class photos in advance at info@armstrongandoxford.ie. Lafayette can be contacted via www.lafayette.ie/
Parking
Parking is not available on campus. Candidates or guests with a disability and/or impaired mobility are advised to contact Estates and Facilities estatesandfacilities@tcd.ie. All other candidates are advised to park in the public parking facilities located in close proximity to the campus.
Graduation event FAQs
I cannot gain access to myTCD portal or my TCD email to accept my invitation or see information about my graduation ceremony.
Please contact IT services or visit this page for further information.
I have already been awarded in absentia at a virtual/online ceremony - can I be included in these in person ceremonies too?
Unfortunately not, your student record is now closed and we are currently working through a large backlog of students who are awaiting their graduation.
I cannot make the event I have been allocated? Can I attend another?
Candidates who do not respond to their formal invite, will not proceed to graduate. Candidates are then expected to apply to a future ceremony using our Notice of Candidature.
Do I need to wear a face covering to the ceremony?
Face coverings are not mandatory, but are recommended.
What kind of vaccine proof do I need?
Candidates and guests are not required to provide Vaccine Certs or Negative PCR tests.
I am travelling in from abroad/the North for the event – do I need to do anything?
If you are travelling more information can be found on the government site here.
How many guests can I have at the event?
The attendance of each candidate at a ceremony permits the entrance of two guests. We are currently not in position to offer any additional guests to candidates.
Do my guests need vaccine proof?
Guests are not required to provide Vaccine Certs or Negative PCR tests.
How long will the event be?
The ceremony takes approximately one hour.
Will I get my parchment on the day?
Yes.
What is the reception/itinerary?
Each graduation will be followed by a small reception in the Dining Hall. Due to staffing requirements, there will be no receptions on Saturdays.
What if I have to make last minute changes due to Covid restrictions?
If you cannot attend, you will have to contact graduation@tcd.ie to be conferred at a later date.
How do I get my degree translated to English?
All degree parchments are presented in Latin to candidates for degrees at Commencements. Employers and other institutions will sometimes request an English translation of your degree parchment - this is provided by the Academic Registry on request from the graduate. All translations issued on A4 University letterhead by the Academic Registry are certified and endorsed with an official University stamp. Translations can also be sent by email in PDF format. Please allow a minimum of 5 working days to process your request.
Application for a translation or a replacement parchment should be made by contacting the Academic Registry with these details
- Your full name when you were registered at Trinity College Dublin
- Date of birth
- Student number (if available)
- Award to be replaced/translated (eg, B.A., Ph.D.)
- Years registered at Trinity College Dublin
- Home address (as currently recorded by the University)
- Details of how translation/replacement is to be provided (e.g. email address, postal address)
All awards other than degrees are originally presented in English by the University and do not require a translation.