Virtual graduation
If you’re unable to attend graduation on campus, you can choose to celebrate your success in an interactive online ceremony instead.
Who virtual graduation is for
Virtual graduation is an option for any students who are eligible to attend a graduation.
This online event offers you a chance to celebrate this important milestone, wherever you may be in the world.
It’s particularly beneficial if you aren’t able to travel to Leeds, or if you are busy with other commitments.
How virtual graduation works
Duration
Virtual graduation ceremonies usually last between 30 minutes and one hour.
The ceremony
Each virtual ceremony will be streamed live from campus.
Shortly before the day, we’ll send you a link to join the ceremony on Zoom, where you will be allocated to a specific breakout room with a small group of other graduates.
As the names of each graduate are announced by the Presiding Officer of the virtual ceremony, you’ll appear on the screen alongside other graduates in your group.
At this point, you can switch on your camera, celebrate and wave to any friends and family who may be viewing the graduation online.
Your friends, family and others can watch the ceremony stream live or you can share the recording with them afterwards using the same link.
A ‘virtual host’ will be online throughout the ceremony to answer any technical questions.
What to wear
Wear any clothing you like. There is no requirement to wear official academic dress during a virtual graduation.
Register for virtual graduation
When registration opens, you’ll need to register your graduation choice to attend a virtual graduation.
Virtual graduation dates
This summer, we’re planning to hold virtual graduation on Wednesday 29 July 2026.
You’ll be allocated a time for your ceremony after you’ve registered for a virtual graduation. We’ll send you an email confirmation.
We aim to schedule the ceremony time to accommodate a range of timezones where possible, so depending on your location, it may take place early in the morning or late in the evening.
We expect to hold one virtual ceremony initially. However, if more students register for virtual graduation than anticipated, we may schedule additional virtual ceremonies to make sure everyone can take part and ensure a smooth experience.
Contact
If you have any questions, email the Graduation team at graduation@leeds.ac.uk. Please include your student ID number in your email.