Your gown will include a hood and cap, and will vary slightly depending on the type of degree that you are receiving.

Ede and Ravenscroft are our gown supplier as well as our official photographer.

Only graduands wearing the correct University of York academic dress will be permitted to take full part in their ceremony. We have appointed Ede and Ravenscroft as our official supplier and they are able to provide the correct academic dress for you.

For January 2025 ceremonies, the deadline for ordering your gown is Wednesday 18 December 2024. Gowns ordered after the deadline will cost more and take longer to collect on the day of your ceremony.

You can also pre-book your photography with Ede and Ravenscroft within the same order. 

Order your gown

Graduands with hearing difficulties who do not have access to a computer can order their gown by calling the dedicated Ede and Ravenscroft number at 18001 0122386 1854. 

If you have any questions about ordering your gown, complete the Ede and Ravenscroft contact form.

Official gowns

How to dress

We ask that graduands and their guests dress formally for the occasion. Many graduands and guests choose to wear a suit, or clothing with a similar level of formality.

For graduands, a buttoned shirt or blouse is useful for securing their gown's hood. Graduands and guests are welcome to wear national, traditional or military dress if relevant.

Graduands must not customise their academic dress (gown, hood or cap), wear anything over the top of it, or carry any additional items on stage, unless for accessibility reasons. 

The University has the right not to admit nor capture footage of any graduand not adhering to these rules, or to insist certain items are left outside the hall, which will be returned after the ceremony.

Collecting and returning gowns

Gowns can be collected from Hendrix Hall on the day of your ceremony. We advise you to allow at least an hour for gown collection as there may be queues. You need to be ready to be seated in Central Hall 45 minutes before the start of your ceremony.

Gowns should be returned to the Exhibition Centre on the same day that your graduation ceremony takes place. Return by 7pm for weekday ceremonies and 3.30pm for weekend ceremonies.

Ceremony start time:Collection opens at:
10am
12.45pm
1pm
1.30pm
3.45pm
4.15pm
7.30am
9.45am
10am
10.30am
1pm
1.30pm

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