• Image showing happy young student receiving her graduation certificate
    Graduation is a right of passage
  • Picture showing very happy crowd of students with their friends, families and lecturers during the graduation ceilidh in the Argyllshire Gathering
    Our Scottish graduation ceilidh
  • Formal gowns worn by the lecturers and university luminaries during a SAMS UHI graduation
    background
    A day for gowns and tradition
  • Two friends who studied together now graduate together
    Uni friends for life...

Graduation: celebrating your learning

 SAMS graduations - a traditional family affair 

Graduation at SAMS is a small and personal affair! It is an opportunity for your close family and friends to join you in celebrating your fantastic achievements and to meet some of your friends and lecturers who have been with you along your journey. A day to celebrate!

Graduation is also a formal occasion, highly regarded in any universities calendar. Therefore we are required to wear formal academic dress and the ceremony will be attended by the Vice-Chancellor of the University. There may be additional invited guests from the University Court and of course the invited keynote speaker.

SAMS students can only graduate at SAMS if they are registered through the University of the Highlands and Islands.

See what the graduates of 2017 have to say!


Contact

In the run-up to graduation, please keep in contact and check your emails regularly. We may need to inform you of changes. Also, if there are any changes you need to tell us about, please let us know in plenty of time: graduation@sams.ac.uk

Before the ceremony starts you must come and collect and put on your gown (which we will help with!). Gowning will be from approximately 11.30 – 12.45. But please keep an eye on any emails from us as we may have to adjust the timings. When you arrive to collect your gown, you will be given any guest tickets that you have ordered and that you should pass on to your guests.

 

SAMS Graduation 1st September 2023 - Programme of Events

 

Pre-ceremony, Argyllshire Gathering Halls Oban Gowning

11:30 am - 12.45pm – Graduand/Graduate gowning and photographs

 

Graduation Ceremony and reception, Argyllshire Gathering Halls Oban

1.45pm - All Guests to be seated awaiting Graduation procession

2pm - Graduation & prizegiving ceremony begins

3.20pm - Graduation Reception (Graduates, families and invited guests)

 

Graduation ceilidh, Argyllshire Gathering Halls, Oban

8pm - Graduation ceilidh

 

*all timings are subject to change. Official timings will be communicated before the event.

 

DRESS CODE

Graduation ceremonies are formal events in every universities calendar. Guests at graduation include the Vice Chancellor of UHI and potentially Vice-Principals and Deans of the university, as well as senior management and academic staff from SAMS.

Robes and Hoods

Graduands are required to wear academic dress to take part in the ceremony. Academic dress for undergraduates consists of a black academic robe and a hood in UHI style. Gowns and hoods are hired from 'Ede and Ravenscroft' and SAMS will order the gown and hood for you - to make sure it is here in plenty of time. Postgraduate gowns vary depending on the qualification achieved. Each university has its own colours and cuts. Please ensure that you order your gown AND that you provide your height in 'cms', so you receive the correct size! Gowns are £35 (Undergraduate and masters) or £40 (PhD).

What should you wear?

As a formal occasion you should make sure you are smart - normal attire should be dark trousers or skirt with a white shirt or blouse, or a dark suit or dress. You can also wear national dress if you wish. Academic hoods are designed to be fitted to a top button, so if you can wear something that has a suitable button, that will help keep the hood in place.

 

Registration

It is essential that you register for graduation. In registering for graduation you need to pay a graduation fee (£40), purchase any additional guest tickets (£20 each) and order your gown (Undergraduate and masters - £35; PhD - £40). Your graduation fee includes TWO guest tickets and entitles you and your two guests to attend the pre-ceremony, graduation ceremony, reception and ceilidh. It also covers the cost of your programme and an official photograph in digital form. Please complete registration on the Payment tab.

Additional guests

Please note we cannot guarantee that we will have space for additional guests. You will all have received a form asking if you would like to bring additional guests. This will help us determine if and how many additional guests are possible.

All additional guests must have a ticket purchased in advance. Tickets are £20. An additional guest ticket covers the pre-ceremony, ceremony and reception and the evening ceilidh. Tickets can be purchased from the SAMS shop.

Photographs

Photographs will likely be taken in the Argyllshire Gathering before the ceremony starts. You will in any case be allowed to take your own informal pictures after the ceremony and SAMS takes photos throughout the day too. By accepting your invitation to graduation you agree to your image being photographed or filmed as per our 2022 UHI partnership privacy notice

Deadline for Registration

Deadline for registration is 5pm on the 11th August 2023. Any later and it will be difficult for us to secure a gown for you.

 

Notification of Awards and Eligibility

Only students, whose awards have been confirmed by the appropriate university exam board, will be eligible to graduate.

Undergraduates who have module results waiting to be confirmed and validated at the August boards must be in contact with the BSc team about any assessment/examination requirements and will have to register and pay for your gown before 12th August. The cost of registration could be refunded if you are unable to graduate but we may not be able to refund the cost of the gown as these need to be ordered well in advance of the ceremony.

All eligible undergraduate graduands will be notified by letter of their degree award by the Student Record Office (SRO), following the summer exam boards. Eligible Masters by Research and PhD graduands, will have undergone their viva and must have their corrections approved and confirmed by UHI 31st July 2023.

Graduands will be notified of the date of graduation and MUST confirm if they will be attending graduation. You can confirm this through graduation@sams.ac.uk

It is university practice to issue graduation lists to local and national media, and each students name and award will be included on those lists. Please see the Privacy Notice for instructions on how to opt out of the media lists: 2022 UHI partnership privacy notice

SAMS Graduands will receive their certificates in English, however students who wish to receive a certificate in Gaelic should inform SRO at the earliest convenience. Awards confirmed after the end of June will be issued by the SRO in a weekly basis.

Any student entitled to a Cert HE, Dip HE or ordinary degree award, but has chosen to progress to the next level of study is not eligible to graduate until their programme of study is complete.

Any student eligible to graduate with a PG Cert of PG Dip, but has chosen to progress to the next level of study will not be eligible to graduate until their programme of study is complete.

Your degree graduation certificate will not be presented to you on the day. It will be posted directly to you by recorded delivery.

 

Please click here to purchase tickets and robes.

What we need from you for graduation

  • >registration and payment of the full graduation fee
  • >ordering of your robe including information about your height (in cm)
  • >purchase of tickets for additional guests
  • >notification if any of your guests need special assistance

If you have any problems please let us know.

 

Once you have graduated you become a lifelong SAMS and UHI Alumnus.

On the day you will recieve information on how you can keep in touch with SAMS as you go forward in your career. You have become part of the SAMS family and we hope that you will keep in touch with SAMS and your university friends. There are many ways we can all help each other - with information, connections and support.

Do not become a stranger, visit us, keep in touch with us, each other and the wider SAMS and UHI community by social media, email and phone. 

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