Name Confirmation
Your name on certificate:
We strongly recommend that the name on your certificate matches your passport exactly. This is to avoid verification issues, especially if you plan to work overseas. Name changes after graduation are only permitted in exceptional cases, such as gender identity changes. Titles and block capitals are not permitted. If you request a name change, you will be required to provide evidence of this.
Pronunciation:
If you are worried about the pronunciation of your name during your ceremony, you have two options:
- Before the ceremony – Email the correct pronunciation to graduation@reading.ac.uk
- On the Day – Inform your Processions Marshal (in the Processions Marquee), who will relay it to the Orators.
Preferred name to be announced during the ceremony:
Your certificate must match your legal name, but you may choose to be presented under your preferred name during the ceremony. To arrange this, please email graduation@reading.ac.uk
How and when will I get my certificate?
Attending your ceremony?
You will receive your certificate on the day during the ceremony at which you graduate. After you descend the stage, you will be guided to a side room to collect your certificate before returning to your seat.
Graduating in absence?
Your certificate will be posted to the address you confirmed during Formal Registration. If you need to update this address after registration, email us at graduation@reading.ac.uk. Updating your address elsewhere on RISIS will not update the address we hold for the posting of your degree certificate.
Collection: Complete this form to nominate your friend or relative to collect your certificate on your behalf. This can be completed once you have formally registered to graduate in absence and up until the last date of the current set of graduation ceremonies.
Deferring your graduation?
Your certificate will not be produced until our next set of ceremonies when you register to attend or graduate in absence.
It is University policy that a student cannot receive their degree certificate and diploma supplement documents until they have formally graduated, be that in person or in absence. If in the meantime you have passed your programme and require proof of your qualification (e.g. for entry to a programme of further study at another university) you can contact the Student Services Reception team via studenthelp@reading.ac.uk and request an Academic Transcript document.
Certificate Posting
Certificates for those graduating in absence will be posted after the ceremonies to the address confirmed during Formal Registration. Updates can be emailed to graduation@reading.ac.uk. Standard services are:
- UK: Royal Mail 48-hour, 2-3 working days
- International: Royal Mail International Tracked & Signed, 5-7 working days outside Europe, 3-5 working days within Europe.
Private Courier Services can be purchased, but must be done prior to the last date of the current set of graduation ceremonies. If your address can be written in a non-Latin script, confirm in English via Formal Registration and email the local language version (e.g., Chinese, Thai, Arabic) to graduation@reading.ac.uk
Be aware of Degree Fraud
We do not recommend posting pictures of your degree certificate online, it should be treated as personal and private like your passport, birth certificate or bank details. It is a valuable document so please make sure you look after it. If you want to share your achievement online, we recommend keeping your certificate in the presentation folder.