DCU Graduation Q&A
DCU Graduations take place in Spring and Autumn. Please check here for the 2026 dates.
The full schedule for Spring Graduation 2026 is available here.
The Mahony Hall in The Helix, DCU Glasnevin Campus.
Please note that there is no entry into the building without a ticket.
In order to be eligible to graduate, each student must:
- have completed all of the requirements of Academic Council for their award
- have paid all their fees and cleared any debts outstanding to the University
- have returned all library books
It is mandatory to wear the correct academic robes at your graduation. When booking your robes, please ensure you select the correct faculty and award.
We strongly encourage you to pre-book academic robes with our official robe-makers Phelan Conan Limited, the weblink will be available 4-6 weeks before the graduation date.
All graduates will be allocated two guest tickets each for their graduation ceremony. Tickets can be collected at the same time as you collect your academic robes. Further details will be released 4-6 weeks before graduations.
Due to the number of graduates and capacity in the Mahony Hall, no extra tickets are available.
DCU Graduations are live streamed on DCU’s YouTube channel, allowing your family and friends around the world to join in on the celebration.
Your name will be printed on your parchment and called out by the Faculty Executive Dean as you cross the stage exactly the same as it is recorded on the student system - check and update your details on My Profile on the Student Apps page.
If you notice an error, please contact Registry at parchments@dcu.ie and provide a valid photo ID confirming the name change required on your parchment by 8 March latest.
If you are attending graduation and your name is often mispronounced, please provide your preferred pronunciation here by 8 March.
Please note:
- Names of absent graduates (in absentia) will not be read out
- DCU aims for accuracy but cannot guarantee perfect pronunciation due to human interpretation
Lafayette Photography is our official photography supplier and can take professional individual and family portraits. Further details will be released 4-6 weeks before the graduation date.
Your photography session does not need to be before your graduation ceremony.
Yes!
Please aim to arrive on campus at least 60-90 minutes before the start of your graduation ceremony. Early arrival is essential as you need to be robed, checked in, and in your assigned seat at least 20 minutes before the ceremony start time.
When you arrive at The Helix, you will be directed to the first floor to check in with the Graduations Team to receive your assigned seat. This process takes around 10 minutes, and long queues can form. Graduate check-in closes 30 minutes before the scheduled ceremony start time. Anyone who has not checked in by this time will be deemed absent, and your name will not be called from the stage.
Please note that graduates will be seated separately from their two guests. Guest tickets must be collected from The Venue in the U Building when collecting your academic robes, which is around 5 minutes walk from The Helix. For a more relaxed and enjoyable experience, it is strongly recommended to collect the day before graduation if possible. The day of graduation is very busy; please allow extra time.
No, you do not need to register in advance of the day. All graduates are invited to attend their graduation ceremony and will be accommodated on the day.
On graduation day, you must register with the Graduation Team on the first floor of The Helix no later than 30 minutes before the ceremony start time. At check-in, you will be assigned your seat. It is essential that you sit in this seat throughout the ceremony, as graduate names will be called out in alphabetical order by degree/diploma programme.
If you have any questions about accessibility for you or your guests, please get in touch with us at graduation@dcu.ie.
- The Helix is fully accessible - for graduates, please let us know of any issues you may have accessing the stage to receive your parchment and we can help
- The U Building - fully accessible
- The Venue - there is a lift available to the lower level, where robes and tickets can be collected
- The Hive - fully accessible area for official photography
Each graduation ceremony usually takes around 1.5 hours; as such, we would advise graduates not to bring children under 7 years of age into the Mahony Hall.
For those with babies or infants, we have a dedicated parent and baby room available within The Helix which has a livestream of the ceremony.
All other guests without a ticket into The Helix, are welcome to avail of our campus facilities (NuBar or The Restaurant) and can view the livestream on the DCU YouTube channel.
It is mandatory to wear the correct academic robes at your graduation. For details, see the question above - 'How do I hire my academic robes?'
- All graduates must wear the epitoge (hood) of the qualification they are to receive, and it must be visible as you cross the stage
- Wearing a mortar board (cap) is optional for all graduates
- Graduates are permitted to wear, not wave, the flag of their country of origin while crossing the stage, provided they show photo ID of their national identity (passport or similar) for verification on the day of graduation
- No other flags are permitted
There will be limited spaces available in the multi-storey car park on Glasnevin Campus on graduation day. Graduands arriving by car can access the car park via the Collins Avenue Extension entrance. Should the car park be full, please co-operate with our colleagues on the DCU Security Team who will be on site to advise you about alternatives.
We strongly recommend considering taking public transport. View public transport options to DCU here.
If you or your guests require a letter of invitation to graduation for visa applications, please send an email to internationalletters@dcu.ie.
If you cannot attend your graduation, you will be marked as in absentia, and your name will not be called out on stage. You do not need to let us know in advance.
Your name will be printed on your parchment exactly as it is recorded on the student system, and this will be issued to your permanent home address shortly after graduation day. You can check your name and address on My Profile on the Student Apps page. Please ensure to update your permanent home address by 26 March latest.
No, it is not possible to postpone your graduation ceremony.
Ceremonies are scheduled by Faculty and Programme to ensure that you graduate with your relevant cohort.
On the day before or day of your graduation, when you collect your academic robes and guest tickets, make sure to pop over to the DCU Alumni desks in The Venue to register your details and become a member of our global alumni community.
For anyone graduating in October 2025, DCU will be in touch with you next April 2026 to invite you to complete the Graduate Outcomes Survey.
Each year, DCU is required by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to conduct a mandatory survey of our recent graduates regarding their employment status in the first year after graduation. The survey, called the Graduate Outcomes Survey, helps DCU and the HEA build an accurate picture of graduate employment and provides valuable insights into today’s labour market for graduates.
DCU graduates have a significant input to make, and we’ll be in touch next year when it’s your turn! A user-specific survey will be sent to your personal and DCU email addresses in April 2026.
Your academic transcripts are stored online through the secure Digitary website. In order to retain access to your transcripts, you will need to update your account with your personal email address. To begin this process, log in to your Digitary account using your current @mail.dcu.ie email address and password, and follow these steps:
- Click Sign in with your Education Provider
- Choose Dublin City University as your institution
- Go to Account Settings
- Click Link another email
- Enter your personal email address and click add
Yes!
DCU Graduations are live streamed on DCU’s YouTube channel, allowing your family and friends around the world to join in on the celebration.
Please note, only the names of graduates present at the ceremony will be read out. Names of absent graduates (in absentia) will not be read out.
If you cannot find the information you're looking for, please contact us at graduation@dcu.ie.