DCU Spring Graduations 2023

The Helix is wheelchair accessible - please do let us know if you or your guests require assistance to access the Mahony Hall or any other parts of the campus. It is particularly important that we know of any difficulty you may have accessing the stage to receive your parchment. 

If you have any questions at all in relation to access, please get in touch with us on graduation@dcu.ie and we would be happy to help. 

Correct academic dress must be worn at graduation. You can prebook in the 'Gown Hire' section at www.phelanconan.com until Monday, 27 March 2023 for €43; if you do not pre-book you can pay on the day, though the hire fee is slightly more expensive at €45.

When booking your robes, please ensure you select the correct faculty and award - otherwise you could graduate in the incorrect robe/different robe to your classmates.

We strongly encourage you to collect your robes on the day before your ceremony if possible. This will avoid excessive queues on graduation day.

If you are collecting your robes on the day, then please allow adequate time for collection well in advance of the ceremony. 

Each graduate is expected to be robed and seated at least 20 minutes prior to their ceremony time.

You should, in addition, ensure that you are attired in a neat and presentable way. It is strongly recommended that you bring safety pins and hair clips with you to secure your cap and hood.

Please note that the wearing of mortar boards is optional for male and female graduands.

The robes you hire may be collected and returned to the Robing Room, in the Venue section of the U Building. 

Robes may be collected at the following times: 30th March from 4-7pm 

Please aim to arrive on campus at least one hour before the start of your graduation ceremony. Early arrival is essential as you need to be checked-in, robed and in your seat 20 minutes before the ceremony start time. For example, if your graduation ceremony start time is 10am, please leave enough time to arrive at the Glasnevin campus, get outfitted in your robe, check-in on the first floor at the Helix and get to your assigned seat no later than 9.40am. 

When you arrive at The Helix, you will be directed to the first floor to check in with the events team and receive your assigned seat. This process takes approximately 10 minutes. Please note guests will be seated separately from graduands. 

Check-in closes 20 minutes before the scheduled ceremony start time - so it is essential that graduands arrive before this time. Anyone who has not checked-in by this time will be deemed absent, may not be seated with their class and may not have their name called from the stage.

After you've received your parchment, make sure to pop over to the DCU Alumni desk in the Helix after the ceremony and register your details to become a member of our global alumni community.  

Each ceremony usually takes around 1.5 hours and as such is not a suitable event for children under seven. Children are more than welcome to wait in the Helix lounge areas, but we would advise graduands not to bring children younger than seven into the ceremony.

There is a multi-story car park on Glasnevin Campus that will be available for parking on graduation day. Graduands arriving by car can access the car park via the Collins Avenue entrance. View public transport options to DCU here. 

Following the academic procession and introductions, graduand names will be called out in alphabetical order by degree/diploma programme and all graduands will be called to the stage in turn.

The Master of Ceremonies will direct you on when to approach the stage - to make sure you are in the right name order, it is essential that you sit in the seat assigned to you when you checked-in. When your name is called, you should proceed onto the stage to receive your parchment. It will be presented to you by the President of the University, Professor Daire Keogh.

After you have accepted your parchment from the President, you should return to your allocated seat.

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

The Spring 2023 Graduations are taking place in The Helix, DCU, Collins Ave, Glasnevin, Dublin 9

If you are arriving by car, enter by the Collins Avenue Extension entrance. 

Directions to Glasnevin campus including public transport options. 

Map of Glasnevin campus.

The name on your parchment will be the same as the name on your DCU identification - you can check your name and address through My Details on the Student Apps page. If you would like to change your name, please send an email to parchments@dcu.ie before 2 March.

Lafayette Photographers are our official photography suppliers, and can take professional individual and family portraits. They will be located on the Glasnevin campus, in the Hive in the U Building.

They also provide a pre-booking facility via their website - please visit https://www.lafayette.ie/graduation/book to find out more. 

Please note that the studios will close half an hour before each ceremony. You do not need your parchment for your photographs - Lafayette can provide a prop parchment.

Graduands will be allocated two guest tickets each - to access them, follow the Eventbrite link that will be sent to your DCU email address. Please note registration will close roughly a week and a half before your graduation.  

Tickets can be downloaded or printed in advance - make sure your guests have their own copies to hand for access to the Helix, as you will be seated separately. 

If your guests have any access requirements, please make sure to let us know on graduation@dcu.ie

If you cannot make it, please let us know that you are unable to attend by filling in this form. 

If you cannot attend graduation, your parchment will be issued to the postal address recorded on the DCU student system after the graduation ceremonies. It is important that you check this for accuracy and update (if required) before graduation. You can do so by logging into the Student Apps Page. When you log in, please navigate My Details and the Biographical section.