Do you have to wear a gown at your graduation ceremony?

Sheffield Hallam's graduation terms put it in one line: wearing a gown is advisable but not compulsory. The same page reminds you that the ceremony is a formal event. So the choice is yours, but the dress code is not casual either way — gown or no gown, you are dressing for a formal occasion.

If you do wear academic dress, it comes as a set of three pieces, and the set is specific to Sheffield Hallam. The hood is cut from the university's own palette: black lined with maroon and silver for bachelor's and master's degrees, maroon lined with silver for doctorates. It marks your award, so it should be the one for your degree, not a lookalike.

That is why borrowing a gown from a friend who graduated somewhere else rarely works. From across the hall it might pass, but in your photographs, next to a row of Sheffield Hallam hoods, the difference shows.

The simplest route is to book a rental in advance. Booking ahead means the right gown, hood and cap in your size, at the lowest hire price. You will need your height and head measurement when you book, so have those ready.

The university's official route is to book through its supplier and collect on the day: you arrive at the Owen Building on City Campus two hours before your ceremony, get fitted, have your official photograph taken, then walk the twelve minutes to Ponds Forge. That works, but it means your morning starts in a queue, and the photograph comes straight after it.

Our setup: you collect the evening before or the morning of your ceremony, from our collection point by City Campus. You try everything on at your own pace, get the hood pinned properly, and walk into the Owen Building already dressed — straight to your photograph instead of the gowning queue.

You can graduate without going to the ceremony at all. Sheffield Hallam is clear that attendance is not mandatory and is not needed to receive your certificate. Whether you attend or not, the certificate is posted to the address on your My Student Record — nothing is handed over on the day.

If the timing is the problem rather than the ceremony, you can defer your graduation for one year. You email the Graduation Office before that year's booking deadline and they confirm it. Two catches: nothing carries over, so you book your own ticket and your guests' again the following year; and if you have already bought guest tickets, they are only refunded if your email arrives before the deadline.

And if a large, formal ceremony is the part that puts you off, Sheffield Hallam also runs an alternative ceremony — quieter, less formal, around half an hour, with no allocated seating. It is meant for graduates or guests who find big events overwhelming, and anyone who prefers a more relaxed format, subject to availability. There, the university says, you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in.

Whichever route you take, make sure your address is up to date on My Student Record. The certificate goes to whatever address is on file the day it is posted.

The gown is open-fronted and falls to around mid-calf, so your outfit underneath is very much on display. Your neckline, the lower part of your clothing and your shoes all show, in person and in every photograph. And if you decide against a gown, what you wear is the whole outfit — dress for it accordingly.

Dress formally. A suit, a smart dress, tailored trousers with a blouse — all work. National and cultural dress is welcome too. Remember it is November in Sheffield: you walk between the Owen Building and Ponds Forge outdoors, so pick a coat that looks right in the photographs taken on the way.

A practical tip from us: bring a couple of safety pins and hair grips on the day. They are invaluable for keeping the hood in position, pinning the gown front and stopping the mortarboard sliding. The hood sits across the shoulders and shifts as you move — a discreet pin at the collar saves a lot of fiddling.