Your name at graduation

On this page:

Graduation programme
Ceremony name announcement
Name pronunciation
Name on graduation hoodie
Name on certificate
How to check and update your name
Further information and contacts

Graduation programme

By default, the graduation programme will record your full name as officially registered with the University, in the following order:

First forename
Middle name(s), if any
Surname (family name)

Alternatively you can have your registered preferred name displayed in the programme instead of your first forename.

If you choose your preferred name to be announced at your ceremony instead of your official forename on your graduation registration form, that name will also be used in the graduation programme automatically.

Important: it is not possible to choose a different first name for the programme and the ceremony announcement (i.e. preferred name for one and official first name for the other).

Middle names

Please note that middle names cannot be left out of the programme if they are included in your officially registered name at the time your award is made.

If your official name is recorded incorrectly see Check and update your name for information on how to get it updated.

Note that any changes to your official name must be made before your award is confirmed at an exam board, except in the case of a change of gender where the name has been legally changed, or if there is an error in how the name has been recorded.

Any changes to names made after the award confirmation deadline date (25 January for February 2027 graduation) will not be made in the programme.

Graduation ceremony name announcement

By default, your name will be announced at your graduation ceremony as:

First forename and Surname only

unless you select a different name to be used instead of your official first forename when you register, e.g.

if you want your preferred name to be announced
if you want a middle name that is part of your officially registered name to be announced

or you select more than one forename when you register e.g.

if you select your first forename or preferred name and a middle name
if you select for your full name to be announced.

Names can only be announced in the order: First forename or preferred name, middle name(s) if selected, surname.

You can select how you want your name announced on your registration form which will show how your names are officially registered, including your preferred name.

If you need to update this selection after initial registration, contact graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk.

If your name is recorded incorrectly see Check and update your name for information on how to get it updated.

Initials

Students who have single initials as part of their full name will not have them read out as they cross the stage. If you wish for us to read out registered initials, please contact graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk.

Any changes to names made after the award confirmation deadline date (25 January for February 2027 graduation) will not be announced at the ceremony.

Name pronunciation

You can enter a phonetic version of your name on the registration form to assist with pronunciation when your name is announced at your ceremony.

If you have not provided this information via the form when registering, you can send it to graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk.

Name used for graduation hoodie

A hoodie which is printed with graduating students’ names can be purchased from the SU Shop or merchandise stalls on the day, as a memento of your graduation.

The graduation hoodie includes only the following names as registered with the University, in the order:

Preferred name
Surname (family name)

If you want your official first forename to be used instead of your preferred name on the graduation hoodie, contact graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk, by 25 January 2027 (for February 2027 graduation).

We cannot guarantee that it will be possible to change the name used on the graduation hoodie if we are contacted at a late stage in the production process.

Name on certificate

Your certificate will display your officially registered full name, as recorded by the University, in the following order:

First forename
Middle name(s), if any
Surname (family name)

If your name is recorded incorrectly see Check and update your name for information on how to get it updated.

Replacement certificates due to a permitted change of name

Certificates can be re-issued free of charge at any time if your name is legally changed due to a change of gender.

To request a replacement certificate under this circumstance contact award-verification@bristol.ac.uk. You will need to show evidence of your name in the form of a passport, birth certificate or deed poll.

Information for international students

International students who need their name to appear on their certificate in the reverse order (family name/forenames) should contact their faculty office with evidence of their official name, before the certificate is issued, to ask if it can be updated for this purpose.

Check and update your name

Check how your official name will appear as early as possible before graduation.

If your official name is not correct in our records, please contact your faculty to update your personal details.

Note that names can only be updated before your award is made at an exam board, except in the case of a change of gender, or error in the recorded name.

Changes to names should come through to us automatically for graduation purposes, if made before the award confirmation deadline date for your congregation.

If your name is updated after the award confirmation deadline date for your congregation in permitted circumstances, you should contact graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk to check that we have the correct information for the graduation programme, as it may not come through to us automatically at that stage.

Changes cannot be made to the graduation programme if the student record is updated after it has gone to print (about a week before the ceremony).

Further information and contacts

See the Student name policy for further information.

Contact your Faculty office with any further questions about registered names or updating names.

Contact graduation-office@bristol.ac.uk to discuss any issues arising in relation to the use of names at graduation.