Graduation gowns

Identify the gown you need for your graduation ceremony, whether to buy or hire it and how to get it. You can also read about the Sussex dress code.

How to get your Sussex graduation gown

You can buy or hire the correct gown, hood and mortar board for your graduation ceremony. We recommend you use our official supplier, Ede & Ravenscroft Limited.

It is your responsibility to check that you have been allocated the correct gown for your ceremony. For any gown queries please complete the online form or call 01223 861854.

You will need your 8-digit registration number (found on your student card) and surname (family/last name) to book your gown.

Hiring a gown

If you choose to hire your gown, hood and mortar board we recommend you do this in good time through our official supplier, Ede & Ravenscroft website and collect it on the day in the Brighton Centre. See below for details about ordering the correct academic dress.

It is essential you hire your gown in advance as there will not be any available to hire on graduation day.

Cost

These are Ede & Ravenscroft's current hire prices for gowns:

	Price for online orders	Price for phone orders
Bachelors	£45	£50
Integrated Masters	£45	£50
PG Cert/Diploma	£45	£50
Masters	£51	£56
Master of Philosophy (MPhil)	£51	£56
Doctorate	£58	£63

Cancelling gown hire

If you cancel your attendance, and you have paid for your gown hire, call Ede & Ravenscroft on 01223 861854 or log into your Ede & Ravenscroft order account.

Once you have logged in you will see your orders. Choose 'View/Edit' for the relevant order and then select 'Amend/Cancel' to start the process of amending or cancelling your order. Ede & Ravenscroft will arrange for the full cost of the hire to be refunded to you as long as you contact them at least seven days before your ceremony date.

Buying a gown

If you want to buy your own gown, hood and mortar board, we recommend that you do this through our official supplier, Ede & Ravenscroft. You can do this via the Ede & Ravenscroft website and choose whether to have it delivered to your door or pick it up on the day. The costs are displayed on their gown website.

Which gown to get

The particular gown, hood and mortar board you wear will depend on which degree you have taken.You can view the different gowns, hoods and mortar boards/caps below. It is your responsibility to ensure that you have the correct academic gown, hood and cap for your degree.

If you choose to use an alternative supplier to Ede & Ravenscroft, you should ensure that it will arrive in advance, that the gown, hood and mortar board is of a high quality and that you have the correct gown, hood and cap for your degree. The University may refuse admission to the ceremony if you do not have the correct academic gown or if you are inappropriately dressed.

A black University of Sussex graduation gown with red on the hood

Bachelors

A black University of Sussex graduation gown with red on the hood and light grey trim

Integrated Masters

A black University of Sussex graduation gown with light grey hood trim

Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma

A black University of Sussex graduation gown with light grey on the hood

Masters

A black University of Sussex graduation gown with light grey on the hood and red trim

Master of Philosophy (MPhil)

A red University of Sussex graduation gown with purple on the hood and purple trim on the sleeves and front.

Doctorate

Brighton and Sussex Medical School gowns

A black Brighton and Sussex Medical School graduation gown with light green on the hood and light turquoise trim

Bachelor of Science

A black Brighton and Sussex Medical School graduation gown with light turquoise on the hood and light green trim

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMBS)

A black Brighton and Sussex Medical School graduation gown with light green on the hood and light turquoise trim. Light green trim on front.

Postgraduate Certificate or Diploma

A black Brighton and Sussex Medical School graduation gown with light turquoise on the hood and light green trim. Light turquoise trim on front.

Masters

A red Brighton and Sussex Medical School graduation gown with purple on the hood and purple trim on the sleeves and front. Also has light turquoise and light green trim.

Doctorate

What to wear with your gown

We recommend you wear clothing under your gown that’s suitable for a formal occasion. This might be a suit, smart trousers and a shirt, a blouse and skirt, a smart dress or national dress.

We recommend your shoes are smart yet comfortable as you may be on your feet for some time. You may wish to bring an additional pair of comfortable shoes to wear travelling to and from the Brighton Centre.

Avoid beach wear, sports clothing or anything generally considered inappropriate.

What guests can wear

If you’re attending as a guest, you can wear what you feel comfortable with. Graduation ceremonies are a celebration but they’re also formal, so most guests dress as if they were attending a wedding or a traditional occasion. National dress can also be worn.