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Information for guests

Jazz group playing for graduation reception
We are delighted to welcome you as a guest on Graduation day and look forward to celebrating with you.

We have compiled some useful information to help your day go as smoothly and comfortably as possible. Graduating students will be emailed with detailed information about the things they need to do in the run-up to the day, including how to hire their gowns, order official photographs and confirm their own attendance.

Guest tickets

Admission to the graduation ceremonies is strictly ticketed. All graduands will receive their tickets as a matter of course, but ticketing for guests is handled by the RCM Box Office, which is due to open for sales on Wednesday 28 May 2025.

Deadline for purchasing tickets: Friday 6 June

After this date we cannot guarantee being able to accommodate guests, so please book tickets in time to avoid disappointment.

If tickets remain, graduands will be offered the opportunity to purchase additional tickets if they would like to bring more than two guests. There are normally additional tickets available but please note this cannot be guaranteed. 

Ticket price

Tickets are priced at £30 per guest. Booking fees may apply (see our booking tickets information). All tickets include entry to the ceremony and the reception, where sparkling wine and canapés will be served.

Each graduand may initially invite up to two guests. In the event that seats remain after the ticket purchase deadline, these will be released for those graduands who wish to purchase extra tickets.

Tickets for graduands are free.

Booking tickets

How to book a ticket

Booking will open for guest tickets on Wednesday 29 May 2024 at 10am. 

We strongly recommend that you book a ticket online.  Links to the booking form will be available below when the Box Office opens for sales. Please ensure that you book a ticket for the correct ceremony.

Book a ticket for Ceremony one: 10.45am

Book a ticket for Ceremony two: 1.15pm

Book a ticket for Ceremony three: 3.45pm

Alternatively, you can book a ticket over the phone by calling +44 (0)20 7591 4314. Opening hours are Monday–Friday, 1pm–4pm.

Please note that bookings online and over the telephone are subject to a £1.95 booking fee. We do not accept bookings by email.

If booking online, you must enter the name of the graduand you are coming to see. This is a required field.

If guests are wheelchair users or have other mobility requirements, you are kindly asked to advise the Box Office of this at the time of booking.

E-tickets will be sent to you by email and postage or collection is not available. E-tickets can be shown to event stewards on your mobile phone or other device. They do not have to be printed out, although you may do so if you wish.

Taking photographs

We ask that guests do not take photographs using a flash during the ceremony itself. However, you are welcome to take as many photographs as you wish during the reception and throughout the rest of the day.

There will be opportunity to take group photographs at the front of the RCM after the official photographer has taken his shots. We ask that you stand well back while the official photographs are being taken to keep the process as efficient as possible and to avoid the risk of injury from stepping into a busy road.

Refreshments

The café will be open on Graduation day for coffee and light refreshments.

Cloakroom

A cloakroom is available for Graduation guests, situated on the Lower Ground floor via the atrium staircase (and via our atrium lift).

If you have mobility impairments, please seek assistance at Reception and an RCM Steward can provide assistance to take your items to the cloakroom on your behalf.

The cloakroom will be available 9.30am–5.30pm. Items are left at the owner's risk.

Accessibility

If you are a wheelchair user or need any additional support to enable you to enjoy the day, please notify the Box Office when booking your tickets, or e-mail graduation@rcm.ac.uk. Further information about accessing the RCM is available on our website. 

 

Getting to the RCM

The Royal College of Music is easy to reach on foot from nearby attractions in South Kensington, from Kensington High Street and from Kensington Gardens.

Travelling by train or Underground

All local stations are in TfL fare zone 1. 

London Underground

The closest station is South Kensington (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines), which is a 10–15 minute walk from the RCM.

Gloucester Road (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines) is a 15 minute walk from the RCM. High Street Kensington station (Circle and District lines) is a 20 minute walk or 10 minutes by bus.

Night Tube services run on the Piccadilly line on Friday and Saturday evenings, providing Underground connections from South Kensington and Gloucester Road throughout the night.

Live travel information

National Rail

The closest mainline stations are London Paddington and London Victoria. The RCM can be reached from any London terminal by Underground, bus or taxi.

Live travel information

Travelling by bus or coach

London Buses

Bus number 360 stops directly outside the RCM on Prince Consort Road.

Buses 9, 23, 52 and 452 pass the Royal Albert Hall.

The number 70 travels along Queen's Gate.

Many other services run to South Kensington, Kensington High Street and Knightsbridge from surrounding areas.

A comprehensive system of night buses operates between Central London and the rest of the city. The N9 passes the Royal Albert Hall and connects with other major routes at Trafalgar Square.

Live travel information 

Coaches

Scheduled coach services run to destinations nationwide from Victoria Coach Station.

Travelling by bicycle

A Santander Cycles docking station is located on Prince Consort Road, adjacent to the RCM. There are several alternative docking stations nearby.

There are also a limited number of facilities for securing private bicycles on Prince Consort Road and in the surrounding area.

Parking near the RCM

There is metered parking on Prince Consort Road and the surrounding area. It costs £4.22 per hour (£6.33 for Diesel vehicles) for a maximum of four hours and is free after 6.30pm and on Sundays.

There are a limited number of disabled parking spaces and designated motorbike bays available in the surrounding South Kensington area. Please check availability and restrictions before you travel.

Disabled parking bays

There are a limited number of disabled parking bays managed by Westminster Borough Council on Prince Consort Road and in the area around the Royal Albert Hall, which are within 175 metres of the RCM. In addition, there are spaces managed by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea on Exhibition Road, which are within 600 metres of the RCM.

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