Graduation 2026 FAQs

Graduation 2026 will be taking place on Thursday 19th February 2026 at Harrow School, London. Further details about this event will be updated in the Events and Courses section of the website.

Invitation letters are sent via email on a rolling monthly basis from August - December 2025. Invites will be sent to the email address that you were registered with when starting your qualification.  Therefore, if you have changed contact details during the duration of your qualification, your invitation may have been sent to an old email address. If we have not been provided with contact details for you, your invitation will be sent to your teacher or ADC. Therefore, in the first instance, please check any old inboxes, junk folders and with your tutor to see if they have received your invitation. 

Please be aware that there may be a delay between passing your qualification and receiving your invitation, whilst your results are processed internally.

Also, due to the nature of this event and venue capacity, bookings may close early if maximum numbers are reached. In this instance, graduates will be invited to the following event.

If you think you should have received an invitation and you or your tutor have still not yet received one, please contact graduation@istd.org

Invitations will be sent to anyone who has been notified that they have passed their qualification by 19 December 2025. Due to the nature of this event and venue capacity, bookings may close early if maximum numbers are reached. In this instance, graduates will be invited to the following event.

Some qualifications (such as the DDE) may be subject to a meeting of the assessment board, before results are confirmed.

If you have any questions about this, please contact graduation@istd.org

Yes. It is important that you contact us to let us know that you are not attending.

If you cannot attend, then you will be graduating in absentia – this means that your name will still appear in the programme but will not be read out during the ceremony.

Graduate attendance will not be deferred to a future event, unless requested in writing via email, before bookings close on 16 January 2026. Therefore, if we do not receive any response to an invitation, you will be graduating in absentia in 2026.

Please contact us at graduation@istd.org if you are not attending and we will remove you from our email list.

Graduates will receive their own and their guests’ e-tickets a week prior to the event in a separate email. These need to be accessible during the day on an electronic device or printed hard copy.

Cancellation requests must be made via email to graduation@istd.org, before bookings close on 16 January 2026. This date is subject to change, in line with our policy that bookings may close early if maximum numbers are reached

Any cancellations received once bookings have closed will not be refunded, unless under exceptional circumstances and at the discretion of the Director of Education.

Official certificates are issued by the Quality assurance department and sent via post.

During the ceremony, graduates will be presented with a replica certificate, to act as a placeholder on the day. Therefore, if you have not yet received your official certificate, please contact the Quality assurance department via email at pqmanager@istd.org

Details regarding caps, gowns and stoles for the ceremony will be available in each invitation letter. The gowning company will also be able to provide a personal photography service to capture memories of your special day.

If you do not pre-order your gown, spares may be available on the day. However, this isn’t guaranteed, and prices may be higher than those stated for pre-order.

Harrow School is an accessible venue and there are spaces in the Theatre for wheelchair users. However, these spaces are limited. Therefore, please ensure to note any accessibility requirements for you or your guests at the point of booking. Should you have any further queries about accessibility then please contact graduation@istd.org.

The ceremony will be followed by an afternoon drinks reception. Therefore, we do suggest eating before arriving for the ceremony, as the venue does not have restaurant on-site.

If you or your guests have any allergies that we should be aware of, please note these at the point of booking - or by contacting us at graduation@istd.org as soon as possible, as we will be unable to accommodate any additional requirements on the day.

Graduation is a formal event that runs over a number of hours and is therefore not the most suitable environment for young children. However, If you would like to bring your child, then please make sure to note this at the point of booking (including their age) and we will do our best to accommodate. All children must be accompanied by an adult at all times they are in the venue.

Children over the age of 5 will require their own ticket, therefore please take this into consideration when booking your allocated tickets.

The ISTD is committed to the principle that the interests and welfare of participants taking part in dance activities is paramount. To comply with the Data Protection Act 1998, ISTD needs your permission before we take any photography or video of you.
By acknowledging and agreeing to these terms I consent to ISTD photographing or videoing me at this event.
I can confirm that I have been made aware that these images or video could be used in dance related publications, the ISTD website, at future events and broadcast on social media or video streaming services.
I give the ISTD permission without time limit to use this photography or video (including facial images) worldwide on any medium.

Details on tickets, pricing and how to book will be available in each invitation letter.

All graduates will be allocated two guest tickets.

It is unlikely that additional tickets will become available. However, if they do, all graduates who have booked will be contacted via email and these will be released on a first come first serve basis.

Invitation letters will be sent via email on a rolling monthly basis from August - December 2025 to all graduates who are eligible. All details on how to book will be included within the invitation letter.

Due to the nature of this event and venue capacity, bookings may close early if maximum numbers are reached. In this instance, graduates will be invited to the following event.

If you have completed an ISTD qualification (from Associate all the way through to Fellowship) between January 2024 and December 2025 you should be eligible to attend the ceremony. However, if you are unsure, do contact us via email at graduation@istd.org to confirm.  

·        All fees must be paid in full at the time of booking in order to secure graduation tickets.

·        Payment on the day of the event is not acceptable.

·        Bookings cancelled In advance of the day will not be refunded unless a medical certificate is provided or under exceptional circumstances. The ISTD also reserve the right to retain all or part of the event fee should the cancellation be made with more than one month’s notice.

·        Due to the nature of the event the ISTD is also unable to refund any participant who is unwell and unable to attend the event on the day.

·        Due to the nature of this event and venue capacity, bookings may close early if maximum numbers are reached. In this instance, graduates will invited to the following event.

·        Delegates are advised to book refundable travel and/or accommodation, as the ISTD will not refund any incurred costs if the event does not take place.

·        Delegates should inform the ISTD of access needs or special requirements at the time of booking so that we can make reasonable adjustments where possible and ensure that we can facilitate and support the delegate or guests.

·        Delegates are responsible for their own personal property during the event itself. The ISTD cannot accept responsibility for any loss, theft or damage caused to personal effects.

·        Travel to the event is the responsibility of the delegate. The ISTD cannot refund any individuals/s should they arrive late or miss the event entirely.

·        The Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing has the right to refuse bookings on the grounds of health and safety.

Should any delegate or guest display behaviour or conduct that is not deemed appropriate or respectful during or after the event then they may be asked to leave for the benefit of the other patrons.

Please contact us at graduation@istd.org and a member of the team will get back to you shortly.