BLSA Rites of Passage 2026…

Every Medical and Dental graduate is invited to Rites of Passage, held at St Paul’s Cathedral. 

This is the official Barts and The London Students’ Association farewell for these students, and where students read out the Declaration of Geneva (a modern-day Hippocratic Oath), celebrating both their academic and extracurricular achievements from their 4, 5, 6 or even 7 years at Medical and Dental School. 

As well as medical and dental graduates, loved ones, academic staff, Deans and educators are invited to attend.

 

This page will serve as a FAQ for the Rites of Passage Ceremony. All information on your QMUL Graduation can be found here (http s://www.qmul.ac.uk/graduation/).  

 

Event Timings

• Rites of Passage is on Monday 20th July 2026. It is the same day as your QMUL graduation, at Mile End.

• Graduands enter via the South Doors at 6:00pm.

• Guests enter via the West Doors at 6:15pm.

• VIPs and those with access requirements enter via the North Doors at 6:15pm.

• The ceremony begins at 6:45pm prompt.

• The ceremony ends at 10:00pm. 

 

Ticket Sales

• Every graduand is reserved 1x student ticket.

• Round 1 tickets will be open from 11th May 6pm to 1st June 12pm and are for graduating Dental and Medical students only. 

• If you want to attend Rite of Passage you MUST buy your ticket within this time period.

FAQs

Ticket

• This ticket is for the Rites of Passage Graduation at St. Pauls Cathedral only.

• Reselling tickets above face value is not allowed. Students who sell their tickets for profit will have all guest tickets under their name voided.

• Ticket and wristband collection will be near gown collection at the Mile End on Monday 20th July (the day of Rites of Passage).

• You and your guests MUST show a WRISTBAND to enter St Paul’s Cathedral.

• Guest tickets are transferable as we do not ask for your guests name, so you can change who you are bringing up until the day of Rites of Passage. 

Student tickets are not, and will have your name printed on them. 

• Selling tickets for above face value will not be tolerated, and we reserve the right to cancel all of your tickets in the event that this occurs.printed on them.

• To reassign tickets, you can do one of the following things:

1. Email vps@bartslondon.com stating your name, the name of the graduand, how many tickets you would like to give away, to who, and any accessibility requirements of the new guests.

2. Email vps@bartslondon.com stating a refund.

• When buying guest tickets, we will ask you for guest information.

Please specify in this section if you require any accessibility requirements, and to the best of your ability, what they are so we are able to accommodate (for example, if you require space for a wheelchair, or if your guest requires a walking aid or a quiet space). We reserve the write to ask for evidence such as a GP letter should exceptional accessibility requirements be requested.

If you do not provide this information at time of purchase, or if these requirements change, please email vps@bartslondon.com.

Gowning

• You must wear academic dress with the Barts and The London hood, to be permitted to cross the platform at St Paul’s. These are the same requirements as QMUL Graduation. 

• Booking your gown depends on which ceremonies you attend:

* If you are attending the QM Graduation, as well as Rites of Passage, you will book your gown when you book your QM Graduation tickets. You will collect your gown at Mile End on the day, wear it for your QM Graduation, take it to St Paul’s, wear it during Rites of Passage, and then return it to the St Paul's Cathedral crypts after the Rites of Passage ceremony. 

* If you are ONLY attending Rites of Passage, you will book your gown through a link that will be provided to you shortly. 

This includes students who are travelling from Malta for Rites of Passage. You will collect your gown at Mile End on the day, take it to St Paul’s, wear it during Rites of Passage, and then return it to the St Paul's Cathedral crypts after the Rites of Passage ceremony has concluded. 

* Those who are attending both ceremonies should NOT book their gown twice, please only book your gown through the QM Graduation system. The link is ONLY for those attending Rites of Passage ONLY.

• Gown Collection is from 9:00am till 5:00pm at Mile End for all students, regardless of whether you are attending both QMUL Graduation and Rites of Passage, or just one of these events. 

• Please note that queues may form, especially towards the end of the day, so early arrival and pre-booking is highly recommended.

• Gown returns will be set up at the Crypts under St Paul's Cathedral. 

Stewards will be present to direct you towards the crypts after the ceremony and year photo has been taken. Please take photographs before the ceremony, as you have to return your gowns immediately after it ends.

• Gown company contact details: www.marstonrobing.com, phone: 01264339706   

Award Recognition

As the event organisers, the BLSA only recognises the following awards:

• Student Group Blues and Colours.

• Association Awards (for exceptional contribution to the BLSA).

• Distinctions or Merits awarded by Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, acquired during your years of medical study ONLY.

• Prizes awarded by Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, acquired during your years of medical study ONLY. 

• Your Association Awards, and Blues or Colours badges will be on your seat in the Cathedral, the awards must not be moved around. Please wear your blues and colours pins upon arrival and seating at ROP so these accomplishments are with you as you cross the stage. These pins will not be replaced so don’t lose them.

Photography

• Photography will be provided by Gary Schwartz, who has covered the ceremony for many years. This year individual videos of the stage crossing at rites of passage will be purchasable from Gary directly. All other photographs are free of charge and covered by BLSA. 

• Photography, including your individual pictures with you posing with your scrolls, will be made available shortly after the service on Gary Schwartz's website (https://www.shotbyschwartz.com/blsa-rites-of-passage), and will be available for you to download in high quality resolution for free. 

• The BLSA recommends looking at previous year’s Rites of Passage albums on Gary’s website, as you may wish to save money on graduation photography by looking at the types of photos taken.

• Please note no graduation photos are allowed in the cathedral, and all guests are expected to remain seated.

General Conduct

• No movement of chairs, or use of stacked chairs is permitted.

• Eating, drinking, helium balloons and group photography are not permitted within the Cathedral.

• Do not leave bags unattended.

• Bag searches will occur on entry, please have bags ready for checks.

• There is no baggage checking facility, no luggage or suitcases are permitted.

• Please take all your rubbish with you at the end of the ceremony. 

• You must inform your guests they are NOT to stand during the ceremony as they will obstruct the photographer.

• The cathedral is consecrated ground in the Christian faith. If you or your guests wish to conduct prayer of another faith, they can ask to be escorted to a quiet room provided by St Pauls where they can do so.

• If you or your guest choose to leave the venue it may result in missing your position in the roll call.