Are you currently studying with the OU and would like to join fellow #OUstudents to help celebrate each graduation ceremony by applying for the role of Graduation Coordinator at locations throughout the UK and Eire.
As a Graduation Stall Coordinator, you can play a key role in The Open University’s degree ceremonies. These exciting and moving events mark the culmination of many years of hard work for graduates.
Leading a small team of volunteers, you'll be engaging with graduates, their families and guests promoting the work of the Open SU and selling OU branded merchandise to raise funds for our charity, the Open University Students Educational Trust (OUSET). The Trust’s purpose is to provide study related grants to support current OU students in financial hardship where other sources of funding are not available, to help them to continue their studies.
In the lead up to the ceremony, as a Volunteer Graduation Stall Coordinator you'll take part in training, including an online self-learning module and a live MS Teams webinar. We use a dedicated online volunteer communication channel to stay connected and share information leading up to your ceremony, and you will be the main point of contact for both your Open University Ceremony Co-ordinator and the Open SU.
On the day, you'll help set up the shop stall, process payments, ensure that the relevant paperwork is completed, monitoring sales, process manual orders and end of day reconciliation.
As Graduation Stall Coordinator with additional responsibilities on the day, you'll need to be available on the stall, therefore this role does not offer the opportunity to process at the ceremony. If you wish to process at the ceremony for which you're volunteering, please apply for the Graduation Stall Volunteer role.
Be part of the graduation experience and help graduates celebrate their special day!
Volunteer as a OU Graduation Stall Coordinator at a Ceremony near you in 2026:
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Location
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Ceremony Date & Time
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Applications Close (Sunday at 23:59)
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Dublin
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Thu 12 Mar 2026 14:30
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Sun 25 Jan 2026- CLOSED
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London
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Sat 28 Mar 2026 10:45 & 15:00
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Sun 8 Feb 2026
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Poole
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Fri 24 Apr 2026 14:30
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Sun 8 Mar 2026
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Birmingham
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Sat 9 May 2026 11:00 & 15:30
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Sun 22 Mar 2026
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Manchester
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Fri 29 May 2026 10:30 & 15:30
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Sun 12 Apr 2026
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You can apply to volunteer for one or more graduation ceremonies if you meet the criteria (see Eligibility below).
Commitment: We recommend that you area available for one full day per ceremony e.g 9am to 5pm (this depends upon the location and venue). Volunteers should be available before and after ceremonies to help graduates purchase items from the stall.
Training and recognition
Training is mandatory and starts two to four weeks before the date of the ceremony you're volunteering at.
We also expect you to familiarise yourself with important documents including our Health and Safety Policy and our Sustainability Policy.
For the online MS Teams training session, we're offering a choice of morning, afternoon and evening at times we hope will suit you.
Please note - you only have to attend one of the training sessions for your ceremony:
You will then attend a 90-minute MS Teams training session and meet your team (there is a choice of morning, afternoon or evening) a few weeks before the day:
| Location |
Training Dates |
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Dublin and London
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Week commencing 23 Feb 2026-
Tuesday 24th 10 am – 11.30 am
Wednesday 25th 7 pm – 8.30 pm
Thursday 26th 2 pm – 3.30 pm
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Poole and Birmingham
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Week commencing 6th April
Tuesday 7th 10 am to 11.30 am
Wednesday 8th 7pm – 8.30 pm
Thursday 9th 2 pm – 3.30 pm
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Manchester
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Week commencing 4th May
Tuesday 5th 10 am to 11.30 am
Wednesday 6th 7 pm to 8.30 pm
Thursday 7th 2 pm – 3.30 pm |
You will also be asked to complete online self-learning essential reading that takes up to an hour. This includes the core training module for all our volunteers which covers:
- GDPR (keeping personal data secure).
- Safeguarding (keeping young people and vulnerable adults safe).
- PREVENT (our duty to prevent extremist radicalisation).
- Equality Duty (Why it is important and who it protects).
It also includes a training module for both Graduation Stall Coordinators and Graduation Stall Volunteers.
You will be sent a link and sign up to our online volunteer communications channel and app so that venue details can be communicated to you and Graduation Stall Volunteers, and to keep in touch.
Please note: Only trained and onboarded Coordinators and Volunteers are selected for each venue’s Graduation Stall team.
After the ceremony you will be asked for your feedback and to complete your expenses form for travel and subsistence for the day and remind your team to do likewise. You will receive a goody bag by post, and you can also request a digital certificate of volunteering after volunteering.
Eligibility for this volunteer opportunity
To apply we recommend you live within 50 miles from the graduation venue as you can claim up to £70 in travel and £20 for subsistence expenses.
Please note that no overnight accommodation is paid.
You need to be a member of the Open SU.
Members of the Open SU are defined in Section 11 of the Open SU Articles of Association*
Applications are open now
Please note you will need to be logged into oustudents.com or if you don't have a website account, register for a website account to apply for this opportunity.
Applications close as indicated next to each graduation ceremony above.
All volunteers sign an Open SU Volunteer Policy and volunteer within the Open SU Volunteer Agreement.
If you have any queries or require the application form in an alternative format, please contact oustudents-volunteer@open.ac.uk.