As an online student, graduation really is a day to remember. Not only is your hard work and dedication finally celebrated, but you’ll also have the opportunity to meet your peers and tutors in person.
This year was the first time we held two on-campus graduation ceremonies, which took place on Thursday 16 and Friday 17 July. From 1200 graduates, 418 attended the ceremonies from all around the world.
Students collecting their caps and gowns before heading to a formal ceremony in the Ivor Crewe Lecture Theatre. They then made their way to the reception where refreshments were enjoyed, awards were announced and more moments were shared with their friends and family.
Award winners
Congratulations to all our Summer 2026 Academic Achievement Award winners:
- Top Undergraduate Business Graduate Summer 2026 – Abigail Kemp
- Top Postgraduate Business Graduate Summer 2026 – Thi Thao Linh Dinh
- Top Undergraduate Law Graduate Summer 2026 – Mark Allen Fleming
- Top Postgraduate Law Graduate Summer 2026 – Matthew Philip Ashworth
- Top Postgraduate Criminology Graduate Summer 2026 – Elisha Zyerveld
- Top Undergraduate Health Graduate Summer 2026 – Hannah Sophie Erdmann
- Top Postgraduate Health Graduate Summer 2026 – Andrea Jessen
- Top Undergraduate Psychology Graduate Summer 2026 – Lidia Don Manuvelge
- Top Postgraduate Psychology Graduate Summer 2026 – Gihan El-Hage
- Top Postgraduate Education Graduate Summer 2026 – Ingrid Jonker
- Top Postgraduate Computing Graduate Summer 2026 – Maria Ingold
Online graduation celebration
We want all graduates to have the chance to celebrate. That’s why our Online Graduation Celebration, held on Friday 14 August, was dedicated to those who couldn’t attend in person. All eligible graduates were invited to join us for this one-hour celebration where we shared a selection of videos from students and staff and announced our Alan Jenkins Memorial Award and Academic Achievement Award winners. And it all ended up with the famous hat toss, where graduates from across the globe tossed their hats into the air to mark their achievements!
Graduation highlights
Thinking about joining Essex Online?
When you study with us, you’ll:
- receive your online professional course certificate from the University of Essex, ranked #12 in the Guardian University Guide 2026
- join a global community, with students from over 140 countries worldwide
- receive stellar support; in fact, 92% of students were positive about the University’s academic support (NSS 2026).
If you want to learn more about our subject areas, download a prospectus today!