ONE-THIRD of university students will not attend their own graduation ceremonies this year, official figures show.
Many graduates are angry at the high fees charged by universities for attending the ceremonies.
A graduation fee of £45 is charged by many institutions which, together with gown hire, can take the bill for the day well in excess of £100.
As a result of the charges, an overall average of 32% of students have stayed away from their graduation ceremonies from Scottish universities in recent years.
Student leaders said it was wrong "hidden" graduation fees were pricing cash-strapped youngsters out of one of the happiest days of their lives.
Queen Margaret University in East Lothian admitted 46% of those graduating failed to attend the ceremony at the Usher Hall in Edinburgh last year.
Edinburgh Napier University also had a high number of students who did not attend their graduation ceremonies, with 41% failing to attend in 2012.
And at Stirling University, 37.5% of students did not go to their graduation.
Even Edinburgh University - a member of the elite Russell Group – admitted 30.4% of graduates were not present at last year's ceremony.
Strathclyde revealed 32% did not attend graduation, while 22.8% of those at Glasgow Caledonian did not turn up. The figure for Glasgow University was 24.3%.
St Andrews University emerged as having the highest attendance rate with 83% of students attending their graduation.
Hiring a gown for the ceremonies is mandatory at all universities, and must be worn by graduates in attendance.
The gowns are supplied by tailors Ede and Ravenscroft and typically hired out for £45.
Donald MacLean, 30, said he had missed his graduation ceremony from Glasgow Caledonia because of the price, in particular the £40 graduation fee.
He said: "I think it's an absolute disgrace. In Britain we already have problems with fees. I just don't understand why you have to pay £40 to say you have the degree."
Katie Tobin, who will graduate from Queen Margaret University next month, said she was only going for the sake of her parents.
The 22-year-old said: "I think it is way too much money. I had to pay the graduation fee which is £45, then for tickets for my family, the gown and there's photos too, so it all adds up. I think I spent something like £120 altogether."
Robin Parker, president of NUS Scotland, said: "It's likely the high costs associated with taking part in graduation are a disincentive.
"Students on the cusp of entering a difficult graduate jobs market will understandably be wary of spending money just as their student support comes to end, and who could blame them?"
An Edinburgh University spokesman confirmed it had dropped graduation fees ahead of last year's ceremony "to help students".
St Andrews also does not charge but said it accepted external costs were a "a significant burden to many families".
A spokeswoman for Queen Margaret University said its high number of non-attendees could be a consequence of having many students from overseas.
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