2025 Graduation Day - 24/05/2025

In preparation for Graduation Day on 24 May 2025, we thought it might be useful to include some frequently asked questions (FAQs), which we will update continually.

Our aim is to provide you with enough information about both the afternoon Graduation Ceremony and the evening Graduation Gala party, so you can start planning your graduation day celebration with your family and friends.

If your question isn't here? No problem, please just contact us directly and we'll get back to you as soon as possible.

1.General Questions

1.1 Are there two graduation events on Saturday 24 May 2025?

Yes, there are two separate events on Saturday 24 May 2025.

Event 1: The Official Graduation Ceremony kicks off at 14:00 at the SwissTech Convention Center, is free of charge and is organised by ISL. This event will finish at approx 18:00 after a short celebratory toast..

Event 2: To continue the celebration, Y13 parent volunteers on the Graduation Committee have organised a Graduation Gala Party at the Hotel Royal Savoy from approx 19:00 until midnight approx.

Note timings may change but an official email will be sent to all parents closer to the date with a detailed programme.

2. Official Graduation Ceremony at SwissTech

2.1 For the Official Graduation Ceremony in the afternoon, how many people can I invite?

All 96 DP students, 54 DP teachers and staff, parents, family and friends are invited to attend the official Graduation ceremony at the SwissTech Convention Center on Saturday 24 May 2025 from 14:00 - 18:00 approx. This is a free event, sponsored and organised by ISL.

Most families invite between 1-12 guests, but more may be able to be arranged upon request. An email will be sent out from school in April 2025 asking for reservations and seats will be allocated by a lottery drawing.

3. Graduation Gala Party at Hotel Royal Savoy

3.1 What should I expect at the Gala Party on 24.5.2025?

This night is all about celebrating with great food and drinks, mingling with friends, family and some DP teachers, and making memories. It’s a party for graduating students, not a sit-down formal dinner! We’ll have numerous standing tables and a limited number of larger round tables and chairs available for anyone needing a quick break, but we hope you won’t linger in your seats for too long! The ever-popular DJ Kudos will be on hand to open the dance floor later in the evening—so get ready to party and enjoy the dynamic energy of the evening.

3.2 Can I still purchase tickets for the Graduation Gala Party?

We are sold out! Please email us with your guest name and we will add you to our Waiting List (kindly include date of birth and year group if guest is under 16).

We will do our best to accommodate everyone’s wishes, but given the limited number of places available at the Royal Savoy and the high demand for tickets, priority will be for immediate family members and older siblings. We recommend children under the age of 12 years do not attend. (It will have been a long day already with the Official Ceremony starting around 14:00, and will no doubt be a long night!)

To ensure a fair distribution of tickets for all graduating families and respect the venue’s 400-guest capacity, a ticketing round system was used for the Graduation Gala Party.

Round 1 ticketing closed on Tuesday 11 February 2025 and was a great success with 92 students attending. The majority of families purchased the four tickets that were reserved for each graduating student and their immediate family - the graduating student, parents/guardians, siblings of High School (Y10, Y11, Y12) age or above or other adult guests.
Round 2 ticketing closed on Sunday 2 March 2025, We may need to prioritise tickets by descending year group due to high demand in Round 1, and the hotel's 400-guest capacity limit.
A final distribution of tickets took place mid-March to the small remaining group of families who had requested additional tickets.

3.3 How much does a ticket cost for the Graduation Gala Party, and what will it include?

The ticket price for adults aged 16 and over is 180 CHF.

Thanks to the generous support of the PTA, tickets for graduating students will be 140 CHF.

Tickets for children aged 15 or under cost 140CHF.

Each ticket includes:

A welcome drink and snacks
A delicious hot and cold buffet served with wine, beer or soft drinks, followed by desserts. After the buffet service ends, drinks will be available for purchase at the ballroom bar.
Photo booth & photographer, floral arrangments and decorations
DJ, lighting and entertainment
Access to outdoor and indoor spaces, including the garden (weather permitting) and elegant ballroom
The cost of inviting our wonderful DP teaching staff to join in the celebration!

3.4 Can I get a ticket refund?

All tickets can be refunded up until Monday 31 March 2025. After that date, as the hotel and our external suppliers will have been paid, we will no longer be able to refund tickets. However, we will do our best to facilitate the transfer of tickets to another family on our waiting list and any financial exchange will be between the families concerned.

3.5 Why are you prioritising older adult/teen siblings and immediate adult family members?

Based on the best estimates provided by parents in Nov 2024, we were concerned that, without age restrictions or limitations, we could oversell the hotel’s 400-guest capacity and leave some families without tickets. To ensure an equitable distribution across as many families as possible, during Round 1, we reserved 4 tickets for each graduating student, prioritising their immediate family - parents/guardians, older siblings/adults and their younger teen siblings of High School age (Y10, Y11, Y12).

We have had a small number of requests from families requesting tickets for primary school children. Given space is limited to 400 at the Hotel Savoy and it is a late evening event, we are prioritising older adult/teen siblings in Year 10+ and immediate adult family members. All young children are welcome to attend the Official Graduation Ceremony on the Saturday afternoon at SwissTech, which has a seating capacity of 700. The family photos will also take place there.

There is a waiting list for those families looking for additional tickets. We may need to continue to prioritise by descending year group.

3.6 Are there special hotel room discounts for Graduation Gala Party guests staying at the Royal Savoy hotel?

Yes there is a special discount on the hotel room for guests attending the Graduation Gala party. With this rate, rooms can be cancelled at least 24 hours prior to the scheduled arrival date, and before 18:00, in order to avoid penalty fees.

3.7 Why was the Hotel Royal Savoy in Lausanne chosen for the Graduation Gala Party?

After reviewing more than 35 venues across Vaud for availability in May 2025 and the capacity to accommodate over 350 guests, the Graduation Committee selected the Royal Savoy, a stunning 5-star Belle Époque hotel, for its unique blend of elegance and functionality.

The venue offers an ideal combination of a picturesque outdoor garden reception (weather permitting) and an elegant indoor buffet-style dinner for up to 400 people. Its central location in Lausanne provides excellent access to public transport and is conveniently close to the SwissTech Convention Center.

With 196 luxurious hotel rooms, as well as a spa and wellness center, the Royal Savoy is also well-suited for out-of-town guests who may wish to stay overnight.

Furthermore, the venue aligns with the combined preferences expressed by many families in the April 2024 parent/student survey, which highlighted a strong interest in a “garden party” or a "4- or 5-star hotel".

Please note that times and programme details may change but will be confirmed in final communications sent to families closer to the date.

If you have any pressing questions, take a look at our FAQ section and feel free to contact us.

Page updated

Report abuse