Degree ceremony dates

This page lists dates of congregations of the Regent House at which degrees may be conferred (awarded). Each degree can only be conferred (awarded) once at a Congregation of the Regent House, either in person or in absence.

Any degree can be conferred at the ordinary Degree Congregations normally held on Saturdays two or three times each term. The four Congregations at the end of June. called General Admission, are for the BTh, BA, VetMB and BA with MEng or MMath or MSci degrees only.

At General Admission Colleges present their graduands on a specific day.

Colleges do not necessarily present students to graduate in person at every Ordinary Congregation.

Please ask your College for confirmation that they are presenting students on the date you wish to attend before making any arrangements.

Graduating in person

We aim to accommodate as many people and their guests as possible during each Congregation, but there are practical limitations. Degree Congregations take place in our historic Senate-House, where members of the University have graduated since the Eighteenth Century. Accordingly, although we hold repeated ceremonies across each day, each one can only hold so many people. We are also limited to holding Congregations during daylight hours, as the historic Senate-House does not have strong overhead lighting. This places further limits on the amount of people who are able to attend each Congregation. 

  • It is therefore vitally important that you confirm with your College that you have a place booked at a ceremony before making any other arrangements.If there is no space at a particular ceremony, there will be later occasions across the year that you may sign up for.
  • The time listed below is the published start time of the ceremony day. However, this does not mean that the session for your College will be at that time as each one differs. For the specifics for your College you will need to contact your Tutorial Office directly for further information. 
  • If you are unable to attend the ceremony due to an unforeseen circumstance, and have not confirmed with your College that you want to proceed in absence instead, then you will be withdrawn and you will not have your degree conferred. You will then be able to choose to attend another ceremony. 

Graduating in absence

  • If you are unable to attend a graduation ceremony in person but need your degree conferred for further study or employment reasons you may sign up to have your degree conferred in absence. Your certificate will then be posted to you by your College.
  • If you have had your degree conferred in absence you may not attend an in person ceremony for the same degree.
  • The only exception to this is if you had your degree conferred in absence between 27th March 2020 and 2nd April 2022. If this applies to you, you can proceed through a ceremony again as a celebratory graduand. Please speak to your College directly for further information. 
  • Guests were welcomed back to our Degree Ceremonies from 29 April 2022. 

Academic Year 2026/27 Ceremonies 

Michaelmas Term 2026

  • Friday 23 October, 10am
  • Saturday 24 October, 10am
  • Saturday 28 November, 10am

Lent Term 2027

  • Friday 29 January, 2pm, for in absence graduations only
  • Saturday 27 February, 10am
  • Saturday 3 April, 10am
  • Saturday 10 April, 10am

Easter Term 2027

  • Saturday 1 May, 10am
  • Friday 21 May, 10am 
  • Saturday 22 May, 10am

General Admission 2027

BTh, BA, VetMB and BA with MEng or MMath or MSci degrees only.

  • Wednesday 30 June, 10am
  • Thursday 1 July, 10am
  • Friday 2 July, 10am
  • Saturday 3 July, 10am

Long Vacation 2027

  • Thursday 22 July, 10am
  • Friday 23 July, 10am
  • Saturday 24 July, 10am

Dates of Congregations are also listed in the Reporter.