Degree ceremonies

Booking my ceremony

Can I book a place at a ceremony if I have not completed my degree?

Taught students in their final year of studies will receive an invitation to book a ceremony. Students on taught courses, who are not in their final year, will not be able to book a place until the start of their final year.

Research students will not be able to book a ceremony until they have been granted leave to supplicate.

What if I cannot attend a degree ceremony on the dates I have been offered?

You may choose either to graduate in absence or to decline and contact your college for the next suitable date. If you select decline, it is unlikely that you will be able to graduate for at least a calendar year, because the degree ceremonies run on a cyclical basis and are allocated to capacity.

Am I able to attend a ceremony with my friends?

Once you have received your email invitation to book your ceremony, you may wish to discuss with your friends about selecting the same graduation date if available. The University cannot arrange for groups to attend together due to space limitations and the dates your college is presenting.

Will I be able to amend the details of my booking?

If you booked through Student Self Service (rather than your college), you will be able to amend your details, excluding the ceremony date, up until 60 days before your chosen ceremony (30 days for research and some modular course students). After that date you should contact your college.

If you need to amend the ceremony date please contact your college. 

Why am I being asked to provide information on the ‘Additional Nominated Contact’ when booking my ceremony?

Your college may use the additional contact details when sending information about college graduation events.

Can more than one degree be conferred at the same ceremony?

Yes, but only the most senior of your degrees will be conferred in person; the remainder will be conferred in absentia. You may also have multiple degrees conferred in absence at the same ceremony. If you are unsure which of your degrees is more senior, please contact your college who will be able to advise.

If you have been invited to a ceremony for your most recently awarded degree, but have previous Oxford degrees which have not been conferred; you may attend to confer your most senior degree and confer your other degree(s) in absence at the same time.

If you would like to attend a ceremony in person for each of your degrees, you must decline the invitation for your most recent degree and contact your college.

How do I request the non-Christian formula?

During a degree ceremony the awards MA, DD, DCL, DM, and MCh are admitted, by default, with the University's traditional Christian formula. If you wish to be admitted with the non-Christian formula, this has to be made clear when booking your degree ceremony.

Am I eligible for the Master of Arts?

The status of Master of Arts is a mark of seniority within the University which may be conferred twenty-one terms after matriculation. This is not an automatic process and to obtain your MA you must apply through your college to graduate at a degree ceremony (either in person or in absentia).

You must have had your BA or BFA conferred in order to take your MA. They can be conferred at the same ceremony provided that sufficient time has elapsed since you matriculated. You are not eligible to take an MA if your undergraduate degree is an Oxford integrated Master’s degree (MBiochem, MChem, MEng, MMath etc).

The Oxford MA allows you to reach a new status within the University and is not an upgrade of your BA or an additional qualification, it therefore has no subject or class. The University does not issue ECTS statements as proof of your MA. Please use your degree certificate as evidence of this award.

If you have conferred the Oxford MA you should list this instead of, not in addition to, your BA/BFA when listing your postnominals: E.g. Name, MA Oxf. 

There is an administrative fee of £105 for the MA conferral and certificate, paid through the University Store. A link will be sent by your college at the point of booking. 

Before the ceremony

How many guest tickets can I have, and is there a dress code for guests?

Graduands are entitled to two guest tickets. There is no formal dress code, however most guests dress for a formal occasion. Check with your college about any special considerations for your college graduation event.

IMPORTANT: Guests will not be allowed to enter the Sheldonian Theatre without a guest ticket. If you bring additional guests, or if your guests lose their tickets, they will be denied entry. 

What do I do if my guests or I have special requirements for seating at the Sheldonian?

Please indicate at the time of your booking if you have special requirements (for example due to a disability), and inform your college of your guests’ accessibility requirements, so that the event organisers can plan where to accommodate you most comfortably and conveniently.

The Sheldonian Theatre is a Grade I listed building. Please note that there are no lift facilities and the majority of seats are benches, some without back rests. Guests should be made aware that they may have to climb several flights of stairs to be seated.

Do I need to pay anything for graduation?

You will only pay a fee if you are having your MA conferred, which will cost £100. Please contact your college to enquire about how to pay the MA fee and if they require a payment for gowns, lunch etc. 

Failure to pay the MA fee before 30 days before your ceremony will result in your place in the ceremony being cancelled.

Is there anything that can prevent me from graduating?

The conferral of your degree is conditional on the passing of all required examinations. If you have any debts or dues outstanding to the University you may not be permitted to graduate.

If you are a research student, you must also submit an electronic copy of your thesis at least five working days before the degree ceremony. Candidates who fail to submit thesis copies prior to their ceremony date will forfeit their opportunity to graduate in person at a later ceremony. 

I need to submit my thesis. What should I do?

To graduate at a degree ceremony (even in absentia) DPhil, DClinPsych, MLitt, and MSc (Res) students will need to submit an electronic copy of their thesis to the Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) a minimum of five working days prior to their graduation date. If you matriculated prior to 1 October 2007, and have not yet submitted a copy of your thesis, you must submit a hard copy if an electronic copy is unavailable. 

If access to a student’s thesis needs to be restricted, please email [email protected].

How do I obtain my degree certificate and can I have my certificate before the graduation ceremony?

Your degree must be conferred at a graduation ceremony before a degree certificate can be issued. If you need proof of your degree before the ceremony, please register on our eDocuments service to access your degree confirmation letter.

Once you have your degree conferred at a degree ceremony either in person or in absentia, you will automatically receive a degree certificate. If you have already had your degree conferred, but did not receive a certificate following the ceremony, or your certificate has been lost, destroyed, damaged or stolen, visit the degree certificates page.

For all ceremonies, if you have not received your degree certificate within three months of the date of your ceremony  and you fail to notify us of this within that period, you will be charged for a replacement certificate. Replacement certificates can be ordered through our online shop.

The ceremony day for students

Where can I find the itinerary for my ceremony?

Your college will be in touch in the weeks leading up to your ceremony day to confirm your itinerary. They may also provide information such as how to register your attendance at the ceremony, obtain your guest tickets, gowning information, and details for any college events that are taking place before or after your ceremony. If you have any queries, please get in touch with your college. 

What should I wear to my degree ceremony?

Full academic dress must be worn at degree ceremonies, including a mortar board or soft-cap, and your preferred sub fusc. Members of the University serving in H.M. Forces are permitted to wear dress uniform together with a gown. The uniform cap must be removed when in the Sheldonian Theatre. Ministers of religion may wear clerical dress, with a gown over, when attending ceremonies.

If you wear a headdress/scarf for religious reasons, a black scarf should be worn.

Those having a DPhil or Higher Doctorate conferred should wear the gown of their existing University of Oxford status (and the hood if there is one) during the first part of the ceremony. You will change into the gown (and hood if applicable) of your new degree at the appropriate time during the ceremony.

Students having a graduate masters degree conferred, and students having the degree of BA, BFA, BTh, Undergraduate Masters (e.g. MBiochem, MChem, MMath etc.) conferred, should consult their college as to whether they should enter the ceremony wearing the gown of their current status, or the status which will be conferred. In all cases, the gown and hood of the status to be conferred will be required as a minimum.

Your college will advise you as to which gown(s) and hood(s) you will need.

You will be refused admission to the degree ceremony if you are not properly dressed. 

Will my name appear in the degree day brochure?

If you are having your degree conferred in person, your name will be printed in the brochure, providing you have given permission for this to happen when you book onto a ceremony. If you haven’t told us you would like your name printed, or are receiving your degree in absentia, your name will not be included. If you are attending in person and would like to update your preference (up until 30 days before the ceremony), you may do so by contacting your college office. It is not possible to make any changes within 30 days of the ceremony.

I’m conferring my degree in absentia; will my name still be read out during the ceremony?

Only the names of those having their degrees conferred in person will have their names called out during the ceremony.

The ceremony day for guests

When should guests arrive and how will guests be seated?

Only guests with a ceremony ticket will be allowed to enter the theatre. If you bring additional guests, or if guests lose their tickets, they will be denied entry.

Guests should arrive at the Sheldonian Theatre 45 minutes before the ceremony start time. Seating is on a first come, first seated basis so please arrive with your whole party should you wish to sit together.

What Health and Safety requirements do I need to be aware of at the Sheldonian Theatre during Degree Ceremonies?

After the ceremony

When can I use the title ‘Dr’ after completing my DPhil?

The title of doctor should only be used once the DPhil degree has been conferred at a degree ceremony, whether this is attended or the degree conferred in absence. Students who have completed their viva or submitted corrections should not use the title until such time as the DPhil degree has been conferred, at which point it is officially recognised by the University. 

You may of course opt not to use the title of doctor and instead include ‘DPhil’ after your name, again once the degree has been conferred, although you should not use both the title of Dr and DPhil following the name at the same time. 

How can I stay in touch with the University?