Graduation: conferment of degrees

Forthcoming dates. 

Graduation and Congregations

• What is a Congregation?
• Who is eligible to graduate?
• How to register for a Congregation
• Guests
• What happens on the day
• Degree Certificates

What is a Congregation?

Students or alumnae who are eligible to receive their degrees may do so at Congregations of the Regent House held on Saturdays at regular intervals throughout the year. The College Praelector is responsible for presenting students at Congregations when they receive their degrees.

The Congregation ceremony is one of the oldest traditions in the University. The conferment of each Degree is still an act of the whole University, approved by "Grace of the Regent House", that is by a resolution of the governing body. Graduands are presented one by one to the Vice-Chancellor of the University or a deputy, in the presence of the Proctors who are the elected representatives of the Regent House. Although Congregations are held throughout the year, the June Congregations are set aside for what is called General Admission to Degrees, at which most undergraduates proceed to their first Degrees at the end of their final term.

Who is eligible to graduate?

Any member of Murray Edwards who has fulfilled the appropriate examination and residence requirements may proceed to their degree at Congregation. The College will automatically contact those students whom it expects to present for their 'first' degrees at General Admission early in the Easter Term. Students will need to confirm explicitly their intention to graduate before names are submitted to the University Registry. The Board of Graduate Studies informs graduate students when they have been approved for their degrees and asks them to contact the College to make the necessary arrangements to have their degrees conferred at Congregation.

The College will not put forward anyone for graduation who has not settled their College and University bills.

How to register for a Congregation

If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at any Congregation you will need to complete the College's Graduation form. This may be completed online, but your application will only be processed once details have been checked with the University Registry and a cheque has been received for any payments due. (Graduands are not charged for lunch but there is a charge for each guest.)

Each Congregation generally follows the same pattern although the precise timing of events depends on the actual numbers of graduands to be presented by each College and is not available until one week before the Congregation. Final times will be published on this webpage as soon as they become available along with other Details for the Next Congregation. Please contact the Graduate Administrator [graduates@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk] on 01223 763165 if you have any queries.

Guests

Each graduand is allowed up to a maximum of three guest tickets for the ceremony at the Senate House. These will normally be available for collection from the Porters' Lodge on the day itself. Graduands and their guests are invited to join the Praelector for lunch before the Congregation (there is a charge per guest; there is no charge for graduands). Please confirm the charge with the Graduate Administrator.

What happens on the day

On the day of the Congregation graduands and their guests are invited to meet in the Fellows' Drawing Room for drinks at about 12.45 pm. Graduands should arrived fully robed. Lunch follows in the Fellows' Dining Room for those who have indicated that they wish to attend. After lunch there is time for a short rehearsal before the Praelector accompanies the graduands to the Senate House. Any graduands not attending lunch will be expected to arrive at Murray Edwards in time for the rehearsal.

Please note that the March Congregation is a much larger event as this is when most newly eligible alumnae return to receive their MA degrees. The day is organised differently and any non-MA graduands wishing to attend this Congregation should contact the Tutorial Office for further information before completing their form.

Graduands are presented College by College in order of the date of foundation of the College and in sessions of several Colleges at a time. As the precise timing of each Congregation may vary you should check the Details of the Next Congregation, or contact the Graduate Administrator (graduates@murrayedwards.cam.ac.uk) on 01223 763165 one week before the Congregation when final times will be available.

Guests may need to leave Murray Edwards ahead of the graduands.

Degree Certificates and Transcripts

Original certificates for degrees are issued without charge to all those proceeding to degrees. The University offers an alternative design certificate bearing the arms of the University printed in colour. Order forms are issued at graduation along with original certificates. Any extra copies must be ordered from the University's Student Recordsoffice.

All graduands receive a formal University transcript free of charge after graduation. This will list the papers per Tripos that were sat, the class mark awarded for that Tripos exam, individual marks by paper, rank and subject content where available. They will be sent out via Colleges, so please ensure that contact details are kept up-to-date on your CamSIS self-service or via email to the Tutorial Office. Again, extra copies of transcripts must be ordered from the University's Student Records Office.