Degree Days

A certain number of places are reserved at each ceremony for research graduates. Those doing research degrees will automatically be emailed by the University when they have received leave to supplicate and invited to book on a ceremony through Student Self Service. We would encourage you to do this as soon as possible before your access to Single Sign On expires.

Please request a booking form from degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk to be able to attend a ceremony. Please note that you may need to join a waiting list for a ceremony if there are no spaces available. 

If you would like to Graduate in Absentia, then this can be done at the next available ceremony, whether Somerville College is presenting or not. If you would like to do this, please remember that you cannot attend again at a future ceremony for the same degree.

We will post your certificate to you on or after the ceremony date. We use international tracked and signed delivery and you will be given a tracking number.

If you would like to graduate in absentia then please contact degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk

• Certain ceremonies are only open to particular groups of students because of the timing of exam board meetings. You will only be offered a ceremony that is being held after your final results are due.
• As the Sheldonian only has limited space, the University does not offer all Colleges the same graduation dates. Your friends on the same course at a different College may be offered different dates.
• After 31 January 2025, it will not be possible for finalists to book themselves on a ceremony through Student Self Service. You can complete the booking form above to be added to a ceremony, if available.
• If your chosen ceremony is full then please email degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk to request to be added to a waiting list.

You can cancel your place up to 60 days before the ceremony. Please email degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk to request a cancellation

After the 60 day deadline, you will be “locked in” to this ceremony you will be required to graduate in absence and will not be able to attend a future ceremony for the degree you are having conferred.

If you need to cancel closer the ceremony and have good reason, such as an illness suffered by yourself or a guest, you must provide proof in order for your booking to be transferred to a later day. Lack of evidence or cancelling last minute with no explanation means you will have your degree conferred in absentia and your degree certificate posted to you. You will not be able to attend another ceremony for this degree.  

The Essentials

At Somerville, graduands are responsible for renting or buying their gown and hood. We recommend that you check the University website for guidance on the type of gown you need. You can hire gowns from local Oxford academic outfitters such as: 

https://www.shepherdandwoodward.co.uk/

https://www.walters-oxford.co.uk/

https://www2.edeandravenscroft.com/academic

You can also borrow or buy secondhand gowns and mortarboards online or from friends and family providing this is the correct gown for your degree and it is the correct length on you. 

Failure to wear the correct dress means you could be turned away from your graduation. 

Underneath their gowns, graduands must wear the following sub fusc:

• either a dark, preferably black suit or a dark, preferably black skirt or dark, preferably black trousers.
• Black socks or tights, legs covered and no ankles showing! 
• A dark or black coat if required
• black shoes with no coloured laces or soles
• plain white collared shirt or blouse – you need a collar to attach your bowtie to and buttons to attach your hood to
• white bow tie, black bow tie, black full-length tie, or black ribbon 
• DPhil students will need to wear an advanced student gown to the Sheldonian and will change into their DPhil gown half way through the ceremony
• Try to avoid bringing a large bag but you can bring a small one and some water. You will be carrying your hood to the Sheldonian as you don’t wear it until halfway through the ceremony. Our student helpers will sit with your belongings at the Divinity School. 

Handy Hints! 

• Basically for sub fusc, think black and white only and you can buy these clothes from anywhere you like.
• Sub fusc is not gender specific, as long as you stick to the rules listed above, wear what you feel your best in.
• Remember to check the weather, there is no reason that you cannot wear the correct but cool clothing in the summer or layer up (as long as it’s hidden) in the winter.
• There is a lot of walking and standing around so wear comfier shoes.
• Don’t get your phone out to take photos in the ceremony! You will be told to put it away by the Bedels.  

• The University Website details all you need to know about bringing guests to the ceremony at the Sheldonian under the FAQs tab. As the graduand, you do not need your own ticket. 
• Each graduand is automatically allocated two guest tickets to the ceremony. All persons over the age of 2 years old will need a ticket. 
• Tickets are given to us by the Degree Conferrals Office and reflect the capacity of the Sheldonian Theatre. Somerville cannot get more tickets than we are given for each ceremony unless there have been cancellations. See the link above
• If you would like go on a waiting list for an extra ticket, please email degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk
• Please note that there is no guarantee that you will get an extra ticket, as these depend on cancellations by other students and their guests. You may not find out if you have been successful in getting an extra ticket until you come in to register on the day of your graduation. 
• We cannot store any luggage at College. Guests cannot remain on site whilst you are at your graduation. We will unfortunately ask guests to leave if they are unaccompanied 

Degree certificates are printed by the University, not Somerville. They are automatically issued following graduation whether you have received your degree in person or in absence. You cannot have your Degree Certificate before you have graduated, whether you are attending or not. 

You can collect your Degree Certificate from the Alumni team at Somerville College after the Ceremony. Any uncollected certificates are posted on the next working day. 

If you have not yet graduated, but need proof that you have completed your degree, you can order a degree confirmation letter from the Degree Conferrals Office. If you have lost your original degree certificate, you can order a replacement from the same office.

The status of Master of Arts is a mark of seniority within the University which may be conferred 21 terms after matriculation. This is not an automatic process and to obtain your MA you must apply to graduate at a degree ceremony either in person or in absentia.

• From January 2024, the charge for MA Conferral is £100
• Only one degree can be conferred in person at a ceremony. Normally, the higher degree is conferred in person and the lower degree is conferred in absence.
• If you would like to receive your MA in person, please complete the Somerville Degree Ceremony Booking Form. Please note that students receiving their first degree have priority for places so it will not normally be possible to confirm in person bookings until three months before the ceremony. If you would like to receive your MA in absence, please complete the Somerville Degree Ceremony Booking Form and you will be added to the next available ceremony. 

We would love you to come back after the Ceremony to celebrate at our College Reception. Ticket prices are as follows. Remember you need to add a free ticket for yourself to the shopping basket as well as those for paying guests.

Graduate ticket – Free

Adults and young people over 13 – £18

Children under 13 – Free

Post Graduate Students are also welcome to bring along their College supervisor who is also free of charge. 

Not including your own ticket you can purchase up to 6 tickets for the reception

Our professional photography team from Gilman and Soame will be available at the same time as the reception for your graduation photograph.

Information about the College Reception and photography will be sent you to in the lead up to your Degree Day.