Degree Days

• Current finalists will normally receive an email invitation from the University at the end of Michaelmas Term to book on a ceremony the following year. Finalists will have until 31 January 2024 to select a date through Student Self Service. If you have missed this deadline you will need to submit a booking form. 
• Those doing research degrees 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.
• Any alumni member who has not taken their degree in the past and wants to receive it in person should complete the Somerville Degree Ceremony Booking Form (this will be available from 1 February 2024). Please note that current finalists have priority during December and January each year. Any alumni bookings taken during this period will be processed, but will not be confirmed until late February. 
• Please note that the deadline to be added to a ceremony is 30 days prior to the ceremony date, you cannot be added any later than this. 

• Certain ceremonies are only open to particular groups of students because of the timing of exam board meetings. 
• After 31 January 2024, it is not 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. You can cancel this through Student Self Service. It is helpful if you can also email degreedays@some.ox.ac.uk so your place can be offered to someone else.

After this 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.

Graduands must wear the following:

• your preferred sub fusc
  • either dark suit with dark socks, or dark skirt with black tights or stockings, or dark trousers with dark socks
  • dark coat if required
  • black shoes
  • plain white collared shirt or blouse
  • white bow tie, black bow tie, black full-length tie, or black ribbon
• the appropriate academic dress including a mortar board or soft cap and hood

You will be sent more information about academic dress before your ceremony.

Degree certificates are provided by the University rather than Somerville. They are automatically issued following graduation whether you have received your degree in person or in absence. You must have graduated at a degree ceremony either in person or in absence in order to obtain a degree certificate.

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. 

• Each graduand is automatically allocated two guest tickets to the ceremony.
• 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. 
• It is possible that spare tickets beyond this allocation might become available, but this can’t be confirmed until just before the ceremony. Any spare tickets will be limited to one per graduand.

We would love you to come back after the Ceremony to celebrate at our College Reception. Your own ticket as a graduand will be free of charge and you can also bring up to 3 paid guests. You are also welcome to bring along your college supervisor who is also free of charge. 

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.