Your Matriculation – Saturday 18 October 2025

All new students should attend Matriculation, unless they fit the criteria in the following section.

If you do not attend this Matriculation you will need to attend another smaller Matriculation later on in the academic year. This will be the Matriculation ceremony only, the photographers only attend the first Matriculation. 

You must attend this matriculation ceremony unless:

• You have previously matriculated at Oxford – If you have previously matriculated at Oxford, you do not need to attend the ceremony. You can however, be in the first year photograph if you wish.
• You are about to start one of the following courses: MSc Sleep Medicine or MSc Global Healthcare Leadership
• You hold a degree from the University of Cambridge or Trinity College Dublin – If you hold a degree from the University of Cambridge or from Trinity College Dublin, you may be able to incorporate your degree instead of matriculating at Oxford. This means your Undergraduate degree from Cambridge for example will be renamed as an Oxford Degree. There is a fee of £140 to incorporate your degree. If you would like to do this please email Clare at academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk
• There is a good reason why you cannot attend on this date  – If you need to matriculate but there is a good reason why you cannot attend this particular ceremony, email Clare immediately at academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk

Student gowns: Commoners gown (left), Scholars gown (middle), Advanced student gown (right)

Undergraduates should wear the Commoners gown, shown above:

• The Commoners Gown is worn by students taking undergraduate or undergraduate master’s degrees: BA, MPhys etc

• The is a black gown of cotton or synthetic material with a turned over collar. It has no sleeves but has a streamer on each side with square pleating hanging to the full length of the gown, which falls to the hip. Commoners gowns come in different lengths to suit different heights, please make sure your gown is the right length on you. Please be aware that the longer sizes for taller students can be in high demand. 

• Any Undergraduate who is taking undergraduate or undergraduate master’s degrees and is the recipient of a scholarship can wear the Scholars Gown. Please contact academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk if you think this applies to you.

Graduates should wear the Advanced Student Gown (aka the graduate gown), shown above:

• This gown is worn by those taking postgraduate taught, or postgraduate research degrees (e.g. MSc, MPhil, DPhil etc.)

• Black gown of cotton or synthetic material of the same style as the Commoners’ gown, but reaches to the knees of the wearer. Advanced Student Gowns come in different lengths to suit different heights, please make sure your gown is the right length on you. Please be aware that the longer sizes for taller students can be in high demand. 

Mortarboards and Soft Caps

All students need a mortarboard or soft cap. Which you choose is down to your personal preference, either is acceptable. 

Academic Dress during your time at Oxford:

You will need to hire or purchase your gown and mortarboard. At Oxford, students need to wear academic dress and sub fusc to their exams, so it is best to buy these items and use them throughout your time at Somerville. Some Colleges may require academic dress for dinners and events. There are a small number of graduate masters courses that do not have exams and students on these can just hire a gown for this event. Check with your course administrator or tutor if you think this is the case for you. 

Suppliers in Oxford:

As the rules on dress at Matriculation are strict we recommend that where possible you buy or hire a gown from a local Academic outfitter. This is to ensure you get the correct gown at the correct length. The following suppliers will be able to advise you on what to order:

• Shepherd and Woodward
• Ede and Ravenscroft
• Walters of Oxford

Buying your gown online:

There are plenty of second hand Commoners and Advanced Student gowns on ebay. If purchasing from ebay, please ensure you buy the correct gown (not a graduation gown) and the correct length of gown (see the previous section).  Buying online can be unreliable but also save you money, please make sure you purchase well ahead of the Matriculation to ensure your gown is delivered on time. If you spot a gown you like but are unsure of please email Clare at academic.office@some.ox.ac.uk

Sub Fusc is the name of the smart black and white clothes that you wear under your gown. You must follow the rules below or risk being turned away from your Matriculation.

There is no space at the Sheldonian to leave your belongings so please either put personal items in a pocket or a small bag you can tuck out of sight. 

On top:

• an all white button up, long sleeve shirt or blouse with a collar. If it’s cold then you can wear a black jacket or cardigan.
• a black or white bowtie or a black ribbon, this is personal choice, just wear what you think looks the best. 

On the bottom:

• Black trousers or a black skirt
• Black socks or tights (or leggings). You cannot show any skin below the waist, so this means no gaps between trousers ankles! 
• Black shoes, there must be no other colours on the shoes, that goes for laces too! There is a lot of waiting around and a walk to the Sheldonian, so please make sure you have comfortable shoes on. 

No other colours are permitted and no patterns (i.e. pinstripe). The Bedels at the Sheldonian are very strict on this and if you arrive to register at Somerville in incorrect sub fusc (or gown), you will be sent back to change or into town to buy the correct clothing. This could mean you miss out on the group and individual photos, so it is best just to think “all black with a white shirt, all black with a white shirt…”

Even though the rules are strict, there is no set place to buy your sub fusc from, provided it fits into the rules above. You can be creative and stylish within the rules, or just keep it simple. Below is a group of Undergraduates in correct sub fusc as a guide:

Students will be sign posted to Green Hall (under the arch, below the dining hall) to register their attendance and to collect their photography tickets. Tables are organised alphabetically by surname, please go to the correct table for your surname. 

The photography team will show you where to line up for the group photo. They will arrange you in height order. You will need to hand in your identity ticket to the photographers, this is so we can identify each student in the photograph without asking everyone to point themselves out!

If the photograph needs to be moved into the Chapel due to wet weather, we will let you know as soon as we have been informed by the photographers. 

With around 200 students in the group photo, this is a big operation. Please follow all the instructions the photography team give you. If you miss the group photo, you cannot be digitally added afterwards. 

The photographers, Gillman and Soame, will send out a link for you to view and/or purchase the first year group photo or your individual photo shortly after the ceremony. 

You will also be given a ticket for an individual photograph. This is not compulsory and you only pay for your photo/s if you like them and wish to have a copy. The wet weather location has not yet been confirmed but photographs will usually be in front of the Library. 

The photographers, Gillman and Soame, will send out a link for you to view and/or purchase the first year group photo or your individual photo shortly after the ceremony. 

You are welcome to sit in the dining hall or go back to your room at the end of the group photograph if you so wish. However, you must return for 1pm to depart Somerville for the Sheldonian. The Dean of Degrees will arrive and ask you to line up and explain the route you will be taking. There will be members of the Matriculation team there to help guide you and make sure you do not get left behind.

The Matriculation is about 15 minutes long and you will then be a member of the University of Oxford. 

The Somerville catering team will provide drinks (non alcoholic drinks will be available) and nibbles in Flora Anderson Hall. The JCR and MCR will have events planned for the evening too.