Graduation and Congregations

General Admission – Tutorial Office Manager
All other Congregations – Praelector’s Secretary

Graduation and Congregations

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

What is a Congregation?

Students or alumni 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 St John’s who has fulfilled the appropriate examination and residence requirements may proceed to their degree at Congregation. The College will automatically contact those students who 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. 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 (other than General Admission) you will need to read the Congregations Information which includes academic dress information, and then College's Congregation Application Form.  You will receive a confirmation letter and any required tickets once your application has been received.  If you do not receive such a letter by two weeks prior to the Congregation, please contact the Praelector’s Secretary. 

Please note that applications received after the College's deadline date will not be accepted.

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. Please contact the Praelector’s Secretary [praelector@joh.cam.ac.uk] on 01223 338713 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.  Graduands and two guests are invited to join the Praelector for lunch (except for the MA ceremony, when due to limited space we can only invite graduands and one guest).

Academical Dress

The Praelector is under the necessity of stressing to Graduands the rules for dress for those taking degrees In Person.

Clothes for Men

Clothes for Women

Bands are optional for women.  They may only be worn with a properly collared white shirt.

The rules also exclude conspicuous jewellery and hair-grips.  Exaggerated hair styles or colouring are inappropriate.  Handbags should not be carried.

Please note that the national dress rules have been tightened up considerably.  Now, national dress, uniforms etc. are generally allowed only if the national dress is black, white and grey, and if the national dress is what the graduand would usually wear at other formal University occasions.  Exceptions are made if there are religious requirements.  If you wish to wear national dress it is essential that you contact the Praelector’s Secretary at least 3 weeks before the Congregation, as permission will need to be sought from the Proctor.

Gown and hood

• Graduands already holding a Cambridge Degree:  Gown and hood of the highest Cambridge Degree the Graduand already holds.
• Graduands not already holding a Cambridge Degree:  Graduate Students in this category wear a BA Status gown or (if granted MA Status) an MA Status gown. Undergraduates proceeding to the BA degree wear an undergraduate gown. All Graduands not already holding a Cambridge degree wear the hood of the degree to which they are about to proceed.
• For incorporations and MA under Statute B III 6 (you will be aware if this applies to you):  Gown and hood of the degree to which the Graduand is about to proceed.

'Bands', Gown and Hood can, of course, be hired locally.  The following tailors may be able to hire academical dress to graduands:

• AE Clother, 7 Pembroke Street
• Ede & Ravenscroft, 71-72 Trumpington Street
• Ryder & Amies, 22 King’s Parade

Contact details for the above listed companies can be found on the University website: http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/univ/degrees/dress/ 

The University’s practices for graduation are archaic, eccentric and strictly enforced by its officers.  Anyone with any doubts about the procedures should contact the Praelector’s Secretary to check the details well in advance to avoid embarrassment on the day.

What happens on the day

When the Congregation begins at 10.00am, guests should be in the Senate House by 9.50am, and the Praelector will need to see graduands taking their degrees in person, dressed for the ceremony, at 9.00am, in the Old Music Room.

When the Congregation begins at 11.00am, guests should be in the Senate House by 10.50am, and the Praelector will need to see graduands taking their degrees in person, dressed for the ceremony, at 10.00am, in the Old Music Room. 

When the congregation begins at 2.00pm, graduands should call on the Praelector, dressed for the ceremony, in the Old Music Room, at 11.45am and guests should be in their seats in the Senate House by 1.50pm.

All Graduands are invited to lunch with the Fellows at 12.30pm. Sherry will be served from 12.15pm in the Green Room (which adjoins the Lobby at the upper end of the Hall; entrance is from B Staircase in Second Court).  It is only possible for two guests per graduand to attend the Lunch; it is unfortunately not possible to include more than two without changing its character as the normal lunch for Fellows.

Please note that the May Congregation is a much larger event as this is when most newly eligible alumni return to receive their MA degrees. The day is organised differently and any non-MA graduands wishing to attend this Congregation should contact the Praelector’s Secretary 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.

Car parking is available in Cripps for all congregations (except MA Ceremony), space permitting.

Degree Certificates and Transcripts

Original certificates for degrees are issued without charge to all those proceeding to degrees. A fee of £15 is charged for each copy of a degree certificate. The University offers an alternative design certificate bearing the arms of the University printed in colour. This is available to order at a charge of £40. Order forms are issued at graduation along with original certificates. For further details, contact the University Student Records office.

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 the College, so please ensure that your contact details are kept up-to-date.

Saturday Congregations 2011-2012

*Those wishing to take the MA in 2012 are particularly encouraged where possible to do so at this congregation; candidates will not normally be presented for other degrees on this occasion.

*With regard the October 1^st ceremony there is a restriction on degrees that may be conferred.  The only degrees that can be conferred on this occasion are any Masters degree of the University, any doctoral degree of the University, or the degree of Bachelor of Divinity of the University.  Please also note that degrees can only be conferred in absentia at this ceremony and graduands will not be able to return at a later date and proceed in person.