Graduation Information

Students in the final year of their degree (or who have received Leave to Supplicate for a research degree) will be e-mailed by the central University to arrange graduation. Historic students – anybody wishing to graduate more than a year after they have finished – must contact the Development Office in order to be entered into a date.

Undergraduate or Taught Masters students will receive an email around late November in their final year of study with instructions regarding how and when to book your degree ceremony. Research students will automatically receive an email with instructions on how to book their degree ceremony once they have been granted leave to supplicate. Historic students should contact college directly to discuss being added to a waiting list for a graduation ceremony.

You should make sure that any debts are cleared before you graduate, as you might not be permitted to do so if there are any outstanding. If you are in any doubt, please contact your respective libraries and the Student Finance Officer on: student.finance@lmh.ox.ac.uk.

The University guarantees only two guest tickets per Graduand for the ceremony, due to increased health and safety restrictions in the Sheldonian theatre. It is highly unlikely that any additional tickets will be available as it depends on other LMH Graduands not taking their full allocation. However, should you wish to be added to a waiting list for an additional third guest ticket, please email graduation@lmh.ox.ac.uk.

The Development Office is responsible for these. Please contact us at graduation@lmh.ox.ac.uk, and we will send you a survey to fill in in order to provide the necessary information.

We submit your names to the Proctors 60 days before your graduation date, so please do let us know before this point if you would like to withdraw, after which point a withdrawal will mean that you are required to graduate in absentia. Once your name has been submitted only the Vice Chancellor can approve a withdrawal which they will do only in the most exceptional circumstances. If you do not arrive on the day, your degree will be awarded in absentia and it will not be possible to take it in person on another date.

It is possible, although relatively difficult, to obtain an in person place for the Post-nominal MA, as priority will go to all other graduands when allocating places. Every year we do, however, hold an informal graduation ceremony and reunion in College for the matriculation year that has just become eligible.

MA (Oxon)

Yes, but only once in person. The ‘lower’ degree you will (effectively) take in absentia, so you will only stand up once.

Tickets are not sent out. You should pick them up when you register at College.

The ceremony usually lasts around an hour and a half.

All Graduands must wear subfusc and bring their own mortar board as well as the appropriate gown(s). NB: Failure to meet the regulations of sub fusc may result in Graduands being barred from the ceremony.

You are required to wear your preference from the following as sub fusc:

1. one of:

• dark suit with dark socks, or
• dark skirt with black tights or stockings, or
• dark trousers with dark socks or dark hosiery

Socks, tights and stockings must cover the ankle entirely. Where socks or stockings are worn, there should be no gap between the bottom of the trouser leg or skirt and the top of the socks or stockings. 

   2. dark jacket, if required - worn underneath the gown 
   3. black shoes
   4. plain white collared shirt or blouse
   5. white bow tie, black bow tie, black full-length tie, or black ribbon.

PLUS:

• mortar board or soft cap
• the appropriate gown(s) - see below

Additional notes:

• ‘Dark’ in this context means dark grey, dark blue or black. Clothing must be plain; pinstripes and similar patterns are not permitted.
• When wearing sub-fusc, your clothing must not leave any part of your legs, ankles, or feet uncovered.
• The mortar board may be worn out of doors but must be removed and carried indoors.
• Ministers of religion may wear clerical dress, with a gown over, when attending ceremonies.
• If you wear a head dress / scarf for religious reasons, a black scarf should be worn.
• Members of the armed forces may wear service dress under their gown, in place of sub fusc. This is only applicable to members of The British Armed Forces in the UK. Uniform caps should be removed when indoors.

University guidance on gowning:

• All students (excluding doctoral students) will enter the ceremony wearing sub fusc with the gown of the degree they are about to receive. They will add their hood immediately after conferral and return to be acknowledged.
• Doctoral graduands who do not have a previous degree from Oxford should wear sub fusc with their advanced student gown when they enter the Sheldonian, and then change into the gown of their new degree.
• Doctoral graduands who do have a previous degree from Oxford should wear sub fusc with the gown and hood from their previous degree and change into the gown for the degree they are receiving. For example, they would wear their BA gown and hood into the Sheldonian and change into their DPhil gown.

See the University's website for more information about academic dress.

Gown hire must be arranged directly with a gown hire shop, such as Shepherd & Woodward Ltd, 109-113 High Street, Oxford, (tel. +44 (0)1865 249491).

You can find more information and hire your gown through the Shepherd & Woodward website at the following link: http://www.shepherdandwoodward.co.uk/academic-gowns-hire

You can choose to have your gown delivered to college and handed to you on the day for an additional £4.99, or to collect your gown from the shop yourself for free.

Children aged seven and over are welcome to attend the ceremony, and they will require a ticket if they occupy their own seat.

The Sheldonian will not reserve spaces, but advises that guests arrive in plenty of time in order to be the first to claim their seats on the ground floor. For the Sheldonian there are two public disabled parking spaces on Broad Street. Guests in wheelchairs will be directed by the Security staff on the gate to the South doors facing the Divinity School, where there is a ramp. Once inside the building there is access to the ground floor and a disabled toilet. The corridor is narrow in places; a wheelchair wider than 700mm would have difficulties. There is an induction loop inside the auditorium.

The University graduation page is a useful resource and you can find the current degree ceremony brochure here. The Dean of Degrees, or his delegate, will also brief candidates at the pre-ceremony address.

The Degree Conferrals Office have produced a video which outlines the format of the ceremony. You can find it by clicking here.

We will organise photographers during the LMH portion of the day. Please note flash photography is not officially permitted during the ceremony.

No, there is no charge for the ceremony or for your certificate.

Your certificate will be posted to the address you specified when you booked.

LMH can present you in absentia and your certificate will be sent to you.

£105.00

You can no longer order copies of your degree certificate, only replacement certificates. Please contact the Degree Conferrals Office for this service.