Graduation

The information on this page relates to the Congregations which are held throughout the year for candidates taking higher degrees (M.A., M.Phil., M.B.A., Ph.D. etc) and those eligible, but unable, to attend General Admission.

If you are graduating with an M.Eng., M.Math., M.Sci., Vet.M.B., B.A., B.Th., please see the General Admissions information.

Graduation Ceremonies

Degree ceremonies are held at the Senate House on various dates throughout the year. Please check the ceremony dates to decide on the date that suits you best, whether that be in person or in absence. Please note that we have only listed provisional dates for Michaelmas Term 2020 at present. Further information regarding degree ceremonies in Lent and Easter Terms will be updated in due course, once we receive guidance from the University about the arrangements for these ceremonies, as will any other changes in procedures for the academic year 2020-21 resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.

Graduation Eligibility

1. You must have received a formal letter of approval from the University confirming the award of your degree, usually sent by Student Registry and
2. You must have paid your University fees.

Once you have completed these requirements you must decide which ceremony date you prefer and whether you will be taking the degree in person or in absence (also known as ‘in absentia’).

If you elect to take your degree in absence, you cannot subsequently graduate in person with the same degree.

Application Process

To apply to graduate you will need to complete and return an application form (along with any required payment) to the Praelector’s Secretary. The form and payment must be received no later than three weeks prior to your chosen ceremony. This is to allow the College time to complete the necessary checks and add your details to the "supplicat" (listing of candidates due to graduate at a particular ceremony).

We cannot guarantee addition to the list of candidates for the ceremony when forms are received less than three weeks beforehand.

The application process is the same whether you are choosing to graduate in person or in absence.

Application Form

Please click the button below to be taken to the Application for Graduation to an MA or Higher Degree form.

It is not possible at present to apply directly on CamSIS and all applications must be made on the relevant form and sent to the Praelector’s Secretary.

Graduation Payments

Any payment due on your booking must be paid in advance. Payment can be made by cheque or bank transfer.

If you are paying by bank transfer from outside the UK, please be aware that the College cannot be held responsible for any charges levied on the transaction by your bank and such charges must be cleared at least a week before the ceremony date. Bank transfer details are available upon request.

The completed form and any payment should be returned to:

The Praelector’s Secretary, Magdalene College, Cambridge, CB3 0AG or congregations@magd.cam.ac.uk.

Confirmation letter from the Praelector

Once the required checks have been completed you will receive a confirmation letter (via email) from the Praelector's Secretary. This will contain further details of the schedule, so far as can be predicted, though graduands should note that timings and arrangements on the day will vary between each Congregation. This letter will be sent by email to the address supplied on your application form.

For standard Congregations (i.e. not the MA Day in mid-May) the proceedings will start at 9am at the earliest, and for Magdalene graduands are normally concluded by 5pm. Any changes to the predicted schedule will be notified to graduands by email on the Wednesday before the congregation date in question. This is because the University only confirms the times at which different Colleges will be presented at the Senate House on the Tuesday before the ceremony.

Provisional Bookings

It is possible to make a provisional application to graduate before receiving your letter of approval from Student Registry, provided that the meeting of the Board of Graduate Studies, or other degree-awarding bodies at which your approval is discussed falls no fewer than five business days before the date of the congregation at which you wish to receive your degree.

In such cases special arrangements can be made to ensure that the relevant administration is carried out in time for your graduation. In order that such measures can be taken we advise you submit your application by the relevant ceremony cut-off date and explain your circumstances to the Praelector’s Secretary at congregations@magd.cam.ac.uk.

The College will not bear any responsibility should the required approval not be obtained in time and for any reason you are unable to proceed to your degree. The College will not be responsible for travel arrangements made before confirmation is received.

Dates of Faculties’ Degree Committee meetings, which approve degrees or make recommendations for approval to the Student Registry, and of the Board of Graduate Studies, which normally approves degrees including the PhD, can be found on the Board of Graduate Studies website.

For advice about whether your approval will be issued in time, please consult your supervisor and/or the Secretary of the Degree Committee in your Faculty.

MPhil approvals are now dealt with by Degree Committees rather than by the Board of Graduate Studies.

The name which appears on the degree certificate will be the name held by the University’s Student Records office; if you have changed your name (e.g. following marriage) and want your new name to appear on the certificate you will need to contact the Student Registry (if you are a current student) or Student Records if you have already left.  You will need to provide proof of the change of name.