Congregation Dates
We are delighted to be welcoming guests to attend Senate House ceremonies. Students can invite up to two guests to attend their graduation at Senate House. Girton College offers hospitality to students and their guests, subject to the capacity of the college venue. Guest tickets for the standing buffet at college will cost £25.00/guest and can be paid for by bank transfer. Please use the following link for details on how to pay.
Graduands may be presented in person or in absence unless otherwise stated. *If you graduated in-absence between March 2020 and April 2022, you may apply to celebrate your graduation at a celebratory ceremony at Senate House, with hospitality offered at Girton College but only if you have graduated in-absence before guests were once again permitted to attend Senate House.
If you have an outstanding bill at the time of Graduation, then the College may prohibit you from graduating in person. If that debt relates to tuition fees, then you will not receive a formal degree certificate until the debt is settled. If you are experiencing financial difficulties, please see your Tutor at the earliest opportunity.
The next Graduation ceremonies are:
The application forms for the 2024 ceremonies are below.
- Saturday 30th November 2024 - in-person or in-absence
The application forms for the 2025 ceremonies are open now on this website using the link below, except the Saturday 5th April 2025 - MA graduation date :
- Friday 31 January 2025 - in-absence
- Saturday 1 March 2025 - in-absence
- (Saturday 5 April 2025 - MA graduations only) - application open to MA graduands only nearer the date
- Saturday 3 May 2025 - in-absence
- Friday 23 May 2025 - in person or in-absence
- Friday 25 July 2025 - in person or in-absence
Please note: The College does not present students at all of the University's listed graduation ceremonies.
What to wear at Graduation
As graduation is a formal occasion, an appropriate standard of dress is expected. The dress code is strictly enforced at ceremonies, and if you do not observe it, you may not be permitted to graduate on a particular occasion. Please click here for dress instructions. A female University Constable will check your dress on arrival at the Senate House and will adjust if required.
Academic dress hire
You may hire or buy dress from either of the following Cambridge suppliers:
70-72 Trumpington Street, Cambridge CB2 1RJ.
- www.gownhire.co.uk or +44 (0)1223 861854
- Purchase Enquiries: +44(0) 1223 350048 (shop) or +44 (0)1223 861854
22 King's Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SP.
Application Forms
The graduation application forms for 2024 and 2025 dates are below.
If you wish to have access to your official transcript electronically and share it on-line with other organisations for job applications and other education institutes you can access this via Digitary - further information is available here.
A single original degree certificate is issued without charge to all those proceeding to degrees. A fee is charged for each additional copy requested. The University offers an alternative design certificate bearing the arms of the University printed in colour. This is available to order at an additional charge. For further details, go to the link noted above.
Frequently Asked Questions
You will need to apply to graduate using the form on the Girton College website. This form also offers you the option to request up two guest tickets for the ceremony at Senate House and tickets for the celebratory Buffet Lunch at the College held, before the graduation. You should not apply to graduate via CamSIS.
If you have booked your place at a ceremony already and need to cancel your place, please contact us via email.
If you do not wish to attend a graduation ceremony in person, please use the application form to apply to graduate in-absence. If you graduate in-absence, you cannot than apply to graduate in-person for the same degree later; you can only graduate once with any degree. Your certificate and transcript will be posted to you approximately three weeks after your in-absence graduation date.
Graduands do not need a ticket for the Senate House ceremony and can attend the celebratory buffet without buying themselves a ticket, as their refreshments are complementary.
The university allocates two guest tickets to each graduand for the graduation ceremony at Senate House. Occasionally, we have the capacity to issue extra guest tickets. If you would like additional tickets, please can you send an email the following address to request them: congregation@girton.cam.ac.uk. Please note that you will receive an email about receiving requested additional tickets within a fortnight of the ceremony.
We allow you to book up to three guest tickets for the college buffet via the booking form. If any more are required, please email us.
Tickets are required for all guests including children and babies attending Senate House. Children must be accompanied by an adult. The ceremonies tend to last for 30—45 minutes.
Children of all ages are welcome at the celebratory buffet at College. Tickets for children £10 each.
Guests who are members of the University (including non-graduands) should wear their academic gowns, although it unlikely that anyone would notice if they didn't. Apart from this, there is no dress code, although guests typically choose to dress smart/casual. Suits and ties are not necessary, though are often worn.
Your name will appear as it does in CamSIS, under ‘Primary Name’ option. It’s a good idea to check your name on CamSIS and email congregation@girton.cam.ac.uk to make any changes, well before your graduation.
Guests are forbidden from taking photographs or using video cameras or mobile phones in the Senate House during graduation ceremonies. The University take photographs of all graduates at the moment their degree is conferred and it is possible to buy copies on the day. There is also the option of having photographs taken after the ceremony in the Senate House Yard.
The livestream of the ceremony will be available for two months after the ceremony date.
One original degree certificate is issued without charge to all graduands. If you graduate in person, it will be given to you at the ceremony, but if you are graduating in-absence, the certificate will be sent to you by post. Any extra copies must be ordered from the University's Student Registry office University website.
All transcripts are sent by post approximately three weeks after the graduation ceremony.
Degree certificates (as well as transcripts) are also available online after graduation. For more information please see the University website.
If you are graduating in person, then you will be required to attend a compulsory brief rehearsal in college prior to the ceremony. The Praelector will guide you through the details of the ceremony and what you will need to do in the Senate House. Afterwards graduands only, will be taken by coach to Senate House for the ceremony. Full details will be sent to you nearer the date of the ceremony.
Tickets for the graduation ceremony and wrist bands for the celebratory buffet will be available for collection from the main site Girton Porters’ Lodge from the morning of the day before the ceremony.