Students or alumni who are eligible to receive their degrees may do so at Congregations of the Regent House held on Fridays or Saturdays at regular intervals throughout the year.  The College Praelector, Dr James Carleton Paget, is responsible for presenting students at Congregations when they receive their degrees.

Any member of Peterhouse who has fulfilled the appropriate examination and residence requirements may proceed to their degree at Congregation.  The College will contact those students who it expects to present for their 'first' degrees at General Admission over the Easter Vacation (i.e. students reading for M.Math, M.Eng., M.Sci. and B.A. degrees).

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.  Please note that graduate students are not automatically entered for graduation – they must register for a specific Congregation.

The College will not put forward anyone for graduation who has not settled their College and University bills.

If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at any Congregation you will need to contact the Praelector's Secretary.  Please note that graduation applications must be submitted at least 21 days before the date of the graduation ceremony.  Graduands may be presented in person or in absentia.

Please be aware that you may only proceed to your degree once.  If you proceed to your degree in absence, you cannot then take it again in person at a later time, however, there are no time contraints or deadlines as to when you must have your degree conferred.  (With the exception of the M.B.)

Information about the graduation ceremony itself, including guidance on academical dress, guests and the dates of forthcoming Congregations, may be found here.  Please note that in the case of General Admission, Peterhouse students always graduate on the given Wednesday.

Attention for Guests at Congregations - For safety and security, rucksacks, holdalls, shopping bags or bags larger than 35cm x 25cm will not be allowed into the Senate-House or the surrounding grounds.  If you bring them, you may be asked to make alternative arrangements for their storage, or you may be denied entry to the event.  If you need to keep your bag with you, you must seek assistance from a Proctor/Constable who will check the contents of your bag prior to entry to the Senate-House. Please allow sufficient time for the additional delays this may cause.

INFORMATION UPDATED ON 26th May 2022: Covid-secure arrangements for Congregations after 19 July to mid-September.

The University has carefully planned Congregations to be COVID secure, taking advice from Public Health, the Cambridge Safety Advisory Group and its own Safety Office.  Even though the Government has removed the remaining legal restrictions on public gatherings, the University still has a duty of care towards all those who attend or work at events that it manages and must take account of the potential impact on the local community. 

Guests are now welcomed back into the Senate House although it is strongly encouraged that face coverings be worn.  Each Graduand is permitted two tickets for guests with a live stream of the event available.

We aim to accommodate as many Graduands and their guests as possible during each Congregation, but there are practical limitations.  Degree Congregations take place in our historic Senate-House, where members of the University have graduated since the Eighteenth Century, but although we hold repeated ceremonies across each day, each one can only hold so many people and, to provide the best experience, ceremonies should take place during daylight.  Please contact your College to confirm that you have a place booked at a ceremony BEFORE making any other arrangements.  If there is no space at a particular ceremony, there will be later occasions and Degree Congregations take place across the year.

Livestreaming of Ceremonies

Ceremonies are livestreamed and the recording is held for two months.  The livestream is provided to allow friends and family members who are unable to attend the Senate House to view this important event.  It is provided on the understanding that is it a private recording, not to be publicly shared on social media or in any public forum.  The University and the contractors will make best efforts to provide the livestream, but it is not guaranteed and some circumstances may prevent either a live broadcast or possibly a later showing of any recording.

If you have any questions, please contact the Praelector's Secretary, Mrs Celia Sievewright.

Please refer to the University website for further information.