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Graduation and Congregations
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 four Congregations at the end of June, called General Admission, are for the BTh, BA, VetMB and BA with MEng or MMath or MSci degrees only.
The College Praelector 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 not put forward anyone for graduation who has not settled their College and University bills.
Graduands may be presented in person or in absence.
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 constraints or deadlines as to when you must have your degree conferred. (With the exception of the M.B.)
Please refer to the University website for further information about the graduation ceremony itself, guests and the dates of forthcoming Congregations.
If you have any questions, please contact the Praelector's Administrator, Mrs Celia Sievewright.
The Tutorial Office 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).
Please note that in the case of General Admission, Peterhouse students always graduate on the given Wednesday.
Peterhouse General Admission Dates 2025-2027
Wednesday, 2 July 2025
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
Wednesday, 30 June 2027
The timings for each ceremony will be communicated to graduands closer to the event.
Undergraduates who do not proceed to General Admission, and who wish to graduate at a later date, should contact the Praelector's Administrator in order to receive their degree. Please note that graduation applications must be submitted at least 21 days before the date of the graduation ceremony. A list of the days on which Congregations will be held during this academical year can be found on the University website, but please check with us BEFORE making any arrangements as Peterhouse does not present students at all Congregations.
The Board of Postgraduate Studies informs postgraduate 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 postgraduate students are not automatically entered for graduation – they must register for a specific Congregation.
If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at any Congregation you will need to contact the Praelector's Administrator. Please note that graduation applications must be submitted at least 21 days before the date of the graduation ceremony. A list of the days on which Congregations will be held during this academical year can be found on the University website, but please check with us BEFORE making any arrangements as Peterhouse does not present students at all Congregations.
The Tutorial Office will contact alumni when they are eligible to proceed to the Degree of MA.
At Cambridge, the MA is conferred by right on holders of the BA degree of the University.
If you hold a Cambridge BA, you may be admitted to the MA not less than six years from the end of your first term of residence. If you have not had your BA conferred upon you, you cannot be entered for the MA, even if the necessary time has passed since the end of your first term of residence. Please note that you cannot have the BA and MA conferred during the same ceremony.
A list of the days on which Congregations will be held during this academical year can be found on the University website, but please check with the Praelector's Administrator BEFORE making any arrangements as Peterhouse does not present students at all Congregations.
The choice of Congregation is yours, but you should note that groups of friends are more likely to meet if a particular Congregation for the year is targeted. The Master and Fellows generally designate one of the Congregations in May for this purpose.
Guidance on academical dress for graduation can be found here.
If you are graduating in person you may invite guests to attend the ceremony. The Senate House has limited capacity so admittance is strictly by ticket only, this includes entering the grounds of the Senate House. Only two tickets per graduand can be guaranteed. Tickets are issued by the College free of charge.
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.
Photography is not permitted inside the Senate House and mobile phones/pagers must be switched off or muted. Professional photographers hired by graduands are not allowed in the grounds of the Senate House.
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.
Details will be communicated to graduands closer to each congregation.