Graduation

Graduation dates

Once you have been informed by the University that you have been approved for your degree, you are invited to sign up for any of Clare Hall’s forthcoming graduation dates:

The following dates are planned in the 2023-4 academic year:

Friday 20 October

Saturday 25 November in absentia only

Friday 26 January 2024 in absentia only

Saturday 24 February in absentia only

Saturday 23 March

Saturday 6 April in absentia only

Saturday 27 April

Friday 17 May

Saturday 20 July 2024

We plan the following dates in the 2024-5 academic year:

Friday 25 October 2024

Saturday 30 November 2024 in absentia only

Friday 31 January 2025 in absentia only

Saturday 1 March 2025 in absentia only

Saturday 29 March 2025

Saturday 5 April 2025 in absentia only

Saturday 3 May 2025

Friday 23 May 2025

Saturday 26 July 2025

You sign up for Graduation by filling out the Graduation Form. The latest date it is possible to sign up is the Thursday a fortnight before the ceremony. However, we encourage registration as a soon as possible as we have a restriction on the number of graduands we can present at some of the more popular congregation dates. For any queries please email tutorial.office@clarehall.cam.ac.uk.

In person/in absentia

Normally, you have the option to graduate in person or in absentia. If you choose to graduate in absentia, you will not be able to return at a later date to graduate in person.

If you graduated in absentia during the pandemic while no in-person graduation was possible, you can now attend a congregation to celebrate your degree.

Congregation at Senate House

The exact timings of the ceremony will be circulated to graduands by the Monday morning preceding the congregation. Clare Hall tends to be timetabled in the afternoon, but this can change.  

Gown information

Here is some guidance on how to pin a hood onto a gown.

Guest tickets

Guests are permitted to attend the Senate House and are welcome at the graduation dinner in College the evening before. Each student will be allowed two guest tickets to Senate House and two guests to the graduation dinner.  

Guest rooms

If you require a room overnight for your guests, please complete our accommodation enquiry form. 

Graduation dinner

The graduation dinner takes place on the Friday night before the graduation in the case of Saturday graduations and in the evening following graduation for those congregations scheduled on a Friday. Please note that each graduand is normally permitted to bring a maximum of 2 guests (in addition to themselves) to the dinners.

Salje Medals

These are awarded annually to two research students (one in Arts/Humanities and Social Sciences and one in the Sciences) whose completed PhD thesis and publications merit high commendation.

For those who had their degree approved during the calendar year 2023 and wish to be considered for a Salje Medal, please submit the following to the Tutorial Office by 31 March 2024:

• a summary of your thesis topic (up to 400 words in clear, non-specialised English)

• your examiners’ reports

• a CV of your publications and other academic activities.

The medals will be presented to the award winners at a reception prior to dinner on Wednesday 29th May 2024.