Postgraduate Degree Ceremonies
The information on this page relates to the Congregations which are held throughout the year for candidates taking the Cambridge M.A., postgraduate degrees (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 page.
Graduation Ceremonies
Graduands can choose to graduate 'in absence' (i.e. not present), or in person. The University has announced the following dates for the graduation ceremonies for Magdalene Members who have recently been approved for their degrees.
Graduation Dates
Applications to graduate will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis. The University has capped the number of students which Magdalene may submit. There is no cap on those wishing to take their degree in absence.
Friday 20 October 2023
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in person or in absence.
Celebration Lunch: For those graduating in person, graduands and their guests (max 2 guests) can attend a celebratory lunch in the College Hall after the ceremony at Senate House. Graduands are free of charge, there is a £25.00 charge per guest.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 28 September 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
Payment for Guest Lunches Form
Saturday 25 November 2023
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in person or in absence.
Celebration Lunch: For those graduating in person, graduands and their guests (max 2 guests) can attend a celebratory lunch in the College Hall after the ceremony at Senate House. Graduands are free of charge, there is a £25.00 charge per guest.
Deadline: 9am on Monday 3rd November 2023. Late applications will not be accepted.
Payment for Guest Lunches Form
Friday 26 January 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in absence ONLY.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 4th January 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Saturday 24th February 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in absence ONLY.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 1st February 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Saturday 23rd March 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in absence ONLY.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 29th February 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Saturday 6th April 2024
MA Day Graduation. This ceremony is for Members who matriculated in 2017 who are eligible to receive their MA Cantab. Invitations to this ceremony (and associated Reunion Dinner) will be sent to eligible Members in due course.
Non-MA candidates are able to graduate in absence ONLY on this date.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 14th March 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Saturday 27 April 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in person or in absence.
Celebration Lunch: For those graduating in person, graduands and their guests (max 2 guests) can attend a celebratory lunch in the College Hall after the ceremony at Senate House. Graduands are free of charge, there is a £25.00 charge per guest.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 4th April 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Payment for Guest Lunches Form
Friday 17 May 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in person or in absence.
Celebration Lunch: For those graduating in person, graduands and their guests (max 2 guests) can attend a celebratory lunch in the College Hall after the ceremony at Senate House. Graduands are free of charge, there is a £25.00 charge per guest.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 25th April 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Payment for Guest Lunches Form
Friday 19 July 2024
Ceremony for those wishing to graduate in person or in absence.
Celebration Lunch: For those graduating in person, graduands and their guests (max 2 guests) can attend a celebratory garden party buffet lunch after the ceremony at Senate House. Graduands are free of charge, there is a £15.00 charge per guest.
Deadline: 9am on Thursday 27th June 2024. Late applications will not be accepted.
Payment for Guest Lunches Form
Graduation Eligibility
- You must have received a formal letter of approval from the University confirming the award of your degree, usually sent by Student Registry, and
- 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’).
Application Process
To apply to graduate complete the relevant application form (links above) along with any required payment. The form and payment must be received by the application deadline. We cannot guarantee addition to the list of candidates for the ceremony when applications are received less than three weeks before your chosen ceremony date.
It is not possible to apply to graduate via CamSIS. All applications must be made via the above forms.
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.
Payment for Guest Lunches
If you choose to graduate in person and choose to attend a lunch in College with your guests, there is a charge for guest dining (graduand lunches are free of charge). Please pay for any guest places on the Payment for Guest Lunches Form.
Confirmation letter from the Praelector
Once the required checks have been completed you will receive a confirmation email from the Praelector's Secretary. If graduating in person, this will contain further details of the schedule. The email will be sent by email to the address supplied on your application form.
For standard Congregations (i.e. not the MA Day) the proceedings will start at 9am at the earliest, and are normally concluded by 5pm. Any changes to the 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 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 University’s Postgraduate Committee, or other degree-awarding body 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 Postgraduate Committee, which normally approves degrees including the PhD, can be found on the University Degree approval and conferment 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 Student Registry.
Celebratory Graduations
Members who graduated in absentia between 23/03/2020 and 01/04/2022 can return to Cambridge to celebrate their degree at any of the congregations at which Magdalene is presenting students. Those graduating in absence after 01/04/2022 will not be able to return to celebrate their degree as they will have had the opportunity to proceed via a normal graduation without restrictions.
Celebrants can return to participate in any graduation ceremony at Senate House. Their degree will not be conferred upon them, as this has already happened, instead different Latin phrasing will be used at the ceremony. To register to celebrate a degree already conferred in absence, please complete the in person application form and select yes when asked if you are celebrating your degree on this occasion.