Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Congregations to confer degrees in person will not take place until further notice, but Congregations will continue for those who wish to take their degree in absence. 

If you would like to take your degree in absence on 24 October 2020 please contact the Praelector's Secretary at praelector@joh.cam.ac.uk or log in to your CamSIS Self-Service - more instructions are further down this page. Please note this date is subject to change also.

Dates are listed at the bottom of the page for the next academic year, however these are still subject to change,

We would encourage students to graduate in absence if they can so that they can use their title - this cannot be confirmed to employers until it has been conferred at a congregation. This will also provide students with the opportunity to join their cohort at an alternative ceremony when it is safe to do so. More information about this is below.

Future graduation ceremonies for those who graduate in absence

The University and the Colleges recognise the importance of celebrating students' achievements in a fitting way. For students who graduate in absence because of the Covid-19 crisis, the University and Colleges’ Congregations Working Group has adopted the key principle of seeking to offer a ceremony in the Senate-House that will be as close as possible to the usual in-person graduation. Our aim is to make it possible for College cohorts to reunite in their College and to process together to the Senate-House in academic dress, where those still to graduate will have their degrees conferred and those who have graduated in absence will have their degrees celebrated in a similar way. How soon this can happen will depend on when social distancing rules have eased and large gatherings are again possible, but in the hope that this could take place next year, the Working Group is consulting with Colleges on a range of potential dates for 2021. The website will be updated when dates are confirmed. 

Certificates and transcripts

Transcripts for degrees awarded based on assessments modified as a result of COVID-19 will include brief wording explaining that the candidate undertook alternative assessments, and provide a link to a fuller explanation of the nature of the assessment, hosted on the CamData website.

Paper copies of certificates and transcripts for everyone who has graduated in absence during the lockdown period will be produced and posted as soon as University staff are able to return to the workplace. Further copies may be ordered once this service is available again. A service that allows you to access your official transcript electronically remains in place. This subscription service to Digitary allows you to share documents on-line with other organisations such as employers or other educational institutions. Degree certificates are now available digitally via your CamSIS Self-Service or Digitary. Further information is available here https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/graduation-and-what-next/degree-certificates-and-transcripts/academic-transcripts

Jet Photographic offers St John’s College specific certificate frames. These are available direct from the photographer https://jetphotographic.com/showphoto.php?id=470050813. You may wish to purchase these now ahead of receiving your certificate in upcoming weeks.

Please read all the following information carefully to avoid missing anything important!

If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at any Congregation (other than General Admission) you will need to read the Congregations Information which includes academic dress information, and then register for the congregation by accessing your Extended Self-Service account on CamSIS. You can register and access ESS here. Once you have logged in, you will be able to directly register for a congregation yourself.

Note: Current students can apply via their normal self-service and alumni, who matriculated Michaelmas 1980 onwards, once registered can apply via Extended Self-Service

You might not be able to register for a congregation that is a few months away and it will need to be done closer to the time (you can aim to do this two months before the congregation).

It is vital that you update your contact details before submitting your application. You will need to update the following information:

Important notice: Due to the current situation it is only possible to receive your MA degree in absence. The deadline has now passed for registration.

Six years and one term after matriculating, a Bachelor of Arts is entitled to take his or her Master of Arts degree, either in person or in absence, provided that two years have elapsed since the BA degree was awarded. So, from January 2021 those who matriculated in October 2014 and graduated with the BA degree prior to December 2018 will be eligible.

The Praelector's Secretary will email all those who become eligible each year in January or February and invite them to attend the Congregation in May held in the Senate House. Although the degree may be conferred at any Congregation, the May Congregation is traditionally the occasion when Johnians return to Cambridge for the event. The MA Dinner in Hall, organised by the Development Office (all queries should be directed to them), is arranged on the Friday evening prior to the ceremony on the Saturday. There will be a buffet lunch on the Saturday for those taking their MA degree in person to which graduands may bring one guest (we regret that we cannot allow you to bring any extra guests due to limited space). A maximum of three guests per graduand are invited to attend the Ceremony and admission to the Senate House will only be given to those with a valid ticket.

How to register for the MA Congregation

*It will be possible to register for the 22 May 2021 congregation from January 2021, the deadline to register is strictly 19 April 2021*

Please read all the following information carefully to avoid missing anything important!

If you wish to put your name forward to receive your degree at the MA Congregation you will need to read the Congregations Information which includes academic dress information, and then register for the congregation by accessing your Extended Self-Service account on CamSIS. You can register and access ESS here: https://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/new-students/manage-your-student-information/student-record/camsis/ess. You might not be able to register for a congregation that is a few months away and it will need to be done closer to the time.

Once you have logged in, you will be able to directly register for a congregation yourself. It is vital that you update your contact details before submitting your application. You will need to update the following information:

You will then receive the confirmation letter and any required tickets by post after the deadline has passed for the congregation you are registering for (usually three weeks before the ceremony). If you do not receive such a letter by two weeks prior to the Congregation, please contact the Praelector's Secretary. 

Please note that applications received after the College's deadline date will not be accepted.

Each Congregation generally follows the same pattern although the precise timing of events depends on the actual numbers of graduands to be presented by each College. Please contact the Praelector's Secretary (praelector@joh.cam.ac.uk; 01223 338699) if you have any queries.

Congregation dates may be subject to change. It is advisable not to make travel arrangements until you have received confirmation of your place at a ceremony from the Praelector.

Please note:

• You are reminded that the College does not allow those with outstanding College bills to proceed to a degree and it is your responsibility to ensure that any outstanding debts are paid 5 days prior to the Congregation.

• The dates and timings of Congregations can occasionally be subject to change by the University. It is therefore advisable that you wait until you receive confirmation of your place at a Congregation or contact the Praelector's Secretary before making travel or accommodation arrangements.

The main Graduation page gives general information about Congregations and matters relating to the presentation of graduands for their degrees.

What to wear

Please check the Academical Dress web page for more information. Please note that it is important that you order your gowns and hoods well in advance. If you are still unsure after visiting this page please check the FAQ page.

Please note you will not be allowed to take any belongings or bags into the Senate House. You are therefore advised to leave your belongings with your guests before arriving at the Fisher Building.

Accommodation

As the ceremony will be taking place in Full Term, we are not able to offer accommodation but can provide a list of local hotels and bed and breakfasts on request.

Timetable of events

Please note that timings of the actual ceremony are likely to be subject to delay with little notice, due to the large numbers involved.  We advise that you be aware of such possible delays when making your arrangements.

January

April

Friday (night before MA Ceremony)

Saturday (MA Ceremony)

Entitlements and privileges

• The MA degree confers on you the University right of Membership of the Senate, which enables you, for example, to borrow books from the University Library.
• As a member of the College of more than six years' standing (five in the case of Affiliated Students), whether you take your MA degree or not, you now have the privilege of dining up to three times a year at the Fellows' Table, at College expense. If you wish to exercise your dining privileges, please contact the Assistant to the Fellows' Steward (tel: 01223 338686).
• Every seven or eight years you will be invited to a Johnian Dinner in College, along with others in your year of admission to St John's, and two or three other year groups.
• You will continue to receive copies of The Eagle, Johnian News and Johnian eNews free of charge to help you keep in touch with the College and your contemporaries. Please ensure you keep the College informed of any change in your contact details.

Many people have questions about graduation and congregation arrangements.

You can find some of the most common questions and answers here.

You are also welcome to drop in to Student Services at any time if you have a question that you need answering. The office can be found on the ground floor of F Staircase, Chapel Court.