Encaenia Garden Party
Encaenia Garden Party
Credit: John Cairns

Encaenia Dress Code

Ceremony

If you hold a degree from the below Universities you may choose to wear academic dress of your highest degree honour.

  • University of Oxford: Follow the procession members guidance below. 
  • University of Cambridge or Trinity College Dublin: Academic dress from their University – gown, hood, subfusc
  • Members of Congregation: who do not have a degree from any of the above: Plain black MA gown, with MA hood, over subfusc.
  • Current students (who have not yet graduated):
    - Bachelors & Masters: Commoners, scholars or graduate gown and subfusc
    - DPhils: Graduate gown and subfusc
  • Smart day wear (it is not compulsory to wear academic dress to the ceremony).

Note: 

  • Gowns from all other Universities are not permitted. 
  • Traditionally subfusc is worn, but guests tend to wear smart day wear under their robes. 
  • Academic dress is only mandatory for procession members

Procession members

You must wear the University of Oxford academic dress of your highest degree honour. Subfusc is mandatory for procession participants. 

  • DPhils 
  • Scarlet robe over subfusc.
  • Bachelors and Masters’ 
    Black gown over subfusc, hood and mortarboard/soft cap.
  • Members of Congregation who do not have a degree from the University of Oxford 
  • Plain black gown, with hood, over subfusc.

Full academic dress guidelines, including a description of subfusc, are available here.