OXFORD UNIVERSITY: GRADUATION GOWN ETIQUETTE.
D’Phil Graduations:
You will arrive at The Sheldonian Theatre in the Gown of your current ‘status’ at Oxford.
Which is normally a Masters gown, unfortunately Oxford does not recognise gowns from other universities, so you can only wear a master’s gown if you gained it at Oxford University.
The alternative is to wear your Graduate Sub Fusc Gown the sleeveless gown you have been wearing to dinners and formal events during your time at Oxford.
The wearing of this gown is perfectly acceptable and is costs saving exercise in so much as you are not hiring two gowns for the ceremony.
So you will arrive at the ceremony wearing a Masters or Graduate gown.
You will take your seat in The Sheldonian Theatre for the ceremony.
At a designated point you will leave The Sheldonian and walk to The Divinity Schools behind.
I am in The Divinity Schools and I will dress you in the D-Phil gown for you to graduate.
You then queue to re-enter The Sheldonian Theatre to formally graduate.
SUB-FUSC DRESS IS COMPULSARY FOR ALL GRADUANDS DURING THE CEREMONY
If you are not dressed correctly the University can and have refused entry.