Matriculation Day — Officially Welcome to the University of Oxford!
Like many other things in this city, Matriculation Day is imbued with traditions and rituals dating back centuries, some of which are difficult to understand at first. At the end of the first week of classes during Michaelmas Term (the first of three terms of the academic year) the Matriculation Ceremony is the official welcome to all newly enrolled students, both undergraduate and postgraduate. It is usually held in-person at the historic and iconic Sheldonian Theatre but, due to COVID-19, this year it took place online.
The ceremony itself was quite brief. It lasted about 15 minutes, during which the University’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Louise Richardson, had a short conversation in Latin with the Senior College Dean. Luckily for us, the Vice-Chancellor subsequently translated the conversation to English: the Dean had requested her to officially admit us, incoming students, as members of the University and she had replied affirmatively, stating that we shall thereon be bound by the University’s codes and regulations. Then, in a short speech, she explained how we were joining a long tradition of people who, for almost a millennium, had studied here and made remarkable contributions to their fields all across the globe. She assured us that, despite the pandemic restrictions, the University was committed to providing as fulfilling and rewarding experience as possible for all of us.
Since we watched the ceremony separately (individually or in College households), after it was over, we met at the beautiful University Parks for the much-anticipated photo of us wearing for the first time a subfusc (the academic dress that must be worn at all formal ceremonies, such as matriculation and graduation, as well as when sitting examinations at the end of the year – Harry Potter fans will be familiar with this type of gown).
It was truly magical to officially mark the commencement of a life-changing opportunity for this year’s cohort of Weidenfeld-Hoffmann Scholars. We have come to Oxford from all around the world to pursue our dreams; to learn from world-renowned scholars, from our classmates and from each other; and to acquire and develop the skills we need to make our societies better for everyone. It is indeed a great challenge and one we had been longing for years. The road that led us here has not been smooth, and the COVID pandemic didn’t make the travel arrangements any easier! Fortunately, we could all arrive in time to live together and in-person this magical day.
We are thrilled to share that as of now, we are officially matriculated students at the University of Oxford. The next year will certainly be as challenging and exciting as we have imagined: we can’t wait for the adventure to begin!
