Conferment of master's degrees

Personal invitation

Stockholm University congratulates everyone who has graduated at the advanced level!

To be invited to the Master's Conferment, you need to have completed your studies and received your formal degree certificate.

An invitation to the conferment ceremony is sent to those with a Master's degree (or equivalent on a Master's level). You need to actively apply for your degree certificate by a certain date in order for your application to be processed and your degree to be issued on time.

• For the ceremony 12 May 2023 the deadline is 28 February 2023
• For the ceremony 17November 2023 the deadline is 15 July 2023

Applications are made at the Degree Office.

Invitation

The invitation will be sent by email to the address listed in Ladok, 4-6 weeks before the ceremony. Please keep your email address updated at Stockholm University.

Registration

You must sign up online via a link in the invitation. This means that you cannot sign up for the ceremony before receiving the invitation.

Programme

To give room in Aula Magna for all invited with guests the conferment ceremony may be divided into two separate ceremonies the same day. If so, they will take place at 3pm and 7pm, preliminary. Your invitation will show to which ceremony you are invited.

The ceremonies will take ca 1h30min depending on the number of participants.

Obligatory rehearsal one hour before

In order for the ceremony to run smoothly and for you to know how to walk and stand, we rehearse together with the start one hour before each ceremony.

Guests

You are welcome to bring two guests to the ceremony and the mingle afterwards and you may add a third guest to a waiting list. When signing up you are asked to state the name(s) of your guest(s). When the last day for registration has passed and the number of participants has been set, we will see how many seats we have for guests. You will be notified by email about a week after the last day of registration has passed.

Children are welcome! If you bring a young child, please also bring something to distract them with, that does not disturb other guests, during the ceremony. If the child is old enough to use a seat (s)he counts as a guest on your list.

Those attending the ceremony have reserved seats in the auditorium. Accompanying guests have free seating.

Your loved ones who do not have the opportunity to celebrate with you on site can follow the ceremony at su.se/mastersconferment.

The Diploma

All attending the ceremony will receive a diploma on stage as a reminder of the master's conferment ceremony and the time at the University. Please note that the diploma should not be used as proof of a degree and should therefore not be confused with the formal degree certificate sent by post earlier. The diploma will not be sent to non-attendees.

Photos and live broadcast

The conferment ceremony is broadcast live from Aula Magna via su.se/mastersconferment and you will be visible as it is your turn to receive a diploma on the stage. The film will be published on the same page for a short period after the ceremony. A download link will be sent to all participants afterwards.

Group photos of everyone participating in the ceremony will be taken on stage. A link to these photos will be sent to all participants and the link will be open for two weeks.

The film and photographs may be used for Stockholm University's marketing activities in own communication channels. By signing up to attend you accept these conditions.

Mingle after the ceremony

After the ceremony, everyone present is invited to mingle with sparkling wine and non-alcoholic alternatives as well as vegetarian snacks in the Foyer and in the Gallery of Aula Magna. When signing up you may state whether you or any of your guests have any allergies or other dietary restrictions.

The mingle lasts for 50 minutes after the end of the ceremony.

Dress code and cloakroom

The dress code for participants in the ceremony is semi formal. This means a (preferably dark) suit, dress or suit or stylish long trousers and a jacket or similar. For other guests, any well-groomed attire applies.

A guarded cloakroom will be available in the Rotunda in Allhuset.

Cancellations

Cancellations should be done via email to magisterpromotion@su.se. The ceremony is free of charge, but if you cancel after Friday 28 April or fail to show up without previous notice we will charge you an administrative fee of 200 SEK.

We reserve the right to make changes to the programme if necessary.

Read more about the Conferment of Master's Degrees that was held on 25 November.

A record number celebrated their degree in Aula Magna

Conferment traditions go all the way back to medieval European universities. The word promotion (in the Swedish word Magisterpromotion) comes from the latin word promovere, which translates to advance or move forward,  but here in a figurative sense to promote. The Conferment of Master’s Degrees is an old academic tradition but a fairly new ceremony at Stockholm University. The first was held in 1997 and is normally held twice a year in Aula Magna, Frescati. The ceremonies in November 2020 and June 2021 were held online.

Photo: Ingmarie Andersson

The ceremony in Aula Magna begins with massed standards consisting of student representatives from the University's student unions and faculty associations. The Vice President gives a welcome speech, after which the ceremony continues with varied entertainment and speeches to the new graduates. The graduates (promovendi) step up onto Aula Magna’s stage, facultywise, to receive a diploma by the conferrer, appointed by each faculty. 

The act of ascending on one side of the stage and, after receiving the diploma as a sign of the new dignity, going down again on the other side, used to symbolize that one could now move on in life, with one's own right to teach. Today it is not a formal ceremony, as the formal degree certificate has been sent to the graduates earlier, but instead it is a memorable occasion to celebrate your Master's degree at Stockholm University.

Email: magisterpromotion@su.se

Anne Heikkinen Sandberg, Master of Ceremonies
Phone: +46-8-164716

Ingrid Harris, Event Coordinator
Phone: +46-8-164908

Visiting Address:
Spökslottet, Drottninggatan 116

Postal address:
Stockholm University
Office of the President
SE-106 91 Stockholm
Sweden