The University Council's Honorary Degree Committee manages nominations for honorary degrees.

Only staff (and retired staff) of the University and its Colleges, students and alumni of the University of Cambridge may nominate persons for consideration.

Before making proposals, qualified nominators are asked to bear in mind the high standard indicated by previous recipients.

Make a nomination

To propose a nomination for an Honorary Doctorate please complete this online Honorary Doctorate nomination form. 

To propose a nomination for an Honorary Master of Arts Degree please complete this Honorary MA nomination form.

If preferred, complete and submit the downloadable Honorary Doctorate form or the downloadable MA form by email to honorarydegrees@admin.cam.ac.uk.

A nomination may remain under consideration for several years. Feedback on the progress of nominations, other than the acknowledgement of receipt, is not given.

There is no deadline for nominations for honorary degrees. We consider them on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Please note that the following will not be considered:

  1. Existing holders of honorary degrees of the University.
  2. Nominations from those who are neither staff (including retired staff) of the University or its Colleges, nor students, nor alumni of the University of Cambridge.
  3. Self-nominations or proposals where there is any reason to believe that the intended recipient has encouraged or been actively involved in the nomination.
  4. Nominations of active employees of the University or the Colleges are not usually considered and an exceptionally high standard will be applied in such cases. Active Assistant Staff cannot be considered.
  5. Nominations of serving political figures.

Approval process

All proposals are considered first by the Committee. If supported by the Committee, they go on to the full Council. Once agreed by the Council, they go before the Regent House, the University’s governing body, for final and public approval. Strict confidentiality must be observed until a proposal is published and submitted to the Regent House for approval at a Congregation.

By regulation, honorary degrees cannot be conferred in absence. If a proposal succeeds and an offer is made, the inability or unwillingness of the intended recipient to attend a Congregation for admission may prevent conferral.