Conferment of Degrees Ceremony - FAQs

Answer: Anyone who has completed a master’s or doctor’s degree at the University of Jyväskylä and on whom the degree has not yet been conferred in a Conferment of Degree Ceremony may participate. Invitations to the Conferment of Degrees Ceremony 2026 will be sent in October 2025 to all who have completed their degree after the previous ceremony, that is, after 1 January 2023. Registration will begin in October 2025.

Answer: The committee of the Conferment of Degrees has decided that you can register if you graduate or defend your thesis by the end of January 2026. Although the graduation ceremony will not take place until May, we need to have most of the arrangements finalized and confirmed well in advance during the early part of the year and spring, which is why registration will close on February 1, 2026.

Answer: Registration for the Conferment of Degrees Ceremony is binding. Cancellation of participation and refund of the participation fee is only possible for very compelling reasons (e.g., health-related reasons proven by a medical certificate).

Cancellations and requests for refunds, including justification, must be sent by email to promootio@jyu.fi no later than April 1, 2026. When sending health information or other sensitive information, we recommend using the university's secure email. A processing fee of €50 will be deducted from the refundable amount. Requests for refunds of participation fees received after April 1, 2026, will not be considered.

Answer: Both of you need to register separately for the conferment ceremony and mark each other as a companion for the events. This way we will get appropriate registration data from both of you. The entry fee is charged from both upon registration.

If both participants are masters, they act as each other's garland weavers at the garland weaving event. If both are doctors, they assist each other in sword sharpening ceremonies. If one is a master's degree holder and the other a doctor, unfortunately they cannot both participate in garland weaving and sword sharpening ceremonies at the same time. In such a case, the marshals assists the doctor in the sword sharpening ceremony and the master's garland is tied by another master. At the end of the evening, after the garland weaving and sword sharpening ceremonies, there will be program for everyone.

Answer: In such a case, you will miss the core of the conferment ceremony. The boats will be reserved for the masters, doctors and invited guests who participate in the festivities of Friday and Saturday.

Answer: That suits well. You will also have a chance to dance to lighter dance music played after the old dances, if you like.

Answer: If you have danced this kind of old dances before, you can possibly learn them in a couple of practice sessions plus the final rehearsal. However, if the dances are new to you, it is recommendable to attend all the practice sessions or choose only a few of the dances and concentrate on them. The most important thing is that you will feel comfortable and self-confident to participate in the dances at the celebration.

You can also attend the Conferment Ceremony without being present (absens). In this case, you will not participate on site. Promovendi are given the master’s or doctoral degree, the right to use the academic insignia, such as the master’s ring or the doctoral hat and sword, the diploma in Latin and the promovendi register book that includes information on the participants of the Conferment Ceremony.

Answer:  You can participate in all Conferment Ceremony events without a companion. At Garland Binding, two Master promovendi without a companion will bind garlands for each other. At Sword Sharpening, a marshal will roll the grindstone for doctoral promovendi without companion. For the old dances, we aim to find a pair for everyone.

Answer: It is not necessary for the promovendi to choose their spouses or partners as companions: any adults may take this role.

Answer: Yes.

Answer: Yes, but the number of seats for guests is limited. You can register one guest on the online form that will be published in late March or early April. If there are seats left, later it may be possible to register another guest.

The Act of Conferment lasts for several hours and people are expected to be present throughout the event. Therefore, we recommend that no small children be invited to attend the event. 

Answer: Guests can be invited only to the Act of Conferment on Saturday, 23 May at noon. The public may freely watch the conferment ceremony procession.

Answer: The dress codes and related instructions should be followed as far as possible: For example, in the Act of Conferment female promovendi should have an outfit that is as simple and covering as possible.

Answer: Handbags are not allowed in the Act of Conferment and the festive procession. You can leave your handbag either in the guarded cloakroom or a locked dressing room in the Main Building. At the Dinner and Ball, you can carry a small banquet bag.

Answer: See dress code instructions with pictures here.

Answer: You can purchase a doctoral sword or a master’s ring yourself or participate in a joint order. Further information about the orders will be available at the general website. 

Answer: Attaching the sword successfully to, for example, a dress made of thin fabric may be challenging. Therefore, you can use creative solutions and whatever means you see fit. One option is to order a separate sword belt together with the sword.

Answer: No, it is not. However, you must wear a golden or gold-coloured ring in the index finger of your left hand in the Act of Conferment. 

Answer: Doctoral promovendi must have the sword at the Sword Sharpening Dinner on Friday and in the Conferment Act on Saturday. The sword can be own or borrowed.