Brasenose College Graduation 2026

On the last day of July our graduating students returned to Brasenose College for a fantastic sun-soaked graduation ceremony and to celebrate all their achievements.

This year we had special cause to celebrate. An incredible 56 of our 110 finalists achieved First-Class results, making this a very high performing year indeed. Our Senior Tutor, Freyja Madsen commented: “We are so proud of every member of the departing year, not only for their results, but for everything they have brought to College life. Huge thanks also to the tutors, staff, friends and families who have supported them along the way. We wish our finalists every happiness and success in their next steps.”

After our finalists mustered in College, full of excitement and anticipation, they set off in traditional crocodile formation for a short but poignant stroll to Oxford’s iconic Sheldonian Theatre. The procession began in Brasenose College’s historic Old Quad, winding its way through Radcliffe Square—home to the magnificent Radcliffe Camera library building. Underneath them was the famous Gladstone Link (or “Glink” as it affectionately known), an underground section of the library featuring an eerie tunnel that links the “RadCam” to other parts of the university library. From there, the students moved through the Bodleian Library’s Old Schools Quadrangle, which features the magnificent Tower of the Five Orders, with columns from five classical styles: Tuscan, Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Composite. Next, our finalists reach a courtyard with the Clarendon Building, built in the early 18th Century to house Oxford University Press, which is now the biggest university publishing house in the world. The Sheldonian itself, right next to the Clarendon, was designed by a young Christopher Wren during his tenure as Oxford’s Professor of Astronomy. Although only three minutes walk, so much history and knowledge is contained within those few dozen metres from Brasenose to the Sheldonian.

Inside the theatre, students were formally presented to the Pro Vice-Chancellor and Proctors, live-streamed on YouTube for those who could not be present in person. After this, they stepped outside briefly to don their graduation hoods—a symbolic moment marking their transition—before re-entering to a wave of applause, officially transitioning to graduates of the University of Oxford.

After the ceremony, our new graduates spilled out into the sunshine to capture the moment, throwing their mortarboards high into the air and posing against the magnificent backdrop of the Sheldonian and its surrounding historic streets. Before long, the celebrations resumed back at College, where canapés, sparkling drinks, and the upbeat sounds of a live jazz band welcomed graduates and their guests. The College quads came alive with smiling families, endless photo opportunities, and laughter.

Husayn, who graduated with a First Class Engineering degree, commented “These four years at Brasenose have been the best time of my life where I have grown and learnt so much. Graduation is such a special day because I’m surrounded by friends and family who have shaped the person I am today and helped me achieve this degree!”

By mid-afternoon the Brasenose graduation party began to wind down. Whilst some graduates will stay in Oxford for post-graduate study, many are disappearing off to jobs in the UK or travelling the globe. All will be missed, and will visit many times in the decades to come, such is the strong bond between College and those that have studied here.

The College now turns as ever to the future. Over a 100 Freshers will arrive in October, and we will welcome them with open arms. Please have a look at our admissions statistics for this latest intake.

If you interested in being in our 2027 cohort for Oxford University undergraduate study please visit here and also consider engaging with our open day on 18th September. Brasenose will be open and running tours 9am-5pm. In the meantime see our Instagram accounts @brasenoseoutreach and @brasenosejcr and also have a look at our studypages. Why not read some student views in blog posts from Brasenose students.

Brasenose is located at the very heart of the cosmopolitan city of Oxford, and is able to offer single bedrooms to undergraduates for all years of study. We pride ourselves on having a diverse community of students, where we welcome the best and brightest from all backgrounds, across the UK and the world. 80% of our UK undergraduate are from state schools, although of course anyone is welcome to apply. This year, we will have around students joining us from a huge variety of locations: Cardiff, Leeds, Belfast, Blackpool, Birmingham, Liverpool, Leeds, Newcastle, Slough, Bristol, Exeter and Cheshire, as well as from across London! Looking internationally, we have offer holders from the USA, France, Singapore, Türkiye, Malaysia, India, New Zealand, China and Germany.