Matriculation
|
|
Matriculation refers to the formal process of entering a university, or of becoming eligible to enter by acquiring the required prior qualifications.
In the English universities of Oxford, Durham and Cambridge, the term is used for the ceremony at which new students are entered into the register (in Latin matricula) of the university. From that point on they become members of the university. At Cambridge, separate matriculation ceremonies are held by the colleges. At Oxford and Cambridge academic dress must be worn, this is the sub fusc at Oxford. There was formerly an entrance examination which needed to be passed before matriculation.
At Scottish universities, there is no formal ceremony, although each year, students must matriculate (essentially just completing a registration form) to continue to be a student, and receive a matriculation card -- their student ID card.
In England and Wales until the advent of the General Certificate of Education (GCE), Matriculation (usually abbreviated "matric") was the examination taken to earn the right to enter university. Unlike the GCE exam, it had a number of compulsory subjects and all had to be passed at a single sitting.