Foundation Day
Foundation Day is the annual celebration of The University of London’s first charter, granted on 28 November 1836 by William IV.
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Our first honorary degrees were presented in June 1903. Among the recipients were the Prince of Wales, and later King George V and Queen Mary.
Since 1903, this accolade has been bestowed on a wide range of distinguished individuals from both the academic and non-academic worlds. Recipients have included Winston Churchill, Judi Dench, T S Eliot, Margot Fonteyn and Henry Moore.
Honorary degrees are approved by the Collegiate Council, who are part of our governance structure. The degrees are presented to the recipients in an evening ceremony in Senate House, held each autumn.
