Statutes and Ordinances

The Statutes and Ordinances provide the constitutional framework that allows the University to govern its affairs. The Statutes contain the fundamental constitutional and governance provisions of the University and are subject to approval by Her Majesty in Council. Special Ordinances contain detailed provisions arising from the governance framework provided in the Statutes. Ordinances are detailed regulations and procedures covering all aspects of University business. Revised editions of the Statutes and Ordinances are published annually (usually in October) and previous editions, from 2008 to the present, are available below for reference. Amendments, published in the Reporter throughout the year, are also collated below on a termly basis.

Publication of Statutes and Ordinances 2020

Normally the Statutes and Ordinances published in October each year provides an up-to-date version incorporating all changes approved in the previous academical year. However, as a result of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on its production, this November 2020 edition includes only changes approved in the period from 1 October 2019 to 16 April 2020. An updated version in January 2021 will incorporate the changes approved in the period from 17 April 2020 to 30 September 2020.

As the November edition is incomplete, no printed copies will be available to buy in Michaelmas Term 2020. Information on how to purchase thermal‑bound printed copies will be provided once the fully updated edition is available in January 2021.

Statutes and Ordinances, November 2020 Edition

The links below are to the relevant section of the PDF of the November 2020 edition, which incorporates changes approved from 1 October 2019 to 16 April 2020.

Statutes and Ordinances, November 2020 Edition

COMPLETE VOLUME (pp. i–1139)	\|	7.40 MB file size

Contents and preliminaries	\|	including title page, imprints, historical note, seals, and preface - 194 KB file size
Index to the Statutes and Ordinances	\|	193 KB file size

Statutes

PDF files	S&O Page Nos	File size
Statute A: The Chancellor and the Government of the University	3–13	88 KB
Statute B: Membership of the University and Degrees	14–15	40 KB
Statute C: University Offices and Employment in the University	16–21	59 KB
Schedule to Statute C: Academic Staff	22–27	56 KB
Statute D: Discipline, the University Courts, and Disciplinary Panels	28–30	46 KB
Statute E: Trusts	31–45	91 KB
Statute F: Finance, Audit, Planning and Resource Allocation, Property and Buildings	46	36 KB
Statute G: Colleges and Collegiate Foundations	47–52	58 KB
Statute J: The University Press	53	37 KB
Passages from Acts of Parliament relating to the University of Cambridge, Procedure for making a Statute for a College, Rules of Procedure made by the Commissary under Statute A IX 7	54–61	59 KB

Special Ordinances

PDF files	S&O Page Nos	File size
Special Ordinances under Statute A: The Chancellor and the Government of the University	65–71	64 KB
Special Ordinances under Statute B: Membership of the University and Degrees	71–72	38 KB
Special Ordinances under Statute C: University Offices and Employment in the University	72–95	129 KB
Special Ordinances under Statute D: Discipline and the University Courts	95–100	63 KB
Special Ordinances under Statute G: Colleges and Collegiate Foundations	100	37 KB

Ordinances

PDF files	S&O Page Nos	File size
Chapter I: The Chancellor and the Government of the University	103–163	2,128 KB
Chapter II: Matriculation, Residence, Admission to Degrees, Discipline, Conduct, Complaints	164–245	435 KB
Chapter III: Examinations	246–259	93 KB
Chapter IV: Preliminary Examinations and Tripos Examinations	260–442	866 KB
Chapter V: B.A. Degree and M.A. Degree	443–444	42 KB
Chapter VI: Graduate Students [rescinded]	445–449	57 KB
Chapter VII: Degrees, Diplomas, and Other Qualifications	450–606	736 KB
Chapter VIII: Schools and Councils of the Schools	607–611	55 KB
Chapter IX: Faculties, Departments, and Other Institutions under the Supervision of the General Board	612–681	360 KB
Chapter X: Institutions under the Supervision of the Council	682–683	41 KB
Chapter XI: University Offices and Grants of Title	684–772	431 KB
Chapter XII: Trusts	773–1047	1,374 KB
Chapter XIII: Finance and Property	1048–1084	357 KB
Chapter XIV: Colleges	1085–1112	134 KB
Chapter XV: Institutions Recognized under Statute G I	1113	17 KB
Appendix I: Procedures and Guidelines	1114–1117	50 KB

Amendments to the Statutes and Ordinances

Amendments to the Statutes and Ordinances will be published here, usually on a termly basis:

Previous Editions of the Statutes and Ordinances

Year: 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 |2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

The online editions of the Statutes and Ordinances from previous years are available above. Please note that these editions were published in October of the relevant year and DO NOT incorporate any amendments made during the subsequent academical year.

In February 2014, the previous Statutes were repealed and new Statutes and Special Ordinances came into force. For ease of reference, a spreadsheet has been created to help with cross-referencing between the previous Statutes and the current Statutes and Special Ordinances: pdf version Excel spreadsheet. Appendix II of the Report of the Council on the Technical Review of the Statutes of 28 June 2012, which contains colour-coded cross-references and explanation, may also prove useful.