First women admitted to degrees at the University of Oxford

First women's colleges at Oxford (l to r): Lady Margaret Hall, founded in 1879; Somerville College, founded in 1879; and St Hugh's College, founded in 1886

In 1920, the University of Oxford admitted women to degrees for the first time during the Michaelmas term. The conferrals took place at the Sheldonian Theatre on 14 October,^[1] 26 October,^[2] 29 October,^[3] 30 October^[4] and 13 November.^[5] That same year, on 7 October, women also became eligible for admission as full members of the university.^[6]

Before 1920, it is estimated that around 4,000 women studied at Oxford since the opening of the university's first women's colleges in 1879.^[7] One graduate was Annie Rogers, who took undergraduate exams in 1875 and 1877 and was finally given a degree in 1920, when she was 64 years old.^[8] The last survivor of the first conferral ceremony was Constance Savery, who died at the age of 101 in 1999.^[9]

For the first six centuries of its existence, the University of Oxford was only open to male students. In 1873, Annie Rogers sat for the Oxford school examination and came out on top, automatically qualifying for an exhibition at Balliol or Worcester College. However, when the university realised she was female, they rescinded her offer and her place was given to the boy who had come sixth in the tests. Balliol College gave her volumes of Homer as a consolation prize.^[8] In response to the controversy caused by Rogers' story, the university passed a statute in 1875 allowing its Delegacy for Local Examinations to set examinations for women at roughly undergraduate level;^[10] Rogers was able to sit these examinations, giving her the equivalent of first-class marks in Classics in 1877 and Ancient History in 1879.^[11]

In 1873 a committee was formed to organise "Lectures for Ladies" by university dons in Oxford. It was also possible to take tests and use the university's Bodleian Library.^{[12]: 233–234} In June 1878, an Association for the Education of Women (AEW) was formed in Oxford, including members of the "Lectures for Ladies", to organise courses of lectures leading to examinations.^{[12]: 247–248} Because of religious differences, two halls of residence were opened in 1879 by separate committees: the Anglican Lady Margaret Hall and the nondenominational Somerville Hall^{[12]: 245–248} From 1879, there were also a number of students not living in halls, who were given the name of the Society of Oxford Home-Students in 1898 (later renamed to St Anne's College in 1952).^[13] Two more women's colleges would open before 1900: St Hugh's Hall in 1886 and St Hilda's Hall in 1893.^[12]: 250 Over time, the halls and the home students took on their own tutors and adopted the name college.^[13] In 1910 the halls and the home students became "recognised societies" of the university and in 1920 "societies of women students".^[14] From 1927 until 1957 there was a quota system which limited the number of students admitted to the women's societies.^{[15]: 233–234} They were only accepted as full colleges of the university in 1959.^[16]

At first, women students took examinations organised by the Delegacy for Local Examinations.^[17] Eventually, they were allowed to sit for university examinations for B.A. courses through the delegacy, which awarded a certificate of completion rather than a degree.^[18] By 1895, Oxford, the University of Cambridge and Trinity College Dublin were the only universities in the United Kingdom to deny women degrees. The first vote to give Oxford women degrees in 1896 was unsuccessful.^[16] In response to the vote failure, the AEW began to issue a diploma listing the exams a student had passed at the end of her studies.^[19] For a brief period in the early 1900s, some women received ad eundem degrees from Trinity College, which began admitting women in 1904 and had made this arrangement with the Oxbridge universities.^[20] These women became known as "steamboat ladies" and, between 1904 and 1907 (when the arrangement ended), Trinity College granted degrees to 720 women educated at Oxbridge.^[21]

In November 1910, the University of Oxford established the Delegacy for Women Students. This was a huge step towards women being granted full membership, not least because the statute which established the Delegacy acknowledged women as Oxford members for the first time as well as the five women's colleges, with the University assuming formal control and supervision over them.^[22]

It would be another ten years before women were finally admitted as full members. The first matriculation ceremony was held in the Divinity School on 7 October 1920. The first degree ceremony followed at the Sheldonian Theatre on 14 October 1920. Between 1920 and 1921, a total of 1,159 women matriculated.^[16]

The University of Oxford awarded the following ordinary degrees to women between October and December 1920.^[23] Master of Arts degrees are not included as it is not a separate qualification at Oxford. Two women each received two degrees and therefore appear twice.

The University of Oxford awarded Master of Arts degrees by decree of convocation to the following principals and tutors of the women's colleges in October 1920.^[23]