Formal hall in Cambridge: a guide for every college
Formal hall is a college’s served dinner in its hall, on set evenings in term. Members book through their college; a student from another college usually goes as a member’s guest or on a swap run by a common room or society. Here is how that works, and what all 31 colleges publish about guests, gowns and booking.
Facts checked 7 Nov 2026 · every fact links its source
Getting into another college’s formal
The usual way in is a member of that college booking you as their guest, or an organised swap through a common room or society. Colleges differ: Downing describes formal hall as an occasion for its students to bring in students from other colleges as guests [Downing College (opens in a new tab)], while Darwin lets only its current members book and the member who booked must come with their guests [Darwin College (opens in a new tab)]. A University card or a Raven login does not by itself let you book at another college.
1. Ask a member to host you
The host books your place with their college account. Where asked, give your full name and dietary needs in advance, and arrive with your host. Check the rules before taking over someone else’s ticket: at Hughes Hall bookings cannot be transferred, guests cannot attend without their host, and only the Conference Office may reassign a ticket, if asked by 14:30 the day before [Hughes Hall (opens in a new tab)].
2. Use your JCR’s or MCR’s formal swaps
The JCR and MCR are a college’s undergraduate and postgraduate common rooms. Many run swaps with other colleges: you sign up through your own common room’s announcement, which gives the places and how to pay. Christ’s MCR, for example, emails members when a swap is coming up and shares out the usually limited places so that everyone can go to at least one [Christ's College MCR (opens in a new tab)]. Lucy Cavendish MCR lists mcr-comms@lucy.cam.ac.uk as its contact [Cambridge SU (opens in a new tab)]. Your college’s page on /colleges links its JCR and MCR.
3. Follow a society that organises formals
The Formal Hall Networking Society describes regular formal swaps across colleges and has a mailing list [Cambridge SU (opens in a new tab)]. Check each event’s eligibility and ticket release: a listing does not guarantee places this term.
4. For a group, ask for the group route
A group may need the college’s permission, a minimum share of the college’s own members, or a special night. The rules differ a lot between colleges (see the table below); do not split a group across several ordinary guest bookings without asking.
Before you pay for a guest place
Ask your host or the organiser to confirm:
- the date, the kind of dinner and the current price;
- how many guests a member may bring, and whether the host must come with you;
- when booking and cancellation close;
- your name and dietary needs, if the college asks for them;
- what to wear, and whether guests wear gowns;
- when to arrive, and the rules on bringing wine.
Prices, guest limits and deadlines given for an earlier academic year below need checking for the dinner you want.
Feasts and invitation-only dinners
An ordinary guest ticket is not an invitation to a feast. Churchill’s undergraduate handbook treats ordinary guests at formal hall separately from invitations to its major feasts [Churchill College (opens in a new tab)]. Some dinners are by invitation only, such as King’s 1441 Foundation Dinner for members of the college’s donor group and their guests [King's College (opens in a new tab)]; that tells you nothing about King’s student formals.
College by college
What each college publishes for a visitor from another college, checked 7 Nov 2026. “Host” means the published route is a member booking you; it does not mean every other way is ruled out. Each college links its full rules and sources.
| College | How a visitor gets in | Main rule |
|---|---|---|
 Christ’s | Christ’s member books you as a guest; MCR swaps | Formal Hall six nights a week in term, none on Saturdays; students wear gowns. Student guest cap and booking deadline are not published. |
 Churchill | Churchill member books you on the Student Hub | Thu, Fri and Sun at 19:30 in term; guest numbers may be limited by demand; one bottle of wine per two diners; no children at formals. |
 Clare | Clare member books you as a guest; MCR exchanges | Undergraduate formal Mon–Thu, one guest each via Upay. MCR Friday formal: normally at least one guest; booking Sunday noon to end of Monday. |
 Clare Hall | Clare Hall member books and pays via Upay | Wednesdays 19:00 for 19:30; students may bring two guests; booking normally closes 15:00 the Monday before, no refunds after. |
 Corpus Christi | Corpus student books you via Upay; must check in with you | Fri and Sun in Full Term, 19:30; up to three guests; host must be at check-in; Upay closes Thursday noon; no guests at special formals. |
 Darwin | Darwin member books via Upay and must attend | Most Wed and Fri, 19:30; up to three guests (one on busy nights such as Burns Night); the host who booked must attend; changes by 14:00 day before. |
 Downing | Downing student books you as a guest on Upay | Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun in term; up to four guests per host; book, change or cancel by 11:00 two days before; guests wear gowns. |
 Emmanuel | Emmanuel student books you online as a guest | Daily except Wed in term, 19:30. Up to 4 guests (Mon, Fri, Sat, Sun) or 10 (Tue, Thu); book by 19:00 three days ahead, groups 10 days ahead. |
 Fitzwilliam | Fitz member books you via College Bills, or MCR swap | Wednesdays and occasional Fridays, 19:30. Host meets guests and shows University card. Super Halls normally one guest; ordinary cap not stated by college. |
 Girton | Girton student books you through Upay | Thursdays in term; up to two named guests where guests are permitted; Upay opens Thu 08:00 a week ahead and closes Tue 12:00. |
 Gonville & Caius | Caius student books you as a guest; MCR swaps | Formal (Second) Hall 19:20, usually six nights a week in term; gowns for all University members. Guest cap and deadline only on a 2022 JCR page. |
 Homerton | Homerton student buys you a guest ticket on Upay | Tuesdays 19:30 in Full Term; usually 2 guest tickets; tickets out 18:00 eight days ahead, close the Friday before; CamCards checked, no ticket swaps. |
 Hughes Hall | Hughes member books you as a personal guest in Upay | Usually Tue and Fri in term; up to three guests, host must attend; book by 10:00 on the Friday (for Tue) or Tuesday (for Fri) before. |
 Jesus | Jesus member books you as a guest via Upay | Tue, Wed, Fri and Sun at 19:30 (postgraduates dine separately on Wed); up to three guests; cut-offs and prices are only on JNet (login). |
 King’s | King's member books via KiFoMaSy (KCSU/KCGU formals) | Formals are run by KCSU and KCGU and sold through KiFoMaSy, which needs a login; guest numbers, prices, dates and dress are not published. |
 Lucy Cavendish | Lucy member books you as a guest in the college portal | Thu and Fri in term; up to five guests online; book, change or cancel by 12:00 two days before; gowns required, including for visiting students. |
 Magdalene | Magdalene member books you as a guest via Upay | UG halls Tue/Thu/Sun, MCR BA dinners Fri, 19:30. Hosts must come in with guests. Code: up to 10 guests Mon–Wed, 2 Thu–Sun; MCR page says 2. |
 Murray Edwards | Murray Edwards member books you as a guest online | College says students may invite friends from other colleges; the 2024/25 packs cap guests at 3 (UG) or 2 (PG), and 1 at Super Hall. |
 Newnham | Newnham host books and attends; or JCR/MCR swap | Host must attend. UG halls: 2 guests (3 at the termly Friday hall); PG halls: 3. Booking opens Monday 17:00 the week before. |
 Pembroke | Pembroke host books in Upay; groups via Catering | Over 3 guests via Catering; groups of 10+ on Mondays only, need Catering and Registrar approval and 1 Pembroke steward per 9 guests. |
 Peterhouse | Peterhouse host books in Upay and must attend | 2026/27: max 2 guests per member; host must admit guests and stay for dinner; booking closes 11:00 the day before. |
 Queens’ | Queens’ member books through Upay | Up to 5 guests per member; booking closes 14:00 two days before; guests 18+; external group bookings currently not permitted. |
 Robinson | Robinson host books online; groups via Catering | Up to 3 guests per member; Tuesday groups up to 36 with no member ratio; Friday groups up to 18 at 3 guests per member. |
 Selwyn | Selwyn host books online | 2 guests per student online; up to 2 more if the Deans agree; guests over 16; no booking others' guests; big groups need a private dinner. |
 Sidney Sussex | Sidney host books in SidNet | Up to 3 adult guests per student, charged to their account; other-college guests encouraged, not required, to wear gowns; no spirits. |
 St Catharine’s | St Catharine’s member books guests on Upay | Only members and their guests. MCR: up to 3 guests (1 at SCR formals). Upay closes 13:00 on set days; seated by 19:30. |
 St Edmund’s | Member books guests on members-only Dinner Booking System | Guest numbers set per event in the DBS. 2025/26 rules: host must dine with guests, no resale, no late cancellation. Fellowship Dinners invite-only. |
 St John’s | St John’s student books guests on Upay | College code: Dean's permission needed for more than 2 guests (SBR guide says 4). Upay closes 09:00 the day before (Fri for Sun). |
 Trinity | Trinity student books one guest on Upay | One guest when capacity allows; extra guest by request 10 days ahead. Upay opens 10 days, closes 3 days before (20:00). Host stays with guests. |
 Trinity Hall | Trinity Hall host books, or an MCR exchange dinner | Formal Thu and Sun in term, Super Halls on some Fridays. Guest cap, booking deadline, start time and price are not published. |
 Wolfson | Wolfson member books up to 3 guests; host attends | Up to 3 non-Wolfson guests, 18+, with their host. Book or cancel by 12:00 the day before; waitlist. Places cannot be sold or passed on. |
Sources
Each fact above links the page it comes from. These are the pages, and when they were read. Their publishers are the authority: check them for anything that matters, as dates and rules change from year to year.
- Downing College, Catering for current students (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Darwin College, Formal Hall (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Hughes Hall, Formal Halls (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Christ's College MCR, Halls (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Cambridge SU, Lucy Cavendish MCR's listing (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Cambridge SU, Formal Hall Networking Society's listing (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Churchill College, Undergraduate Handbook 2025–26 (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- King's College, 1441 Foundation Dinner 2026 (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Christ's College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Churchill College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Clare College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Clare Hall, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Corpus Christi College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Downing College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Emmanuel College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Fitzwilliam College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Girton College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Gonville & Caius College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Homerton College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Jesus College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- King's College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Lucy Cavendish College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Magdalene College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Murray Edwards College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Newnham College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Pembroke College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Peterhouse, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Queens' College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Robinson College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Selwyn College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Sidney Sussex College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- St Catharine's College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- St Edmund's College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- St John's College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Trinity College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Trinity Hall, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
- Wolfson College, Formal hall and dining rules (opens in a new tab). Read 7 Nov 2026.
CAMsocs is an independent, unofficial project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by or run by the University of Cambridge, any of its colleges or Cambridge SU. This guide sums up what those bodies publish; it is not their advice. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Use the request form or the address in the footer.