Societies and clubs at Pembroke College, Cambridge

The Graduate Parlour welcome guide 2026 (opens in a new tab) says ordinary formal is at 19:30, usually on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday (this may vary year to year), with a graduate-only BA Dinner every Friday. Tickets are bought through Upay and go on sale a week before; dress is formal and academic gowns are required. The College's student prices page (opens in a new tab) gives 2026-27 prices of £15 student / £27.30 guest, repeated on the postgraduate page (opens in a new tab); the GP guide's older 'about £12 / £25.50' should not be used. The College bill page (opens in a new tab) says bookings with more than three guests go through Catering (formal@pem.cam.ac.uk) and must be paid in full before they are booked. No per-host guest cap or final booking deadline is published.

The Formal Hall procedure (opens in a new tab) (undated) says diners should be at their table by 19:15. Groups of ten or more, from Pembroke or including guests (Monday nights only), need advance permission from Catering, then from the College Registrar, and must name one Pembroke student as host and steward for every nine guests. Pembroke students must wear gowns; no baseball caps; no more than one bottle of wine per person and no spirits or cans of beer; no photography during dinner, no phone use and no games at table. Hosts are responsible for their guests' conduct on College premises. The facilities booking page (opens in a new tab) links the Formal Hall permission form, and the stewards guidance for 2026-27 (opens in a new tab) confirms one steward per nine other attendees, all Pembroke members.

Practical assessment: you need a Pembroke member to book you through Upay; groups over three guests go through Catering, and groups of ten or more need two approvals, Monday-night booking and Pembroke stewards.