With graduation season just around the corner, I’ve seen many junior students asking about the graduation ceremony, especially about the academic gowns. Spanish academic regalia seems quite different from what you see in China or on British and American TV shows—it’s so colorful and interesting. Today, I’d like to chat about this topic and offer a reference for all the soon-to-be graduates.
A Spanish university’s academic regalia mainly consists of a few parts: a black robe, a colored hood, a mortarboard cap, and sometimes white gloves. The most important part is the colorful hood, known as the Muceta. Its color directly represents your field of study, making it the soul of the entire outfit! This is unlike in many countries where the colors typically just signify bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees.
What Do the Gown Colors Represent?
The rules might vary slightly from one university to another, but they generally follow a traditional system where the colors for different academic fields have deep historical roots. I’ve put together a common color reference chart. For more comprehensive details, you can read this guide on academic dress at Spanish universities. You can also find specifics on things like what the orange sash at a Spanish university graduation means. For now, here’s a general overview to see which ‘color family’ your major belongs to:
| Field of Study | Hood Color | Meaning / Main Majors |
|---|
| Arts & Humanities | Sky Blue | Philosophy, Languages, History, Fine Arts |
| Social & Legal Sciences | Orange/Red | Law, Economics, Business, Journalism |
| Sciences | Royal Blue | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biology |
| Health Sciences | Golden Yellow | Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, Veterinary Science |
| Engineering & Architecture | Brown | All branches of Engineering, Architecture |
Is the chart much clearer now? On graduation day, seeing students from different faculties wearing their distinctly colored hoods gather in the square is quite a spectacular sight. By the way, the mortarboard cap, or Birrete, is usually black, but the tassel color might also match your academic field. The cap for a doctorate is different from a regular bachelor’s cap; it’s more ornate and typically octagonal.
Finally, a practical tip: the academic gown is usually rented through the university for around 20-30 euros. Of course, you can also buy a set as a keepsake, but it’s more expensive. I just rented mine; I felt that wearing it once for photos was enough, since it’s bulky and expensive anyway. How did you all handle your gowns after graduation? Feel free to leave a comment below to discuss! Wishing all graduates a bright future! 🎉
