Formal (university)

Formal (university)

Formal Hall or Formal Meal is the meal held at some of the oldest (arguably with a strong academic tradition), universities in the United Kingdom and Ireland, at which students dress in formal attire and often gowns to dine. These are held commonly in the colleges of, for examples, Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin, Durham and St Andrews, as well as the The University of London (for example, Royal Holloway).

In a number of 'Red brick university', some halls such as those in the Manchester (a merge between Victoria University of Manchester and UMIST), Bristol and Exeter also practise such a tradition aimed to strengthen the academic and students' interactions and enrich the students' overall learning experience.

The nature of Formals varies widely between the colleges and halls that hold them. In some colleges, Formals may be held every night, and are simply a second sitting of hall at which gowns are worn and grace is read. In other colleges, Formals may be special events to which guests from outside the college are frequently invited, often with themes and associated ents or "bops". In between these two extremes fall the great majority of colleges.