Granting Honorary Doctorates A university usually awards this degree at a regular graduation ceremony and recipients traditionally give an accompanying speech. Typically, several people are nominated for the degree and a university panel decides who deserves it most. In some places, however, an honorary doctorate can be applied for. This is common in the UK, Australia, and Ireland, though it frequently requires an established relationship with the university. The recipient often has a noteworthy academic record and may be a member of the university staff.
