Student cap
Encyclopedia
In various Europe
an countries, student caps of different types are or have been worn, either as a marker of a common identity, as is the case in the Nordic countries
, or to identify the bearer as member of a smaller corporation within the larger group of students, as is the case with the caps worn by members of German Studentenverbindung
en.
_-_student_song_at_slottsbacken_on_walpurgis_night.jpg)
The Swedish student cap (studentmössa), used since the mid-19th century, normally has a white crown, a black or dark blue band and a black peak. At the front of the band is a cockade
of blue and yellow, the colours of the Swedish flag.
In the Nordic countries
, student caps were first adopted as a common mark of recognition by the students from Uppsala University
on the occasion of a Scandinavian student meeting in Copenhagen in 1845. In the following years similar caps were adopted by the students at the other Swedish university (Lund
) and by the students in Denmark, Norway and Finland. Caps of the same type are known to have been used by German students in the early 19th century, and it is possibly that the original impulse came from Germany.
Swedish student caps traditionally come in two main variants, named after the two universities in existence at the time of their original adoption. The Uppsala cap has a black band, blue and yellow lining
and a somewhat soft crown, while the Lund cap has a dark blue band, red lining and a stiffer crown. The earliest student cap known to have been preserved, a mid-19th century Uppsala cap in the collections of the Nordic Museum
but currently exhibited at the Uppland Provincial Museum
(in Uppsala), is considerably softer and looser in style than the modern or even late 19th century caps.
The Uppsala cap is traditionally only worn only in summer, from Walpurgis Night
until the end of September. In Lund, the white cap is also donned at Walpurgis and taken off in the fall, but students can exchange it for a winter variant with a dark blue crown during the rest of the year.
A major variation on the student cap is the one worn by engineering students, the teknologmössa, which has the same basic shape as the regular student cap but has a triangular flap hanging down on the right side ending in a tassel. The cap for engineering students usually comes in various colours signalling the university of origin (e.g. white=Chalmers University of Technology
in Gothenburg
, dark red=Luleå University of Technology
). The tasseled cap originates at the Chalmers University of Technology
in Gothenburg
, where it was first introduced in 1879, and is influenced by the Norwegian student cap, the duskelue, which from 1856 had a tassel; during the period of the Swedish-Norwegian union (until 1905) a large number of Norwegian students studied at Chalmers. It later spread to the Royal Institute of Technology
and the other Swedish engineering schools.
Originally associated with completion of the studentexamen
, the entrance examination to the universities, which was at the time of the original adoption of student caps always taken at the universities, the cap followed the studentexamen to the secondary schools when these took over the final examination of their students in 1864. After this point it was donned upon graduation by everybody who completed the studentexamen, whether they continued to university or not.
As the studentexamen in reality remained reserved for boys (and later girls) from the bourgeoisie
, a very large proportion of whom did enroll at university, the conversion of the cap to a form of secondary school graduation cap did not in fact result in the cap losing its association with university students. To some extent this happened later, through the combination of two factors: firstly, the radicalism of the 1960s and 1970s, which influenced many students to stop using their caps (regarded as a sign of belonging to the bourgeoisie) or even burn them publicly. Secondly, the simultaneous (1968) reform of the secondary school system, through the abolition of the studentexamen and the introduction of a large number of secondary school programmes, many of which were vocational in character and not intended to prepare for higher studies but all frequently co-existing in the same schools.
The large number of new programmes introduced after 1970 also led to a proliferation of new types of student caps, such as the one with a red band (instead of the black or dark blue band of the traditional caps) used by students completing the two-year vocational programmes. With the caps now being used upon graduation by almost all secondary school students, and with many of the caps being more strongly associated with the secondary school attended than with the common identity as a Swedish student, as had originally been intended. Some of the graduates from vocational programme have variations in the colouring of the brim in accordance with their programme. Examples include burgundy
for nursing, green for horticulture and blue for engineering (only on the Uppsala model). In addition, most hats also have a thin coloured hatband to signify the student’s programme. Colours include green for natural sciences, royal blue for social sciences and silver for construction. There are also schools that have their own variants of the Student cap with special insignia and or variations.
The Finnish student cap tradition follows the Swedish model, like many other Finnish academic traditions. The Finnish student cap has an appearance similar to the Swedish version, but instead of coloured fabric cockade
, it has a metallic, gold-colored cockade depicting the lyre
of Apollo
, the insignia of the University of Helsinki
. The cap was introduced in its present form in 1870s. Until 1950's, the university students usually wore the cap during the whole summer holiday of the university, from Walpurgis Night
until the end of September. Nowadays, the cap is used mostly during the 1st of May and in academic ceremonies and occasions. The cap is worn by all Finnish high school (lukio) graduates.
Until 1917, the matriculation examination was the entrance exam of the University of Helsinki
, which meant that all high-school graduates were, at least formally, students of the University of Helsinki. As a memory of that period, all new student cap have the cocakade of the Student union of the University of Helsinki. In many Finnish universities, the student union recommends that the students change the cockade into a university-specific one.
In late 19th century, the language strife between Swedish- and Finnish-speakers divided the Finnish academia. The size of the cockade was used to signal the student's opinion to the language question: the Swedish-speaking students wore a cockade with a diameter of 22 mm, moderate Finnish-speakers a 16 mm cockade and radical Finnish-speakers a 14 mm cockade. Even today, the Swedish-speakers use the 22 mm cockade, while the graduates of Finnish-speaking high schools use a 16 mm cockade.
The lining
, i.e. the inside, of the cap symbolizes the regional identity of the graduate. Especially in earlier days, the students usually choose the lining to have the colours of their own student nations. Nowadays, the most typical lining is the white and blue, symbolizing common patriotism. However, the Swedish-speaking students usually wear red and yellow, or blue, yellow and white, while in Satakunta and North Karelia
, the regional colours are still popular. The Swedish-speaking students in Ostrobothnia use black, yellow and red.
As in Sweden, the students of Engineering
usually wear a special student cap with a long tassel. However, unlike in Sweden, the crown of the Finnish Engineering student cap is always white and the cap has a gold-coloured, university-specific cockade, except in University of Oulu
, where the cockade is program specific. The tassel is always black and worn without any additions. The lining of the engineering caps is dark red, symbolizing the social change brought about by the ever-advancing technology, except in Lappeenranta University of Technology
, where Karelian colours, red and black, are used, in University of Oulu, where the student cap has a blue lining, and in the cap of Teknologföreningen
, the Swedish-speaking student nation at the Aalto University
, with a red-yellow-red lining. The Engineering student caps are worn by present engineering students and graduate engineers on 1 May and in academic ceremonies.
. They came in two colours: black for the winter uniform [in the 19th century with black jacket and long black trousers] and white for the summer uniform. The caps are worn by students who have completed an upper secondary level education. The student cap is made by linen with a black brim and is supplied with a band and a cockade with a Dannebrog cross or other badge. The design varies after which exam it represents.
When this school uniform vanished in the late 19th century, the two caps came to denote two different kinds of studentereksamen: the classical-linguistic exam with the black student’s cap and the white for the modern language + mathematical exams. Both with a Bordeaux-coloured band.
When the student cap came out, it was only connected to studentereksamen (STX) which at that time was the only upper secondary level education there was, and was connected to a very high status, because very few people graduated. From the 1970s three other upper secondary level educations were made. Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
, Higher Commercial Examination Programme
(HHX), and Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX). From about 1990 there has also been student caps for other educations, including 10th grade and SOSU. More variants of the caps are still being developed with special coloured cords and badges, because more educations want their own cap.
Traditions
There is a long list of traditions with the Danish student cap. They have, of course, been changed and will vary from place to place. Here are a few:
Upper secondary level educations with caps
Other educations with caps
- for folkeskole
and career aimed educations
The cross isn’t a Christian badge, but the caps can have other badges for example:
with the old Apollo
symbol on the forehead (the symbol of the old University of Oslo
). The tassel is made from silk
. Norwegian students got their caps on graduation, after throwing away the red russelue, made after a similar principle. After 1968, the use of this cap has been less and less frequent, but may be seen on Norwegian Constitution Day
, mostly worn by old academics.
This cap came into use after 1850.
It has a white crown, a black band and a black peak. At the front of the band is a silver star.
One of the caps dissitinctive traits is the possibility of removing the top white crown, which in return reveals a black version of the cap's crown. This is due to the Icelandic tradition dictating that after an entire year as a graduate and after finishing a year of university education the student should remove the white cover-piece, signifying his or hers academic status as a university stúdent. This practice has its roots in the traditions concerning the black caps of the Danish students. During the year the cap is white, the student is known as nýstúdent or new-student.
The first Icelandic students to wear these caps were graduates of "Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík" or "Reykjavík College".
In modern times different versions have been introduced. These caps often have different coloured crowns which differ from the traditional white coloured crown. This is done in order to allow students which graduate at secondary level from schools specialising in academic trade- industry- and/or craftmen-programs, "iðnskóli". The colours of these crowns are often red or green.
The calotte
originates from the skullcap worn by the Zouave papal regiment around 1860.
The calotte is cylindrical, made from velvet and astrakhan (pelt of newborn lamb. The color of the top is bordeau red for the universities of Brussels
, Leuven
, Louvain-la-Neuve
and Namur
, white for the University of Ghent and emerald for the University of Liège
.
In the front of the calotte are stripes representing the Belgian flag (black, yellow and red) and stripes representing the colors of the city or the university where the calotte has been received. At the back of the calotte, the faculty of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if needed an additional symbol to determine the speciality. Golden stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a silver star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of official and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include:
The calotte is awarded after a rite of passage called Corona (from Latin crown, for the shape of the assembly) by numerous student unions called Ordres, Cercles and Régionales to hundreds of students each year. Requirements to get the calotte vary, but always include a minimum time spent on the given campus, a knowledge of the calotte, Latin formulae and student songs.
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an countries, student caps of different types are or have been worn, either as a marker of a common identity, as is the case in the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, or to identify the bearer as member of a smaller corporation within the larger group of students, as is the case with the caps worn by members of German Studentenverbindung
Studentenverbindung
A Studentenverbindung is a student corporation in a German-speaking country somewhat comparable to fraternities in the US or Canada, but mostly older and going back to other kinds of...
en.
Sweden
Cockade
A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.-Eighteenth century:...
of blue and yellow, the colours of the Swedish flag.
In the Nordic countries
Nordic countries
The Nordic countries make up a region in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic which consists of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden and their associated territories, the Faroe Islands, Greenland and Åland...
, student caps were first adopted as a common mark of recognition by the students from Uppsala University
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
on the occasion of a Scandinavian student meeting in Copenhagen in 1845. In the following years similar caps were adopted by the students at the other Swedish university (Lund
Lund University
Lund University , located in the city of Lund in the province of Scania, Sweden, is one of northern Europe's most prestigious universities and one of Scandinavia's largest institutions for education and research, frequently ranked among the world's top 100 universities...
) and by the students in Denmark, Norway and Finland. Caps of the same type are known to have been used by German students in the early 19th century, and it is possibly that the original impulse came from Germany.
Swedish student caps traditionally come in two main variants, named after the two universities in existence at the time of their original adoption. The Uppsala cap has a black band, blue and yellow lining
Lining (sewing)
In sewing and tailoring, a lining is an inner layer of fabric, fur, or other material inserted into clothing, hats, luggage, curtains, handbags and similar items....
and a somewhat soft crown, while the Lund cap has a dark blue band, red lining and a stiffer crown. The earliest student cap known to have been preserved, a mid-19th century Uppsala cap in the collections of the Nordic Museum
Nordic Museum
The Nordic Museum is a museum located on Djurgården, an island in central Stockholm, Sweden, dedicated to the cultural history and ethnography of Sweden from the Early Modern age until the contemporary period...
but currently exhibited at the Uppland Provincial Museum
Upplandsmuseet
The Upplandsmuseet is the county museum of Uppsala County in Sweden. The institution is responsible for preservation and conducting research in the area of the cultural history and archaeology of the county, including the city of Uppsala...
(in Uppsala), is considerably softer and looser in style than the modern or even late 19th century caps.
The Uppsala cap is traditionally only worn only in summer, from Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night is a traditional spring festival on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. It is often celebrated with dancing and with bonfires. It is exactly six months from All Hallows' Eve.-Name:...
until the end of September. In Lund, the white cap is also donned at Walpurgis and taken off in the fall, but students can exchange it for a winter variant with a dark blue crown during the rest of the year.
A major variation on the student cap is the one worn by engineering students, the teknologmössa, which has the same basic shape as the regular student cap but has a triangular flap hanging down on the right side ending in a tassel. The cap for engineering students usually comes in various colours signalling the university of origin (e.g. white=Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology , is a Swedish university located in Gothenburg that focuses on research and education in technology, natural science and architecture.-History:...
in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, dark red=Luleå University of Technology
Luleå University of Technology
Luleå University of Technology or Luleå tekniska universitet of Sweden is Scandinavia's northernmost university of technology. It has four campuses, located in Luleå , Kiruna , Skellefteå and Piteå .-History:The university was founded on 1 June 1971 at Porsön in Luleå as...
). The tasseled cap originates at the Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology
Chalmers University of Technology , is a Swedish university located in Gothenburg that focuses on research and education in technology, natural science and architecture.-History:...
in Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
, where it was first introduced in 1879, and is influenced by the Norwegian student cap, the duskelue, which from 1856 had a tassel; during the period of the Swedish-Norwegian union (until 1905) a large number of Norwegian students studied at Chalmers. It later spread to the Royal Institute of Technology
Royal Institute of Technology
The Royal Institute of Technology is a university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH was founded in 1827 as Sweden's first polytechnic and is one of Scandinavia's largest institutions of higher education in technology. KTH accounts for one-third of Sweden’s technical research and engineering education...
and the other Swedish engineering schools.
Originally associated with completion of the studentexamen
Studentexamen
Studentexamen is the name of the university entrance examination in Sweden from the 17th century until 1968, during the period 1862–1968 taken as a final written and oral exam on graduation from gymnasium...
, the entrance examination to the universities, which was at the time of the original adoption of student caps always taken at the universities, the cap followed the studentexamen to the secondary schools when these took over the final examination of their students in 1864. After this point it was donned upon graduation by everybody who completed the studentexamen, whether they continued to university or not.
As the studentexamen in reality remained reserved for boys (and later girls) from the bourgeoisie
Bourgeoisie
In sociology and political science, bourgeoisie describes a range of groups across history. In the Western world, between the late 18th century and the present day, the bourgeoisie is a social class "characterized by their ownership of capital and their related culture." A member of the...
, a very large proportion of whom did enroll at university, the conversion of the cap to a form of secondary school graduation cap did not in fact result in the cap losing its association with university students. To some extent this happened later, through the combination of two factors: firstly, the radicalism of the 1960s and 1970s, which influenced many students to stop using their caps (regarded as a sign of belonging to the bourgeoisie) or even burn them publicly. Secondly, the simultaneous (1968) reform of the secondary school system, through the abolition of the studentexamen and the introduction of a large number of secondary school programmes, many of which were vocational in character and not intended to prepare for higher studies but all frequently co-existing in the same schools.
The large number of new programmes introduced after 1970 also led to a proliferation of new types of student caps, such as the one with a red band (instead of the black or dark blue band of the traditional caps) used by students completing the two-year vocational programmes. With the caps now being used upon graduation by almost all secondary school students, and with many of the caps being more strongly associated with the secondary school attended than with the common identity as a Swedish student, as had originally been intended. Some of the graduates from vocational programme have variations in the colouring of the brim in accordance with their programme. Examples include burgundy
Burgundy (color)
Burgundy is a shade of purplish red associated with the Burgundy wine of the same name, which in turn is named after the Burgundy region of France. The color burgundy is similar to other shades of dark red such as maroon...
for nursing, green for horticulture and blue for engineering (only on the Uppsala model). In addition, most hats also have a thin coloured hatband to signify the student’s programme. Colours include green for natural sciences, royal blue for social sciences and silver for construction. There are also schools that have their own variants of the Student cap with special insignia and or variations.
Finland
Cockade
A cockade is a knot of ribbons, or other circular- or oval-shaped symbol of distinctive colors which is usually worn on a hat.-Eighteenth century:...
, it has a metallic, gold-colored cockade depicting the lyre
Lyre
The lyre is a stringed musical instrument known for its use in Greek classical antiquity and later. The word comes from the Greek "λύρα" and the earliest reference to the word is the Mycenaean Greek ru-ra-ta-e, meaning "lyrists", written in Linear B syllabic script...
of Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
, the insignia of the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
. The cap was introduced in its present form in 1870s. Until 1950's, the university students usually wore the cap during the whole summer holiday of the university, from Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night
Walpurgis Night is a traditional spring festival on 30 April or 1 May in large parts of Central and Northern Europe. It is often celebrated with dancing and with bonfires. It is exactly six months from All Hallows' Eve.-Name:...
until the end of September. Nowadays, the cap is used mostly during the 1st of May and in academic ceremonies and occasions. The cap is worn by all Finnish high school (lukio) graduates.
Until 1917, the matriculation examination was the entrance exam of the University of Helsinki
University of Helsinki
The University of Helsinki is a university located in Helsinki, Finland since 1829, but was founded in the city of Turku in 1640 as The Royal Academy of Turku, at that time part of the Swedish Empire. It is the oldest and largest university in Finland with the widest range of disciplines available...
, which meant that all high-school graduates were, at least formally, students of the University of Helsinki. As a memory of that period, all new student cap have the cocakade of the Student union of the University of Helsinki. In many Finnish universities, the student union recommends that the students change the cockade into a university-specific one.
In late 19th century, the language strife between Swedish- and Finnish-speakers divided the Finnish academia. The size of the cockade was used to signal the student's opinion to the language question: the Swedish-speaking students wore a cockade with a diameter of 22 mm, moderate Finnish-speakers a 16 mm cockade and radical Finnish-speakers a 14 mm cockade. Even today, the Swedish-speakers use the 22 mm cockade, while the graduates of Finnish-speaking high schools use a 16 mm cockade.
The lining
Lining (sewing)
In sewing and tailoring, a lining is an inner layer of fabric, fur, or other material inserted into clothing, hats, luggage, curtains, handbags and similar items....
, i.e. the inside, of the cap symbolizes the regional identity of the graduate. Especially in earlier days, the students usually choose the lining to have the colours of their own student nations. Nowadays, the most typical lining is the white and blue, symbolizing common patriotism. However, the Swedish-speaking students usually wear red and yellow, or blue, yellow and white, while in Satakunta and North Karelia
North Karelia
North Karelia is a region in eastern Finland. It borders to the regions of Kainuu, Northern Savonia, Southern Savonia, South Karelia and to Russia.The city of Joensuu is the centre of the North Karelia region.- Municipalities :...
, the regional colours are still popular. The Swedish-speaking students in Ostrobothnia use black, yellow and red.
As in Sweden, the students of Engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
usually wear a special student cap with a long tassel. However, unlike in Sweden, the crown of the Finnish Engineering student cap is always white and the cap has a gold-coloured, university-specific cockade, except in University of Oulu
University of Oulu
The University of Oulu is one of the largest universities in Finland, located in the city of Oulu. It was founded on July 8, 1958. The university has around 16,000 students and 3,000 staff...
, where the cockade is program specific. The tassel is always black and worn without any additions. The lining of the engineering caps is dark red, symbolizing the social change brought about by the ever-advancing technology, except in Lappeenranta University of Technology
Lappeenranta University of Technology
The Lappeenranta University of Technology was established in 1969. The university campus is situated on the shore of lake Saimaa, about 7 kilometres away from the city center...
, where Karelian colours, red and black, are used, in University of Oulu, where the student cap has a blue lining, and in the cap of Teknologföreningen
Teknologföreningen
Teknologföreningen is the only student nation at the Aalto University. The only other university in Finland hosting nations is the University of Helsinki. The Aalto University was formed in 2010 by a merger of three universities, before the merger Teknologföreningen was a student corporation of the...
, the Swedish-speaking student nation at the Aalto University
Aalto University
Aalto University is a Finnish university established on January 1, 2010, by the merger of the Helsinki University of Technology, the Helsinki School of Economics, and the University of Art and Design Helsinki....
, with a red-yellow-red lining. The Engineering student caps are worn by present engineering students and graduate engineers on 1 May and in academic ceremonies.
 |
 |
 |
Denmark
In Denmark, the student caps (studenterhue) are the last remains of the old school uniform of the University of CopenhagenUniversity of Copenhagen
The University of Copenhagen is the oldest and largest university and research institution in Denmark. Founded in 1479, it has more than 37,000 students, the majority of whom are female , and more than 7,000 employees. The university has several campuses located in and around Copenhagen, with the...
. They came in two colours: black for the winter uniform [in the 19th century with black jacket and long black trousers] and white for the summer uniform. The caps are worn by students who have completed an upper secondary level education. The student cap is made by linen with a black brim and is supplied with a band and a cockade with a Dannebrog cross or other badge. The design varies after which exam it represents.
When this school uniform vanished in the late 19th century, the two caps came to denote two different kinds of studentereksamen: the classical-linguistic exam with the black student’s cap and the white for the modern language + mathematical exams. Both with a Bordeaux-coloured band.
When the student cap came out, it was only connected to studentereksamen (STX) which at that time was the only upper secondary level education there was, and was connected to a very high status, because very few people graduated. From the 1970s three other upper secondary level educations were made. Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
Higher Preparatory Examination (HF)
The Higher Preparatory Examination is a 2-year general upper secondary programme building on to the 10th form of the Folkeskole and leading to the higher preparatory examination , which qualifies for admission to higher education, subject to the special entrance regulations applying to the...
, Higher Commercial Examination Programme
Higher Commercial Examination Programme
The Higher Commercial Examination Programme is a business-oriented education in Denmark. The 3-year HHX programme requires a completed 9-year folkeskole and offers general subjects in addition to business administration, economics, and foreign language...
(HHX), and Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX). From about 1990 there has also been student caps for other educations, including 10th grade and SOSU. More variants of the caps are still being developed with special coloured cords and badges, because more educations want their own cap.
Traditions
There is a long list of traditions with the Danish student cap. They have, of course, been changed and will vary from place to place. Here are a few:
- It is bad luck to try on a student's cap before completion of the last exam.
- It’s tradition to write the grade given in the last exam in the middle of lining of the student's cap.
- Classmates and friends write in the lining.
- The student with the biggest and/or the smallest head has to give beer to the whole class.
- The student cap can be marked with notches, cuts and so on, in connection with the "rules" of the student cap.
- There is taunt songs connected to the rivalry between the different educations, for example between GymnasiumGymnasium (school)A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
and HFHigher Preparatory Examination (HF)The Higher Preparatory Examination is a 2-year general upper secondary programme building on to the 10th form of the Folkeskole and leading to the higher preparatory examination , which qualifies for admission to higher education, subject to the special entrance regulations applying to the...
: “There is only one cap and it’s red – and if it’s blue it’s way too easy to get” or HTX to STX "Hvis den er rød, er den ikke mere værd end brød" (translation: "If it's red, it's not worth more than bread".
Upper secondary level educations with caps
| Education | Duration | Cord | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studentereksamen (stx) STX-student (regular student) |
3 years | Bordeaux | Dannebrog cross |
| Higher Preaparatory Examination (HF) HF-student |
2 years | Light blue | Dannebrog cross |
| Higher Commercial Examination Programme (HHX/HH) HHX-student |
3 years | Blue | Mercury stick |
| Higher Technical Examination Programme (HTX) HTX-student (technical student) |
3 years | Dark blue | “HTX” |
| International baccalaureate (IB) IB-student (international student) |
2 years | Bordeaux with international flags | Dannebrog cross |
| STX + 1-year HHX | 3 years + 1 year | Bordeaux (top) and blue (bottom) | Mercury stick |
| HF + 1-year HHX | 2 years + 1 year | Light blue (top) and blue (bottom) | Mercury stick |
| HTX plus 1-year HHX | 3 years + 1 year | Dark blue (top) and blue (bottom) | Mercury stick |
Other educations with caps
- for folkeskole
Danish Folkeskole Education
The Folkeskole is one type of school in Denmark, covering the entire period of compulsory education. This form of education cannot, as in the case of many other nations' education systems, be divided into primary and secondary education....
and career aimed educations
| Education | Duration | Cord | Badge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th grade (FS10) | 1 year | Green | Dannebrog cross |
| Higher Commercial Examination Programme basic studies |
2 out of 4 years | Dark purple | Mercury stick |
| Farming schools Educated farmer |
3½ years | Green | Dannebrog cross |
| PGU | 1 year and 7½ months | Orange | Dannebrog cross |
| SOSU-helper | 1 year and 2 months | Light purple | Dannebrog cross |
| SOSU-assistant | 2 years and 10 months | Bordeaux (top) and blue (bottom) | Dannebrog cross |
| Hairdresser | 4 years | Pink | Dannebrog cross |
| HTX plus 1-year HHX | 4 years | Yellow | Dannebrog cross |
The cross isn’t a Christian badge, but the caps can have other badges for example:
- Star of David for Jews
- Crescent moon for Muslims
- Maple leaf for atheists and other religious persuasions
- A red sun on a white background, for Greenlanders
Norway
The Norwegian student cap (Studenterlue eller Duskelue), is mostly made of black velvetVelvet
Velvet is a type of woven tufted fabric in which the cut threads are evenly distributed,with a short dense pile, giving it a distinctive feel.The word 'velvety' is used as an adjective to mean -"smooth like velvet".-Composition:...
with the old Apollo
Apollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
symbol on the forehead (the symbol of the old University of Oslo
University of Oslo
The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...
). The tassel is made from silk
Silk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
. Norwegian students got their caps on graduation, after throwing away the red russelue, made after a similar principle. After 1968, the use of this cap has been less and less frequent, but may be seen on Norwegian Constitution Day
Norwegian Constitution Day
Norwegian Constitution Day is the National Day of Norway and is an official national holiday observed on May 17 each year. Among Norwegians, the day is referred to simply as syttende mai or syttande mai , Nasjonaldagen or Grunnlovsdagen , although the latter is less frequent.- Historical...
, mostly worn by old academics.
This cap came into use after 1850.
Iceland
At each high-school and or junior college ceremonial graduation the graduating students are allowed to wear their student caps for the first time. Know simply as stúdentshúfa, the Icelandic student caps have mostly the same shape and colour as the other traditional Nordic student caps of Sweden and Denmark, they however tend to have a slightly tighter fit and appear somewhat stiffer and more defined in shape.It has a white crown, a black band and a black peak. At the front of the band is a silver star.
One of the caps dissitinctive traits is the possibility of removing the top white crown, which in return reveals a black version of the cap's crown. This is due to the Icelandic tradition dictating that after an entire year as a graduate and after finishing a year of university education the student should remove the white cover-piece, signifying his or hers academic status as a university stúdent. This practice has its roots in the traditions concerning the black caps of the Danish students. During the year the cap is white, the student is known as nýstúdent or new-student.
The first Icelandic students to wear these caps were graduates of "Menntaskólinn í Reykjavík" or "Reykjavík College".
In modern times different versions have been introduced. These caps often have different coloured crowns which differ from the traditional white coloured crown. This is done in order to allow students which graduate at secondary level from schools specialising in academic trade- industry- and/or craftmen-programs, "iðnskóli". The colours of these crowns are often red or green.
Belgium
Belgian student caps can be divided into 2 main variants, the calotte, worn by students at Roman Catholic universities and the penne, worn by student at liberal universities.Calotte
Calotte (Belgium)
The calotte , is a skullcap worn by students at catholic universities in Belgium. It originates from the skullcap worn by the Papal Zouave regiment around 1860....
originates from the skullcap worn by the Zouave papal regiment around 1860.
The calotte is cylindrical, made from velvet and astrakhan (pelt of newborn lamb. The color of the top is bordeau red for the universities of Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
, Leuven
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
The Katholieke Universiteit Leuven is a Dutch-speaking university in Flanders, Belgium.It is located at the centre of the historic town of Leuven, and is a prominent part of the city, home to the university since 1425...
, Louvain-la-Neuve
Université catholique de Louvain
The Université catholique de Louvain, sometimes known, especially in Belgium, as UCL, is Belgium's largest French-speaking university. It is located in Louvain-la-Neuve and in Brussels...
and Namur
Facultés universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix
The University of Namur or Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix , in Namur , is a Jesuit, Catholic private university in the French Community of Belgium...
, white for the University of Ghent and emerald for the University of Liège
University of Liège
The University of Liège , in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium, is a major public university in the French Community of Belgium. Its official language is French.-History:...
.
In the front of the calotte are stripes representing the Belgian flag (black, yellow and red) and stripes representing the colors of the city or the university where the calotte has been received. At the back of the calotte, the faculty of the student is represented by a color and a symbol, with if needed an additional symbol to determine the speciality. Golden stars around the calotte represent the number of years that the student has studied successfully (if a year has to be retaken, a silver star will represent it). In addition to that, a number of official and personal pins will be added to the calotte, all representing something about its owner examples include:
- Official position in a student organisation (above the considered year’s star)
- Hobbies and occupations (cardplayer, partyer...)
- Character (patriotic, lazy...)
The calotte is awarded after a rite of passage called Corona (from Latin crown, for the shape of the assembly) by numerous student unions called Ordres, Cercles and Régionales to hundreds of students each year. Requirements to get the calotte vary, but always include a minimum time spent on the given campus, a knowledge of the calotte, Latin formulae and student songs.
Penne
Like the calotte, the penne is only awarded after a student-organized initiation ceremony. The number of gold stars represent the number of years of study, with silver stars representing years that were failed and re-done. For years of study before the initiation (if any), the stars are not placed centrally, but instead off to the side. The student's official nickname is spelled out in brass pins along the rim of the hat. The colour of the band around the edge represents the faculty in which they study, with a different colour for each faculty.See also
- CalotteCalotte (Belgium)The calotte , is a skullcap worn by students at catholic universities in Belgium. It originates from the skullcap worn by the Papal Zouave regiment around 1860....
: Belgian catholic universities cap - FalucheFalucheA faluche is a traditional cap worn by students in France. It is a black velvet beret, decorated with colored ribbons and badges.Several student groups wear the faluche, especially bitards, basochards, and faluchards...
: French universities cap