[3] In order to receive their certificate, the candidates had to pass a minimum of six papers from "Latin, English Language, English History, Geography, Mathematics, Natural Philosophy, two from Greek, French, German and Italian, and either Chemistry or Botany".

[2] The questions included an essay on the character of Queen Elizabeth I, a request to enumerate "the principal rivers in North America", and the calculation of the square root of 384524.01.

On the advice of the Home Office, a "female attendant" or matron was made available in case the candidates should become over-excited by being brought to London for examination.

[1] The certificate ceased to be offered from 1878 as it provided evidence that there was no necessity to examine men and women separately.

[3] Women were allowed to study for University of London degrees from that year and the women-only colleges of Westfield and Royal Holloway were founded in 1882 and 1886 respectively.