uob phd thesis submission

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Thesis submission and examination FAQs

I have been asked to re-register and pay a continuation fee, is this correct.

All postgraduate researchers in thesis awaited status are required to register online . If you have not submitted your thesis in a previous academic year, you will be required to pay a continuation fee for the new academic year. The annual continuation fee for the 2022/23 academic session is £264.

Further information can be found on the thesis awaited webpage .

If you have further questions about the continuation fee that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via Student Help .

Who do I need to notify if I have changed my intended date of submission?

Do i need my supervisor’s permission before i submit my thesis.

You cannot submit your thesis until after the end of the minimum period of registration and must submit your thesis before the end of your maximum period of registration.

Your supervisor is required to sign the intention to submit a research degree thesis form to acknowledge your proposed submission date. It is your decision when to submit your thesis. However, you are advised to consider the feedback from your supervision when making this decision.

If you have further questions that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Why do I need to submit a Notice of Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis form?

Receipt of the Notice of Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis form by the Research Student Administration Team triggers the nomination of examiners process. 

It is recommended that to avoid delays to the examination of your thesis that you submit your Intention to Submit a Research Degree Thesis three months before your proposed submission date to allow time for the examiners to be approached and their nomination confirmed.

Full details of the intention to submit process can be found on the intention to submit webpages .

If you have further questions regarding the notice of intention to submit form that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

How do I submit my thesis for examination?

You are not required to submit printed copies of your thesis as the examination will be conducted using an electronic copy of your thesis obtained from the copy you submit for the plagiarism check via Canvas.

On submission of your thesis for the plagiarism check, please send an email to  [email protected]  with “ELECTRONIC THESIS SUBMISSION” and your ID number in the subject field.  In the email you should confirm the date that you submitted your thesis for the plagiarism check (attaching a receipt if you have one) and attach the documents detailed in the 'Forms for submission' section below'.

Full details of the submission process can be found on the submitting your thesis webpages.

If you have questions about submitting your thesis for the plagiarism check via Canvas, please contact the PGR administrator in your School.

If you have further questions regarding submitting your thesis that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

When can I submit my thesis?

The end of the minimum period of registration is the earliest date on which you can submit your thesis for examination.

The end of your maximum period of registration is the latest date for submission of your thesis.

You can check your registration dates via the Student Gateway.

If you have further questions about your registration dates that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

How do I apply for an extension to my submission deadline?

It is expected that you will submit your theses within your maximum period of registration or by the deadline for submitting your revised or corrected thesis. In exceptional circumstances you can apply for an extension to these deadlines. 

It is important that you make your request approximately 2 months before the end of the maximum registration period or as soon as possible for a revised or corrected thesis using the extension request form.

The extension request form is available from the extensions webpages. 

Evidence to support the request must be attached to the request form.

• Part A - to be completed by the Postgraduate Researcher
• Part B - to be completed by supervisor and passed to the Head of School (or nominee)
• Part C - to be completed by the Head of School (or nominee) and sent to Research Student Administration

If you have further questions regarding extensions that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Can I exceed the word limit?

Thesis world limits are set out in University Regulation 7.4.2 (d):

The maximum number of words in the thesis or report is shown in the table below. The calculation of the word length excludes: abstract, acknowledgements, contents pages, appendices, tables, diagrams and figures (including associated legends), the list of references, bibliography, footnotes and endnotes and any bound published material.

A thesis that exceeds the maximum number of words will not be accepted for examination unless permission to exceed the stated word count has been granted by the Research Progress & Awards Sub Panel. Permission to exceed the stated word count is only granted in exceptional circumstances. If you believe that you will not be able to meet the permitted word limit, you are advised to discuss this with your supervisor at an early stage. 

Applications to exceed the stated word count should be made in writing to your supervisor and should include how many additional words you require and the academic reasons to support your request. Your supervisor is required to comment on your application and indicate whether or not they support your request and then submit the request to Research Student Administration at [email protected] .   

Research Student Administration will notify you of the outcome of your request once the decision has been made by the Research Progress and Awards Sub Panel.

If you have further questions regarding word limits that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What forms do I need to submit with my thesis?

• A signed declaration form (PDF - 280KB)
• A degree congregation choice form (PDF - 199KB)
• A third party editor form (Word - 27KB) (if applicable)

Forms should be submitted to [email protected] as per the 'How do I submit my thesis for examination' FAQ above.

If you have further questions regarding submission forms that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help

Why has my thesis not be sent for examination when I submitted it weeks ago?

A thesis cannot be sent to the examiners until Research Student Administration are in receipt of:

• completed nomination of examiners form and the examiners approved for appointment;
• confirmation from your School that the plagiarism check has been completed and Research Student Administration have been advised that the thesis is cleared for examination (this can take up to two weeks from the date of your submission). 

What is the word count for an Alternative Thesis format?

Normal word limits as set out in Regulation 7.4.2(d) apply for alternative format theses.  

Further details on alternative format theses can be found in the 'Previously published or submitted work' section of the presenting your thesis webpage.

If you have further questions regarding alternative format theses that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Who will contact me about my viva?

It is the responsibility of the internal examiner or the chairperson of the viva (if no internal examiner and two external examiners are appointed) to make all the arrangements for the oral examination.  You will normally be given at least two weeks notice of the date, time, venue and the names of those attending. You should make the internal examiner aware of any dates on which it would be particularly difficult for you to be available for the oral examination - any dates you indicate as problematic will be taken into consideration, but the day chosen will depend on the examiners’ other commitments. 

If you have any questions about arrangements for the viva, please speak to your internal examiner, via your supervisor.

Can I take my thesis into the viva?

Yes, you can take your thesis into the viva.

Can I take a recording device into my viva?

The viva cannot be recorded or broadcast in any format.

Will my supervisor be present at the viva?

Your supervisor cannot be present at the viva but should be available on the day and may be present at the end of the viva when the examiners advise their provisional recommendation.

I have a Reasonable Adjustment Plan (RAP). How do I ensure that these adjustments are in place for my viva?

Please contact Research Student Administration at [email protected] to inform us that you have a RAP in place. We will then liaise with your examiners to ensure that these adjustments are in place for your viva.

Further information about Reasonable Adjustment Plans can be found on the Student Disability Service webpages.

When will I receive the outcome of the examination?

Once the examiners’ reports have been received by the Research Student Administration team, you will be sent a letter confirming the outcome together with a copy of their reports and providing a new deadline for the completion of any revisions or corrections required.

Further information on the examiners' recommendations can be found on the  examination outcome webpages.

If you have further questions regarding examination outcomes that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What are the recommendations open to the examiners?

The examiners may recommend that:

• The degree is awarded
• The degree is awarded subject to completion or minor or major corrections
• You should revise and resubmit your thesis for the same or lower qualification
• Award a lower degree with/without minor/major corrections
• The thesis is rejected and no award made

Further information on the examiners' recommendations can be found on the examination outcome webpages.

What is the time limit for completion of minor corrections?

The normal timeframe for completion of minor corrections is one month but examiners may give a longer period. The date for submission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. 

Further information can be found on the corrections webpage.

If you have further questions regarding corrections deadlines that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What is the time limit for completion of major corrections?

The normal timeframe for completion of major corrections is six months but examiners may give a longer period. The date for submission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. 

Further information can be found on the  corrections webpage.

How should I get in touch with my examiners if I require clarification about the corrections they have asked for?

Do i need to submit the same forms with the corrected thesis as i did with the first submission.

For minor/major corrections, you only need to include a signed authorised declaration in the front of the thesis.

If you have further questions regarding submission of corrections that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Is there a fee required for submitting corrections?

There is no fee for submission of a corrected thesis following minor or major corrections.

What is the timeframe for revise and resubmit?

The normal timeframe for resubmission is 12 months but examiners may give a longer period. The date for resubmission of your corrected thesis will be given to you in the examination outcome letter sent to you by Research Student Administration. You are required to pay a resubmission fee and a full and further examination will take place.

Further information can be found on the revise and resubmit webpage.

If you have further questions regarding revise and resubmit deadlines that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What date do I put on the title page of my resubmitted thesis?

The date on the title page of your thesis should be the month and year of your initial submission for examination. If you are required to make corrections to your thesis, this date should not be changed.

Further information can be found on the  revise and resubmit webpage.

If you have further questions regarding revise and resubmit submissions that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

Do I have to put my thesis through Turnitin again for corrections/revise and resubmit?

For minor/major corrections, you do not need to submit your thesis again to Turnitin.  If the examiners recommend revise and resubmit, you will need to submit your revised thesis to Turnitin via Canvas.

When and where do I pay the resubmission fee?

If the examiners recommend that you revise and resubmit your thesis, you are required to pay a resubmission fee when you submit your revised thesis.  This is currently £180 and you should pay this in advance of your resubmission via the Online Shop . 

When submitting your resubmission forms (as per 'What forms do I need to submit with my resubmitted thesis' FAQ below), you should attach a copy of the confirmation of payment of the resubmission fee.

If you have further questions regarding the revise and resubmit fee that are not answered by this FAQ or the above webpage, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

What forms do I need to submit with my resubmitted thesis?

A revised and resubmitted thesis is subject to a full examination and you must submit the following forms:

• A signed  declaration form (PDF - 280KB)
• A  degree congregation choice form (PDF - 199KB)
• A  third party editor form (Word - 27KB)  (if applicable)

Forms should be submitted to  [email protected]  as per the 'How do I submit my thesis for examination' FAQ above. You should also attach confirmation of payment of the resubmission fee (see 'When and where do I pay the resubmission fee' FAQ above).

Do I have to have another oral examination following revise and resubmit?

A viva examination is compulsory for all resubmitted doctoral theses. For a resubmitted masters thesis, you may be required to attend an oral examination and the internal examiner will advise you if this is the case.

I am not happy with the outcome of my examination, what are my options?

How do i deposit my thesis with the library.

As per the Requirements for Award webpage , you must deposit an electronic copy of your completed final thesis, after corrections (if applicable), in the Library’s eTheses repository.

More information is available from the Library’s Depositing your thesis web pages .

Do I need to get my final thesis bound?

As of January 2024, you are no longer required to submit a hardbound copy of your thesis to the Library. You must still deposit an electronic copy.

If you would like a hardbound copy to keep for yourself, the University has for many years successfully outsourced binding to Blissetts , who you can contract with directly. 

If you have further questions regarding hardbound thesis binding that are not answered by this FAQ, please contact Research Student Administration via  Student Help .

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University of Birmingham eTheses Repository

Recent changes.

We have recently introduced some changes to Library thesis deposit, in summary:

• You are no longer required to submit a hard bound copy of your thesis to the Library, an electronic version is still required
• If your thesis should not be made immediately publicly accessible, you must upload a signed and approved restricted access form alongside your thesis deposit

To upload a research output to the repository, select the type of output from the dropdown menu and choose ‘Deposit’

It may take us up to 5 working days to confirm receipt of Theses deposits. If you require urgent acknowledgment that we have received your deposit, please Email Us once you have completed your deposit.

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Tracing Theses

Introduction to theses, finding university of birmingham theses, finding uk theses, finding theses from other countries.

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A thesis is a published piece of written work embodying the results of original research for the award of a higher degree from an academic institution. 

Reasons for consulting a thesis include:

• For use as an information resource relevant to your research topic, i.e. you may like to refer to and cite a thesis;
• To ensure that your proposed topic of research has not already been substantially covered by somebody else;
• To become acquainted with recent trends, methodologies and approaches in your subject;
• To gain understanding about what is expected of you if you are undertaking a research degree, and to gain ideas for structure, tone, language, layout etc.

Theses for the higher research degrees (PhD, M Litt,  M Phil or MRes) of the University of Birmingham are deposited with Library Services. Since 2009, University of Birmingham research theses have been deposited in electronic format in the University of Birmingham eTheses Repository .

University of Birmingham theses are indexed and discoverable on FindIt@Bham . Carry out a search on FindIt@Bham using your topic, or search for your school or department directly (for best results, use the dropdown menu in the FindIt@Bham search bar to switch the scope of the search from an "Everything" search to a "UoB Research & Publications" search). Once you have generated some results, use the "Resource Type" filters in the “Tweak my results” menu on right-hand side of the page and select "Dissertations" (you may need to click "Show more" to get this option).

Theses listed in the  eTheses Repository will be available electronically, unless embargoes are in place. Click on “View Online…” to access the full text. 

To access the older, printed theses, click "Check for current availability at Research Reserve..." and then click “Request this item from the Research Reserve…”. Complete the form, selecting your delivery site. You will receive an email notification when the thesis is ready for collection. 

Please note the following:

• Theses may not be removed from the Library;
• You must sign the copyright declaration in each thesis used;
• Since theses are under copyright, you must consult Library Services staff if you wish to photocopy more than a short extract;
• Occasionally an author may place an embargo on a thesis if any of its content is commercially valuable or confidential.

To search for research theses across the UK, the British Library's  EThOS  service is highly recommended. EThOS is the British Library’s e-theses service and provides access to over 500,000 doctoral theses.  Many are available for immediate download (registration is required, but this is free and straightforward to do), and for others you can request that the printed version be digitised. If you are requesting digitisation of a thesis, a scan fee may apply depending on whether the institution is a participating Higher Education Institution (HEI) – see the list of Participating Institutions  for details of members.

To search widely across theses from many countries, the  ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global  database is highly recommended (theses from the UK and Ireland are included here too). It includes millions of searchable citations to theses from 1861 to the present day, together with over a million full-text theses that are available for PDF download. The database offers full text for most of the theses added since 1997 and strong retrospective full-text coverage for older graduate works. Each thesis published since July 1980 includes a 350-word abstract. Simple bibliographic citations are available for dissertations dating from 1637. 24-page previews of theses are provided where possible.

Another option when searching for theses globally is to consult e-theses repositories available from other countries. The Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations  contains a breakdown of e-theses repositories by country.

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6 things you didn’t know about the thesis submission and examination process

As we approach the end of the academic year, we are also approaching a particularly busy time for thesis submissions. So in this post we’re going to look at some of the things that you perhaps didn’t know you didn’t know about the submission and examination process for your thesis at the University of Birmingham.

• If your work has previously been published, you can include this in your thesis using the Alternative Format Thesis guidelines . You will need to double check the Copyright Transfer Agreement that you signed on publication of the work, and provide full citations for the published work, along with descriptions of your contribution to any co-authored works. Your local School Plagiarism Officer can offer additional advice. Some examples of theses submitted in the alternative format include these from Engineering and Education .
• Your word limit is a hard limit . Your initial thesis submission must be under the word limit for your School or College. Check locally if you’re not sure, as some Schools in Life and Environmental Sciences and Medical and Dental Sciences have different word limits to the overall College. However, after your initial submission, word limits no longer apply, so you don’t need to worry about it at all when completing your corrections.
• Although your viva is an exam, the exam conditions are quite flexible . You will need to take a copy of your thesis in with you, but you can also take a few additional notes and a drink. If you need a short break, ask for one. Many adjustments can be made informally – if there’s anything you want your examiners to know in advance, then discuss this with your supervisor who will be able to talk to your Independent Chair and/or Internal Examiner ahead of time. A very few adjustments, including having an additional person in the room with you, do require a Reasonable Adjustment Plan, so discuss this with the Disability Team in good time.
• Unless you have requested restricted access for a legitimate reason , your thesis will be automatically published open access on the University’s eTheses Repository . This is a great resource for you to look at others’ work when you’re writing your own thesis, and also great to increase the audience for your research after graduation.
• As soon as your corrections have been signed off by your examiner(s) and you are cleared to graduate, your student registration with the University will end . This will remove your access to University services such as IT and Libraries and Learning Resources, so be prepared for this.
• Your supervisor may not be familiar with every stage of the process , as changes are made at University level and it can take a while for these changes to filter down to every supervisor. It’s always wise to double check the University Legislation for your specific cohort and any relevant webpages, and ask the teams concerned if you have any outstanding questions – for thesis submission and examination, that’s likely to be either the Research Student Administration Team or Libraries and Learning Resources .

To find out more about the submission and examination process, you can attend the Getting your thesis ready workshop and complete the Preparing for your viva Canvas course.

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