thesis examination process

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Thesis preparation and submission

Step-by-step guide to thesis preparation and submission.

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Writing support

Enquire with the Associate Dean, Higher Degree Research in your Faculty about writing groups that may meet to support each other to write productively.

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Graduate Research Hub

• Examination

Examination overview

What examiners look for.

Examiners evaluate your work for understanding of the relevant literature, the methods and techniques used, the results and conclusions obtained. The full criteria used are included in the Graduate Research Training Policy .

The Thesis Examination System (TES)

The Thesis Examination System (TES) , allows you to register your intention to submit and to submit your thesis electronically. It also allows for the examination to be managed online by the Graduate Research Examinations Office.

You can also view the progress status of your examination when you logon. Further information regarding the different types of TES statuses can be found here.

Need more information? Please refer to some of the Frequently Asked Questions regarding TES that may help.

Examination process

The exam process, from submitting your thesis to being notified of your examiners’ recommendations, will usually take a minimum of four months. The process and length of time will vary for each examination as examiners who are external to the University are involved. Some examiners need more time due to their other responsibilities and commitments. Regular follow-ups with supervisors and examiners are an integral part of the exam process to minimise delays. You will receive a result only when the Chair of Examiners has received and considered all reports.  Once you receive your examination outcome, you will have a clearer idea of when you are likely to complete all degree requirements. The identity of your examiners will remain anonymous until you have been awarded a final 'pass’ grade. See below for a flow chart of the exam process.

Intention to submit is registered

Supervisor contacts potential external examiners

Thesis submitted (along with iThenticate report of submitted thesis)

Thesis sent to approved examiners who have accepted a formal invitation

Examiners assess thesis and provide a report with their recommendations

For Joint PhDs, your partner institution will usually arrange your oral examination after the required written reports are received (if an oral examination is outlined in the Joint Award Agreement)

Reports sent to Chair of Examiners for consideration

Examination outcome sent with recommendations for any required amendment (and/or resubmission)

50-word citation submitted by supervisor to be approved by Associate Dean (Graduate Research)

Final copy of thesis submitted to Chair of Examiners

Once approved, electronic copy of final thesis is submitted to the Thesis Examination System

Final examination outcome advised

Identities of your examiners may be revealed, if they agree

Once all requirements have been fulfilled, you will receive a notification stating that you have successfully completed your degree. You will be considered eligible to pass once the final thesis is certified by the Chair of Examiners and an approved citation has been received by the Examinations Office. If you have completed a Masters by Research, you will be informed of your final percentage mark.

Information about graduation will be included in your completion of degree notification email.  Once you have graduated, either by attending a ceremony or by graduating in absentia, you can add post-nominals, for example, PhDMelb.  Doctoral degree graduates can use the title Dr.

If you require an official statement of your completion, including the official date of completion, you will be able to download a free Evidence of Qualification statement from my.unimelb . The University will issue an  Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS) , which will include your citation, after your degree is conferred at a graduation ceremony. You can learn more about the documents you will receive once you complete, such as academic statements and transcripts as well as other documents you can order.

The rules governing examination are contained in the Graduate Research Training Policy .

If you have any issues with your examiner go to: Resolving Issues .

Examination of jointly awarded PhD

Your examination will be carried out in a manner that meets the requirements of both universities. These requirements should be stated in the agreement governing your program and you should consult with your supervisors for more detail.

You must meet both institutions’ requirements, as the examinations will be run independently.  You will therefore need to register your intention to submit and submit your thesis to both institutions.

Most jointly awarded degree programs require an oral examination in addition to the examination of the thesis. The oral examination is usually arranged by your partner institution as outlined in the signed Joint Award Agreement. Where the oral examination is held at the University of Melbourne, your Chair of Examiners will oversee the arrangements.

Unless otherwise stated in your agreement, the oral examination should be conducted as described in the University of Melbourne Graduate Research Training Policy .

Examination criteria and marking

The examination criteria and processes are described in detail in the  Graduate Research Training Policy .

Due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, it may have been necessary for you to alter your research plan, leading to a project that is different to the one you had originally intended.  In some cases, this may mean that the thesis you submit is not typical for your discipline. Your discussion in the thesis of COVID-19 impacts will guide the examiners’ understanding of the reported work and the environment in which it was undertaken.

All examiners will be asked to recommend that the thesis should:

• Pass with Revisions (Chair of Examiners)
• Revise, Resubmit and Regrade (Examiners), or

Masters theses also receive a numerical mark and a letter grade according to the  Grading Scale for Masters Degrees (Research) . A mark of 65% is required to pass.

The tables in the  Graduate Research Training Policy describe how examiners reports work.

Responding to examiners

Upon receiving the examiners' recommendations you are required to consider their feedback and discuss them with your supervisor and Chair of Examiners.

If you have been asked to resubmit your thesis for a second examination, you will be invited to write a response to the examiners' reports, which they will receive along with the revised thesis.

For theses requiring minor changes or revision, written responses to the examiners are not required.

Changes to the thesis

The majority of theses require some amendment before the degree is awarded. You will be informed of the changes required and supplied with copies of the examiners' reports, which will be edited for confidentiality. Note that you should only make changes to your thesis based on the recommendations of your examiners. The only other permitted change is if the publication status of a publication incorporated into your thesis has changed and you update that material to reflect the latest version (usually up to the author accepted version).

The corrections to your thesis should be incorporated in the body of the text.  If your examiner has provided an enumerated list of requested changes, you will also be required to supply a similarly enumerated list to address how you have responded to those requests.

• Pass with minor edits are required if the examiners recommend that you be awarded your degree, but minor corrections (such as typographical errors or formatting issues) are requested to the Chair of Examiner's satisfaction. You are usually given six weeks to complete minor amendments.
• Revision s entails minor revisions to content. These revisions will be reviewed and verified by your Chair of Examiners who may consult your Examiner to verify the changes.  You will be given two months to complete any revisions.
• Revise, resubmit and regrade (Examiner) occurs when serious shortcomings in the content of the thesis are present but can be resolved with major revision. Your revised thesis is returned to the Examiner to consider, and the Examiner regrades the thesis accordingly. Doctoral candidates are given 12 months to revise and resubmit the thesis; Masters candidates are given 6 months .  Your revision should address and respond to any concerns raised by the examiners, as well as make other changes to improve the thesis. Your revised thesis will be re-examined in its entirety.  This is a final opportunity to ensure your thesis meets the requirements of your degree.

If you need more time to finish the corrections, you can apply for an extension by completing an Application for an Extension to Submit Revisions.

For more information, view the Graduate Research Training Policy .

Citation for Completion

A citation is a completion requirement that is prepared by your supervisor. The citation will be read out at the graduation ceremonies for PhD and Doctorate students. The citation will also be included in the University's Evidence of Qualification and in the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).

The citation will summarise the nature of the independent research, the contribution to knowledge made, and the intellectual and/or practical value of the work. It is important that a lay person, without specialist knowledge of the field or its technical terms, is able to comprehend the nature of the research and appreciate its contribution to society.  Where technical terms or technical descriptors cannot be avoided they should either be expressed in plain language or include a plain language explanation so that the meaning is easily understood. Citation examples are provided below, including an example where technical terms are used.

Citation format

The citation should:

• be restricted to 50 words to prevent delays in the conferring ceremony (Please note citations that exceed the 50-word limit will be returned for revision to the appropriate length)
• commence with either of the words:  who investigated.../ who studied.../ who examined.../ who found.../ who argues.../ whose work will benefit...  (the name of the candidate will be automatically added once the citation has been submitted)
• contain a brief description about what the research achieved or 'found'
• give an indication about the impact of the research or its potential application
• be grammatically correct and  written in language which can be understood by a lay audience at the conferring ceremony
• use present or future tense to describe the findings, impact or potential application
• only use those technical or specialised terms which are in general use; otherwise a plain language explanation should be added
• refer back to the candidate by using 'their findings' (the candidate's name should not be used within the text of the citation).

Citation examples

Technical terms

who investigated biofilms of the hospital 'superbug' Klebsiella. Biofilms are resistant to standard disinfection and treatment regimes.  He discovered that biofilm formation was mediated by Mrk, a bacterial attachment structure, regulated by a protein, MrkH. The identification of MrkH presents opportunities for creating biofilm-resistant plastics and drug inhibitors of biofilms.

who investigated the invasion process of cancer cells. A protein known as Tks5 was implicated in the formation of membrane structures on the cell surface known as invadopodia. His study gives unique insight as to how cancer cells utilise Tks5 within invadopodia to facilitate invasion throughout the body.

Discipline-specific examples

"who completed a study of Victoria's celebrated initiatives in community consultation in the 1970s and 80s. She showed how governments and key mediating agencies marginalised radical and politically turbulent values and interests to achieve forms of consultation consistent with conservative interest accommodation practices traditional to Victorian politics."

Business & Economics

"who studied how leaders use performance evaluations and rewards to influence employee behaviours. He finds that while lenient evaluations have negative organizational consequences, the opposite is true for lenient rewards. He also finds that being somewhat lenient with rewards helps leaders more clearly communicate their priorities and build their credibility."

Psychological Sciences

"who studied parents of adolescents with emerging psychosis. She found that certain coping styles and beliefs about mental illness were associated with parents' distress and grief, and with problematic interactions with their children. Her study has important implications for psychological interventions with mentally ill young people and their caregivers."

Earth Sciences

"who investigated the origins of diamond-bearing magmas from India. He established a new analytical technique and used this to reveal subtle differences in the mantle source characteristics between provinces. This technique has attracted international interest and is currently being applied to the kimberlites of South Africa."

"who investigated the impact of learning on the political literacy of young activists. He developed our understanding of political knowledge, skills and values and how these influenced participation.  His study gives unique insight to a new generation of activists and poses challenges for researchers, policy makers and education practitioners."

Engineering

"who studied the structural behaviour of concrete walls, composite steel-concrete columns and industrial buildings when subjected to fire. The study improved our understanding of appropriate levels of building safety and now forms the basis of structural design requirements for building elements and buildings in situations involving fire."

"who examined the problem of human trafficking for forced labour in the fishing industries of Thailand, Cambodia and Indonesia. He demonstrates the failure of these countries to harmonise their responses under norms of ‘transnational criminal law’. His findings expose legal and policy ‘fault-lines’ for the benefit of future industry regulation."

"who investigated the role of chromosome breaks in the development of leukaemia in mice. A new tumour suppressor gene was unequivocally implicated, and its position refined to a degree which will allow cloning of the gene, and examination of the role of the equivalent gene in human cancer."

"who developed a system for analysing tonal implications in fifteenth-century European Music. He found that many Renaissance works, unlike later Classical music, project two tonal centres. His study opens the way for a richer understanding of the links between Early Music and the music of today."

"who investigated the relationship between fire, vegetation and climate in western Tasmania, Australia, over the last 12,000 years. She identified climate as the dominant control over fire activity, and produced Australia’s first ever pollen-based estimates of vegetation change, reconciling a long-standing debate over the evolution of this landscape."

Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences

"who studied key pork supply chain factors that influence eating quality to develop cuts-based predictive eating quality models for pork. Her studies focussed on reducing eating quality variability of Australian pork, informed by quantitative consumer analyses, to improve consumer acceptability and support its differentiation as a consistently high quality product."

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• 3. Thesis examination
• Information and services
• Higher Degree by Research

If you have submitted your thesis for examination via UQ eSpace please read this document for information on how your examination will progress.

You can track the progress of your examination via the HDR Thesis examination request in my.UQ.

• Receiving examiner reports
• Oral examinations (viva voce)
• Examination outcomes
• After the examination process
• Thesis completion

1. Receiving examiner reports

Once your thesis is submitted, the Dean of the Graduate School will invite two examiners from the list of examiners nominated by your Principal Advisor.

Each examiner is asked to provide a written report with feedback about your thesis. Examiners are requested to return their written reports within:

• four weeks for an MPhil, or
• five weeks for a PhD.

You will receive your examination reports only when both examiners have completed and returned their reports and the Dean has determined the outcome. Following the receipt of these reports you will then either:

• proceed to an oral examination, or
• receive your examination outcome.

Role of Chair of Examiners

Once your thesis has been submitted for examination, your school will appoint a Chair of Examiners who will ensure any changes requested by examiners are implemented.

The Chair of Examiners is an academic staff member at UQ who is familiar with your research discipline and will advise the Graduate School on the outcomes of your thesis examination.

Further details regarding the Chair of Examiners can be found in the  Higher Degree by Research Examination Policy .

Late Examiner Reports

The Graduate School sends regular reminders to examiners to ensure reports are returned in good time. We email before the report is due and follow up twice over two weeks if a report is overdue.

If the report is not received after this time, the Dean of the Graduate School may choose to replace an examiner. The Dean of the Graduate School may contact the examiner directly prior to making the decision to appoint a third examiner.

For more information see the Higher Degree by Research Examination (with Oral Examination) Procedure  and Higher Degree by Research Examination (without Oral Examination) Procedure . A timeline of the entire examination process is also available:

• Examination process timeline (PDF, 383.2 KB)
• 1. Thesis preparation
• 2. Thesis submission
• 4. Award of degree
• Thesis submission date and scholarship extension

Need assistance?

Chat to the Graduate School Team

• Policy Library

Higher Degree by Research Thesis Examination Procedure

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Procedure overview

3 procedure overview, 4.1 thesis types, 4.2.1 examiner nomination, 4.2.2 preparation of thesis for examination, 4.2.3 submission of thesis to the examiners, 4.2.4 thesis examination criteria, 4.2.5 grading of thesis, 4.2.6 two examiner matrix, 4.2.7 three examiner matrix, 4.2.8 notification of outcome, 4.2.9 revisions and re-examination, 4.2.10 completion of examination, 4.2.11 offering of an alternative award, 4.3 thesis by publication examination, 4.4 thesis with creative works examination, 5 references, 6 schedules, 7 procedure information.

To establish the process and requirements for examination of Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Theses at the University.

This procedure applies to all Students and Employees involved in the examination of a HDR Thesis.

This procedure establishes the examination process, criteria and grading of a HDR Thesis.

This procedure aligns with:

• Higher Education Standards Framework (Threshold Standards) 2021 : Standard 1.4 Learning Outcomes and Assessment; Standard 4.2 Research Training

4 Procedures

All HDR programs offered by the University include a Thesis component. Theses must be submitted for examination either as a:

• Standard Thesis;
• Thesis by Publication; or
• Thesis with Creative Works component.

4.2 Thesis Examination Process

Students intending to submit their Thesis for examination should advise their Principal HDR Supervisor a minimum of 20 University Business Days prior to submission.

The Principal HDR Supervisor is responsible for identifying and nominating three suitably qualified examiners by completing the Nomination of Examiners Form. The Principal HDR Supervisor should confirm with the prospective examiners their willingness and availability to examine the Thesis within the required timeframe.

For doctoral level Academic Programs, examiners must be external to the University. For masters level Academic Programs, at least one of the examiners must be external to the University. Members of the HDR Supervisory Team are not eligible to act as examiners.

The Principal HDR Supervisor must declare any actual or perceived conflict of interest regarding examiners in accordance with the University's policies on conflicts of interest. If there is a conflict of interest between a member of the HDR Supervisory team and a nominated examiner, alternative examiners may be required.

The Nomination of Examiners Form must be approved by the Dean (Graduate Research School (GRS)).

Nomination of examiners should occur a minimum of 10 University Business Days prior to intended submission of the Thesis for examination.

Students must complete the Statement by HDR Student Form when ready to submit a Thesis for examination. This form is required to confirm willingness to be examined and to certify that the Thesis is the Student's own, original work that has not been previously submitted for Assessment.

The Principal HDR Supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the Thesis is suitable for examination and that it conforms to the HDR Thesis Presentation Schedule. The Principal HDR Supervisor must provide written confirmation of this suitability by completing the Statement by HDR Supervisor Form.

If the Principal HDR Supervisor withholds approval for examination via the Statement by HDR Supervisor Form, the Student may request that the Thesis be examined without the Principal HDR Supervisor's approval via the Statement by HDR Student Form. The Dean (GRS) will consider the Student's request and may seek further information from the HDR Supervisory Team, the HDR Coordinator, the Student, or other parties, in order to decide if the Thesis can be sent for examination without the Principal HDR Supervisor's approval. The Dean (GRS) will inform the Student of the outcome.

If the Thesis is not approved for examination, then the Student may request a Review of Decision in accordance with section 4.4 of the Student Grievance Resolution Procedure.

The Student must provide both Statement by HDR Student Form and Statement by HDR Supervisor Form with an examinable copy of the Thesis to the Dean (GRS) for approval prior to the Thesis submission due date. Examiners are requested to return their reports within 30 University Business Days of receipt of the Thesis.

The Thesis and relevant forms will be sent to the Graduate Research School where the approval of the Dean (GRS) will be sought for the forms and the examiners. The thesis can then be despatched.

A Student's candidature ends when the Thesis is submitted for examination. This does not officially occur until the Thesis has been sent for examination by the GRS and the Student has been notified.

A Thesis will be examined in the first instance by two appropriately qualified examiners. In cases of significant discrepancies between examiners, the Thesis will be sent to a third examiner.

Normally the Thesis will be examined using an electronic copy.

The examination process is confidential. Communication between examiners is not normally permitted. Should an examiner wish to contact another examiner, a request in writing explaining the reasons for the interaction must be provided for consideration by the GRS for Decision by the Dean (GRS). Under no circumstances will an examiner's details be revealed to other examiners without their consent.

An honorarium is paid by the University to examiners in accordance with the recommendations of Universities Australia.

Students may request the identities of their examiners once the examination process has concluded. The examiner details will only be released if they have indicated on the Examination Report that they are happy for their identity to be revealed to the Student.

The Thesis will be examined according to the following criteria:

• originality;
• critical insight; and
• capacity to carry out independent research.
• The extent of the contribution to knowledge and, in particular, to the understanding of the subject with which it deals.
• The suitability of the Thesis for publication.

Each examiner will award the Thesis one of five Grades listed below.

• Pass - The Student satisfies the requirements of the Academic Program with only typographical and similar corrections to be completed where indicated to the satisfaction of the HDR Supervisory Team and HDR Coordinator. The resubmission due date is 10 University Business Days from the date of advice to the Student, unless otherwise indicated.
• Pass subject to Minor Revisions - the Student satisfies the requirements of the Academic Program subject to the specified minor revisions being completed to the satisfaction of the HDR Supervisory Team and HDR Coordinator). Minor revisions include rewriting sections of the Thesis without necessitating significant additional work. The resubmission due date is two months from the date of advice to the Student, unless otherwise indicated.
• Pass subject to Major Revisions - the Student satisfies the requirements of the Academic Program subject to the specified major revisions being completed to the satisfaction of the HDR Coordinator-appointed review panel. Major revisions would include substantial rewrites to one or more of the chapters. The resubmission due date is six months from date of notification to the Student, unless otherwise indicated. Students may need to re-Enrol if required to undertake major revisions.
• Resubmit to the examiners following rewriting - the Student be required to revise the Thesis substantially and resubmit the Thesis for examination, normally by the original examiners. The resubmission due date is six months from the date of notification to the Student, unless otherwise indicated. Students may need to re-Enrol if required to undertake revisions for resubmission to examiners.
• Fail - the Thesis be failed as it does not satisfy the requirements of the Academic Program and the Student not be permitted to resubmit the Thesis for re-examination.

Examiners will normally return to the GRS the Examiner's Pro-forma with a recommended Grade, as well as a separate examiner's report detailing feedback, by the due date. Once all reports are returned, they will be collated and sent to the Dean (GRS) for a recommendation of the overall Grade for the Thesis. This recommendation will be based on the Grades of the individual examiners aggregated in accordance with the matrix tables below to calculate an overall Grade. Comments provided by the examiners in support of their recommended Grades will also be taken into consideration. This overall Grade will be approved by the Dean (Graduate Research School) prior to Student notification.

Decision matrix when two examiners are involved:

A third examiner will be appointed to address a variance in the examiners' recommendations, as per the table above. If a third examiner is appointed, the examiner will not have access to the other examiners' recommendations or written advice. The final Decision shall be based on the recommendation of the three examiners, as shown in the matrix below, with appropriate consideration of the comments provided to support the recommendations.

Decision matrix when three examiners are involved:

The GRS will provide Notice to the Student on the outcome of the Thesis examination process and the nature and due date of any required revisions. The Student must not be informed of the outcome of the examination process by any other member of the University including the HDR Supervisory Team.

Students may be required to undertake revisions to the Thesis following examination. Students must demonstrate that they have engaged clearly and thoroughly with the feedback provided by each examiner and prepare a summary document that specifically details how the Thesis has been revised to address the feedback of the examiners. Students may elect to defend or amend certain sections of the Thesis based on comments from examiners.

Students are required to complete the revisions and forward the revised Thesis and summary document to the GRS by the date nominated. The HDR Coordinator will review the revisions and the summary document to ensure they have been completed satisfactorily. Failure to complete the required revisions by the nominated due date may result in the Student having to re-Enrol for the next available Study Period and undergo performance management processes.

In cases of major revision or resubmission the Student will be required to complete the revisions to the satisfaction of a review panel appointed by the HDR Coordinator. In such cases, the Student will also need to re-Enrol in the next available Study Period to complete their revisions and/or resubmit for examination.

In the event of the Student being required to resubmit, examiners will be invited by the Principal HDR Supervisor to re-examine the Thesis. Examiners will receive the comments from the other examiners without the identity of the examiners being revealed.

An additional honorarium shall be payable for re-examination.

If an examiner does not agree to re-examine the resubmission, a new examiner will be nominated by the Principal HDR Supervisor as per the nomination of examiners process (refer Section 3.2.1, Examiner Nomination).

Once a Thesis has been examined and the Student has made suitable revisions to the satisfaction of the HDR Coordinator, the HDR Coordinator will recommend provisional awarding of the degree. This recommendation will then be forwarded to the Dean (Graduate Research School) for approval and the Student will be notified of successfully completing the examination process.

In those cases where the Thesis does not satisfy the requirements of a doctoral Academic Program, a Student may be offered, on the recommendation of the examiners, one of the following:

• Accepted for a research masters degree - the Student satisfies the requirements of a research masters degree with only typographical and similar corrections to be made where indicated to the satisfaction of the HDR Supervisory Team and the HDR Coordinator.
• Accepted for a research masters degree subject to Minor Revisions - the Student satisfies the requirements of a research masters degree subject to the specified minor revisions being completed to the satisfaction of the HDR Supervisory Team and the HDR Coordinator).
• Unacceptable for a research masters degree - the work has failed to satisfy the requirements of the degree and the Student not be permitted to submit for re-examination for any HDR Award at the University.

Students may elect to present their Thesis in the form of research papers published or presented for publication in peer-reviewed journals. The examination for a Thesis by Publication will follow the processes as outlined above in Section 4.2, Thesis Examination Process.

The examination process for a Thesis with Creative Works will follow the processes as outlined above in Section 4.2, Thesis Examination Process, with the following additional considerations:

• The Student is normally required to provide an electronic copy of the creative component. For projects that involve a major creative presentation, the examiners may also be required to attend in person. Reasonable costs will be met by the University. Costs should be identified and approved as part of the Confirmation of Candidature process. The attendance of examiners will be organised by the GRS.
• Where examiners are required to attend an exhibition, the Exegesis and an electronic copy of the creative works should be submitted to the GRS at least 30 University Business Days prior to the visit by the examiners unless prior arrangements have been approved by the HDR Coordinator. In situations where it is not possible to submit an electronic copy with the Exegesis, then a digital record must be provided to the GRS no more than 10 University Business Days after the date of the performance.
• The Student is responsible for the organisation and costs of all exhibitions and/or presentations.
• Presentations/exhibitions should be outlined in detail and approved as part of the Confirmation of Candidature process. Exhibition/performance space will need to be finalised at the time of Confirmation of Candidature.
• Examiners are not permitted at any time to conduct a formal or informal viva voce (oral) examination with the Student. Examiners are also not permitted to confer with each other before, during or after viewing the creative works.

This procedure must be read in conjunction with its subordinate schedules as provided in the table below.

Complying with the law and observing Policy and Procedure is a condition of working and/or studying at the University.

* This file is available in Portable Document Format (PDF) which requires the use of Adobe Acrobat Reader. A free copy of Acrobat Reader may be obtained from Adobe. Users who are unable to access information in PDF should email [email protected] to obtain this information in an alternative format.

Adelaide Graduate Research School

Thesis Examination

After you submit your thesis, please make sure you are across the examination process below and complete the final steps to finishing your degree.

The examination

Detailed information on how the examination will be conducted is in the  ’Examination’ section of the   Research Student Handbook (please see the examination chapter). Your thesis will be sent electronically to 2 examiners who will be asked to submit their reports within 8 weeks.

How long will my thesis examination take?

We ask examiners to complete the examination and provide their reports to the Adelaide Graduate Research School within eight weeks from their receipt of the thesis.  To expedite the examination process, the Adelaide Graduate Research School reminds examiners if their reports have not been received by the due date and follows up with additional reminders where necessary. In practice, it takes an average of three months before you will receive notification of the outcome of your examination.

Why may my thesis take longer than 3 months to examine?

There are a couple of key reasons why an examination can take longer than usual.

Firstly, examiners are busy people and sometimes they have commitments or circumstances which necessitate them requesting an extension of time to complete their assessment. On rare occasions, an examiner may even need to withdraw from an examination due to ill health or other personal circumstances.  Where a situation like this arises, the Adelaide Graduate Research School will consult with your supervisor to agree on the most expedient way to move the examination forward (e.g. agree to the extension request or appoint a new examiner).

Secondly, time can be added to the examination process where the examiners make discrepant recommendations on the outcome of a thesis examination, e.g. one examiner recommends that the degree be awarded (with or without amendments), whilst the second examiner recommends that the thesis is revised and resubmitted, or failed. In such cases, the University will normally appoint a third independent examiner. Where this happens, the length of the examination process may be significantly increased.

Please be aware that while the Adelaide Graduate Research School works to ensure that examinations are completed as quickly as possible, some things are outside of our control and so we cannot guarantee that you will receive an outcome by a specified date.  We do appreciate that waiting for an examination result can be a nerve-wracking and frustrating time for students. We look forward to hearing about your successful outcomes too!

Your examination outcome

If you are not completing an oral examination.

You will receive an email advising of the outcome of your examination along with copies of the reports from your examiners. The email contains advice on the examiners’ recommendation and what steps you need to take to complete the requirements and be qualified for your degree.

Descriptions of the recommendations that examiners can make and how an outcome is determined can be found in the  ’Examination’ section of the   Research Student Handbook .

If you are completing an oral examination

You will receive an email with copies of the reports from the examiners and advice on when your oral examination will occur and who the Chair will be.  Further information on the oral examination and how that will proceed can be found on the oral examination webpage .

After you receive your outcome email

Your outcome email will detail what you need to do. You will need to submit the following to the Adelaide Graduate Research School:

The Australian Higher Education Graduate Statement (AHEGS) is a formal document describing the University of Adelaide and your degree requirements.  A 100 word description of your research must be submitted on a special template for inclusion in the AHEGS. Once you have completed your 100 words on the template you should email it to your principal supervisor and request their approval by return email.  Once you have your principal supervisor’s approval send that email, along with the approved AHEGS template to the Adelaide Graduate Research School.  This should be done at the time of your thesis submission, or at the latest, before your final thesis is submitted after it has been examined. Your AHEGS statement is required before you can be qualified and be eligible for the conferral of your degree.

Download the AHEGS template

Exit survey

The Adelaide Graduate Research School is interested to learn of your experiences during your candidature with a view to improving the experiences of current and future students. Answers to the questions in the exit survey are anonymised and aggregated so that your answers cannot be attributed to you. Please complete the exit survey, preferably just before submitting your thesis for examination, or at the latest, before your final thesis is submitted after it has been examined.  A completed exit survey is required before you can be qualified and be eligible for the conferral of your degree.

Complete the exit survey

Your final thesis

You will need to consult with your supervisors regarding the content of the examiners’ reports and make any required changes. The final approved version of your thesis should then be submitted to the Adelaide Graduate Research School along with a Final Thesis Lodgement form.

Download the final thesis lodgement form

When you submit your thesis you will be advised of several important deadlines for conferral of your degree and graduating. It is important that you check MyAdelaide to ensure that you have applied to graduate by the dates indicated on the Graduations website . Information is available in the ‘Graduation’ section of the Research Students Handbook . All queries regarding graduation ceremonies and academic transcripts should be directed to the Graduations Office , not the Adelaide Graduate Research School.

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Graduate Research School Doctor of Philosophy Candidates The Thesis Examination Process

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So, you're getting ready to submit your thesis? Congratulations! You are nearly there!

Your thesis will be examined by two external examiners of international standing. You should discuss with your advisors who a few possibilities might be, but not know exactly who your examiners are.  A few weeks before your thesis is submitted, your Primary Advisor should nominate your examiners using the Nomination of Examiners form.

To submit your thesis you’ll need to complete the Thesis Submission and Release Form and submit it together with a .pdf of your thesis to your College. Once your thesis has been submitted, the Graduate Research School will manage the examination of your thesis.

After your submission, you'll have to wait a bit while your examiners read and evaluate your thesis. All in all, it's a pretty straightforward process, but it can be nerve-wracking too. Just remember to take your time, follow the guidelines, and trust in your hard work and research. Good luck!

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