When can I book a doctoral defence ceremony date?

Booking a ceremony date is possible after the approval of the draft thesis and the composition of the assessment committee. This means that in order to secure a slot, both criteria must be met. An email with a confirmation of the approvals and an invitation to book a ceremony date, will be sent to the supervisors, the graduate school and the chair group secretariat.

There is a 15 week period between the time you are able to book a doctoral defence ceremony date and the first available slot. This means that only promotion slots meeting this requirement will be available in the Hora Finita ceremony calendar. The period of 15 weeks is required to conduct the evaluation of the draft thesis by opponents and additional evaluations in case of a cum laude or a rebuttel. Please note that this timeline is specific to each PhD trajectory.

The following roles are authorized to make a reservation for a doctoral defence ceremony date:

  • First supervisor and co-supervisors
  • Secretary of the supervisor
  • Chair group secretary