THESIS DEFENSE
Duration
of the
doctoral thesis
of the
doctoral thesis
4 years full-time from the 1st enrolment + 1 year extension.
7 years part-time from the 1st enrolment + 1 year extension.
Requirements
for
submission
for
submission
From the 2026-27 academic year:
- Having completed programme-specific and external training activities recognised by the programme, totalling 800 hours combined.
- Among these 800 hours, having passed a minimum of 200 hours of advanced training and transversal training courses.
- Having published, as first author, at least one article in a leading journal in their field of research.
- Having favourable reports from the annual evaluations and activity log.
- Having a favourable report from the Monitoring Committee, supervisor(s) and tutor (not required in the case of Portuguese universities).
1st
Request permission from the Monitoring Committee for the deposit of the doctoral thesis.
2nd
Request approval from the Academic Committee for the deposit of the doctoral thesis:
- Thesis defence record from the monitoring committee
- One copy of the thesis in PDF format
- Documentation required for the international mention, if applicable
- Documentation required for industrial doctorate, if applicable
- Documentation required for thesis by compendium of articles, if applicable
- Doctoral candidate's activity log
- Proposed composition of the examination panel (related forms)
- Reports from external reviewers
3rd
Submission to the relevant Doctoral School of all the above documentation, together with the deposit authorisation from the programme's Academic Committee.
4th
Public display period of 10 working days:
- Approval/rejection of the thesis defence by the Doctoral School
- Approval/modification/rejection of the examination panel
5th
Enter data into the TESEO database.
6th
Public defence of the thesis within three months of the approval of its defence.
- Having completed both programme-specific and external training activities recognised by the programme, totalling 800 hours combined.
- Among these 800 hours, having passed a minimum of 200 hours of advanced training and transversal training courses.
- Having published, as first author, at least one article in a leading journal in their field of research.
- Having favourable reports from the annual evaluations and activity log.
- Having a favourable report from the Monitoring Committee, supervisor(s) and tutor (not required in the case of Portuguese universities).
The thesis defence regulations depend on the institution at which the doctoral student is enrolled.