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Thesis Submission Form

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THESIS SUBMISSION FORM

Student Information

Date of Birth:

Student ID:

Advisor and Committee

Thesis Details

Submission Date:

Defense Date (if scheduled):

Number of Pages:

Document Version:

Access, Copyright & Embargo

By submitting this thesis I certify that the work is my own and that I hold any necessary rights to grant the university a non-exclusive, perpetual license to reproduce, archive, and make available the thesis in electronic and physical formats. I understand that the repository may allow copying for research and educational purposes, subject to applicable copyright law and any approved embargo.

I request an embargo on public access to the full text for the following reason(s): Patent pending Copyright or third-party material concern Other

Requested embargo period (months):

Compliance and Certifications

The student must attest to the following. Check each box to certify compliance:

IRB Protocol #:

Administrative Use & Acknowledgements

Departmental acceptance of this submission indicates that the student's committee has approved the thesis for degree requirements. Departmental approval does not constitute final acceptance by the graduate school until all formatting and administrative checks are complete.

By signing below, the student attests that all information on this form is true and accurate, that the work submitted is eligible for degree conferral pending final approvals, and that the student grants the university the rights described above unless an embargo is approved in accordance with institutional policy.

Student:

By:

Date:

Department Representative:

By:

Date:

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What the Thesis Submission Form Is and who it serves

A Thesis Submission Form is the formal, structured document a candidate submits to their academic unit to deposit a final thesis or dissertation for examination, approval, and institutional record. It typically captures student and program information, thesis title, committee approvals, declaration of originality, embargo or publication preferences, and required administrative signatures. Universities use the form to confirm compliance with formatting, submission deadlines, and degree requirements before conferring the award.

Why a clear, complete submission form matters

A correct Thesis Submission Form reduces processing delays, ensures accurate academic records, and documents committee approval and publication preferences. It also creates an auditable record that supports graduation clearance and long-term retention.

Why a clear, complete submission form matters

Who completes and reviews the Thesis Submission Form

Primary users include graduate students filing their thesis, faculty advisors certifying readiness, and administrative staff responsible for degree clearance and archiving.

  • Graduate students preparing final copy and metadata for institutional deposit and degree conferral.
  • Faculty advisors and committee chairs who review content and provide formal approval signatures.
  • Registrar or graduate school administrators who check formatting, fees, and compliance before acceptance.

Each party has distinct responsibilities and must follow institutional procedures and deadlines to avoid processing delays or holds on graduation.

Essential components of a professional Thesis Submission Form

A complete form groups identifying metadata, committee approvals, publication instructions, and attachments so review and archiving teams can process submissions consistently and quickly.

Student and program

Fields for full legal name, student ID, program, department, and degree objective to match institutional records and diplomas.

Thesis metadata

Title, abstract, keywords, advisor and committee member names, and submission date used for cataloging and indexing purposes.

Committee approvals

Signature block for advisor and committee members with typed name, role, and date to record formal acceptance.

Publication preferences

Embargo requests, access level, and repository deposit choices that determine public release timing and copyright handling.

Supporting documents

Required attachments such as final PDF, signed approval pages, copyright clearance, and any necessary IRB or permissions.

Administrative checklist

Fields for fee confirmation, format compliance, plagiarism screening results, and registrar clearance to finalize acceptance.

Stepwise process to complete and submit your form

Follow the sequence below to prepare files, obtain approvals, and deposit the thesis so institutional processing can proceed without interruption.

  • 01
    Prepare files: Finalize manuscript PDF and any supplemental materials; ensure formatting meets guidelines.
  • 02
    Complete form: Enter metadata, committee names, and publication choices on the submission form.
  • 03
    Collect approvals: Obtain signatures from advisor and committee members, electronically or on paper as allowed.
  • 04
    Submit: Send the form and attachments to the graduate office or upload to the institutional repository per instructions.

Configuring an online submission workflow

Set up the online workflow to control signer order, authentication, and storage so approvals are tracked and archived.

Field Configuration
Signer order Student → Advisor → Committee → Registrar
Authentication Email link with optional SMS code for higher assurance
Required fields Make signatures, dates, and thesis title mandatory
Archive location Auto-save to institutional repository or cloud storage

Where to file and how routing works

Submissions typically travel from the student through reviewers to the registrar; choose the correct routing to ensure proper clearance and recording.

  • Submit to advisor: Advisor reviews manuscript and confirms readiness for committee review.
  • Committee review: Committee members provide formal approval signatures or feedback.
  • Registrar deposit: Registrar or graduate office verifies compliance and records the submission.
  • Repository ingest: Final approved thesis is deposited into the institutional repository per access settings.

Technical considerations for eSubmission and eSigning

Choose a platform that supports secure upload, audit trails, and flexible signer authentication to meet institutional requirements.

  • File formats: PDF, DOCX supported
  • Integrations: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Box
  • Authentication: Email, SMS, or SSO

Typical deadlines and processing expectations

Academic units set specific cutoff dates for submission and clearance; meet departmental and registrar deadlines to qualify for a graduation term.

Department submission cutoff:

Date set by department for advisor acceptance and committee review.

Registrar deposit deadline:

Final approved files must reach the registrar for degree conferral processing.

Embargo request deadline:

Submit embargo requests before repository ingest to prevent premature public release.

Formatting correction window:

Universities often provide a period to fix formatting issues after initial review.

Diploma mailing schedule:

Diploma production follows degree conferral and may be scheduled weeks after graduation.

Common mistakes that delay thesis acceptance

  • Incorrect or inconsistent student name between submission form and university records causes administrative holds and delays in diploma issuance.
  • Missing advisor or committee signatures requires repeated requests and can push submission past the deadline for the desired graduation term.
  • Incomplete embargo or copyright instructions may lead to unintended public release or repository processing errors.
  • Uploading the wrong file version (draft instead of final) creates rework and may require re-approval by committee members.

Consequences of incorrect or incomplete submissions

Processing delays: Graduation deferral risk
Administrative hold: Enrollment or transcript blocks
Unintended release: Public access without embargo
Citation errors: Metadata mismatch in repository
Academic review: Potential investigation if integrity issues arise
Financial hold: Fees or fines may be applied

Sample scenarios illustrating common submission paths

These two examples show typical submission flows and administrative outcomes when forms are completed correctly or incompletely.

Successful digital deposit

A student uploads final PDF and completes the form online

  • Advisor and committee sign via secure links
  • Registrar verifies formatting and archives the thesis in the institutional repository without delay, enabling timely degree conferral and public access per embargo settings.

Delayed clearance

Student submits an unsigned approval page by mistake

  • Committee must re-sign physically or electronically
  • Registrar places an administrative hold, postponing degree conferral until corrected signatures are received and verified.

Practical tips to avoid delays and ensure compliance

Adopt consistent practices across file preparation, approvals, and metadata to minimize rework and processing time.

Verify identity and records
Match the name and student ID exactly to institutional records to avoid diploma or transcript errors.
Use the final, approved PDF
Confirm that the file is the committee-approved version and that embedded fonts and images render correctly.
Request embargos early
Submit any embargo requests with the initial deposit to prevent unintended public release.
Retain audit evidence
Keep signed copies, timestamps, and audit trails to document approvals and defend against disputes.

Frequently asked questions about thesis submission

Answers to common technical and procedural questions that arise during thesis completion, approval, and deposit.


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