PhDs

For a start formally request admission for your doctoral degree ceremony at Maastricht University. To begin this process download the model letter I below, fill it out and send it per email to the PhD office (contact details at the end of this webpage). If you did not obtain a masters degree from a Dutch university also fill out model letter II and attache it to the same email. To sign please add a digital signature to the document. This can be accomplished easiest by scanning in your signature and embedding it into the word document. Please make sure you signed with a coloured (blue) pen.

Additional document requirements:

• Send the documents as Word or PDF files
• Copies of diplomas or exemption
• Copy of the Scientific Integrity Requirement

What happens after you finished step 1:
The information will be checked by the Board of Deans and the response will be send to you per email. In consultation with your supervisor the Board of Deans will form and inform the assessment committee. Once you received the confirmation please follow step 2.

Upon approval the assessment committee members will await your thesis. Their names and contact information are provided to you in step 1. In step 2 you submit your dissertation as PDF per email to the assessment committee members.

What happens after you finished step 2:
After consultation with all members of the assessment committee, he chairman of that committee will inform the Phd office and your supervisor whether you are admitted to the defence of the submitted dissertation or not. You will be informed by your supervisor about the statement of the assessment committee. Once you received the information please follow to step 3.

Once the assessment committee has accepted your dissertation you may call the PhD office. They will provide you with two possible dates and time slots for your upcoming public Phd defence.

What happens after you finished step 3:
You need to check the availability of your supervisor, co-supervisor (and the assessment committee members) and together decide for one of the two possible options. Afterwards you inform the PhD office either by phone or email about your choice and proceed to step 4.

Note:
You need minimal 3 members of the assessment committee including the chair to be present

In this step you are asked to submit the title and reverse title page (see model letter 5a and 5b) as .doc file to the PhD office.

What happens after you finished step 4:
The PhD office checks all the information again and submits an official confirmation of the date, time and title of your public defence. Additionally your supervisor is asked the Order of Opposition form. Since the pandemic we do online phd defences. 

After you received the confirmation you are free to plan in a test session either on location or online. To do so please contact the PhD office per email or phone. This should help you to get better acquainted with the technicalities and ins and outs during the event. If you have any questions please consult first the FAQ section below.