FAQs

Is it true that doctoral plans (formerly research plans) with a scheduled duration of 3 years are no longer being accepted by the Doctoral Committee?

No. The plan can also envisage a duration of only 3 years. However, the average time to complete a dissertation at ETH and D-BAUG is more than 4 years. So, completing a doctorate in 3 years may be unrealistic unless special circumstances apply. So, if the time table just spans 3-3.5 years, an explicit statement needs to be given in the research plan, justifying the feasibility of completing the doctorate in significantly less than average time.

Which level of detail is required for the description of activities/duties beyond work on the doctoral thesis (teaching obligations and further obligations)?

This description should clarify which other duties/activities have been agreed upon by the supervisor and the student, and should show whether there will be enough time to complete the doctoral thesis within the planned time frame.

If there are activities which may require considerable time, indicate the average percentage of working time (in relation to your entire doctorate workload) which will be collectively spent on activities beyond the doctoral thesis.

The total length of my doctoral plan should be 4-8 pages. Is this including the signature page and the references?

No, these are counted separately.

NOTE: Make sure you refer to the right webpages and use the correct terminology!

Matriculated after 01.01.2022: Doctoral Plan
Detailed information on layout etc. are to be found on the site "A Doctorate at D-BAUG", section "2nd Advisor and Submitting Your Doctoral Plan".

At least one third of my credit points need to be outside my field of studies. What exactly does that mean?

(Issue only applicable to students matriculated before 01.01.2022, i.e. under the old credit point system.)

Answer: If you’re e.g. doing a thesis in Geomatics, courses taken in the field of Civil Engineering are considered “outside your field of studies”

matriculated after 01.01.2022:
Please check out Implementation Provisions, Art. 10 cont. -- The table (Art. 10.3) will provide you with all the details needed surrounding the collection of your 12 credit points. D-BAUG no longer as separate requirements if you were matriculated under the new Ordinance.

Note: Very few of you could opt for this credit point system. Thus, check out the table under 10.3.

And: Chapter "Doctoral Studies" on Central Doc-Admin page

Matriculated before 01.01.2022

I have gained credits at a summer school but they do not show up in MyStudies. Why?

Credit points of external courses are treated separately and will be added up at the end of your doctorate. Your 12 credit points will be confirmed on the registration form for your doctoral examination.

How can I register my co-examiners?

Please fill in online form.

One of my co-examiners cannot come to my defence. Can he/she participate via Skype?

No. Skype is not allowed. – You need to organize a video conference.

Please make arrangements well ahead of time since the number of video conferencing rooms is limited.
Moreover, there will be a test run with your "beamed-in" co-examiner.

What are the special requirements for a written report by my co-examiners?

They are listed on our Download information sheet (PDF, 62 KB) and will be communicated to the members of your examination committee (i.e. supervisor and co-examiners) by the Doctoral Administration D-BAUG upon submission of the pdf of your thesis.

Can one of my co-examiner reports be in German?

In general, the reports need to be in the same language as the thesis.

How exactly do I fill out the form "Declaration of Your Personal Contribution"?

The form Download Declaration of Your Personal Contribution (PDF, 199 KB) needs to be submitted to the Doctoral Administration D-BAUG together with the pdf of your thesis, i.e. 6 weeks prior to your examination date.

Regardless of the format of your thesis, i.e. monograph or paper thesis, please make sure to declare any third-party contribution, including that of technical staff during experiments (similar as in acknowledgments).

• If no one assisted you in your monograph, please say so explicitly.
• Where a published or submitted paper forms the basis of a chapter/chapters of your thesis, even in a monograph, declare this fact explicitly; also mention how the chapter differs from the paper (just reformatted? revised/extended? …) and, if applicable, list the contributions of all co-authors of that paper.
  
• In terms of co-authorship in a cumulative thesis, list for each chapter (paper) the various roles you and the co-authors had (idea, design of experiments, code development, data collection, data analysis, method development etc.)

Abbreviations: CE (Civil Engineering), EE (Environmental Engineering), G (Geomatics/Geospatial), REIS (Spatial Development and Infrastructure)

Should I send a paper copy of my thesis to all co-examiners and the chairperson?

No. – As of 1st July 2016, the Doctoral Administration D-BAUG will send a pdf-version of your thesis to all members of your examination committee.

Is it a problem if I don’t have my thesis number for the cover page of my thesis at the time of registration?

No, not before you register. You will get the number from the Rectorate when you register for your doctoral examination.
The only elements essential for the cover page are listed in the appendix 2 of The Rector’s Implementation Provisions on the Ordinance on Doctoral Studies ETH Zurich. The thesis number must appear, however, on your deposit copies.

Can my CV be in German when my thesis is in English?

No. Mixing languages is not allowed.

The title of my thesis has changed since you confirmed the credit points on the registration form for my doctoral examination. Can I still change it?

Yes, on the form you may change it by hand.  However, please note that no title changes are permitted after your promotion was approved by the Department Conference. See chapter "Doctoral Graduation & Doctoral Degree Certificate".

What exactly are the parameters of a cumulative thesis?

There are different sources to consult, but start out with the D-BAUG infos, especially with regard to the number of publications needed:

Detailed Stipulations D-BAUG, Art. 10
Please note that these requirements need to be fulfilled at the time when you submit your exam version, i.e. 8 weeks prior to your doctoral examination.

"Download Guidelines (PDF, 468 KB) on the Structure of a Cumulative Doctoral Thesis for D-BAUG Doctoral-Students"
"How to make Download changes (PDF, 142 KB) to papers that from part of a cumulative thesis"

Additionally: Make sure you also consult the website of the Central Doctoral Administration of ETH.

Last but not least, the overarching legal framework:
Rector's Implementation Provisions for the ETH Ordinance on the Doctorate, section 11.2

Can members of the DK be present during the entire doctoral examination,

No. -- To be precise, we distinguish between 3 parts:

1. public presentation, open to everybody
2. closed part, also accessible to DK-members
3. discussion and final evaluation, solely for nominated members of the examination committee, i.e. thesis supervisor, co-examiners and chairperson

At the sole discretion of the chairperson and under exceptional circumstances only, can a non-member of the DK be granted access to part 3, provided he/she is an invaluable expert of the doctoral student’s PhD topic.

Can I register for my doctoral examination with Academic Services before the written reports of my examination committee have arrived?

Yes. These are independent processes.

Please note, however, that you must first submit a pdf of your thesis and the Download Declaration of Your Personal Contribution (DOCX, 84 KB) to the Doctoral Administration D-BAUG, no later than 8 weeks prior to your doctoral examination. See section 10, D-BAUG Detailed Stipulations.
Thereafter, you may register your examination with Academic Services. Theoretically, you can register the same day, but most definitely no later than 15 days prior to your examination day (see also paragraph on registration form).

Can I do my registration for the doctoral examination by mail?

You can. It is done at Academic Services.

Can I get a confirmation letter that I passed my doctoral examination, so I can apply for jobs?

Only if you apply for jobs outside ETH.  Please contact the .

For postdoctoral positions within ETH, you need to wait for the official confirmation by Academic Services.

Upon approval of your promotion request at the Department Conference D-BAUG, the Academic Services send out a provisional confirmation for your doctorate (dispatched about 2 days after the Department Conference).

For details and conference dates, please refer to the chapter Doctoral Graduation & Degree Certificate.

After my doctoral examination (in April), I now have substantial corrections to make. Can my promotion be approved at a later Department Conference (DK) or does it have to be at the DK succeeding my examination, i.e. end of May?

It can be at a later DK. However, no later than 6 months after your doctoral examination date.

Ordinance, Art. 44 Revision of the doctoral thesis
1 If the doctoral thesis was accepted subject to corrections it may be revised once.
2 The examination committee
a.determines the deadline for the revision, which may not exceed six months;
b.informs the doctoral student on the next steps, in particular naming the person to whomthe revised doctoral thesis should be submitted for checking, and adds this information tothe documentation mentioned in Art. 41, Para. 3.
3 On substantiated request by the doctoral student and subject to the approval of the doctoral thesis supervisor, the Vice Rector for Doctoral Studies may extend the deadline for the revision.

Can I attend the award ceremony once my promotion got approved by the Department Conference (DK)?

No. The Rectorate has clear-cut submission deadlines for deposit copies in conjunction with upcoming award ceremonies. Please refer to "Graduation & Doctoral Degree Certificate", and check out the submission deadline in the grey box.

When do I have to hand in my deposit copies?

You will receive a letter by Academic Services, listing all further steps after the D-BAUG Department Conference approved your promotion.

The letter, sent out about 2 days after the D-BAUG Department Conference (DK), lists the exact deadline for your deposit copies, i.e. no later than 3 months after the DK.

Every single element of this complex process is fully described under Graduation & Doctoral Degree Certificate. Please, have a careful read through!