After submission
Once your thesis or research portfolio has been submitted, you are under examination.
You do not pay fees during this period but remain an enrolled student and retain access to university services. Your thesis will be sent to an internal examiner from our University and an external examiner from another university. You should not know who your examiners are until you receive your final grade. If you do discover who they are, you must not discuss your thesis with them.
Receiving your grade
Examiners will each submit a written report on the thesis and a recommended grade to your School Research Committee. Your final grade will be approved by your School Research Committee and your Faculty’s Associate Dean (PGR). The Thesis Examinations Team will then release your grade and examiners’ reports to you, along with your examiners’ names. This usually happens three to six months after submission.
When you receive your reports and grade, you will be told whether you are required to make any amendments to your thesis. If you are not required to make amendments, you can still choose to make editorial amendments to your thesis at your own discretion. If any changes are made, you should ensure that your supervisor has reviewed the final version of your thesis.
Depositing in the Library
You must complete any amendments, have them approved if necessary, and deposit your thesis in the university library within three months of receiving your final grade. You cannot have your degree conferred or apply for graduation until you have deposited your thesis in the Library.
You will have access to university services (including your university email and the library) until 28 days after you lodge the final version of your thesis in the Library. Access to Student Health will depend on when you have paid levies for. You can check this by emailing Student Finance at student-finance@vuw.ac.nz or calling them on 0800 04 04 04.
Graduation
The Graduation ceremony application deadlines are as below:
- May ceremony – apply by 1 March
- December ceremony – apply by 1 October
More information about graduation can be found on the Graduation Office’s website.
Contacting us
If we need to contact you during the examination process, we will use the email given in your Application for Master’s Examination form. However, you must also ensure your contact details in Student Records are up to date, as this is the information the Graduation Office will use to contact you.
If you are an international student and have questions about visa issues, please contact the International Student Experience team by emailing them at international-support@vuw.ac.nz or calling them on +64 4 463 5308. The Thesis Examinations team can provide a visa support letter to you if needed.
If you need to contact the Thesis Examinations team, email FGR-exams@vuw.ac.nz.