Thesis embargo - restricting access to your thesis
Know about thesis/portfolio availability and requesting an embargo.
An important component of the university tradition is that knowledge is openly available for examination and criticism by peers. It is normally expected that the final version of your thesis/portfolio must be deposited in the University Library in electronic format and be freely available to the public.
When requesting an embargo?
You may request restricted access to your thesis/research portfolio in situations such as:
- Protection of intellectual property pending commercialisation or patent filing;
- Seeking iwi or stakeholder approval before public release;
- Inclusion of culturally sensitive or confidential material;
- Intention to publish where the publisher requires the content not be publicly accessible.
Embargo periods are available for 6 months, 1 year or 2 years.
Your request will be reviewed by the Dean of the Faculty of Graduate Research (Dean FGR), who will receive the request and may approve, decline, or approve a shorter embargo period.
Do not leave this process to the last minute. If your request is delayed or declined, it may affect your submission timeline and graduation.
Your request for a thesis embargo should be approved before you submit your Notice of Intention to Submit. However, if approval is still pending, you can submit your notice while waiting. Please note that the approval must be confirmed before you submit your thesis.
For more information about the embargo process, you can refer to the Withholding of Theses Procedure and visit the Academic Integrity and Intellectual Property webpage.