Necessary steps before the doctoral examination

Here are the steps to take before your doctoral examination.

3 to 6 months before the doctoral examination

Nominate your co-examiner/s.
Complete the acquisition of 18 ECTS credits.

Course credit records and transcripts

Depending on which edition of the Doctoral Regulation (2009 or 2022) you are studying under, course credit records are handled differently.

Doctoral Regulations 2009

You complete your doctoral studies under the previous Doctoral Regulations from 2009, either if you have been definitely admitted before 1 January 2022, or if you have decided to study under the Doctoral Regulations from 2009 after being provisionally but not definitely admitted before 1 January 2022. If this applies to you, then you must:

compile your transcript of records as an excerpt from myStudies and other certificates,
get it approved and signed by your supervisor, and
send it to the

Doctoral Regulations 2022

Your doctoral studies are governed by the Doctoral Regulations from 2022, if you have been admitted on 1 January 2022 or later. If this applies to you, then you must:

make sure that all credits are recorded in myStudies,
have your Learning Agreement approved by your supervisor, including the correct categorisation into (1) Subject Specialisation, (2) Transferable Skills and (3) Integration into Scientific Community with at least 1 credit each, 4 credits from ETH Zurich, and 1 credit in Ethics under Transferable Skills.

Only if you are undertaking your doctoral studies under the new Doctoral Regulations will ETH Zurich issue a final transcript of records at the end of your doctorate.

1 to 3 months before the doctoral examination

Nominate the chairperson of the examination committee.
Set date, time and location. In order for the doctoral degree to be awarded at a Departmental Conference, the examination date must be at least eight days before the date of the upcoming Departmental Conference.

Submit details of the doctoral examination here

Distribution of your doctoral thesis

Distribute copies of your .
Send a PDF copy of your thesis to the .

At least 15 working days before the doctoral examination

Registration for the doctoral examination

In order to register for the doctoral registration with the :

completed Download registration form for the doctoral examination (PDF, 725 KB)
copy of the title page of your thesis

You will receive your dissertation number upon registering for the doctoral examination.

The D-MTEC Doctoral Administration will publish the announcements to the examination on the doctoral examination website and send invitations to all D-MTEC affiliates if not agreed upon differently.