Timetable for your PhD programme

This timetable shows the steps of your PhD Programme. In addition there are often deadlines with regard to housing, tickets, insurance and visa related matters.

When	Action	Who
Before the start of the PhD Programme	1. PhD candidate approaches a graduate school, which facilitates contact with a potential research group. Find out more about the application procedure on the Application page.	PhD candidate / chair group
	2. Contact between PhD candidate and a professor (supervisor of a chair group) results in mutual wish for a new PhD project.
	3. In case of a fellowship, the supervisor has to consult a HR advisor. Together they will check that all fellowship finances comes from outside Wageningen University (tax requirement). The only exceptions are labour contracts for Sandwich PhD candidates.	Chair group and HR advisor
	4. Chair group informs the graduate school about the new candidate.	Chair group
	5. The PhD candidate is registered in PROMIS (the university’s PhD registration system).	Graduate school
	6. PhD candidate submits scans of documents to the graduate school. More information can be found here.	Chair group / PhD candidate
	- If a PhD candidate does not hold a Master's degree or if the Master’s degree does not allow admission to a PhD programme, the candidate must present other relevant higher education diplomas and/or proof of expertise. When diplomas are not accepted, the supervisor defines a qualifying exam which must be approved by the academic board.
	7. Non-Dutch PhD candidates from non-Anglophone countries must provide a certified document stating that the Master’s education was in English or submit an internationally recognised certificate of proficiency in the English language (TOEFL, Cambridge, IELTS (academic) or RATEr) to PhD services. Read more information on the English language requirememts here.	Chair group / PhD candidate
	8. Contract or employment agreement with the department is signed, and tuition fees are paid (Fees are not required for all PhD categories). The contract or employment agreement cannot be signed without prior validation of diplomas and check of proficiency in English. In case requirements are not met, the contract or employment agreement will specify at what moment these requirements should be met. That moment is always within 18 months from the start of the PhD Programme.
At the start of the PhD Programme (if applicable)	PhD candidates must be registered as a student via their Graduate School, if they need to take BSc or MSc courses.	PhD candidate
Within 3 months	If applicable and still necessary: The proof of English proficiency must be approved and registered in PROMIS by PhD services	PhD candidate/ PhD services
Within 6 months	1. Submission of a TSP to the graduate school (this may not apply to external PhD candidates).	PhD candidate / supervisor(s)
	2. Submission of the project proposal to the graduate school (this may not apply to external PhD candidates).
Within 9 months	1. Approval of TSP.	Graduate school
	2. Approval of Project Proposal.
Within 12 months (18 months at the very latest)	PhD candidate must have obtained full admission to the PhD programme. Full admission is obtained once the following criteria are met:
	1. If required, the result of the qualifying exam must be approved and registered in PROMIS by PhD services.	Supervisors/ PhD candidate/ PhD services
	2. The TSP and research proposal (if applicable) must be approved and registered in PROMIS by the Graduate school.	Graduate school
	3. Positive Go/No-go evaluation by supervisor. Note: communicated by supervisor to the graduate school and registered in PROMIS by the graduate school. Supervisor should download the evaluation form, from the “overviews” page of PROMIS.	Supervisor/ graduate school
	4. Letter stating formal admittance to the PhD programme (when all requirements mentioned above have been met).	Dean on behalf of the academic board
Annually (if apllicable)	1. PhD candidates must re-register as a student via their Graduate School, if they still need to take MSc courses.	PhD candidate
	2. Annual progress and development evaluation (called "R&O" meeting for employees of Wageningen UR).	Supervisor/ PhD candidate
12 to 6 months before desired date of public defence	Supervisor downloads the “Application letter for the public defence of a PhD thesis at Wageningen University” from the “overviews” page of PROMIS; PhD candidate submits that letter.	PhD candidate
6 to 3 ½ months before the desired date of public defence	1. Supervisor(s) approves thesis and propositions, books tentative date for public defence and adds opponents in PROMIS.	Supervisor
	2. Supervisor downloads Approval letter form the “overviews” page of PROMIS, and requests the appointment of a thesis committee by submitting it.	Supervisor
At least 15 weeks before the desired date of public defence	1. Supervisor submits a PDF of the thesis, the approval letter, the propositions (in a separate file), see guidelines here and the authorship statement (also in a separate file) to the PhD office. This version of the thesis must contain: Table of Contents, all Chapters including (co)authorships, List of References, and English Summary.	Supervisor
	2. PhD candidate requests a Training and Education Certificate at the graduate school.	PhD candidate/ Graduate school
	3. Thesis committee needs approval.	Dean on behalf of the academic board
At least 10 weeks before the desired date of public defence	Propositions must be approved by the Academic board. If the propositions have not been approved 10 weeks before the public defence, the defence will be postponed.	Academic board
After approval of the thesis by the committee (approximately 9 weeks before the date of public defence)	1. PhD candidate submits cover, the first four pages and the last inside page of the thesis (i.e. the page with acknowledgements of financial support) to the PhD office.	PhD candidate
	2. PhD office approves the cover, the first four pages and the last inside page of the thesis. Final date for public defence is confirmed.	PhD office
At least 2 weeks before the date of public defence	PhD candidate submits:	PhD candidate
	- 4 copies of the thesis to the PhD office. The PhD candidate ensures that the opponents have a hard copy of the thesis before the digital defence date.
	- 1 PDF file of the thesis and an abstract in Word to the library
Just before the date of public defence	PhD candidate meets with Rector Magnificus or his representative.	PhD candidate/PhD office