Start on time

It might sound cliché, but starting on time is absolutely essential. Start looking for a good subject immediately, and talk to your promotor as soon as you can.

Would you like some help with those first steps? You can take part in one of our workshops. We'll help you get started, show you how to structure your thesis and how to avoid plagiarism. We also provide advice on correct use of language in an academic context.

Do you prefer personal feedback? Then you can request individual guidance or request a tutor.

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Workshops

Study Guidance organises workshops which contain tons of advice regarding the writing of your Bachelor's or Master's thesis.

Participants are encouraged to share their experiences, making it a learning opportunity for other students and for the university staff. If you feel like you could use some help regarding the following topics, don't hesitate to participate!

Discover our workshops

Individual guidance

Study Guidance also offer individual guidance in the writing of your thesis.

Our study advisors are here to help with all your questions, help you plan or give concrete tips about how to structure your thesis. Don't hesitate to ask for their help and expertise!

Attention: Questions related to the specific content of your thesis are best directed at your own promotor.



Make an appointment with a study advisor

Academic language

You can direct any questions on academic language in your thesis towards ACTO language centre. The ACTO advisors can help you with spelling, choice of words or how to structure your text. They also offer workshops!

All about ACTO

For academic Dutch, contact

academisch.nederlands@vub.be

Specific guidelines and instructions

Find all extra information and instructions on your thesis from your faculty here.

Social Sciences and Solvay Business School

You can find all deadlines and instructions for the master's thesis of the programmes at the Faculty of Social Sciences & Solvay Business School on this Canvas page.

Medicine and Pharmacy

Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy

Students in the final year of the Master's degree program must - unless stated otherwise in the course guide of the Master’s thesis of the relevant program – provide the following information to the program council, which will transfer this information to the Dean after approval:

•    the subject of the master's thesis;

•    the supervisor's signature, through which he approves the subject;

•    if necessary, the indication of the objective and method.

The deadline for submitting this information is clearly noted in the relevant course guide.

The master's thesis can be drawn up and/or defended in a language other than Dutch when approved by the relevant program council.

Changes

Changes in the subject of the Master's thesis and/or supervisor or renunciation by the supervisor of the supervisorship must be reported to the chairman of the program council at the latest before the spring break. A deviation from this can be granted by the program council of the relevant study program.

Turning in the master’s thesis

• First exam sessions, first exam period (only for those graduating in January): no later than 1 December, unless stated otherwise in the course guide of the master's thesis of the relevant study program.

• First exam sessions, second exam period: last working day before May 30 at the latest, unless stated otherwise in the course guide of the master's thesis of the relevant study program.

• Second exam sessions: last working day before August 18 at the latest, unless stated otherwise in the course guide of the master's thesis of the relevant study program.

The master's thesis is submitted to the student secretariat of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, unless stated otherwise in the course guide of the master's thesis of the relevant study program.

Form of submission

Under the responsibility of the program council of the relevant study program, the correct procedure in this regard is included in the course guide.

Release of the master's thesis

The digital version of the master's thesis for which the student has obtained a credit* is kept by the University Library. The master's thesis is only included in the library catalog with the explicit permission of the student and their supervisor. To this end, each student must attach a consent form to the master's thesis. This form can be found on the faculty website under student/'application forms'. When no consent form or an incomplete consent form is attached to the master's thesis, it is assumed that no consent has been granted.

*The additional education and examination regulations of the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy explicitly state when a credit has been obtained, in other words from 10/20 and not 14/20.

Plagiarism

The student is obliged to demonstrate the authenticity of the research material.

All master's theses will be screened by plagiarism software.

Law and Criminology

Faculty of Law and Criminology
 

Coming soon!

Engineering

Faculty of Engineering

Voor de deadline van elk formulier kan je kijken naar onze facultaire kalender. 

Procedure for submitting the Master's thesis title

For submitting the thesis title follow the procedure as mentioned below.

Step 1: fill in the online form:

         For Bruface programmes 
         For other master programmes

Step 2: After completing the online form the promotor automatically receives an email with a link to the completed form

Step 3: The promotor accepts or declines the proposal. This is done through an automated email.

Deadline for submitting the thesis title: the 15th of October

The consent form for disclosure of the master thesis has to be submitted together with the thesis.

Forms

Languages and Humanities

Faculty of Languages and Humanities
 

Choosing a thesis topic

  1. Register your master's thesis course unit through the Student SelfService.
  2. Register your master's thesis subject and supervisor through MaThis.

     

Submitting your master's thesis

Please respect the deadlines below.

  • First exam period of the first exam session: 8 January 2024 until 15h via Canvas
  • Second exam period of the first exam session: 27 May 2024 until 15h via Canvas
  • Second exam session: 5 August 2024 until 15h via Canvas

If you wish to apply for an extension due to unexpected circumstances, you must do so at the latest on the day of the deadline. You can obtain an extension of maximum 10 days. However, we advise you to submit your application at least one week before the regular deadline so that we can inform you before the submission date whether your application has been approved.

The following situations are recognised (Education and Examination Regulations, Article 111). 

  • medical reasons e.g. illness, accident
  • familial reasons e.g. the death of a relative by blood or marriage in the first degree (parents and/or children) or in the second degree (grandparents, grandchildren and/or brother/sister) or of a person domiciled under the same roof; 
  • legal reasons e.g. summons or subpoena to a court of law;
  • force majeure e.g. an event that has nothing to do with you as a student and that could not be foreseen, prevented or overcome. 

Bear in mind: your application can only be approved if you follow the correct procedure and submit your application in time (see above). 

Physical Education and Physiotherapy

Faculty of Physical Education and Physiotherapy

 

All deadlines and instructions for the master's thesis of the programmes Movement and Sport Sciences, Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, and Manual Therapy can be found on this Canvas page.

Psychology and Educational Sciences

Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences
 

All information, documents, and deadlines for the master theses can be consulted on CANVAS:

Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences

Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences

Guidelines and information are communicated through the program-specific Canvas page.

Publication Master's thesis

Any master's thesis for which the student has obtained a credit (for some faculties you need at least 14/20), and for which no non-disclosure agreement (NDA) was drawn up, can be included at no charge in the catalog of the University Library as long as the student has given their prior explicit consent.

Consent form