You must ensure your thesis is prepared in accordance with VU's thesis guidelines before you can submit your thesis for examination.

Early submission

If you complete your thesis 12 months (or equivalent part time) before your candidature due date you must submit an application for early submission to the Office for Researcher Training, Quality and Integrity.

Your application should contain:

  • a copy of your thesis
  • Release of Thesis form
  • detailed letter from your research supervisor providing reasons for early submission and confirming the thesis has been analysed through Turnitin.

Your application for early submission will be reviewed by the Deputy Director of your Research Institute. The Deputy Director may convene a 'Research Institute Review Panel' to assist with reviewing and approving the application.

Release of thesis

You must submit a Release of Thesis form with your thesis so it can be released to examiners. The Chair of Examiners is normally the Deputy Director of your Research Institute.

However, if your Principal Supervisor is the Deputy Director of your Research Institute, then they are unable to act as Chair of Examiners. In this instance, the Director, Flagship Research Institute (or nominee) will normally act as the Chair of Examiners for your thesis.

Submitting copies of your thesis for examination

All candidates are required to submit one electronic copy of their thesis for examination (maximum 15MB) together with a Release of Thesis form for examination. (Note: Ensure you insert and sign the correct Declaration page – refer to Preparing your thesis).

Submit all examination documents to: [email protected]

The Admissions and Candidature Team will organise for the relevant Research Institute Deputy Director or nominee to sign and approve the Release of Thesis.

A temporary hardbound copy of the thesis is only required if the examiner has requested a copy. Please discuss with your supervisor.

Acceptable forms of temporary binding are spiral and thermal binding. The thesis can be printed double-sided.

If you are on a scholarship, email [email protected] to see if you are eligible for a binding allowance.

Turnitin (plagiarism software checker)

Candidates (students) are advised to check the originality of their thesis with the Turnitin software to avoid missed citations or accidental plagiarism.

Download the Guide to using Turnitin to check your research thesis

All graduate students have access to Turnitin via the ‘Graduate Researcher Support and Development Toolkit’ found within VU Collaborate.

Self-bind facilities are available at most campus libraries. Please enquire at the service desk of your campus library.

To have your thesis bound, search online for 'bookbinder', or use our identified bookbinders:

Doncaster Bookbinders, Moorabbin
+61 3 9555 4633

Prompt Thesis Binding, Kilsyth
0431 693 093

A G Bookbinders, West Melbourne
+61 3 9329 0288

Apollo-Moon Bookbinders, Rowville
+61 3 9763 2299

Irwin and McLaren Bookbinders, Richmond
+61 3 9428 5829

Whites Law Bindery, Caulfield South
+61 3 9523 6026

Scribe Bookbinding, Carlton North
+61 3 9347 0039

Contact us

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