Graduating can be a time-consuming process, especially regarding your dealings with the bureaucracy. This guide aims to help a bit by outlining the steps you may expect.

Note: The following was heavily edited by RafiK from the Physics dept., but it should apply to ICS as well…

• Main MNF info page: ger eng (check both, english version is not always up to date..)
• MNF Fact sheet PhD Defense: ger, pdf eng, pdf
• Template PhD titlepage pdf

• Promotionsordnung ger, pdf
• Ordnung zum Doktoratsprogramm Physics ger, pdf
• Verordnung über die Promotion ger, pdf

Actually fill this out. Links, etc…

There are various deadlines to meet before you can actually defend your thesis. It's best to work backwards from these to fix a date. The deadline as are as follows.

1. Latest 6 Weeks, Earlierst XX Weeks = Register
2. Latest 4 Weeks, Deliver Report, Circulate
3. Latest X Weeks ???

Other things you need to arrange:

• Referee (one or two). Either you or your supervisor will arrange this.
• A room to defend in (ask Regina/Suzanne)
• Apero (champagne is reimbursed, everything else is on you)

You need to remain registered as a student (and pay tuition) at the UZH until you have received your final diploma in the mail.

1. A few weeks after your defence, the MNF will issue a certificate stating that you have passed your PhD defence, but that you have not been officially awarded the PhD degree yet. Your may need this for job applications. You may have to request this from Regina.
2. Some longer time after your defence, the professors of the MNF will meet and make the final decision on whether you have earned your PhD. This usually happens in May and November.
3. Afterwards, you will receive an invitation to the official graduation ceremony. This usually happens in June and December.
4. After the ceremony, you will be sent a little red card. With that card, you will have to deliver the final (printed and electronic) versions of the thesis to the ZB.
5. The library will forward one copy of the dissertation to your supervisor who has to sign off on this copy.
6. Once your supervisor has signed off, the UZH/MNF will issue your diploma. At this point, you will need to provide them with a postal address where they will send the papers. This can take up to twelve weeks.

• MNF: Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultaet = Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (to which the ICS is attached).
• UZH: Universitaet Zurich = University of Zurich
• ZB: Zentralbibliothek = University Library