• General
• Deadlines
• Committees
• Filing Fee
• Formatting Guide
• ProQuest

1. Where do I find information on filing my master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation at UCLA?

a. Please visit File Your Thesis or Dissertation

2. Can I file my dissertation from outside the US?

a. Yes. Students no longer need to be physically present on campus to submit their dissertations. You only need access to the internet.

3. Do I have to be registered when I file?

a. Students must be either registered or eligible to use the filing fee when filing.

4. Can I still file on paper if I want?

a. No. After March 13, 2012, only electronic filing will be accepted.

1. What are the filing deadlines?

a. Check the Deadlines page on our website.

2. What counts as submitting by the deadline?

a. All of the following must occur by the official deadline:

• All required committee members have signed off
• Committee has certified you have passed the final oral exam (if applicable)
• You submitted a final PDF via ProQuest
• You completed the online Graduate Division process at grad.ucla.edu/etd

3. How will the Graduate Division determine my filing date and whether I've met the deadline?

a. The last date that all of the items listed above is complete will be your filing date. For example, if you submit your final dissertation PDF and complete the online process on June 1, three committee members sign on June 2, and the final committee member signs on June 3, your filing date will be June 3 assuming you have met all other degree requirements.

4. What does the interim deadline mean?

a. The interim deadline is an extended deadline in which you can use your current registration or filing fee status to file before the start of classes for the following quarter. E.g. If you are registered or on filing fee for the winter 2012 quarter and you miss the March 12 deadline, you have until March 29 to file using your winter registration, but your degree will be awarded for spring 2012.

1. Do my committee members need to sign the signature page?

a. Effective March 13, 2012, committee members approve the thesis or dissertation electronically. There is no longer a signature page, but rather a committee page listing your committee members in the manuscript.

2. Can a committee member sign off on the dissertation from outside of Los Angeles?

a. Yes. Professors can sign off on a dissertation from anywhere with access to the internet.

3. My UCLA faculty committee member prefers to use a non-UCLA email address. Can I send the request to that email address?

a. No. UCLA faculty will be notified via their UCLA email addresses. You are welcome to send a reminder email to her or his non-UCLA email address with the link (https://go.grad.ucla.edu/internal/appETD/) to the approval page.

4. I sent the approval request to the wrong committee members. What do I do?

a. Submit a completed reconstitution form with the correct members to the Graduate Division.

5. I have a committee member that is not from UCLA. How will she sign off?

a. Committee members from outside UCLA will still receive the email notification and go to a similar approval page as UCLA faculty.

6. Can I check the status of when my committee signs off?

a. Yes, after you complete the online process you can log back in to the Graduate Division website to check the status.

7. What is a certifying member?

a. Certifying members are responsible for approving your dissertation. For many students, their entire committee is certifying. For some students, a subset of their committee is certifying. You can view your certifying members, if you have advanced to candidacy, at File Your Thesis or Dissertation. All committee members must enter a decision for the final oral exam, if required.

8. Should I list all committee members or only certifying members on the committee page?

a. You must list all certifying members and you may also include non-certifying members if you wish.

1. What does continuous registration mean?

a. All students must be either registered for classes, on an official leave of absence, registered in absentia, or on filing fee for each quarter at UCLA. If a student does not register, apply for a leave, or pay the filing fee, s/he is considered to have withdrawn from the university and must apply for re-admittance to return.

2. What is the deadline to submit a filing fee form?

a. By the end of the second week of classes. View the Deadlines page.

3. What is the filing fee deadline for summer?

a. The deadline for summer filing will be by the end of the second week of classes for Session A, regardless of the session in which the student chooses to file.

4. For what length of time is the summer filing fee valid?

a. The summer filing fee is valid until the end of the interim period following the summer deadline.

5. Does a student need to be registered in summer to use the fall filing fee?

a. No, but the student must have been either registered for classes or registered in absentia in the spring. If the student was on a Leave of Absence in the spring, s/he cannot be on filing fee status in the fall.

6. What does continuous registration mean?

a. No. A student can use the filing fee in the fall based on being registered the previous spring, without registering during the summer.

7. I was on an official leave of absence last quarter. Can I use a filing fee this quarter?

a. No. To be eligible to use the filing fee, you must have been registered the previous quarter.

8. I am registered in absentia this quarter. Can I use the filing fee next quarter?

a. Yes. Being registered in absentia qualifies you to use the filing fee.

9. I paid the filing fee but I didn’t finish my thesis or dissertation/take my final exam. What should I do?

a. Consult with your department advisor. You can either be readmitted to your program or submit a retroactive registration petition.

10. I am a master’s student. How long do I have to submit my thesis or take the comprehensive exam after I advance to candidacy?

a. One year. However, you must be continuously registered throughout your time. Please see above for the definition of continuous registration.

11. I am a master’s student. I finished my coursework last fall and I haven’t been registered in two quarters. Can I still pay the filing fee?

a. No. If you have not been registered or on an official leave of absence, you must apply for readmission to your program.

12. I will apply for readmission. Can I use the filing fee the quarter I am readmitted?

a. No. If you are readmitted, you must register the first quarter.

13. I am a master’s student. I finished my coursework and now I need to register just to file my thesis or take my comprehensive exam. What courses do I register for?

a. Consult with your department about the appropriate courses to take.

1. What special characters can I use in my title?

a. Only the ones approved by UCLA. The list can be found on the Formatting and Filing Information page.

2. Who do I ask about copyrights and permissions?

a. The Copyright Librarian. Please see the last page of the formatting guide for contact information.

3. Do you have a LaTEX template?

a. No. Please consult with your department or program.

4. Can Graduate Division check my formatting before I submit to ProQuest?

a. The Graduate Division will only check your formatting once you have submitted it to ProQuest.

1. When will I be able to view my manuscript on ProQuest?

a. 6-8 weeks after you receive final confirmation from the Graduate Division that it has been accepted.