Graduation Application Procedure
Since the summer graduation session of July 2014, the ONLINE THESIS procedure has been in effect, and therefore all graduation applications must be submitted exclusively online. The paper-based procedure has been abolished for all types of degrees (Bachelor's and Master's) for both the graduation application and the thesis, which no longer needs to be printed and bound. The entire procedure takes place online through the "Online Services" section, under "Submit Graduation Thesis Application". Only the thesis supervisor request remains in paper form.
Since any operation in this procedure may be subject to server or network malfunctions, both university and non-university related, it is recommended to complete necessary steps well in advance of deadlines and during times when support is available.
Procedure for Submitting the Graduation Application (LM-51, 58/S, V.O.)
Submitting the Application
To submit the graduation application, the student must have already submitted the thesis supervisor request using the appropriate form. Starting from the date indicated in the calendar under "OPENING," the candidate enters the "Online Services" section under "Submit Graduation Thesis Application," accessible via their student ID and personal password from the online services page of the university website. The initial page of the application will display only the active graduation sessions for the student's degree program along with the relevant deadlines for each phase. The student fills in the application as follows:
- Select the chosen graduation session (the date of the thesis defense is labeled as "start of exams").
- Fill in the fields of the application, including the final thesis title, which must be provided in both English and Italian (note the asterisk, which indicates mandatory fields).
- Under "Exams to Report," include both exams that have been completed but do not appear in the student record, and exams that are yet to be taken/registered.
- Save and close the application using the button at the bottom of the page. Once the application is saved, the data can only be modified until the thesis supervisor approves it.
IF THE STUDENT DOES NOT SAVE AND CLOSE THE APPLICATION, THE SUPERVISOR CANNOT APPROVE IT.
Approval by the Supervisor
When the student saves the application, a notification will be sent to the supervisor’s institutional email address regarding the graduation application. The supervisor must log into the "Online Services" section and approve the application. After the supervisor's approval, the data in the application can no longer be modified, except for the thesis title, which can still be changed or corrected by the student until the final thesis text is validated. Note that the email notification is not a guarantee of receipt, so the student must verify on the system that the application has been approved.
The deadline for submitting the application applies to the student, but not to the supervisor, who can approve it even after the official deadline, as long as the approval and consolidation happen before the final deadline for the application, otherwise the thesis will not be discussed.
IF THE SUPERVISOR DOES NOT APPROVE THE APPLICATION, THE STUDENT CANNOT CONSOLIDATE IT, AND THE PROCESS WILL BE BLOCKED. The student will have to cancel the application and submit a new one for a future session.
It is also possible to withdraw from graduation even after the supervisor’s approval.
Consolidating the Application
Once the supervisor has approved the application, an automatic notification will be sent to the student’s institutional email address (name.surname@stud.unifi.it). However, this email is not a guarantee of receipt, so the student must check the application status in the system.
After the supervisor's approval, the student must log back into the system by the "CONSOLIDATION" deadline to:
- Confirm the graduation application.
- Upload the thesis draft files (in DOC, DOCX, RTF, ODT, PDF format). These files (which can only be uploaded after the supervisor has approved the application) can be replaced multiple times, allowing the supervisor to review the thesis work. However, for the final version of the full text to be validated by the supervisor, it must be complete and final by the consolidation deadline (see "Validation of the Thesis File" below).
- Print the MAV payment slip for 32 euros generated by the system and pay it by the due date indicated on the slip. If the graduation fee has already been paid, only a payment slip for the stamp duty (16 euros) will be generated. The payment will not immediately appear in the system, as it takes 48-72 hours to process, and there is no need to submit a payment receipt to the Student Secretariat.
To access the thesis defense, the student must be up to date with all fee payments, including the graduation fee, and must have obtained the required number of credits.
The Student Secretariat will verify the student's records and will contact the student if any administrative issues arise. They may also send notifications to the student’s institutional email address for any unpaid fees.
This does not relieve the student, who is aware of any administrative issues or unpaid fees, from promptly contacting the Student Secretariat to regularize their position.
Digital Thesis Submission and Validation
Graduating students must upload the final versions of their thesis files, and the supervisor must validate them before the final deadline for validation.
The files to be uploaded are:
The full text (final and complete version of the thesis) must be uploaded by the student in "final" state, and in PDF/A format suitable for long-term preservation.
The thesis file must contain the complete and final version of the thesis (text, images, tables, bibliography, etc.) in a single file, with a maximum size of 20 megabytes.
Digital thesis submission replaces the old process of submitting a physical copy to the library, which was previously done by the student after the volume was stamped by the Teaching Secretariat.
It is important to note that once the thesis is validated by the supervisor, the student cannot modify or replace the file. Once validated, no further changes can be made.
Authorization for library consultation will be included in the system, eliminating the need for paper forms. The files validated by the supervisor will be archived and, if authorized by the student, can be consulted online.
Failure to validate the thesis within the deadline will prevent the student from graduating. To validate the thesis, the supervisor must access the system for a second time at [link].
It is not possible to modify or replace the full text or the thesis title after validation.
The deadline for uploading the full text is the same as the supervisor's validation deadline: the thesis must be uploaded well in advance to allow the supervisor to complete their part of the procedure, or the thesis defense will not take place.
The thesis must be sent to the co-supervisor by email in PDF format once the graduation committees have been published on the School’s website (about 7-10 days before the start of the defense sessions).
Student Record Book and Deadline for Exam Registration
Students must complete all exams by the date set in the academic calendar published on the School’s website. In the online application (under “Exams to Report”), students must indicate both exams they have passed but which do not appear in their student record, and exams still to be taken/registered.
It is not necessary to submit the student record book to the Student Secretariat; however, the Secretariat may request it if any exams are missing from the student’s record.
Cancellation of the Application
If the student has not passed all the exams required by their approved study plan or has not completed the thesis and obtained the supervisor's validation, they must go back into the system, CANCEL the graduation application, and submit a new one for a later session.
Legend of Fields in the Application:
Exam Session = start of the graduation session
Opening = start of the graduation application submission
Closing = deadline for graduation application submission
Consolidation = confirmation by the student of the graduation application approved by the supervisor, printing and payment of the fee, and uploading the final thesis file (only for Master’s degree candidates)
Validation = deadline by which the supervisor approves the final version of the thesis uploaded in the system (only for Master’s degree candidates)
The system includes numerous FAQs (frequently asked questions) on various stages of the procedure, which we recommend reading carefully before making any inquiries to the email address: psicologia.tesi.online@unifi.it.
Last update
12.12.2024