SUNScholar will remain open throughout the year for nomination of graduates and the submission of theses or dissertations for the March/April and December graduation ceremonies.

Please take note of the following submission closing dates for each graduation period:

March/April 2025 graduation: closing date is 4 March 2025
December 2025 graduation: closing date is 27 November 2025

Please note: For your final thesis (after the examination process), students must use the official SU thesis Title Page template that contains the University primary logo and branding design. The University’s primary logo features on the title page of the final thesis to establish the institution’s conferral of the degree and may not be placed on any other page of the thesis.

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Enquiries & help: t: +27 21 808 9139 / 9046 | Email
Physical office: Stellenbosch University Library, Room 1025

The nomination of students and the submission of theses and dissertations has moved to SUNStudent Academia. The new name is Thesis Management and the nomination for students to submit a thesis or dissertation for graduation now takes place on Thesis Management. Thesis Management sits under the tab for Examinations.

Student prepares document

It remains the student's responsibility to forward the final revised copy in PDF, to their supervisor/promoter or administrative staff. This copy is used for the submission process.

Each master’s thesis and doctoral dissertation is required to be submitted electronically usingSUNStudent Academia, once it has been examined and before graduation.

Student prepares document for furnishing in electronic format. Theses and dissertations should be created according to the general rules as set out in the General Yearbook 2025 (Page 68), 5.7. Provisions as to the format, final submission.

All theses/dissertations published by Stellenbosch University should contain the following compulsory information:

1. Compulsory information - Title page templates only

MASTER DEGREE			DOCTORAL DEGREE
Calibri			Calibri
Cambria			Cambria

Declaration - Masters Degree / Doctoral Degree
Abstract: In the language of the thesis or dissertation (max. 500 words)
Additional abstract (optional): In second language (max. 500 words)
Acknowledgements
Table of Contents
List of Figures
List of Tables
Content (e.g. Chapter 1, Chapter 2, etc.)
Reference List (See Referencing techniques)
Addenda (e.g. Addendum A, Addendum B, etc.

2. Requirements for typewriting

Font type: Cambria or Calibri (effective 2024)
Font size: 10, 11 or 12 font size
Line spacing: Double, Single or 1.5
Borders: Blank border of not less than 2 cm in width around the whole of the typewritten portion.
Paper size: A4

3. Furnishing in electronic format

To convert files to PDF format when using MS Word v.2016 and later, choose option:
File >> Save as Adobe PDF (*.pdf)
Save the document by using the following file naming convention:
surname_studentnumber_2021.docx

e.g. dutoit_12345678_2021.docx
The master copy of the thesis/dissertation for SUNScholar Research Repository must be submitted electronically in PDF format.

IMPORTANT

It at all times remains the student's responsibility to verify the contents of the converted PDF document in order to ensure that no structure or content of the original source document was lost or manipulated during the conversion process.
Do not add your signature to the bottom of the declaration. Simply type your name below the declaration. The reason for this is, the whole process is recorded electronically as proof that all parties adhere to the policy.
Please do not add any securities to your PDF document.

Microsoft Office365 software

As a Stellenbosch University registered student you are elligable to receive the Microsoft Office365 software for free.
Download Office 365 here.

LaTeX software

The LaTex packages can be downloaded or installed directly via TexLive or MikTeX here.
Find the SU title page templates under the DOC directory.

Supervisor/promoter or administrative staff upload and submit

The nomination of students and submission of theses or dissertations for graduation now takes place on Thesis Management in SUNStudent Academia. Thesis Management sits under the tab for Examinations.

In Thesis Management only the final thesis or dissertation needs to be uploaded in PDF format. This is the copy following examination, and after all corrections have been made.

The user guide for Thesis Management is available in SUNStudent at:

To summarise the process:

The final thesis or dissertation must be submitted in PDF format.
Log onto SUNStudent.
Click on Examinations, then click Thesis Management.
The supervisor/promoter or administrative staff nominates the candidate.
Please make use of Remarks to indicate the month and year of graduation.
The thesis/dissertation is uploaded by the supervisor/promoter or administrative staff.
The supervisor/promoter or administrative staff approves the submission.
The thesis/dissertation will be publicly accessible on SUNScholar following graduation.

Due to the sensitive nature of security and ongoing enhancements to Thesis Management the upload/submission of the final thesis or dissertation, must be done by the supervisor/promoter/administrative staff.

Please note that if you do not have access to SUNStudent access can be provisioned by following these steps:

Please access the SUNStudent Service Desk here.
The tile marked 'user access management' is the section that allows users to complete their user role access request.

Publishing books/chapters in books and copyright
All inquiries related to copyright and the publication of books/chapters in books as a result of a thesis/dissertation can be directed to InnovUS.

Signature on declaration page
Please note that the signature is no longer required, and that the student can simply type their name below the declaration. The reason for this is, the whole process is recorded electronically as proof that all parties adhere to the policy.

The general rules of Stellenbosch University on submitting a copy with SUNScholar is available in the General Yearbook 2025 (Page 68), 5.7 Provisions as to the format, final submission.

Once approved and processed by the library, the thesis/dissertation will be available online via SUNScholar Research Repository for others to access, provided that no restrictions apply.

SUNScholar enquiries & help: Email | t: +27 21 808 9139 / 9046

To request digitisation of a print thesis or dissertation, please complete the Digitisation of theses or dissertations request form

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Supervisor/promoter or administrative staff upload and submit

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Student prepares document

Supervisor/promoter or administrative staff upload and submit

Thesis/dissertation submission