Timeline

Note: All Oral Defenses MUST be conducted in person and on campus.
Last update: 2026/3/20
 
STEP
ACTION
 
To graduate in
Spring 2026

Preparation period: 
Now ~ 2026/2/22

To graduate in
Fall 2026

Preparation period: 
Now ~ 2026/9/6
  PROPOSAL AND ADVISOR - STEP 1
 
To graduate in
Spring 2026

Submission period:
2026/2/23 ~ 2026/3/5


To graduate in
Fall
 2026

Submission period:
2026/9/7 ~ TBA
  • Write a thesis proposal or write a business plan proposal.
  • Depending on your choice, fill out a Thesis Proposal Approval Form or a Business Plan Proposal Approval Form and attach your proposal after it.
  • Find an Advisor and ask him/her to sign the Thesis Advisor Agreement Form.
  • Contact Director Bryan JeanProf. Leon van Jaarsveldt, or the GMBA Office if you need help on finding an advisor.
  • Upload the documents mentioned above to the Step 1 in the GMBA graduation system (Spring 2026). Please wait for approval from the GMBA Office.
  • See here for more informatiom.
 
To graduate in 
Spring 2026

Application period:
2026/3/11~2026/4/23



To graduate in 
Fall 2026 

Application period:
TBA
 
 
  • Make sure to complete 39 credits before or in the graduating semester.
  • Prepare your transcript (example) to check the total credits you’ve gained.
  • Prepare a course selection result screenshot (example) to confirm you are taking Master Thesis(GMBA7999) with enough credits. 
  • Login to MyNTU to fill out the “NTU Application Form for Thesis/Dissertation Application” and download it. Have the form signed by all your advisor(s) (example).
  • Make sure you have made thesis progress. More guidance can be found here

  • Ensure that you have taken the NTU Ethics Course, passed the exam and received the Academic Ethics Course Certificate (example)

  • Submit the above documents to complete Step 2 in the GMBA graduation system (Spring 2026). Please wait for approval from the GMBA Office.

  ORAL DEFENSE - STEP 3
 
To graduate in
Spring 2026

Complete oral defense
before 2026/7/24


To graduate in
Fall
 2026

Complete oral defense
TBA
  • You must have your advisor's approval of your thesis progress in order to request an oral defense. It doesn't depend on your personal willingness or graduation schedule.  
  • The GMBA's internal deadline for oral defense is 1 (ONE) week prior to the NTU deadline.
Min. of 10 working days before
Oral Defense Date
 
 
  • Make sure you have discussed the content of your thesis with your advisor(s), have made adjustments based on the comments and received the final approval to conduct oral defense. 
  • Perform the first Turnitin check to receive the similarity percentage before oral defense. 
  • Confirm with your advisor(s) regarding the oral defense committee members, date and venue. Usually the committee members are decided and invited by your advisor(s). 


Check here for more guidelines.
 

Min. of  7 working  days before
Oral Defense Date
  • Offically submit your oral defense thesis to your advisor and the committee members in soft or hard copy based on their request. If in hard copy, be sure to bind it as a booklet.  
  • Follow up with your committees to ensure that they have received your thesis.
  • If you submit your thesis with less than 7 working days' notice, the committee members reserve the right to cancel or reschedule the oral defence.
  • Complete Step 3 in the GMBA graduation system (Spring 2026) and submit your oral defense application. Check here for more guidelines.
 
Min. of 2~5 working days before
Oral Defense Date
 
  1. Master Thesis Acceptance Certificate (example)
  2. Thesis Oral Defense Grade Form (example)
  3. Advisor, Thesis Examination, and Transportation Pay list (example)
  4. Global MBA Masters’ Thesis Examination Board (example)
  5. Statement of Academic Ethics and Originality Comparison & POD Checklist (example)
  6. Delaying Public Access to Theses/Dissertations (optional) (new school policy starting in Academic Year 2025)*
  • Notify the GMBA Office in advance to arrange a formal appointment certificate and free parking tickets for non-NTU committee members. 
  • Highly recommended to check the venue in advance by contacting the GMBA Office to reserve a time slot on a working day.
  • Prepare or borrow a laptop, clicker, Type C to Type A converter, PPT file, PPT slides printouts (2 slides on 1 page, single side), your thesis, pens, memo paper, snacks/breakfast/lunchbox, and drinks/water. 
 
Check here for more guidelines.

 
 
On the Oral Defense Day
  • Bring the items mentioned above (laptop, clicker…etc), and arrive at the venue at least 30 mins. before your defense time to set up and test everything.
  • Present your thesis and answer questions. Take note of all the comments and requested amendments.
  • Ask the advisor and the committee members to sign on these documents:
  1. Master Thesis Acceptance Certificate (signed example)
  2. Thesis Oral Defense Grade Form (signed example)
  3. Advisor, Thesis Examination, and Transportation Pay list (signed example)
  POST ORAL DEFENSE & THESIS E-SUBMISSION - STEP 4
 
To graduate in
Spring 2026
 

Before 2026/7/31


To graduate in
Fall 2026

TBA
  • This step is so called Thesis Revise and Originality Check in the system.
  • Amend the thesis and get approval from your advisor(s).
  1. Perform the second Turnitin check for the final similarity percentage.
  2. Download the Turnitin full report.
  3. Fill in the percentage of the similarity score in the Statement of Academic Ethics and Originality Comparison. Ask your advisor to sign the form. (signed example)
  4. Self-check the final version of your thesis by following the POD Checklist. You must sign the checklist when all requirements are met. (signed example)
  PHYSICAL THESIS SUBMISSION & LEAVE SCHOOL
NTU graduation deadline
To graduate in
Spring 2026

Before 2026/8/25

To graduate in
Fall 2026

TBA
  • Submit your physical thesis (hard copies) to NTU library and GMBA office. 
  • Complete Steps for Application to Leave School via MyNTU. This link is in English.
  • Collect your gradaution diploma at the Office of Academic Affairs (Room 210) when the rest steps turn green. 
  GRADUATION EXIT SURVEY
 
To graduate in
Spring 2026

End of August

To graduate in
Fall 2026

End of February

It is mandatory to complete the GMBA Graduation Exit Survey before the deadline set in the GMBA Graduation System.