Public Defense of a Doctoral Dissertation
A doctoral student may proceed to the public defense of their dissertation for the Doctoral degree if they have:
- Successfully passed all required examinations and completed the tasks outlined in their individual study plan.
- Prepared a dissertation presenting the results of their research.
- Been deregistered with the right to defend.
- Met the minimum national requirements.
Submission and Review Process
The doctoral student submits their dissertation to their academic supervisor, who assesses its readiness for defense within one month.
A self-prepared doctoral student (without a designated academic supervisor) submits their dissertation to a habilitated faculty member assigned by the head of the primary academic unit, who also evaluates its readiness within the same timeframe.
At least 14 days before the preliminary discussion, the doctoral student must submit the following documents to the head of the primary academic unit:
- A formal request to the head of the unit.
- The dissertation (2 printed copies + PDF format on a digital medium).
- An author’s abstract (2 printed copies + PDF format on a digital medium).
- A similarity report from the Sofia University plagiarism prevention system, approved by the academic supervisor.
The dissertation must meet the format and length requirements set by the primary academic unit and should include:
- Title page
- Table of contents
- Introduction
- Main body
- Conclusion (summary of results + originality declaration)
- Bibliography
Final Submission to the Main Academic Unit
If the dissertation is deemed ready for defense, the doctoral student submits the following within 14 days to the main academic unit:
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
- University diploma and transcript (original for verification + 3 copies)
- Dissertation (4 printed copies)
- Author’s abstract (5 printed copies in Bulgarian and a widely used academic language)
- Published or accepted scientific papers related to the dissertation
- Declaration of authorship (5 copies)
- Compliance report with the national minimum requirements for the Doctoral degree (5 copies)
- All documents must also be submitted in PDF format on 6 digital storage devices.
Financial Incentives
A full-time doctoral student who successfully defends their dissertation within one year after completing the three-year study period receives a one-time bonus of 1,000 BGN.
If a doctoral student fails to submit their dissertation to the primary academic unit within one year after deregistration, they must cover the defense costs themselves.
Plagiarism Check and Ethical Principles
Ethical principles are fundamental in academic work at Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski. Proper citation and acknowledgment of other researchers’ work are essential. Plagiarism or falsified research data results in expulsion by order of the Rector, based on a Dean’s report.
The plagiarism check is conducted via the Sofia University e-learning system (Moodle): https://elearn.uni-sofia.bg/.
To submit for a plagiarism check, the doctoral student must:
- Have a profile in SUSI (the university system of Sofia University).
- Use a university-generated email address.
- Submit the dissertation only once for plagiarism verification (no modifications allowed before the preliminary discussion).
- Ensure the file name includes the doctoral student’s name and is written in Latin characters.
The plagiarism report is sent to the academic supervisor and the head of the primary academic unit.
For assistance, contact Ms. Silvia Gancheva at gancheva.silvia@gmail.com.