Below are the processes to follow for the development of the Doctoral Thesis in the Aerospace Engineering Doctoral Program (PDIA). These processes are subject to modifications. For more detailed information, you should contact the Deputy Director for Research and Doctoral Studies at ETSIAE (SID_ETSIAE).

e-mail: subdireccion.id.aeroespacial@upm.es

Social Media: @doctoradoETSIAE (Instagram y X)

Phone: 910675549

You can consult all the regulations related to the Aerospace Engineering Doctoral Program through this link.

Phase 1: Pre-registration and Enrollment

To be admitted to the PDIA, the following steps must be taken:

1. Pre-registration. First, the student must apply for pre-registration in the PDIA (see details in the Pre-registration and Access Section).
2. Once pre-registration is confirmed, the student will receive an email from Doctorate UPM. The student must then inform SID_ETSIAE: subdireccion.id.aeroespacial@upm.es that their pre-registration has been successfully completed.
3. IMPORTANT: To be admitted to the PDIA, it is important to have contacted a PhD researcher who agrees to be the thesis tutor. If a tutor has already been contacted, this can be indicated during the pre-registration process. The tutor must be registered in the PDIA (see details in the Researchers Registration section under the Doctoral Thesis Sectio)).
4. The tutor must send a letter of commitment to SID_ETSIAE: subdireccion.id.aeroespacial@upm.es where they agree to supervise the doctoral thesis, confirm that the student has funding for the thesis, and indicate whether supplementary courses are required. Download the template hereí.
5. The pre-registration request, along with the letter of commitment, will be submitted to the Doctoral Program Academic Committee (CAPD) for approval. Once approved, the student will receive an email with the steps to follow to formalize their enrollment (see details in the Enrollment section).
6. Doctoral studies can be pursued full-time or part-time. The regular period for completing the thesis is a maximum of four years full-time or seven years part-time, starting from the first enrollment date until the date the thesis is submitted. Generally, admission and enrollment in a doctoral program are formalized on a full-time basis. Once doctoral studies have begun, the doctoral student may request a change in the study regime once, through the UPM THESIS platform, between June 1 and 30, which must be justified and will require approval from the Doctoral Program Academic Committee.  You can consult the Doctoral Studies Continuation Regulations via this link.

Phase 2: Development of the Doctoral Thesis

IMPORTANT: Many doctoral procedures are carried out through the UPM THESIS platform. If this is the case, it will be indicated.

1. Doctoral students' obligations:

• Once enrolled, the doctoral student will have to complete several training activities (some during the first year of enrollment) (see details in the Training Activities Section). All training activities organized by UPM and ETSIAE, as well as other relevant activities, are published in the Events Section.
• Annual Research Plan. Each year, the doctoral student must prepare an Annual Research Plan, which records the activities completed up to the date of submission and the plan for the upcoming year (see details in the Annual Report (Research Plan) section under the Doctoral Thesis Section). IMPORTANT: To complete the research plan, there is typically a deadline in June. ALL enrolled students, regardless of how long they have been enrolled, must complete the Research Plan.

2. Thesis Project Submission: Six months after enrolling in the program, the doctoral student must request CAPD approval of their Thesis Project (see details in the Thesis Project section under the Doctoral Thesis Section). In this project, the thesis director is proposed, who may or may not be the same as the tutor. The director must be registered in the PDIA (see details in the Researchers Registration section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

3. Once the Thesis Project is submitted, the Doctoral Student's Training and Supervision Agreement must be sent to SID_ETSIAE: subdireccion.id.aeroespacial@upm.es (see details in the Supervision Agreement and Good Practice Guide section).

4. Co-direction: Theses may have up to two co-directors. Once the thesis project is approved, the doctoral student may request co-direction through the THESIS platform (see details in the Co-direction section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

5. Change of director: If, for justified reasons, a thesis director needs to be changed during the development of the Doctoral Thesis, this must be requested from CAPD (see details in the Change of Director section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

6. Extensions: If the thesis has not been submitted before the end of the regular period, the doctoral student may request an extension of the maximum thesis submission deadline. If granted, the extension will last one year. The extension request must be submitted through the UPM THESIS platform at least 120 calendar days before the regular period ends. You can consult the Doctoral Studies Continuation Regulations via this link. Extensions must be justified in detail, and the Thesis Director must complete a report explaining the reasons for the extension.

7. The doctoral degree can include the following mentions:

• Industrial Mention (see details in the Industrial Mention section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).
• International Mention (see details in the International Mention section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

8. There is the possibility of conducting the Thesis under Co-supervision with another foreign university (see details in the Co-supervision section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

9. Thesis writing

Phase 3: Submission and Defense of the Doctoral Thesis

Once the thesis is completed and the provisional version is written, with a positive evaluation of the last Research Plan submitted, the doctoral student may request approval for the thesis defense, provided that the quality criteria are met (see details in the Quality Criteria section under the Doctoral Thesis Section) and the required training activities have been completed.

The thesis defense request process consists of two steps:

(i) Pre-evaluation
(ii) Deposit

(See details in the Thesis Defense Submission Procedure. Pre-evaluation and Thesis Deposit (THESIS) section under the Doctoral Thesis Section.

It is important to note that from the time the Thesis is submitted for Pre-evaluation until the defense date, several months may pass, as it first undergoes pre-evaluation in a CAPD, and once approved, it is deposited in a subsequent CAPD. This process then moves to the International Doctoral School (EID) and later to the Doctoral Area Committee (CAD).

During the thesis deposit process, the doctoral student indicates the defense mode, either in person or by videoconference, which will be subject to CAPD's approval.

Once the deposit is approved by CAD, the Thesis defense can proceed (see details in the Doctoral Thesis Defense section under the Doctoral Thesis Section).

Phase 4: After the Defense of the Doctoral Thesis

1. Teseo form: The Secretary of the Tribunal must sign the TESEO form related to the Doctoral Thesis after the doctoral student has entered the general information about the thesis into the database, and CAPD has entered the date of the defense and the evaluation, including the potential "cum laude" distinction. The Tribunal Secretary will submit the signed form to SID_ETSIAE.
2. Doctoral Degree Application (see the Titles Section).
3. Extraordinary Awards (see the relevant section under the Doctoral Thesis Section)