How much time should I plan for?
Generally speaking, you will be expected to complete work on your Bachelor’s thesis within a period of six months, with the actual workload expected to correspond to about three to four months (after all, you still have to do a few other things at the same time). If you would like to submit your thesis earlier you can.
Around the submission time – typically one month before or after submission – you will also be expected to hold a presentation on your thesis.
When should I start?
For many students, the date for starting work on their thesis is a critical issue – but generally speaking, there is no need to squeeze a thesis into a rigid semester calendar. To avoid extending your studies, it can make sense to submit a thesis so that it is completed within the semester rather than waiting for the end of the semester.
If these eight weeks are no longer fully available, definitely talk to your supervisors. Also note that the seminars for the thesis either do not take place at all or only very irregularly during the lecture-free period and can be overcrowded.
If you do not have such time restrictions, you make it significantly easier for yourself and your supervisor.
Submission of the Bachelor’s thesis
As a rule, the Bachelor’s thesis must be completed no later than in the 9th semester.
Students affected by the Covid pandemic have an “extended individual standard period of study”, namely by the number of Covid semesters they experienced during their studies (maximum 3). Thus, the latest possible submission date is also postponed without them having to submit an application to the examination board.
Time management
It is advisable to create a schedule for planning the time available for the individual tasks, i.e., to roughly divide the available time before starting the project. Here you should:
- estimate how much time each task will take,
- consider which external and personal factors could influence your work,
- and record all these considerations in a schedule.
If this is your first major scientific work, writing will probably take longer than expected, so:
“Regularly monitor compliance with the schedule. You will probably have to adjust the schedule to reflect actual progress.”
– Prof. Dr. Ulrich Kornnagel
People involved in an engineering thesis
An engineering thesis is not written alone – in the truest sense of the word. Besides yourself, quite a number of other people are involved.
Who is involved in a thesis?
- Primary examiners supervise and grade the thesis
- Secondary examiners or lecturers help with supervision and grade the thesis
- External supervisors, e.g. from companies, do not grade the thesis but issue an independent reference and ideally stay in contact with university supervisors
- Technical staff support the work (if you’re lucky)
- Writers – that is, yourself
- Fellow students, friends, family members, and the writing center can support you and give feedback: Finding Support During the Writing Process.
Frequently asked questions
When do I have to submit my Bachelor’s thesis?
As a rule, you must complete your Bachelor’s thesis no later than in the 9th semester. That means that it must also be graded by then.
When should I start planning the timeline for my thesis?
It’s best to start already one semester before your deadline for submission.
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This article was published in August 2025 and last updated in November 2024.