The master’s thesis is an integral part of the entire second year and is worth 24 ECTS. This means that a student is expected to devote approximately 720 hours of work to the preparation and completion of the thesis. Students may work on the master’s thesis concurrently with other study obligations in the second year or the additional year, while the submission and public defence of the master’s thesis constitutes the final act of masters's studies.

 

• HOW DO I APPLY FOR A MASTER’S THESIS TOPIC?

Official applications for master’s thesis topics are conducted every study year in two stages:

  1. From 20 November to 28 November: registration of the thesis topic via the STUDIS system (entry of the title, topic description, and supervisor). The application in STUDIS must also be confirmed by the supervisor.
  2. From 28 November to 5 December: submission of the thesis topic proposal (form) on STUDIS.

• WHEN WILL I FIND OUT IF MY THESIS TOPIC HAS BEEN APPROVED?

All topic proposals submitted by 5 December will be reviewed by the Committee for Student Affairs in January of the following year:

  1. If the topic is approved, the student is notified on their student email address and the members of his defence committee are listed in STUDIS.
  2. If the topic is conditionally approved, the student is informed on their student email of the required amendments determined by the Committee for Student Affairs. The amended topic proposal is reviewed at the committee’s next session and the student is notified of the final decision on their student email address.
  3. If the topic is rejected, the student is notified on their student email and may reapply with a new topic in the next year.
  4. If the student has correctly registered and submitted the topic proposal in the system STUDIS by 5 December and receives no information by the end of January of the following year they have to contact the Student Affairs Office: podiplomski.studij@fri.uni-lj.si

• I HAVE EXTENDED MY CURRENT TOPIC UNTIL 30 NOVEMBER, BUT I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE THESIS ON TIME AND WOULD LIKE TO RE-APPLY THE TOPIC BY 5 DECEMBER. STUDIS DOESN'T OFFER THIS OPTION BECAUSE THE CURRENT TOPIC HASN'T EXPIRED YET. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

From 1 December onward, reapply for the topic (it can be the same as the previous one) in STUDIS. Once the supervisor confirms the topic, you must submit the topic proposal (form) in STUDIS no later than 5 December. In case of difficulties contact the Student Affairs Office: podiplomski.studij@fri.uni-lj.si, as the deadline is final.

• I HAVE A CO-SUPERVISOR FROM ANOTHER FACULTY AND CANNOT SELECT THEM IN STUDIS, WHEN APPLYING FOR THE THESIS TOPIC. WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE?

A co-supervisor may be a higher education teacher, researcher, higher education associate, or an expert in the thesis field with at least the same level of education as the future master’s graduate. The student lists the co-supervisor in the topic proposal (form). The supervisor must agree with the selection of the co-supervisor.

The Committee for Student Affairs reviews topic proposals in January. If the proposed co-supervisor is approved, he is listed under the topic in STUDIS.

• WHAT IS THE PROCEDURE FOR WRITING THE THESIS IN ENGLISH?

Students who wish to write their thesis in English can mark the option on their topic proposal (form). After the submission deadline, the Committee for Student Affairs reviews all submitted proposals. If writing in English is rejected, the student is informed on their student email address. If approved, the language type is marked in STUDIS, under the topic application.

• MY THESIS TOPIC HAS ALREADY BEEN APPROVED, BUT I HAVE NOT PASSED ONE SUBJECT AND WILL HAVE TO COMPLETE IT IN THE NEXT STUDY YEAR, SO I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE THESIS BECAUSE ALL SUBJECTS MUST BE COMPLETED FIRST. WHAT CAN I DO?

Students who have remaining study obligations, that will not be completed before the thesis topic expires, must re-apply for the topic.
Student who wish to continue with the same topic, must discuss the option with their current supervisor before the topic expires. 

• CAN I APPLY FOR THE THESIS TOPIC OUTSIDE THE OFFICIAL APPLICATION PERIOD?

Students who miss the official application period, may submit the topic proposal (form) with the supervisor’s consent on STUDIS under the application type: General Application.
The topic is then reviewed by the Comittee for Student Affairs.

• MY THESIS TOPIC HAS EXPIRED. CAN I REAPPLY FOR THE SAME TOPIC?

Yes. The student may reapply for the same topic in STUDIS (in verbal agreement with the supervisor). There is limit to the number of times one can apply their thesis topic. 

• I AM COMPLETING MY STUDIES AS PART OF A DOUBLE DEGREE PROGRAMME WITH TU GRAZ. ARE THERE ANY SPECIFICS REGARDING TOPIC APPLICATION AND STUDY COMPLETION?

The student applies for the topic during the official application periods. A co-supervisor from TU Graz must also be listed and involved. Once the master’s thesis is completed, the student submits it in PDF/A (archival) format to STUDIS for further confirmation by the supervisor. The student must follow the Rules on Master’s Theses of Second-Cycle Study Programmes at FRI and the Guidelines for the Preparation, Writing, and Defence of the Master’s Thesis. After the supervisor confirms the thesis in STUDIS, the defence is scheduled. The defence committee also includes the co-supervisor from TU Graz. If the co-supervisor cannot attend in person, they may participate through an online platform. The defence is conducted in English.

• I AM CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN AN ADDITIONAL YEAR AND HAVE MY STUDENT STATUS UNTIL THE END OF THE STUDY YEAR. DO I LOSE MY STATUS IF I COMPLETE MY STUDIES BEFORE THE END OF THE STUDY YEAR (SO BEFORE 30 SEPTEMBER)?

Students who are regularly enrolled in the second year/additional year and completes their studies before the end of the study year (before 30 September) retain their student status and associated benefits until the end of the study year in which they completed their studies.

• CAN I SUBMIT MY COMPLETED THESIS TO STUDIS EVEN IF I HAVE NOT YET COMPLETED ALL MY OTHER STUDY OBLIGATIONS?

No. Students may submit their completed master’s thesis in electronic PDF/A format only after successfully completing all remaining study obligations (all subjects) and having 100 points of completed coursework recorded for the master’s thesis seminar in STUDIS, and after the supervisor has approved the submission to STUDIS.

• I SEE A SUBMISSION DEADLINE IN STUDIS. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN?

The deadline in STUDIS refers to the deadline for submitting the completed and final electronic PDF/A version of the thesis to STUDIS.

• I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO SUBMIT THE FINAL THESIS BY THE DEADLINE. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Students who haven't completed their master’s thesis has two options:

  • no later than seven working days before the final deadline (as listed in STUDIS) they can submit a Request for Extension of the Thesis Submission Deadline in STUDIS. If approved, the deadline may be extended by up to maximum of one month.
  • Reapply for the (same) topic during the official application periods.

• I AM PREPARING FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF MY THESIS, BUT I AM NOT SURE WHETHER I'M REQUIRED TO PAY THE THESIS DEFENCE FEE. WHEN AND HOW MUCH MUST BE PAID?

According to the decision of the Committee for Student Affairs  dated 22 April 2020, the committee confirms that studies may be completed without payment of the thesis if the student has completed all study obligations except the submission and defence of the thesis during the period where they were fully enrolled and had their student status and no more than two years have passed since the loss of the student status.

Invoices are issued in the STUDIS system and sent to the student’s email address once the thesis in STUDIS is confirmed by the supervisor.

The invoice fee is charged in accordance with the valid FRI Price List.

 

Example 1:
The student was enrolled in the second year in the study year 2022/2023 academic year and did not pass one course. Having already repeated the 1st year of the Master’s programme, the student could not enrol in an additional year and completed the remaining course in 2023/2024 as a non-regular student. Since not all obligations except the Master’s thesis were completed during regular student status, the student became liable for payment of the Master’s thesis as of 1 October 2023.

Example 2:
The student was enrolled in an additional year in the 2024/2025 academic year and completed three remaining courses during that year. Since all obligations except the Master’s thesis were completed during regular student status, the student is not liable for payment for two years after the loss of student status (i.e. becomes liable on 1 October 2027).

Example 3:
The student was enrolled in an additional year in 2022/2023 and completed one remaining course in the same academic year. The Master’s thesis was submitted and confirmed by the supervisor in STUDIS on 28 September 2025, with the defence held on 20 October 2025. Since the thesis was submitted and confirmed before the end of the 2024/2025 academic year and less than two years had passed since the loss of regular student status, the student is not liable for payment.

• I HAVE SUBMITTED THE FINAL REVISIONS AND THE SUPERVISOR AGREES THAT I MAY SUBMIT THE THESIS. HOW AND WHERE DO I SUBMIT IT?

Once the supervisor agrees that the thesis is ready for submission, they will enable submission in the STUDIS system. There, submission of the thesis in PDF/A (archival) format will be available.

• MY SUPERVISOR INFORMED ME THAT ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION HAS BEEN ENABLED IN STUDIS, BUT I DO NOT SEE THIS OPTION. WHAT IS WRONG?

A student may submit the Master’s thesis in PDF/A format via STUDIS once all study obligations have been successfully completed, the appropriate status is recorded in the system (regularly enrolled student or non-regular student), and the supervisor has approved submission.
If all conditions are met and submission is still not possible, the student should contact the Student Office:
podiplomski.studij@fri.uni-lj.si

• MY SUPERVISOR HAS ALREADY CONFIRMED THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE MASTER’S THESIS IN STUDIS, BUT I HAVE NOW DISCOVERED AN ERROR. WHAT SHOULD I DO?

Correct the error and send the revised thesis (PDF/A format) for re-review and replacement to the supervisor and to:
podiplomski.studij@fri.uni-lj.si
Corrections are possible only before the defence grade is entered into the STUDIS system.

• I HAVE SUBMITTED THE ELECTRONIC PDF/A VERSION OF THE MASTER’S THESIS. WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

After submission in STUDIS, wait for the supervisor’s approval. Once approved, you will receive a notification at your student email address that the final thesis has been confirmed.

• DO I NEED TO INCLUDE THE AUTHORSHIP DECLARATION IN THE ELECTRONIC VERSION OF THE THESIS?

No. The authorship declaration is completed directly in the STUDIS system when submitting the electronic version of the thesis.

• HOW IS THE MASTER’S THESIS DEFENCE ORGANISED?

The defence may be scheduled no earlier than five working days after the thesis has been confirmed in STUDIS, subject to the availability of the supervisor and the defence committee.
The student is informed of the date and location of the defence via official student email.

• WHAT DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE MASTER’S THESIS DEFENCE?

On the day of the defence, at least 30 minutes before the defence, report to the Student Office so that the defence room can be opened and you can prepare calmly (check the connection between your laptop and the projector, presentation, etc.). You must be fully prepared before the committee arrives.
Bring your personal laptop. HDMI and VGA adapters will be available in the defence room. Also bring a USB flash drive with your presentation in case connecting your own device is not possible.
Catering is not permitted in the defence room.
The candidate may invite close family members and friends to the public defence.

Public defence announcements are published on the faculty website:
https://www.fri.uni-lj.si/sl/studij
and appear after the defence date has been finalised.

• WHEN CAN I RECEIVE A CERTIFICATE OF STUDY COMPLETION? CAN I OBTAIN IT IN ENGLISH?

An electronic certificate of study completion in Slovene and English is expected to be available within a few working days in the student’s STUDIS system (under Completion of Studies).
The certificate is temporary and valid until the official diploma award ceremony.

• WHEN WILL I RECEIVE THE OFFICIAL DIPLOMA CERTIFICATE AT THE AWARD CEREMONY?

The ceremony is held once per year, and graduates receive invitations only via the email address provided in the STUDIS system at the time of thesis submission. If this is a student email address, it must be monitored until the ceremony.

• I WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR AND ENROL IN A DOCTORAL PROGRAMME AT FRI. BY WHEN MUST I COMPLETE MY MASTER’S DEGREE?

Information on application procedures and document submission is available in the Call for Enrolment for Doctoral Study Programmes for the upcoming academic year. Interested candidates are also kindly invited to attend the Information Day.

• I WOULD LIKE TO APPLY FOR AND ENROL IN A DOCTORAL PROGRAMME AT ANOTHER FACULTY. BY WHEN MUST I COMPLETE MY MASTER’S DEGREE?

Students wishing to complete their Master’s degree and enrol at another faculty in the following academic year must check the current Call for Enrolment or contact the student office of the faculty they wish to attend.

• I HAVE  ALL QUESTIONS AND CANNOT FIND THE ANSWER I AM LOOKING FOR. WHOM CAN I CONTACT?

The student may send an inquiry to:
podiplomski.studij@fri.uni-lj.si

  • Rules on Master’s Theses of Second-Cycle Study Programmes at FRI
  • Guidelines for the Preparation, Writing, and Defence of the Master’s Thesis
  • Template for the Thesis Topic Proposal (submitted via the system)