Advance approval
Usually the end date of your study programme is the date when you receive your final grade.
But with dissertations and theses, it may take a long time from the submission of your dissertation or thesis until you receive your grade.
If you are not to defend your dissertation orally, your tutor or external examiner may give you an advance approval of your dissertation if they believe that you’ll pass your dissertation.
With such an advance approval of your disseration, your study programme is deemed to end on the date when your tutor and external examiner have signed the advance approval form.