FAQ

Practicalities

How long does it take?

The standard turnaround time is 8 business days, starting from the moment you submit your files. Please ensure availability during the first 2 days for potential revisions and to give 'final approval for print.

For an expedited timeline of 7 business days, we apply an urgency fee of +50%.

What is the minimum amount?

The minimum amount of copies is 30. The price per copy decreases as the amount of copies increases and vice versa.

Can I request a non-binding quote?

Of course. By requesting an offer, you commit yourself to nothing. We will only start the ordering process after you have given your approval by e-mail.

Can I get a print proof?

Upon ordering your PhD, we send you a digital print proof via e-mail (pdf). We only print the books when we get a 'good for print'.

Can I have extra copies of my thesis printed later on?

Sure. Please contact our Phd supervisor, Paulien Vandenberghe. Keep in mind that the minimum print run is 30 copies. The more copies you have printed at the same time, the lower the price per copy will be.

ISBN and distribution

Do you assign an ISBN to my PhD? What are the benefits?

We can assign an ISBN and legal depot number to your thesis and provide a colophonpage. That way we deposit your PhD and it is copyrighted. The adding of an ISBN provides extra distribution possiblities, but it also generates funding for the university.

 

Costs en invoicing

What are the costs?

The price varies with the amount of copies, the total amount of pages and whether or not the thesis is printed in colour. You can request a personalised price offer with our PhD supervisor, Paulien Vandenberghe.

How are the books to be paid?

The invoice will be issued after the delivery of the books. It can then be paid by bank transfer.

 

Privacy and copyright

Several articles from my PhD have already been published elsewhere (e.g. in magazines). Can I still have my PhD published with you?

If an article has been published in a magazine, then that magazine holds the copyrights to it. However, that does not prevent you from publishing your PhD with us. If it concerns a 'simple' print order (e.g. for a limited amount of copies for your defence), we shall not arrange an author's contract and we shall not take copyright on your thesis. As such, the copyright remains completely yours.

Thinks are different if you like us to commercially distribute and sell your thesis through our website, Bol.com... In that case you have to ask explicit and written permission of those magazines. (Please take into account that that can take weeks or even months.)

 

 

Technical matters

How do I make a pdf?

When using Word, please do so as follows:

What specifications are needed for the images?

It is possible that an image which looks fine on screen, does not look so great in print. That has to do with the image's resolution. Make sure that images are always 300 dpi. It is not possible to enlarge an image with a low resolution.

If you enlarge your thesis's pdf to 300%, it will give you a good indication of how images will look in print.

What kind of paper is used and which formats will the books be?

For our doctoral theses we use a nice, white, smooth paper: Offset 80gsm. That paper nicely accomodates figures, images and tables.

For the (full colour) cover, we use a strong one-sided coated sulphate board, Crescendo 240gms. The cover is also matt laminated, for extra protection. If you prefer a glossy lamination, be sure to contact us.

The books are printed 17x24 cm.

Which format is needed for my thesis?

It is an option to layout and deliver it at 17x24 cm, but it is not necessary. If you format it on A4, we rescale your thesis to the correct format for print. The digital proof you will receive, will already be in the correct format.

 

Cover design

What are the costs for a standard cover?

The standard cover is included in the price offer. 

I would like a different cover design than the available templates. Is that possible?

Yes, it is. But if enrolled at the VUB, please note that the VUB has a strong preference for the templates.  If you want a different cover design, you will pay an additional fee. Please contact our PhD supervisor, Paulien Vandenberghe.