Admission to candidacy for the Ph.D. program is granted when the student has satisfactorily passed a qualifying examination, intended to measure fundamental ability and knowledge in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. The responses to the examination are evaluated by the academic personnel of the MME Department.

For students owning a B.Sc. degree, the qualifying examination must be taken no later than three academic semesters after the student enrolled in the Ph.D. program.  For students owning an M.Sc degree, the qualifying examination must be taken no later than two academic semesters after the student enrolled in the Ph.D. program.  In case of failure, the student is allowed to repeat the qualifying examination one more time, in the same or different curriculum areas, at a date mutually agreed between the graduate committee and the student's advisor.  The dates and details of the qualifying examination procedure can be obtained from the MME Department secretariat.

Ιn case of second failure in the qualifying examinations, the student may submit a written petition for admission in the M.Sc. program in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering. This petition must be submitted while the student is still enrolled in the University, and is reviewed by the MME Graduate Studies Committee, that decides on its acceptance or rejection, as well as on the amount of doctoral work credit transferable to the M.Sc. program if appropriate.  If accepted to the M.Sc. program, the student must complete all requirements of this program in order to be awarded the M.Sc. degree. In case the student after a second failure in the qualifying examinations does not submit a written petition for admission in the M.Sc. program of the MME department, he/she will automatically be dispelled from the graduate program of the MME department.