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Free Gantt Chart Maker for Dissertations and Proposals
Pick your project type, enter your start date and deadline, and get a ready-made timeline with milestones. Edit any task, then download the chart as an image for your proposal or methodology.
Build my Gantt chart
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Template
Your chart
Before you submit: after you download, please rephrase the task names in your own words and fit them to your project. Template wording is shared by every student, so rewording avoids similarity issues and makes the plan truly yours.
Edit your tasks
Change any name or date and the chart updates. Use "Starts after" to link a task to the one it depends on.
| Task | Start | End | Starts after | Milestone | Remove |
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Scroll the table sideways on a small screen.
The templates show a typical order of work, not a rule. Your supervisor and department decide what your plan must include, so adjust it to match their guidance.
What a Gantt chart is and why your supervisor asks for one
A Gantt chart is a timeline made of horizontal bars. Each bar is one task, its length is how long the task takes, and its position shows when it happens. In a dissertation or research proposal it shows your supervisor that the project is realistic: you know the stages, you have given each enough time, and you will finish before the deadline.
What to put in a dissertation Gantt chart
- Topic choice and the research proposal.
- Ethics approval, which many students forget and which can take weeks.
- The literature review, which runs alongside other work for months.
- Methodology design, data collection and data analysis, in that order.
- Writing each chapter, a full draft for your supervisor and time to redraft.
- Referencing, proofreading, formatting and submission.
How to make your chart realistic
Let tasks overlap where they genuinely can, such as reading and writing the literature review. Never start a task before the one it depends on has finished: you cannot analyse data you have not collected. Add a week or two at the end as a buffer, because ethics approval, participant recruitment and supervisor feedback usually take longer than planned. The tool warns you when a task starts too early or runs past your deadline.
How to use it in your proposal or dissertation
Download the image and place it in your project plan section or an appendix. Refer to it in the text, for example "Figure 1 shows the planned timeline", and give it a caption. Then write two or three sentences explaining the order of the stages and where you have left time for delays. If your department wants a table or a spreadsheet, use "Download Excel" or "Copy as table".
Your plan stays private
The chart is built in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to us or stored, and it is gone when you close the page. Download your image before you leave.
Need more than a tool?
A chart plans your time, but it will not write the project. If you are stuck on a proposal, methodology or data analysis, our dissertation help gives feedback and guidance on your own work. For chapter lengths, try our dissertation word count breakdown, and for day-by-day planning, the assignment deadline planner.
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Trusted sources and further reading
These independent sources are worth a look alongside this page. TutorSuite is not affiliated with them, and the links are here for further reading only.
- University of Westminster Library: planning your dissertation (opens in a new tab). Work back from the deadline and plan the stages, with advice on Gantt charts.
- University of Southampton Library: time management (opens in a new tab). Managing a research project, including how Gantt charts show tasks and their dependencies.
Gantt chart maker — your questions
How do I make a Gantt chart for my dissertation?
Choose Dissertation or thesis, enter your start date and submission deadline, and the tool builds a timeline with the usual stages. Edit any task, then download the chart as an image or copy it as a table.
What should a research proposal Gantt chart include?
The main stages of the project in order: reading, refining the question, methodology, ethics approval, data collection and analysis if relevant, writing, supervisor feedback and submission. Mark approvals and the submission date as milestones.
Can I put a Gantt chart in my dissertation?
Yes. Most universities welcome one in a research proposal or project plan, and some students include it in the methodology or an appendix. Check your handbook, add a figure number and caption, and refer to it in the text.
Can I use it for an assignment as well?
Yes. Choose Assignment or essay for a short plan covering reading, drafting, editing, referencing and proofreading before your deadline.
How do I save or share my Gantt chart?
Press Download as image to save a PNG, Download Excel to get a spreadsheet with the chart drawn in coloured cells, or Copy as table to paste the tasks and dates into Word or Excel. Nothing is stored, so save it before closing the page.
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