diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/util/DCInput.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/util/DCInput.java
index 9c7f4396c96c..9fd306d1aaf4 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/util/DCInput.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/util/DCInput.java
@@ -163,6 +163,11 @@ public class DCInput {
      */
     private ComplexDefinition complexDefinition = null;
 
+    /**
+     * the dropdown input type could have defined a default value
+     */
+    private String defaultValue = "";
+
     private boolean isRelationshipField = false;
     private boolean isMetadataField = false;
     private String relationshipType = null;
@@ -264,6 +269,7 @@ public DCInput(Map<String, String> fieldMap, Map<String, List<String>> listMap,
                 externalSources.add(StringUtils.trim(source));
             }
         }
+        defaultValue = fieldMap.get("default-value");
 
     }
 
@@ -607,6 +613,24 @@ public ComplexDefinition getComplexDefinition() {
         return this.complexDefinition;
     }
 
+    public String getDefaultValue() {
+        return defaultValue;
+    }
+
+    public void setDefaultValue(String defaultValue) {
+        this.defaultValue = defaultValue;
+    }
+
+    public boolean hasDefaultValue() {
+        return StringUtils.isNotEmpty(this.getDefaultValue());
+    }
+
+    public boolean isDropdownValue() {
+        return "dropdown".equals(getInputType());
+    }
+
+
+
     /**
      * Convert complex definition HashMap to the ordered JSON string
      * @return complex definition in the JSON string which will be parsed in the FE
diff --git a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/step/DescribeStep.java b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/step/DescribeStep.java
index a54473e66d1e..8b0054e71775 100644
--- a/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/step/DescribeStep.java
+++ b/dspace-server-webapp/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/rest/submit/step/DescribeStep.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 package org.dspace.app.rest.submit.step;
 
+import java.sql.SQLException;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.Iterator;
@@ -35,12 +36,14 @@
 import org.dspace.app.rest.submit.SubmissionService;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.submit.factory.PatchOperationFactory;
 import org.dspace.app.rest.submit.factory.impl.PatchOperation;
+import org.dspace.app.rest.utils.ContextUtil;
 import org.dspace.app.util.DCInput;
 import org.dspace.app.util.DCInputSet;
 import org.dspace.app.util.DCInputsReader;
 import org.dspace.app.util.DCInputsReaderException;
 import org.dspace.app.util.SubmissionStepConfig;
 import org.dspace.content.InProgressSubmission;
+import org.dspace.content.Item;
 import org.dspace.content.MetadataValue;
 import org.dspace.content.RelationshipMetadataService;
 import org.dspace.content.factory.ContentServiceFactory;
@@ -48,6 +51,7 @@
 import org.dspace.core.Utils;
 import org.dspace.services.ConfigurationService;
 import org.dspace.services.factory.DSpaceServicesFactory;
+import org.springframework.util.CollectionUtils;
 import org.springframework.util.ObjectUtils;
 
 /**
@@ -118,6 +122,19 @@ private void readField(InProgressSubmission obj, SubmissionStepConfig config, Da
                 for (String fieldName : fieldsName) {
                     List<MetadataValue> mdv = itemService.getMetadataByMetadataString(obj.getItem(),
                                                                                       fieldName);
+                    // Use default value if the input type is dropdown and has defined a default value
+                    if (CollectionUtils.isEmpty(mdv) && input.isDropdownValue() && input.hasDefaultValue()) {
+                        Context context = ContextUtil.obtainCurrentRequestContext();
+                        try {
+                            MetadataValue mv = itemService.addMetadata(context, obj.getItem(), input.getSchema(),
+                                    input.getElement(), input.getQualifier(), Item.ANY, input.getDefaultValue());
+                            mdv.add(mv);
+                        } catch (SQLException e) {
+                            log.error("Cannot create a metadata value object with the default value, because: " +
+                                    "{}", e.getMessage());
+                            throw new RuntimeException(e);
+                        }
+                    }
                     for (MetadataValue md : mdv) {
                         MetadataValueRest dto = new MetadataValueRest();
                         dto.setAuthority(md.getAuthority());
diff --git a/dspace/config/submission-forms.dtd b/dspace/config/submission-forms.dtd
index b287583e76b5..c44e52fa07a2 100644
--- a/dspace/config/submission-forms.dtd
+++ b/dspace/config/submission-forms.dtd
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
  <!ELEMENT row (field|relation-field)+ >
  <!ATTLIST form name NMTOKEN #REQUIRED>
 
- <!ELEMENT field (dc-schema, dc-element, dc-qualifier?, language?, repeatable?, label, style?, type-bind?, input-type, hint, required?, regex?, vocabulary?, visibility?, readonly?, acl?) >
+ <!ELEMENT field (dc-schema, dc-element, dc-qualifier?, language?, repeatable?, label, style?, type-bind?, input-type, default-value?, hint, required?, regex?, vocabulary?, visibility?, readonly?, acl?) >
  <!ELEMENT definition (input*) >
  <!ATTLIST definition
         name CDATA #REQUIRED
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
  <!ELEMENT label (#PCDATA) >
  <!ELEMENT style (#PCDATA) >
  <!ELEMENT input-type (#PCDATA)>
+ <!ELEMENT default-value (#PCDATA)>
 
  <!ELEMENT input (#PCDATA) >
  <!ATTLIST input input-type CDATA #REQUIRED >
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@
  <!ATTLIST input mapped-to-if-not-default CDATA #IMPLIED >
  <!ATTLIST input value CDATA #IMPLIED >
  <!ATTLIST input required CDATA #IMPLIED >
+ <!ATTLIST input default-value CDATA #IMPLIED >
 
  <!ELEMENT hint (#PCDATA) >
  <!ELEMENT required (#PCDATA)>
diff --git a/dspace/config/submission-forms.xml b/dspace/config/submission-forms.xml
index 25ec8554ebc6..2cdef48986ce 100644
--- a/dspace/config/submission-forms.xml
+++ b/dspace/config/submission-forms.xml
@@ -2023,7 +2023,9 @@
                     <dc-qualifier/>
                     <repeatable>false</repeatable>
                     <label>The type of the resource</label>
+                    <style>d-none</style>
                     <input-type value-pairs-name="teaching_materials">dropdown</input-type>
+                    <default-value>teachingMaterials</default-value>
                     <hint>This is here to autofill a value. The value should not be changed.</hint>
                     <required>Please select a resource type for your submission.</required>
                 </field>