diff --git a/classes/category/Repository.php b/classes/category/Repository.php
index f2f5b383f2b..590c42e1bc7 100644
--- a/classes/category/Repository.php
+++ b/classes/category/Repository.php
@@ -104,6 +104,45 @@ public function getBreadcrumbs(LazyCollection $categories): LazyCollection
         })->filter(fn ($breadcrumb) => $breadcrumb !== ''); // Filter out empty breadcrumbs due to circular references.
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Create tree data structure compatible with Autosuggest fields Vocabulary
+     */
+    public function getCategoryVocabularyStructure(LazyCollection $categories): array
+    {
+        // Build a map of nodes
+        $map = [];
+        $categories->each(function ($item) use (&$map) {
+            $id = $item->getId();
+            $map[$id] = [
+                'label' => $item->getLocalizedTitle(),
+                'value' => $id,
+                'selectable' => true
+            ];
+        });
+
+        // Link children to their parents
+        $categories->each(function ($item) use (&$map) {
+            $parentId = $item->getData('parentId');
+            if ($parentId !== null && isset($map[$parentId])) {
+                if (!$map[$parentId]['items']) {
+                    $map[$parentId]['items'] = [];
+                }
+                $map[$parentId]['items'][] = &$map[$item->getId()];
+            }
+        });
+
+        // Collect root items (those with no parentId)
+        $hierarchy = [];
+        $categories->each(function ($item) use (&$map, &$hierarchy) {
+            if ($item->getData('parentId') === null) {
+                $hierarchy[] = &$map[$item->getId()];
+            }
+        });
+
+        return $hierarchy;
+
+    }
+
     /** @copydoc DAO::getCollector() */
     public function getCollector(): Collector
     {
diff --git a/classes/components/forms/FieldBaseAutosuggest.php b/classes/components/forms/FieldBaseAutosuggest.php
index 8e49b5de674..28afea1f981 100644
--- a/classes/components/forms/FieldBaseAutosuggest.php
+++ b/classes/components/forms/FieldBaseAutosuggest.php
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 <?php
+
 /**
  * @file classes/components/form/FieldBaseAutosuggest.php
  *
@@ -32,6 +33,38 @@ abstract class FieldBaseAutosuggest extends Field
     /** @var array List of selected items. */
     public $selected = [];
 
+    /**
+     * Controlled vocabularies for selection, by locale.
+     *
+     * @var array[] $vocabularies
+     * [
+     *   [
+     *     'locale'          => string,                     // e.g. 'en'
+     *     'addButtonLabel'  => string,                     // e.g. 'Add subject'
+     *     'modalTitleLabel'           => string,           // modal title
+     *     'modalComponent'? => string,                     // custom component (default: VocabularyModal)
+     *     'items'           => array[                       // tree of nodes
+     *       [
+     *         'label'      => string,                     // display text
+     *         'value'      => int|array{                  // either simple ID (for FieldAutosuggestPreset which has predefined options, e.g. Categories )
+     *                                                     // or full payload (for FieldAutosuggestControlledVocab)
+     *                          identifier: string,         // code (e.g. '1.2')
+     *                          name: string,               // display name
+     *                          source?: string            // optional source
+     *                        },
+     *         'selectable'? => bool,                       // leaf nodes (default: false)
+     *         'items'?      => array[]                     // child nodes
+     *       ],
+     *       …
+     *     ]
+     *   ],
+     *   …
+     * ]
+     */
+    public array $vocabularies = [];
+
+
+
     /**
      * @copydoc Field::getConfig()
      */
@@ -43,6 +76,7 @@ public function getConfig()
         $config['getParams'] = empty($this->getParams) ? new \stdClass() : $this->getParams;
         $config['selectedLabel'] = __('common.selectedPrefix');
         $config['selected'] = $this->selected;
+        $config['vocabularies'] = $this->vocabularies;
 
         return $config;
     }
diff --git a/classes/components/forms/dashboard/PKPSubmissionFilters.php b/classes/components/forms/dashboard/PKPSubmissionFilters.php
index 2a213a9f790..1d92ddf662b 100644
--- a/classes/components/forms/dashboard/PKPSubmissionFilters.php
+++ b/classes/components/forms/dashboard/PKPSubmissionFilters.php
@@ -29,12 +29,6 @@
 
 class PKPSubmissionFilters extends FormComponent
 {
-    /**
-     * The maximum number of options in a field
-     * before it should be shown as an autosuggest
-     */
-    public const OPTIONS_MAX = 7;
-
     public $id = 'submissionFilters';
     public $action = FormComponent::ACTION_EMIT;
 
@@ -136,19 +130,26 @@ protected function addCategories(): self
 
         // Check if all categories have a breadcrumb; categories with circular references are filtered out
         $hasAllBreadcrumbs = $this->categories->count() === count($options);
+
+        $vocabulary = Repo::category()->getCategoryVocabularyStructure($this->categories);
+
         $props = [
             'groupId' => 'default',
             'label' => __('category.category'),
             'description' => $hasAllBreadcrumbs ? '' : __('submission.categories.circularReferenceWarning'),
             'options' => $options,
             'value' => [],
-        ];
+            'vocabularies' => [
+                [
+                    'addButtonLabel' => __('grid.category.add'),
+                    'modalTitleLabel' => __('grid.category.add'),
+                    'items' => $vocabulary
+                ]
+            ]
 
-        if ($this->categories->count() > self::OPTIONS_MAX) {
-            return $this->addField(new FieldAutosuggestPreset('categoryIds', $props));
-        }
+        ];
 
-        return $this->addField(new FieldOptions('categoryIds', $props));
+        return $this->addField(new FieldAutosuggestPreset('categoryIds', $props));
     }
 
     protected function addDaysSinceLastActivity(): self
diff --git a/classes/components/forms/submission/ForTheEditors.php b/classes/components/forms/submission/ForTheEditors.php
index bde2e3b35ea..fbae93def30 100644
--- a/classes/components/forms/submission/ForTheEditors.php
+++ b/classes/components/forms/submission/ForTheEditors.php
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 use APP\submission\Submission;
 use Illuminate\Support\LazyCollection;
 use PKP\components\forms\FieldAutosuggestPreset;
-use PKP\components\forms\FieldOptions;
 use PKP\components\forms\publication\PKPMetadataForm;
 use PKP\context\Context;
 
@@ -110,20 +109,19 @@ protected function addCategoryField(Context $context, LazyCollection $categories
         // Check if all categories have a breadcrumb; categories with circular references are filtered out
         $hasAllBreadcrumbs = $categories->count() === count($categoryOptions);
 
-        if (count($categoryOptions) > self::MAX_CATEGORY_LIST_SIZE) {
-            $this->addField(new FieldAutosuggestPreset('categoryIds', [
-                'label' => __('submission.submit.placement.categories'),
-                'description' => $hasAllBreadcrumbs ? __('submission.wizard.categories.description') : __('submission.wizard.categories.descriptionWithCircularReferenceWarning'),
-                'value' => $categoryValues,
-                'options' => $categoryOptions
-            ]));
-        } else {
-            $this->addField(new FieldOptions('categoryIds', [
-                'label' => __('submission.submit.placement.categories'),
-                'description' => $hasAllBreadcrumbs ? __('submission.wizard.categories.description') : __('submission.wizard.categories.descriptionWithCircularReferenceWarning'),
-                'value' => $categoryValues,
-                'options' => $categoryOptions,
-            ]));
-        }
+        $vocabulary = Repo::category()->getCategoryVocabularyStructure($categories);
+        $this->addField(new FieldAutosuggestPreset('categoryIds', [
+            'label' => __('submission.submit.placement.categories'),
+            'description' => $hasAllBreadcrumbs ? __('submission.wizard.categories.description') : __('submission.wizard.categories.descriptionWithCircularReferenceWarning'),
+            'value' => $categoryValues,
+            'options' => $categoryOptions,
+            'vocabularies' => [
+                [
+                    'addButtonLabel' => __('grid.category.add'),
+                    'modalTitleLabel' => __('grid.category.add'),
+                    'items' => $vocabulary
+                ]
+            ]
+        ]));
     }
 }
diff --git a/locale/en/common.po b/locale/en/common.po
index 36775261564..cb9538da089 100644
--- a/locale/en/common.po
+++ b/locale/en/common.po
@@ -2105,6 +2105,12 @@ msgstr "Expand all"
 msgid "list.collapseAll"
 msgstr "Collapse all"
 
+msgid "list.expand"
+msgstr "Expand"
+
+msgid "list.collapse"
+msgstr "Collapse"
+
 msgid "showAll"
 msgstr "Show All"