Changes to programme of study

A student can request a change from full time study to part time study or vice versa via Research Compass within their expected period of study.  A student may transfer between full and part-time study with the approval of their supervisory team and Academic Panel and the maximum period of study and associated submission date will be adjusted on a pro-rata basis.

Permission will not be granted to change mode of study after the expected period of study has ended (i.e. within the final year of study for a full-time student (year 4)).

Please refer to the Postgraduate Research Regulations for further information.

Request for an extension

A student may be granted an extension to their maximum period of study at the request of their supervisory team.  Extensions may be granted on the grounds of exceptional circumstances causing delay to progress e.g. field work access problems, unavailability of laboratory facilities or chronic health issues.

Financial constraints are not grounds for extension as funding arrangements should be in place before you commence your studies.

The lead supervisor, with the support of the Faculty/divisional postgraduate research tutor must make the case by email to the Student Programmes Team at the time the issue arises and not less than one month (ie month 35 for a full time student) prior to the end of the expected period of study. The maximum extension permitted over the entire period of study for any research degree is 12 months.

Requests for extensions are considered by Academic Panel.

Leave of Absence

If a student is prevented from carrying out their studies by illness or for personal reasons, they should inform their lead supervisor as soon as possible. If the absence is for less than one month then the student should notify their supervisory team.

Where a student expects to be unable to engage in their studies for more than one month, then they should request a leave of absence and upload any relevant evidence to Research Compass (under ‘formal stuff’). Leave of absence may be granted to account for circumstances beyond the control of the student, for example ill health, family or financial problems. The period of leave (normally at least a month) should be as short as is necessary to deal with the circumstances and will not be backdated for more than one month.

Students approaching the end of a period of leave of absence which has been granted for health reasons may be required to produce a letter from a medical practitioner confirming that they are fit to return to studies. If towards the end of a period of leave of absence the student is not fit to return to studies, then a further leave of absence should be requested before the first one ends.

Students must not be engaged in their studies during any period of leave of absence. The student's maximum period of study (i.e. 48 months for a full time PhD student) will not change but the maximum submission date will be extended accordingly.  A student returning from a leave of absence is not permitted to submit their thesis for examination within three months of their return to study.

Any funding body rules on extensions and suspensions will be additional to those of the University. The student and supervisory team must ensure that, where relevant, the approval of any funding body is obtained.

Updated: December 2015