Doctoral Extension of Enrolment Policy and Procedures

Doctoral candidates and former doctoral candidates  who wish to extend their enrolment beyond the maximum period for their programme, prior to first submission of their thesis.

To specify the policy and procedures that apply where a doctoral candidate or former doctoral candidates  wishes to extend their enrolment beyond the maximum period for their programme, prior to first submission of their thesis.

1.   In exceptional circumstances, the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate) may approve an extension to a candidate’s doctoral enrolment.

2. In exceptional circumstances, and only where candidature has expired under the applicable programme regulations and was not terminated, completed or withdrawn under the programme regulations, the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate) may approve a retrospective extension to a former candidate’s doctoral enrolment.

3.  A (former) doctoral candidate may apply for an extension of time, of not less than one month (FTE), and not more than 12 months (FTE) at any one time, on grounds including but not limited to the following:

• whānau /family responsibilities
• disability/disabilities
• illness, accident or injury
• bereavement
• financial hardship
• delays in research beyond the candidate’s control         

4.  Factors relevant to the consideration of extension applications may include, but are not limited to:

• candidate circumstances
• academic progress
• proposed submission plan
• supervisor endorsement

5.  Where an extension application is retrospective, the timeliness of action on the applicant’s part, the availability of supervision and the viability of the research will be factors in the consideration of the application.

6.  Applications for extensions must be made by the (former) candidate in accordance with the procedures below and will be determined by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate).

7.  The approval of a period of extension by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate) may be subject to intervention in accordance with the Doctoral Candidature Intervention Policy and Procedures. 

8.  (Former) Candidates are responsible for the fees and/or scholarship implications of any change in their enrolment.

9.  (Former) Candidates are responsible for the visa implications of any change in their enrolment.

10.  A doctoral candidate must apply through Wahapū for an extension; where access to Wahapū has not yet been granted, or where candidature has expired, the (former) candidate must apply via a Doc 6 form*.

11.  The (former) candidate must:

i. specify the duration of the extension for which they are applying.

ii. provide a summary of the grounds for their application and evidence as appropriate.

iii. provide an account of the work completed to date, the work outstanding, and a satisfactory timeline to submission.

12. The (former) candidate’s supervisor will indicate whether they support the application and may comment on the application.

13. The (former) candidate and/or their supervisor may be required to provide further material in order to facilitate consideration of the application.

14. The application may be subject to consideration and/or comment and/or recommendation by the Academic Head and/or Associate Dean/Director (Postgraduate Research) and/or the School of Graduate Studies.

15. The outcome of the application will be determined by the Board of Graduate Studies (or delegate).

* In exceptional circumstances, written authorisation from a candidate or their proxy may be accepted. 

The following definitions apply to this document:

Academic Head refers to the head of the academic unit in which the candidate is enrolled or their nominee.

Associate Dean/Director (Postgraduate Research) normally refers to the person holding that role (or equivalent) in the faculty or Large Scale Research Institute (LSRI) in which the candidate is enrolled, or to that person’s nominee in the case of an LSRI or one-department faculty, but the role may also be carried out by the person holding that role in another faculty or LSRI or by a person holding another Associate Dean/Director role within the same faculty or LSRI.

Candidature refers to a person’s status as a candidate for a doctoral degree at the University.

Doctoral candidates, for the purposes of this policy and procedures, refers to people who are enrolled in doctoral programmes at the University.

Extensions are periods of time beyond the regulatory maximum enrolment period for the degree.

Former doctoral candidates, for the purposes of this policy and procedures, refers only to people whose candidature has expired under the relevant programme regulations.

FTE is an abbreviation for Full Time Equivalent.

Supervisor refers to the (acting) main supervisor or to a joint supervisor. 

Thesis is a substantial presentation of the outcome of an original and coherent doctoral research project. It situates the research in the broader framework of the disciplinary field(s), and entails a cohesive written document.

Wahapū is the University’s online doctoral candidature management system.

Include the following:

• PhD Statute
• Doctoral Candidature Intervention Policy and Procedures

Content manager: School of Graduate Studies
Owner: Dean of Graduate Studies
Approved by: Board of Graduate Studies, Senate and Council
Date approved: October 2021
Review date: October 2026