Managing your candidature

Understand your registration requirements and managing changes to your candidature.

You must be registered with the University for the duration of your candidature. There are various situations that may occur throughout your candidature which could require a change to your registration.

The following registration changes are outlined below:

Registration and re-registration

Your periods of registration follow the calendar year.

Until you submit your thesis, you will receive advice in late September that your registration will be renewed on January 1 for twelve months. Before Christmas you will have confirmation that your registration for the following year has been processed. You should be prepared to pay your fees and levies in full by February 10.

Exceptions to one year re-registration

If you plan to submit your thesis in less than 12 months from re-registration on January 1, you may opt to re-register for a period of 3, 6, or 9 months.

If you are currently on suspension, you will need to manually re-register by emailing the Postgraduate Research Student Advising team. Your new registration will be from the end of your suspension through to December 31.

If you are withdrawing from your PhD study, you must notify us so that you are not re-registered.

If you're nearing the end of your study you should receive an email from us around September with information regarding how to apply for an exception from the 12 months re-registration.

Under examination

Once you submit your thesis for examination your status will be ’under examination’.

Under examination (or UX) status applies to the period from when you submit your thesis for examination until you complete the examination process and lodge the final copy of your thesis in the University library.

During UX your registration ceases and you do not pay tuition fees, but you remain an enrolled student of the University.

Full-time or part-time study

Changing between full and part-time will affect your candidature timeframes including the minimum registration periods. You must discuss any change between full and part-time with your supervisor and the approval of the Associate Dean (PGR) in your home faculty is required.

International students with a study visa and scholarship holders are required to be registered on a full-time basis.

For students registered on a part-time basis your school may not be able to provide you with a dedicated desk or office space.

Complete the online form in Panoho to request switch between full-time and part-time study.

Suspending your study

In the event of an unavoidable interruption to your study, you may be eligible for a leave of absence from your study.

Wherever possible, you should apply for a leave of absence in advance. If you need to apply retrospectively (in the case of illness, for example) you need to apply as soon as possible after the interruption, and within 2 months. A leave of absence is approved on the basis that you cannot work on your thesis during the period covered by the suspension.

Complete the online form in Panoho to request a leave of absence.

Scholarship implications

If you hold a scholarship paid through Victoria University of Wellington’s Scholarships Office you must inform the Scholarships Office so that your payments can be suspended. You will also need to let the Scholarships Office know when you return to your studies so your payments can be reinstated. Before applying for a leave of absence you should check both your scholarship contract and regulations, you may be limited in how much time you can suspend your studies for.

Suspensions for international students

International students are limited by Immigration New Zealand regulations and suspending your doctoral registration will have implications for your student visa. There is no provision for international Masters students to suspend their studies.

You may be able to suspend your study for up to three months within a 12 month period, up to a total of 12 months during your candidature. Suspending your study in order to take up paid employment is not considered a valid reason for a suspension.

For information on the implications a suspension may have for your visa contact International Student Support.

Extensions

There are maximum timeframes within which Master’s by Thesis and Doctoral students are normally expected to submit their thesis:

  • Masters: 12 months full-time (or equivalent)
  • Doctoral: 48 months full-time (or equivalent).

If you have not submitted your thesis for examination within the above timeframes then you must apply for an extension. Extensions are approved on the basis that satisfactory progress is being made and that there’s a clear and achievable plan for completion.

If you think you may need an extension, talk first with your supervisors. You will then need to complete an online form in Panoho to request an extension.

If your application is successful, you will be required to re-register and pay fees for the additional period of registration.

Converting to a Master’s thesis

In some situations you may be able to convert your PhD to a Master’s by Thesis.

If you are thinking about converting to a Master’s thesis there are specific timelines and conditions which you need to consider. Refer to the Procedures for converting from a PhD to a Master’s by Thesis.

Complete the online form in Panoho to request to convert your PhD to a Master’s by thesis.

Withdrawing from your thesis

If you are considering withdrawing from your thesis, you should discuss your situation with your supervisor/s or a Postgraduate Research Student Adviser. There may be alternatives to withdrawing completely, such as suspending your study for a period of time or converting to a Master’s by thesis degree (for PhD students).

If after discussion you decide to withdraw, please complete the online form in Panoho  to formally withdraw from thesis study.

Please note that:

  • non-payment of fees, ceasing your research or verbally advising your supervisors or other members of staff will not be accepted as notice of withdrawal.
  • if you have already paid your fees and then withdraw, you may be entitled to a refund. Check Fees for information on fees reconsiderations.

Termination of candidature

The University may terminate your enrolment for the following reasons:

  • if you don’t meet the requirements for movement from provisional to full registration.
  • if you don’t demonstrate sustained satisfactory progress during your PhD studies.

You may be deemed to have withdrawn from your studies in the following circumstances:

  • if you do not pay your fees within three months of the due date and have not formally withdrawn.
  • if, while under examination, you fail to attend your oral defense, don’t complete the required corrections and amendments within the approved timeframe or don’t deposit your thesis in the University library.