Extensions

If unexpected circumstances are affecting your ability to work, you may be permitted to extend your progression or confirmation of enrolment deadline, or your submission deadline.

There is no guarantee that you will be able to extend your programme, especially if the unexpected circumstances could have been remedied with a Leave of Absence at an earlier stage. Full details of permissible circumstances for extensions can be found in the Policy on Research Degrees, and the Policy on PGR Extensions.

Type of extension	Extension period	Application window
Extensions to progression	Maximum two months (four months in exceptional circumstances)	Apply within two months of your existing deadline
Extensions to submission, resubmission and corrections	Maximum six months (up to one year in exceptional circumstances)	Apply within three months of your submission deadline*
Extension to submission on the basis of recorded authorised absence/short-term leave No funding extension claim	Maximum six months (a longer extension can be considered in exceptional circumstances)	Apply within three months of your submission deadline*
Extensions to submission on the basis of previously recorded authorised absence/short-term leave UKRI-funded or University-funded PGR with potential eligibility for funding extension in addition to time extension	Maximum six months (a longer extension can be considered in exceptional circumstances)	Apply with 3 months of funding deadline [once your claim has been assessed by PGR Special Cases for a time extension it will be passed to PGR Finance (UKRI-funded) or your department (University-funded) to review your claim for a funding extension]

*Your submission deadline is your original submission deadline or your deadline for re-submitting your thesis where you receive a revise and resubmit outcome at the first attempt, or your corrections' deadline.

Multiple extensions exceeding a total period of two years will not normally be granted.

For those who receive funding from the UKRI, please contact the PGR Finance team at pgr-finance@york.ac.uk with any queries in relation to your funding eligibility. If you are funded by a University of York studentship, you can also contact your department for further information and advice.”

Applying for an extension

Applications for extensions should be made before your current progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission deadline.

For extensions on the basis of short duration leave, see dedicated section below.

If you need to apply for an extension to a progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission deadline, you should speak to your supervisor. If you decide an extension is appropriate, you should agree a proposed extension date. This date should be justified by the circumstances and approved by your departmental Graduate Chair.

You should then complete a PGR Programme Extension form and submit this as a Word document to your department:

PGR Programme Extension Form (MS Word , 31kb)

The forms ask you to provide:

a detailed account of the present state of the thesis or dissertation (submission only)
detailed reasons for completion being delayed
a detailed timetable for the completion of outstanding work agreed with the supervisor (submission only)
the proposed extended progression, confirmation or submission date agreed with the supervisor
supporting evidence (see below); your request will not be considered without this. All supporting evidence should be emailed to your department with the extension form.

You may need the agreement of your funding body before an extension request can be approved.

If you are in receipt of funding, please contact your department’s finance-responsible person for more information.

Supporting information

You must provide supporting evidence with your extension request. You should submit copies of any evidence along with the extension of submission form.

Evidence may include:

A medical certificate or doctor’s or counsellor’s letter detailing your medical circumstances. This should include the duration and expected duration.
A medical certificate or doctor’s or counsellor’s letter detailing a dependant's medical circumstances.
A death certificate or other dated evidence of bereavement.
Confirmation of maternity (MAT B1 form).
A letter from an employer giving details of exceptional or unexpected employment commitments.

Sensitive information should be sent directly via email to pgr-special-cases@york.ac.uk.

Applying for an extension on the basis of short duration leave

Extensions to submission deadlines can be considered on the basis of previously recorded authorised absence/short-term leave. For funded students, requests for an extension to funding must be submitted within three months of the funding deadline. Where a request is made solely for additional time (and not funding), it must be submitted within three months of the original submission deadline.

Short duration leave (ie taken as an Authorised absence/short term leave) which may be grounds for a time extension:

Medical leave (excluding minor illness)
Leave for parents to provide childcare (up to one month per year)
Leave for carers (dependents with a disability or similar)
Leave for emergencies (caring responsibilities)
Leave for emergencies (serious domestic situations)
Leave for bereavement (including pregnancy loss)
Leave due to delayed reasonable adjustments or health and safety issues (extension should only be requested if disruption over 5 days)

It is generally expected that PGRs will not exceed 60 days of short duration leave per 12-month period, and that any long-term issues are managed instead by formal leave of absence or change in mode of attendance. We recognise in some instances that PGRs may need to take more than 60 days of short duration leave that cannot be otherwise mitigated for, and extensions in these cases will be reviewed on an individual basis.

Extensions will only be granted for leave which has been recorded via the correct mechanism at the time the leave occurred (e:vision). Retrospective requests for leave which was not recorded at the time, or for leave that was recorded but does not fall under the categories listed above, will not be considered.

To apply for this type of extension, you should complete a PGR Short Duration Leave Extension form and submit this as a Word document to your department:

PGR Short Duration Leave Extension Form (MS Word , 28kb)

What next?

Your request will be reviewed by PGR Special Cases. They may:

Grant an extension outright;
Grant an extension shorter than requested;
Grant an extension with no possibility of further extension;
Grant an extension subject to special conditions;
Reject an extension outright.

PGR Special Cases will then inform you of their decision via email. This will confirm your new progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission date. This will also define any conditions attached to the extension.

Computing and library access

For extensions to submission, you will have access to computing and library facilities for the period of the extension. Your access will end after your thesis has been submitted for examination.