Accessibility statement

Recommendation for confirmation of PhD enrolment

PGRs who embarked on a PhD or EngD programme prior to 1 September 2016 are initially enrolled provisionally for that qualification. It is the responsibility of the student’s Thesis Advisory Panel to recommend whether or not the student’s enrolment for the PhD or EngD should be confirmed. 

Students who embarked on their studies from 1 September 2016 onwards undergo formal progression (please see Policy on Research Degrees, Appendix 4 ‘Policy on PhD/EngD and MPhil Student Progression’).

Duration

Confirmation of PhD enrolment should be considered by the Thesis Advisory Panel within eighteen months (for full-time students) or within three years (for part-time students). A final decision to recommend confirmation must be taken by the end of the second year of study (for full-time students) or of the fourth year of study (for part-time students).

Confirmation of EngD enrolment should be considered by the Thesis Advisory Panel within two and a half years (for students on a four-year full-time programme). A final decision whether or not to recommend confirmation must be taken by the end of the third year of study.

Criteria and conditions

Confirmation of PhD or EngD enrolment will be recommended, and will be approved by the Standing Committee on Assessment, only where the student has demonstrated an appropriate level of achievement and is considered to be capable of completing a successful PhD or EngD thesis within the required period.

To inform its judgement, the panel must have available to it:

  • evidence that the research is under way and that appropriate research training has been completed
  • a substantial piece of written work by the student, and
  • a coherent and realistic plan for the completion and submission of the thesis within the required period.

Confirmation is covered by the Policy on Research Degrees (see 'Students registered before 1 September 2016').

How to apply

All recommendations for confirmation of enrolment must be on the appropriate form.

Confirmation of enrolment 16-17 (MS Word , 75kb)

The department should specify what materials it requires from the student in order for them to be considered for confirmation.

Decisions on whether or not to recommend that a student’s enrolment for PhD or EngD confirmation will be made by the departmental Graduate School Board or Board of Studies on the basis of a recommendation by the thesis advisory panel.

If that decision is to confirm, the appropriate form should be completed and forwarded to PGRA promptly for approval.

When the student is due to have the confirmation of enrolment, the student can complete part A on the 'Confirmation of enrolment 16-17' form and forward it to their supervisor and department for completion of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.

Recommended to confirm:

If confirmation is recommended, the department should complete of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.

Next steps:

  • A record of the TAP meeting where Confirmation of Enrolment was agreed must have been completed and submitted on SkillsForge https://www.skillsforge.york.ac.uk 
  • The completed and signed Confirmation of Enrolment form should also be uploaded to the student’s e:vision record. 
  • Please also ensure that the student’s timetable to completion is either uploaded to SkillsForge or to the student’s e:vision record.
  • The department then emails pgr-administration@york.ac.uk to notify PGRA that a Confirmation of Enrolment is ready for approval.

Once the confirmation has been approved, the student and department will receive a confirmation of PhD enrolment email, which will give the date of the end of the full-time or part-time enrolment period for the PhD or EngD. The student must submit their thesis for examination no more than one year after that date.

Not recommended to confirm:

If the TAP determines that a student’s enrolment should NOT be recommended (and that further corrections to the work are unlikely to make enough difference to allow the student to compete the PhD to the required standard within the required period), the department may recommend that a student should be allowed to submit a thesis for the award of an MPhil or Masters of Research degree and the department should still complete of part B and C during the confirmation TAP meeting.

Next steps:

  • The student must be promptly and clearly informed of the decision, so that the student is able to complete and submit a thesis for the MPhil within the required period
  • A record of the TAP meeting where Confirmation of Enrolment was not agreed must have been completed and submitted on SkillsForge https://www.skillsforge.york.ac.uk 
  • The completed and signed Confirmation of Enrolment form (stating that the Confirmation was not approved) should also be uploaded to the student’s e:vision record.
  • If the department recommends the student for a lower award, a Transfer of Programme Form must be completed.
  • If the student requires an extension of submission to the new end date, an Extension of Submission Form must be completed in addition to the Transfer of Programme Form.
  • If the recommendation is not to confirm and not to transfer the student to a lower award then please contact PGR Administration for advice on the next steps.

Who to contact

Postgraduates: taught and research