Duration of the programme of study - Doctorate

Information for the 2023-24 academic year

Full time/part time

Students can study:
▪ Full time	→ Maximum duration of three years
▪ Part-time*	→ Maximum duration of five years
Duration is calculated from the date of registration in the academic year in which students start their doctoral programme until the day they apply to deposit their doctoral thesis.

Those doctoral students who during the ordinary period for preparing a thesis before any extensions have been granted register as part-time students for at least one year will have five years to deposit their thesis, counting from the date of their first registration in the programme.

First-year doctoral students can apply for part-time status when they make their registration. In this case, the academic committee will decide whether to admit them and also whether to grant, their request for part-time status.
When they do their online registration, they will have to select the full-time or part-time status that has been decided.

All doctoral students other than first-year students can request part-time status by completing the corresponding administrative procedure*.

Students should bear in mind that:

• If they request a change from full time to part time during the first extension, it will be two years, but the period before the extension will not be recalculated and will remain three years.
• They cannot request a change from full time to part time during the second extension, because it has no effect on the calculation of academic progress.

Extensions for submitting the thesis

▪ Full-time doctoral students	→ One more year → In exceptional circumstances, one additional year
▪ Part time doctoral students	→ Two more years → In exceptional circumstances, one additional year

Students should bear in mind that:

• If they request a change from full time to part time during the first extension, it will be two years, but the period before the extension will not be recalculated and will remain three years.
• They cannot request a change from full time to part time during the second extension, because it has no effect on the calculation of academic progress.

Temporary leave of absence for personal reasons

Doctoral students can interrupt their studies for a maximum of 1 year, which can be extended for 1 more year (see the corresponding administrative procedure).

While doctoral students are in this situation:

• The time calculated for completing the thesis is interrupted.
• They must register. Otherwise, they will be assumed to have dropped out.
• If the application for voluntary withdrawal for personal reasons is submitted before the end of the registration period and lasts for one year, the registration need not be completed. This leave can be extended up to a maximum of 12 more months, and must be applied for again before the first extension ends. In this case, there is no need to complete the registration either. If students do not apply for an extension of leave before the end of the first period of leave, they will have to complete the registration procedure. Before the end of the period, doctoral students must apply to resume their studies in accordance with the established procedure.
• The sum of the period of voluntary leave for personal reasons and of the voluntary leave for not having completed the registration procedure cannot exceed two years, and all requirements must be respected.

Temporary leave of absence for: illness or pregnancy / maternity or paternity / concentrated breastfeeding time allowance

Doctoral students can interrupt their programme of study for the reasons mentioned by presenting the corresponding justification (see the corresponding administrative process).

While doctoral students are in this situation:

• The time calculated for completing the thesis is interrupted.
• They must register. Otherwise, they will be assumed to have dropped out.