Change of Circumstances

You can start your studies on a particular research programme, but then decide that you want to transfer to a different one (eg from an MPhil to a PhD). In this case, you will need to apply for a ‘Change of Programme’.

Apply for a change of programme

You will need to complete an application form, including details of the progress you have made so far. You should ask your supervisor to provide a statement to support the change and also get approval from the Head of School/Institute (or nominee).

Your completed form should be returned to your Graduate School who will forward it to the Dean of Postgraduate Studies for consideration.

Your Graduate School will then email you with the outcome and arrange your programme transfer if your application is approved.

There are various changes of programme, such as:

• Transfer Doctorate of Business Adminstration (DBA) to PhD
• Transfer: Integrated PhD (IPhD) to PhD
• Transfer from MPhil to IPhD
• Transfer from MPhil to PhD
• Transfer: PhD to MPhil

Please contact your Graduate School if you are considering a Change of programme.

If you want to transfer from a full-time to a part-time programme, or vice versa, you will need to apply for a ‘Change of Candidature’.

Apply for a change of candidature

Before submitting your application form, be aware that:

• certain degree programmes don’t permit part-time study, so check with your supervisor first to determine if the change is possible
• part-time study may not be possible for international students who hold visas, due to their immigration status. Please seek advice from the Visa Team first
• changing candidature can lead to a change in your tuition fee
• unless a specific request is made, your candidature will be changed from the date that your application is approved. Your remaining candidature will be calculated from the date of the transfer

To apply

You can apply using the online Mitigations form in the PGR CoP system 

Applications will be considered by your supervisory team, Academic Unit and the Dean of Postgraduate Studies. Your Graduate School will inform you of the outcome and arrange the transfer if your application is approved.

It's important to first discuss your circumstances with your supervisor(s) to seek their advice and guidance. Your supervisor(s) will also need to provide support for the change that you’re requesting when you complete the application form. 

You should also inform your Graduate School as soon as possible about any change in your circumstances so they can ensure the appropriate procedure is followed. You can get further information and support from your Graduate School.

Retrospective requests are not normally approved.

When you register on your Doctoral or MPhil research degree, you will be provided with a supervisory team and a review of these supervisory arrangements will be carried out at Project Approval stage and approved by the Postgraduate Dean.

Occasionally it may be necessary to make changes to your supervisory team where, for example, where the academic focus of your research alters, where supervisory responsibilities have changed, or where members of the supervisory team have left the employment of the University.   

We will take all reasonable steps to replace supervisors with suitable alternatives and may include arrangements for supervisors to be from a different academic unit or even from outside the University, where necessary.

Where members of the supervisory team are to be permanently changed, your Academic Unit should consult with you in advance of any changes.  Your Academic Unit will then inform the Graduate School of the changes and arrange for Postgraduate Dean approval, so that your student record can be updated.

What should I do if I am having difficulties with my Supervisory Team?

If you are experiencing difficulties with your supervision, you should discuss these with another member of your supervisory team or a member of your APR Panel.  If this is not possible, or does not resolve your issues, you can report your difficulties and seek advice from your Head of Academic Unit or nominee, or your Director of Postgraduate Research/PGR Student Co-ordinator.  They may refer the matter, if necessary, to the relevant Graduate School or Postgraduate Dean for advice and mediation. Alternatively, you may wish to contact your Graduate School/Postgraduate Dean directly for advice and guidance.  Contact details are available here

We will take prompt action, where possible, to resolve the difficulties you are experiencing and where necessary, a change of supervisor may be suggested by the Head of Academic Unit or nominee, or your Director of Postgraduate Research/PGR Student Co-ordinator.

We will take all reasonable steps to replace supervisors with suitable alternatives and due consideration must be given to the need to provide supervisory expertise that is appropriate to the project, in line with the Code of Practice for PGR students (PDF: 444.4 kB). However, there can be occasions where it may not always be possible to provide suitable alternatives due to the specialist nature of doctoral or MPhil study

Please refer to sections 30-55 of the  for further information on supervisory arrangements.

If there’s a time either now or in the future, where you will be unable to study, you can apply for an ‘Interruption of Studies’.

Examples of circumstances where an interruption of studies may be required include:

• taking up full-time employment
• being unable to continue with your studies due to lack of funds
• experiencing ill-health that requires a recovery period of more than 4 weeks
• taking parental leave of more than 4 weeks

To apply

Please complete the online ‘Mitigations’ form available in the PGR element of the PGR CoP system. 

For your application to be considered, you must:

• ensure the period of interruption requested is normally 4 weeks or more
• specify a start and end date for the interruption period
• provide full details of the reasons for the interruption together with supporting evidence (such as medical evidence or a letter from your employer) and precise details of how your studies will be affected
• normally have support from your supervisor and your Head of School/Institute (or nominee)

Retrospective interruptions will not normally be approved.

Further information for all students

• Your registration will be suspended for the duration of the interruption. You’ll still have access to the University’s IT facilities but library access will be limited
• During the period of interruption, it is anticipated that your contact with your supervisory team will be reduced.
• Your submission deadline will be adjusted to take into account the length of the interruption period granted
• 12 months is the normal maximum period of interruption that is granted

International students holding visas

If you are currently in the UK as the holder of a visa (in any category), suspending your studies could have implications for your immigration status (and that of your family if they are also here in the UK with you).

Please contact the Visa Team on visa@ncl.ac.uk before you submit your application.

Students in receipt of funding

If you are in receipt of studentship funding (other than from Newcastle University or a UK Research Council, such as the AHRC or ESRC), it’s your responsibility to notify your sponsor of your interruption to your studies.

If you have a studentship from a UK research council, you must ensure that your interruption complies with the terms and conditions of your studentship. Before submitting your application, please inform the appropriate Graduate School Manager of your intentions and they will advise you.

If you are in receipt of studentship funding from Newcastle University or a UK Research Council, your stipend funding will normally stop during any period of approved interruption.

If you are a US student in receipt of a Federal Loan, an interruption to your studies may have implications for your loan disbursement. Before submitting your application form, please inform us-loans@ncl.ac.uk of your intentions and request advice.

As a research student, you have a period of minimum candidature during which tuition fees are paid. This is normally the period when you are expected to conduct and complete your primary research (e.g., full-time PhD students have a 3-year period of minimum candidature, part-time PhD students have a 6-year period of minimum candidature).

If you require any additional time for primary research beyond this minimum candidature period, you would be expected to pay normal tuition fees while you are continuing to undertake your primary research.

You would not need to apply for an extension to minimum candidature, you would simply re-register and pay normal tuition fees, until you have completed your primary research.

If you are in receipt of studentship funding paid through the University, this may include tuition fees beyond the end of your minimum candidature, enabling you to continue your primary research for the duration of the funded period, in your final year without applying for an extension to your minimum candidature.  If you are unsure please contact your Graduate School.

From academic session 2024-25 the University will continue to support students who have been impacted by Covid-19.  You can apply for a fee-free extension to minimum candidature if you are able to demonstrate significant Covid-19 impact (e.g. part-time students).  However, the expectation is that these will be the exception going forward.  You should submit your request (using the online ‘Mitigations’ form available in the PGR element of the PGR CoP system) normally 3 months before the end of your minimum candidature and your application should clearly outline the demonstrable impact of the pandemic on your research project and progress, along with any supporting documentation, including a GANTT chart.

If you are approaching your thesis submission deadline and you need more time to complete and submit your thesis, in exceptional circumstances, the Dean of Postgraduate Studies may agree to grant an extension to your thesis submission deadline. Please be aware that an Extended Submission fee is normally payable for any extension to thesis submission deadline.

If you are unsure of your latest submission deadline, you can find details in the PGR CoP system, or you can contact your Graduate School to confirm your thesis submission date.

If you believe that you will require an extension to your thesis submission deadline, you should submit your request normally 3 months before your deadline.  For your application to be considered, you must:

• ensure your proposed new deadline is not more than 12 months (6 months for students in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering)
• provide a detailed explanation of the reasons behind your request, stating how your work has been or will be affected. Please be aware that not all extension requests are approved, and the following are examples of extension requests that may not be supported:

• Delay in supervisor(s) sending feedback.
• Desire to “improve” or “polish” final submission.
• Being asked to do “too much teaching” (or other duties) by the Academic Unit/University.
• A “just in case” request so there is extra time available.
• Short-term, severe-impact challenges (which should probably be addressed via an interruption).

• provide documentation, where appropriate, to support the claims made in your application (eg medical evidence or a letter from your employer)
• provide a clear workplan to show how you will achieve the new submission deadline you have requested.
• ensure that your supervisors support your application - they must have confirmed that your progress and attendance is satisfactory, and have agreed that you should be allowed to continue.

To apply

Please complete the online ‘Mitigations’ form available in the PGR element of the PGR CoP system.

Further information for all students

If you’re granted an extension and are registered as an ‘extended submission’ candidate, you will need to pay the extended submission fee as set out in the University fee schedule. The fee for the current year is £2,750 (pro rata).

Extensions of more than 12 months (6 months for students in the Faculty of Science, Agriculture and Engineering) will not be considered.

You can still access IT facilities and the Library as normal during the extension period.

From academic session 2024-25 the University will continue to support students who have been impacted by Covid-19.  You can apply for a fee-free extension to your thesis submission deadline if you are able to demonstrate significant Covid-19 impact (e.g. part-time students).  However, the expectation is that these will be the exception going forward.  Your application should clearly outline the demonstrable impact of the pandemic on your research project and progress, along with any supporting documentation, including a GANTT chart.

International students holding visas

If you're currently in the UK as the holder of a visa (in any category), it may not be possible for the University to support an extension to your visa as a result of extending your thesis submission deadline.

Students who receive studentships or external funding

If you receive a studentship from a UK Research Council, such as the ESRC or AHRC, you must ensure that your extension complies with the terms and conditions of your studentship. Before submitting your application, please inform your Graduate School of your intentions and they will advise you.

If you are considering submitting your thesis earlier than the end of your minimum period of candidature, you should discuss this with your Supervisory Team in the first instance before asking your Annual Progress Review Panel to consider this request.

Provided that your Annual Progress Review Panel is supportive of your early submission, you will be permitted to submit your thesis earlier than the end of your minimum period of candidature. 

If you do not have an APR Panel meeting scheduled before you intend to submit, your Supervisory Team should approach the Academic Unit to arrange an extraordinary APR Panel to consider your early submission. 

If you are permitted to submit your thesis earlier than the minimum period candidature you will still be required to pay tuition fees for the whole of your minimum period of candidature.

During your studies, if you decide to undertake either of the following activities away from campus, you will need to complete an ‘Application to Undertake Study Outside the University’: 

• primary research away from your approved campus of study (eg fieldwork, data collection, study visit to library/archive/industrial unit)
• writing up your thesis or completing corrections from home

Apply for Study Outside the University

You must submit an application for outside study if you will be away from your approved campus of study for 4 weeks or more, or for any duration if travelling to a high-risk location.  Your request should be submitted 3 months in advance of the start of the proposed outside study period; please be aware that retrospective requests will not normally be considered.

If the main purpose of your outside study is for primary research, you must complete a risk assessment form and upload this to your application in the PGR CoP system . See the Occupational Health and Safety web pages for information and templates for Risk Assessment and Travel Risk Assessments.

Applications for high-risk locations may require additional approval from the Faculty Pro-Vice-Chancellor. You must also:

• include exact locations and specific addresses (for both your accommodation and work locations) on your application form
• provide full details of the purpose and nature of the outside study and also the facilities, resources, supervision and appropriate research training that you will have access to while you're away from the campus
• if undertaking primary research, have already obtained Project Approval and Ethical Approval for your research project and also have Ethical Approval for the research you’ll undertake during outside study
• complete and include a ‘Risk Assessment Form’ included with your Outside Study form (see above)
• ensure that your supervisor confirms that arrangements have been made for supervision during this period (and your Annual Progress Review, if appropriate), to meet the requirements of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes (see Sections 28 and 74-83)

To apply

Please submit an online ‘Outside Study’ form available in the PGR element of the PGR CoP system. Your application must be approved by the Dean of Postgraduate Studies. 

Once your application has been fully considered, the outcome will be available to you in ePortfolio.

Further information for all students 

• You will be registered for the full duration of the outside study. Your registration will not be interrupted and your thesis submission date will not be affected
• You will still need to pay the appropriate standard tuition fee for the duration of the outside study
• You should follow the attendance monitoring procedures required by your School/Institute, for example, recording monthly supervisory meeting records in ePortfolio. This also applies if you're under ‘Pending Submission’ or ‘Extended Submission’
• You should wait until your application has been approved before finalising your travel and accommodation arrangements

All students must consult: 

• the University’s information and guidance on insurance (log in to access)
• The Foreign and Commonwealth’s Office (FCO) travel advice for the destination country. Travel to countries where the FCO have advised against all or all but essential travel to parts of the country require careful consideration, and may need additional evidence or information at the discretion of the Dean
• Travel Guidance for PGR Students 

International students holding visas

• Student visa holders under candidature, who are undertaking primary research outside the UK, will normally be permitted to do this for 12 months without curtailment of the Student visa. This will be reported to the UKVI as a ‘Change of Study Location’ and will not impact on your Student visa status.
• Student visa holders who leave the UK to write up in their home country or elsewhere, will normally have their Student visa curtailed. 

If you want to leave the University permanently, please complete the following documents and return them to your Graduate School, along with your University Smartcard. 

• Withdrawal Notification  - complete this with your School
• Withdrawal Questionnaire (PGR)‌ - complete this with your supervisor, where possible

These forms should not be completed if you are transferring to a different degree programme within the University – see Change of Programme above instead.

On receipt of the completed forms, the University will withdraw you officially from your programme and inform the relevant services within the University.