Lapsing and Reinstatement

Lapse of Status

Your status as an enrolled research student will lapse if:

• you fail to submit your thesis within the allotted time, and without being granted suspension or an extension of time.
• you fail to transfer status successfully to another status (DPhil,  MSc by Research), within four terms of admission as a full-time student to the status of Probationer Research Student, within six terms for students on a Doctoral Training programme (unless you have been granted a deferral, or one term’s extension following an unsuccessful transfer application.
• the board concerned deprives you of such status, after consultation with your college/hall and supervisor.
• For DPhil students only: If you fail to confirm status successfully within nine terms of admission as a full-time student, within ten terms for students on a Doctoral Training Programme (unless you have been granted a deferral  or one term’s extension following an unsuccessful confirmation application)
• following your examination you are required to complete major corrections to your thesis, and fail to complete these within the six months permitted.
• following your examination you are required to complete minor corrections to your thesis, and fail to complete these within the one month permitted.

Once your status has lapsed, you are no longer registered as a student of the University, and you will not have access to University facilities during this period.

Reinstatement

To reinstate your status on the graduate register you will need to apply for reinstatement. Applications must be made on the GSO.23 form and submitted to the MPLS Graduate Office, and must have the support of your supervisor and college. Your application should be accompanied by a clear work plan and timetable, which should be endorsed by your former supervisor. If your supervisor is no longer available, your department will need to appoint an assessor to check on the appropriateness of reinstatement. If the assessment is satisfactory then a new supervisor will need to be found for the purposes of submission.  If no one is willing or available, then reinstatement is normally declined. Reinstatement should not be regarded as automatic; each case is dealt with on its merits.

When considering applications for reinstatement, the DGS will take into account factors such as the currency and validity of the thesis, the availability of appropriate supervision, and whether you successfully completed Transfer and Confirmation of Status before having your status lapsed.

If your status lapsed at the time of your thesis submission deadline reinstatement is usually allowed if you have completed your thesis, and you are ready to submit to have it examined. If your reinstatement is approved you will be given one term in which to submit.

If your status lapsed due to not having successfully completed your transfer of status by the allotted time, a fresh application may be more appropriate. However, if reinstatement is approved then you will need to ensure that you are ready to go through the transfer of status assessment in the term in which you are reinstated. In cases where Confirmation was not completed reinstatement is normally dependent on completion of an assessment equivalent to Confirmation, (the requirement for the milestone might subsequently be waived) and having sufficient time available remaining on the register for you to complete your thesis within the normal time limits.

What fees are payable upon reinstatement?

If you lapse/withdraw before the end of your fee liability, on reinstatement you will become liable for any outstanding fees up to the required maximum of nine terms for the DPhil or six terms for MSc by Research.

Reinstatement cases requiring Education Committee Approval

For DPhil students, if you have had twelve terms plus six terms extension, and for MSc by Research students, if you have had nine terms plus three terms extension, then the application for reinstatement will have to be approved by the University’s Education Committee. If more then twenty-four months has passed since your enrolment was lapsed/withdrawn then you application will also require Education Committee approval. The department and Education Committee will want to make sure that your research is still relevant and up to date, and this should be clearly stated in your application.