1. Scope of policy
This policy only applies to students on doctoral level and Master of Philosophy degrees who are eligible for a thesis pending period.
Students on one year research degrees (for example, Master of Research) do not have a thesis pending period.
2. Entitlements in the thesis pending period
Includes: facilities; meetings with supervisors
Students who have completed their research and the period of registered study as required by regulations may enter the thesis pending period.
In this period of 12 months (for students who were registered full-time) or 24 months (for students who were registered part-time) or less, the student will be entitled to the use of library facilities and University computing facilities but not to facilities for research.
The PGR and supervisors should continue to meet regularly, in line with supervisor meeting requirements.
PGR Responsibilities of the supervisor
For avoidance of doubt, supervisory meetings should continue throughout the thesis pending period to support the PGR student to reach the point of final thesis submission in a timely way and minimise any extensions to registration.
Supervisors will read and comment on one draft of the candidate’s thesis prior to (each) submission.
3. Procedure for applying for an extension to the Thesis Pending Period
Includes: plan requirements; exceptional circumstances; MRes, MSc and MA by research degrees; student fees and finance
All applications should be submitted with supporting evidence to Student Services or equivalent for consideration on behalf of Quality and Standards Committee (QSC). The aim will be to notify you of the outcome of your application within 2 weeks.
Other than in exceptional circumstances applications will only be considered if received by Student Services no less than 3 months in advance of the end of the thesis-pending period.
All applications require the support of your principal supervisor and your Head of School.
All applications should include a plan detailing:
- Which thesis chapters are complete
- What work remains to be done on incomplete chapters
- A time-line for the completion of outstanding work and a date for submission of the completed thesis.
Requests for extensions will only be considered as a result of circumstances affecting the thesis pending period, and not the period of registered study.
Students on MRes, MSc and MA by Research degrees are not entitled to a thesis pending period, but nonetheless must use this procedure if they need to apply for an extension to their submission deadline.
If an extension request is granted, the fee listed in the University's Fees Schedule will be payable. For more information, please consult the following:
Student fees and finance
4. Procedure for applying for an extension to a resubmission or period of time allowed for minor corrections
Students who have already completed their examination and have further corrections or a re-submission to undertake should also use the procedure (outlined in section 3) above to apply for extra time.
5. Reasons for extensions
Includes: circumstances that would not normally warrant an extension to thesis pending period
The following have been agreed by the University as circumstances that would normally result in an extension being granted and those which would normally not.
Examples of circumstances which would normally lead to the approval of an extension to the thesis-pending period:
- Exceptional personal circumstances (eg illness, hospitalisation, accident) if significantly impacting on the writing-up process
- Maternity
- Paternity
- Death of close relative, or illness of close relative where student is the carer
- Illness or death of partner
- Prolonged jury service
- Expeditions for sport of national significance (providing the extension is acceptable to your funding body)
- Requirement for a student to undertake military service
Examples of circumstances which would not normally warrant an extension to the thesis pending period:
- Paid employment during the thesis-pending period, noting any information provided regarding the financial circumstances of the PGR.
- Voluntary service
Note: The Covid-19 exceptional regulations detail specific Covid-19 related impacts that will also be considered in cases for extensions to thesis pending.
Exceptional regulations applied in response to Covid-19 
Actively applied in 2019/20 and 2020/21
Noted differences in 2020/21
During academic year 2019/20, the University of Nottingham also introduced exceptional regulations in relation to postgraduate research extensions (including for UKRI-funded programmes, as well as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and MPhil awards).
Outcomes from the application of those regulations during the 2019/20 academic year, in relation to PGR extensions, will be honoured, and used in all future decision making.
However, from academic year 2020/21 onwards, the Covid-19 PGR Extensions (UKRI funded) Exceptional Regulations and Covid-19 Exceptional Regulations for PGR Students will no longer be actively applied to a student's period of study.
Actively applied in 2019/20 only
Please be aware that the following Exceptional Regulations were developed and applied in academic year 2019/20 due to the coronavirus pandemic. These records should be read in conjunction with all other content on this page. For more information, please consult the following:
For more information about the 2019/20 Exceptional Regulations as a whole, please consult the following:
Exceptional Regulations: Covid-19 - 2019/20 to 2020/21