Lapse candidature

What is lapse?

If your candidature was confirmed on or before 31 December 2017, you are eligible to apply for lapsed candidature, also known as ‘lapse’.

If you are unable to submit your thesis by the expected work submission date, a period of ‘lapse’ will allow you more time to submit your thesis.

A lapse period can be granted to graduate researchers who are completing:

• a PhD/doctorate: a lapse period of up to two calendar years
• a masters degree: a lapse period of up to one calendar year.

A calendar year is defined as a period of 365 days (including weekends and public holidays) and is not dependent on whether your enrolment is full time or part time.

How do I lapse?

If you need to lapse, your advisory committee will discuss this with you at your progress review meeting and record their approval in the online progress review form. The discussion will take place at the progress review meeting just before your maximum course duration date (i.e. when you have used up all extensions to candidature allowed for your degree).

Eligibility

Lapse will be considered if:

• you have demonstrated sufficient understanding of the research topic to make completion of your thesis likely
• you have provided a credible plan for completion during your lapsed candidature period, and
• your personal circumstances will support completion during the lapsed period.

Student visa holders

Student visa holders who have concerns and questions on their visas should seek advice from the Enrolment Compliance team since commencing lapse period means you are no longer enrolled.

Access to university facilities during lapse

During a lapse period, you will not be able to access university facilities as if you were an enrolled graduate researcher, unless otherwise approved by the head of department.

You will have access to university services such as student email account, LMS, student portal, the library and student advising system. If you lose access to these IT services during lapse you may need to create an account by completing the online form even where you have done so previously. If this does not resolve the issue, contact Student IT for advice.

Resources that are accessed with the use of your student card, for example building access, are not available if your student card expires. Student cards cannot be renewed for graduate researchers on lapsed candidature since you are not enrolled.

You are only provided with access to an advisory committee or ongoing supervision with the permission of the relevant dean. You should discuss with your supervisors what level of support you can expect. As a minimum you should receive feedback on one complete draft of your thesis prior to submission for examination.

How to lapse

Approval for lapse occurs as part of your progress review meeting with your advisory committee, including your supervisors.

You do not apply to lapse yourself – your advisory committee will request this on your behalf via the online progress review form.

What is the process?

1. You will be contacted via your university email account 12 weeks before your expected thesis submission date, with a link to your online progress review form.
2. A meeting for the progress review discussion will be arranged (follow the normal process in your faculty/department for arranging progress review meetings).
3. You must complete your section of the online progress review form at least ten days before the scheduled meeting.
4. Your advisory committee, including your supervisors will review your form and any attached documents before the scheduled meeting.
5. Once you’ve participated in the meeting, your advisory committee will request lapse (if appropriate) and complete the online form on your behalf.
6. The request for lapse will be assessed by your head of department.
7. You will be notified via email with the outcome of your progress review, including advice regarding lapse.

Visit reviewing my progress for more information about the progress review process.

If you haven’t received the email notification about your upcoming progress review and think you should have by now, contact your local graduate research administrator.

After lapse has been approved

Your local graduate research administrator will contact you approximately three months prior to the end of your lapse period as a reminder to submit your thesis.

If you want to check when your lapse period ends, log in to my.unimelb. The lapse end date will be listed as your expected thesis submission date.

An approved period of lapsed candidature is a period on non-enrolment, unless you have been approved to access university facilities. You must return to active enrolment to submit your thesis.

If lapse has not been approved

If your application to lapse is rejected, you will be classified as making unsatisfactory progress and issued with a formal warning of unsatisfactory progress.

Preparing for thesis submission

The goal for your period of approved lapsed candidature is to submit your thesis for examination. However, you need to complete the following tasks prior to submission.

1. During the six months prior: present your completion seminar. You may need to hold another seminar if more than six months has passed between your seminar and thesis submission.
2. Two months prior: register your intention to submit via the Thesis Examination System (TES) so that the nomination of examiners can be arranged.
3. Before submitting your thesis: use iThenticate to check for any potential instances of problematic matching text and/or weak referencing practice before submitting your thesis for examination.

During your period of lapsed candidature, you still have access to submit your thesis via TES. As soon as your thesis is ready for examination and you have approval, please log in to TES to submit your thesis.

If you have been readmitted to PhD/Doctoral candidature after you withdrew or your candidature was cancelled, you are required to have a viva as part of your examination. Find further information about the viva and how to prepare.

Submission after the lapse end date

If you pass your lapse period end date and do not submit your thesis you will be sent a notification that your enrolment has been terminated. The University may accept an application for you to be readmitted to your degree and submit your thesis after you have been sent this notification.

Before applying for readmission, you should contact your supervisor or head of department to discuss your thesis. If your supervisor is no longer available please contact the graduate research team for your faculty, or the faculty nearest in discipline to your former department.

The end of the lapse period

Submission after the lapse end date

If you pass your lapse period end date and do not submit your thesis you will receive a notification that your enrolment has been terminated. The University may accept an application for you to be readmitted to your degree and submit your thesis after you have been sent this notification.

Before applying for readmission you should contact your supervisor or head of department to discuss your thesis.

If your supervisor is no longer available please contact the graduate research team for your faculty, or the faculty nearest in discipline to your former department.