HDR program extension protocol
school Level
PhD

The College of Health & Medicine (CHM) and the College of Science (CoS) are committed to improve HDR completion times, maximise funding, and ensure that candidates are continuing to make satisfactory progress. To ensure this occurs the CHM/CoS Associate Dean (HDR) must approve all applications for extension of program beyond five years (FTE) in the case of PhD candidates, three years (FTE) for MPhil and four years for Professional Doctorate (e.g. D Psych Clin) candidates.

The standard program duration is four years for a PhD candidate, two years for an MPhil candidate, and three years for a professional doctorate candidate.

Process - for candidate

  1. Candidates should discuss the extension with their supervisory panel; and 
  2. Ensure their milestone progress reports are up-to-date prior to submitting an application.
  3. ALL applications must include a detailed justification of why the extension is necessary, and include a timeline outlining the agreed plan in place to ensure that submission within the following six months will be achieved.
  4. Candidates should submit the ‘Application for extension of program’ eForm, attaching the justification and timeline at least one month before their current program end date.  Apply via ISIS MMD-HDR (except in cases where the maximum submission date has passed - then they should use the application for extension of research program form).

Process - for HDR Administrator

  1. The HDR Administrator must highlight on the eForm that the candidates will be extending beyond the five or three year limit, so that the candidates Chair of Panel and Delegated Authority are informed prior to endorsing the request.
  2. The HDR Administrator must obtain CHM/CoS Associate Dean (HDR) final approval prior to GRO issuing a revised program end date to the candidate.

Extensions of more than six months at any one time will not be approved.

Extensions will not be approved for candidates who are not making progress to the satisfaction of the delegated authority, and the candidature of those candidates will be managed under the Research Awards Rule.

Implementation

This policy came into effect on 04 November 2013, and applies to all current HDR candidates in CHM and CoS.