My research project has changed

If you wish to change your research project please contact your enrolling School/Institute office for advice on the required approval process.

My field of study has changed

Each enrolling School and Institute has a default field of study. You can request that the field of study be changed to better describe your research project. The field of study can be up to 50 characters long. It is important to note that this description appears on your academic testamur (degree certificate).

Key criteria when requesting a change to the field of study include:

• does it identify an area of research strength within the enrolling School/Institute (or, in the case of interdisciplinary projects, the University); and
• does it legitimately describe both the scope and degree of specialisation in the thesis.

Any request to change the field of study so that it implies an interdisciplinary area or research or expertise in an area of research outside the enrolling School/Institute also requires written endorsement from the Postgraduate Coordinator of the relevant School/Institute.

My advisory team is changing

You may request a change of advisory team at any time. You must be aware that if you do not wish to continue with your current Principal Advisor and no other person is available or willing to act as Principal Advisor, the Graduate School may withdraw you from candidature because the University cannot meet its responsibility to provide adequate advisory support.

Form to use: Change of  Advisor

I need to change School/Institute

You may change enrolling School/Institute at any point during your candidature. Before considering a change in enrolling School/Institute, you should discuss the requirements of your research project with the Postgraduate Coordinator from the proposed enrolling School/Institute and a clear agreement should be reached on the resources and facilities which will be available.

Form to use: Change of School / Institute

I want to change to full-time / part-time

You are able to change your attendance between full-time and part-time at any time.

• Full-time students are expected to study for at least the equivalent of a standard five-day working week, namely 9:00am to 5:00pm Monday to Friday, for 48 weeks of the year. The actual pattern of research and study is to be negotiated by the student with their advisory team and enrolling School.
• Part-time students are expected to engage in research and study for the equivalent of at least 50% of the full-time rate over the course of a year. If you wish to change to part-time and you are on a scholarship, you should ensure that your scholarship can be held on a part-time basis before submitting your request.

International Students

International research higher degree students who hold a student visa are not eligible for part-time enrolment under the terms of their visa. Only international students who are remote or who hold an alternative visa can be part-time.

Form to use: Change of Candidature Status

I want to enrol in / cancel additional courses 

You can undertake additional courses as part of your program. These courses do not incur any tuition fees or HECS liability and all results are recorded on the academic transcript.
Enrolment in additional courses will only be approved when the courses are deemed relevant to your research project or are required by your enrolling School/Institute as part of the research training undertaken in that School/Institute.

It is important to note that enrolment in additional courses cannot exceed one third of the total workload of the degree (10 units for a MPhil student, 20 units for a PhD student).

Form to use: Enrolment in / Cancellation of Additional Courses

I want to enrol in a second degree program

To enrol in a second degree program discuss with your advisory team and Postgraduate Coordinator in the first instance. Your advisory team needs to be satisfied that the additional work will not impact on your research higher degree progress. You also need to ensure that your enrolment in both programs adequately reflects the time you have allocated to each. For example, should you change from full-time to part-time or vice versa? Once you have made these considerations and gained the support of your advisory team and Postgraduate Coordinator, you need to apply for permission for concurrent enrolment to the Graduate School.

Your progress will also be discussed at each of your milestones. If it is concluded that enrolment in the second degree program is negatively impacting on your research higher degree progress then you will be liable for withdrawal without academic penalty.

Form to use: Application for Permission to Enrol in Concurrent Courses

PhD students may apply for a scholarship extension of up to the equivalent of 6 months full-time enrolment within the Research Training Scheme funding period. MPhil students may not apply for a scholarship extension.

To receive an extension, you must demonstrate that you have been making satisfactory progress and that submission of your thesis for examination has been delayed because of circumstances that were beyond your control that relate solely to your research. Unfortunately the Graduate School cannot grant an extension on the grounds of ill health, employment commitments, or other non-academic circumstances.

To check your eligibility for a scholarship extension, please refer to the UQ Scholarship General Conditions.

Form to use: Change of Candidature Status

RHD candidates should be aware that they are expected to work on their thesis the fulltime equivalent of 40 hours per week for 48 weeks per year.  The remaining four weeks are to be taken as recreation leave that should be recorded at the enrolling unit level.

You may apply for permission to take leave from your candidature for any reason that prevents you continuing with your research studies (such as illness, caring responsibilities, or work commitments). Your Principal Advisor and School must endorse your request before it can be considered by the UQ Graduate School. 

An application for leave must be provided to the UQ Graduate School as soon as practical, but not later than 2 weeks from the first day of leave.  The only exception to this rule is when a census date falls within the notification period.  In these cases, we need to receive the request prior to the census date.

Students may take periods of leave between 4 weeks to 12 months.  A request that would cause your total period of leave to exceed 12 months will only be approved due to documented ill health or caring responsibilities. Work commitments are not considered an appropriate reason.

Students must also notify the Graduate School of their intended return from leave date by completing the below form.  A request to return from leave must be provided to the UQ Graduate School as soon as practical, but not later than 2 weeks from the return from leave date.  The only exception to this rule is when a census date falls within the notification period.  In these cases, we need to receive the request prior to the census date.

International students

International students on a student visa are able to take leave during their RHD, however there are certain restrictions on this under the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. The Act only allows students to take leave from their studies on the grounds of compassionate or compelling circumstances.  For more information about visa restrictions, contact the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Citizenship on 131 881.

While on leave

Although you are not expected to work on your research project while on interruption, you are still considered to be a research higher degree student by the University and continue to have access to Library, email, and mySI-net facilities. As a result, you are still required to maintain your student record on mySI-net, pay any fees or charges by the due dates, and regularly access your student email address and read all official University e-mails.

Before the end of the approved period 

It is your responsibility to ensure you will have sufficient funds for payment of any administrative or tuition fees, which will be due two days after your re-enrolment by the Graduate School.

If you are unsure what you will owe, you can check the tuition fees you were charged in previous semesters from the Financial link on your mySI-net home page. If you expect your candidature status to change upon your return from interruption, e.g if you are changing from intenral to remote candidature, and you are unsure what your tuition fee for the next semester will be, contact Student Fees via UQAnswers (www.uq.edu.au/UQAnswers) before the end of the approved period.

Notice will be sent to your UQ student email account when your invoice is available in mySI-net. Please be aware that overdue fees will attract a $100 late payment charge.

You are also required to notify the Graduate School of your intentions after you have finished your leave, which include:

• Resume candidature - If you intend to resume your research studies simply provide the date on which you will resume.
• Extend leave - If you wish to apply for an extension of the period of interruption of your research studies, simply provide the date on which your new period of interruption will begin and the date on which you now expect to resume.
• Withdraw from candidature - If you wish to discontinue your research studies, simply provide the date on which you will withdraw from candidature.

Form to use: Change of Candidature Status

The Australian Government requires that all research higher degree students are enrolled as internal students. However, the University recognises that students who live a substantial distance from UQ campus’ do not always have the same type or frequency of access to School/Institute and University resources.

Domestic students whose place of residence is more than 250km from their principal place of study may be granted remote status by their School/Institute.

International students may not reside that far from their place of study while they hold a student visa, so the only international students who may be granted remote status are those who are living overseas.

Remote status must be approved by the School/Institute via the Change of Candidature Status form.

When remote,

• your and your advisory team must maintain satisfactory contact (by email, telephone, or in person);
• you must have access to all necessary facilities (such as equipment, library resources, and the like); and
• you must continue to make satisfactory progress with research.

Not all research projects can be conducted on a remote basis and the School/Institute may have extra policies regarding remote status. For example, it may be a School/Institute requirement for remote candidature that there is a suitably-qualified local associate advisor, so that you can continue to meet in person with a member of your advisory team.

The University expects that remote students will attend the University from time to time to obtain library materials, to consult with their advisory team, and to undertake other relevant activities within their School/Institute. The University Library provides remote access to its catalogue and databases as well as electronic journals and Internet services. However, remote students will need access locally to appropriate computer hardware and software and will need to obtain training from the Library. Detailed information on the services available can be obtained by contacting the University Library.

Form to use: Change of Candidature Status

International Tuition Fees for Remote Students

International students pay a reduced tuition fee if they are recorded as remote at the Census Date for the Research Quarter.

Transfer from a PhD to an MPhil

A PhD candidate may transfer to the MPhil program at any stage of their candidature to a provisional MPhil candidate. A confirmed PhD candidate can transfer to a confirmed MPhil candidate at any stage.

Transfer from an MPhil to a PhD

To transfer from an MPhil to a PhD you must provide evidence outlining:

• An appropriate change in scope of the research project to a PhD suitable project; and
• The support for the stage of candidature to which you are transferring (e.g. provisional/confirmed*).

* To request a transfer from a provisional/confirmed MPhil to a confirmed PhD you must demonstrate that you have attained the attributes appropriate to those of a confirmed PhD candidate.

Form to use: Change of research higher degree program

Withdraw from RHD program

You may withdraw from your program by advising the UQ Graduate School in writing. Withdrawing from candidature does not stop you applying for re-admission at a future date.

If you decide to apply for re-admission please follow the how to apply procedure as if you were a new applicant. Each request for re-admission is considered on its own merits: you may not be able to work with the same advisors, pursue the same topic or be granted credit for work already done. However, if a major portion of the research work has been completed and your application is made within two years of withdrawing, your required period of enrolment may be reduced.

Form to use: Change of Candidature Status

Reinstatement following withdrawal

A request for reinstatement must occur within 20 working days of the Notice of Withdrawal from Candidature being issued to you. If you wish to resume your candidature and more than 20 working days have passed since you were issued the Notice of Withdrawal, please use the Application for Admission and Scholarship form to apply for re-admission.

Form to use: Request for Reinstatement following Withdrawal from Candidature
 

Guidance on tuition fees for international RHD students

Census dates are important for international RHD students' tuition fees

The timing of commencement, interruption and thesis submission affects fees calculated for international RHD students each research quarter.

Census dates for 2012: