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How to Get Dissertation Deadline Extension

Published by Grace Graffin at August 12th, 2021 , Revised On August 22, 2023

Are you struggling to complete your dissertation on time? Wish you had more time to write your dissertation paper to First Class standard? Thinking of  writing your dissertation in a week?

There is no need to get panic at this stage – we all need  help with dissertations and  assignments , especially when we have so many other social and work responsibilities to take care of.

This article lists methods of getting a dissertation extension without having to compromise your relationship with your supervisor. Here we provide valuable and practical tips on how to get the dissertation deadline extension.

All students experience the feeling of being late for an assignment at some point during their academic careers. But if the assignment in question is your dissertation, then matters go from bad to worse. If you are facing such an issue, then you will have two options to work with.

You can either work day and night with the aid of energy drinks to get your paper completed to an acceptable level or obtain a deadline extension to give yourself more time to do the research work and write your paper to the highest quality standard.

This brief piece will help you get a dissertation extension and blow away your doubts.

Methods of Getting Dissertation Deadline Extension

Meet the challenge head on – deadline extension for dissertation.

Rather than running away from your problems, it will be best if you face the challenges head-on.

As soon as you realize that you will not be able to write your dissertation paper before the due deadline and need a deadline extension, you should present the work you have completed so far to your supervisor and also  provide a detailed plan  for how you will be able to make up for the lost time.

This will give the impression that you are a forward-thinking person and take your academic duties seriously.

Be Appropriate

Work out a plan to figure out exactly how much more time you will need before asking your supervisor for a deadline extension.

Do not give your tutor the impression that you have been wasting your time lately by asking for too long an extension. Briefly describe the reasons as to why you were unable to meet your deadline in the first place.

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Don’t Wait Until the Eleventh Hour to Ask for Deadline Extension.

If you know that you are running late and the circumstances are outside your control, then ask your supervisor for the dissertation deadline extension at the earliest possibility. Waiting until the eleventh hour will only create more problems for you.

It should be noted that there could be plenty of genuine reasons for being granted the extension, including but not limited to your  health issues, financial stress, a part-time job, and family matters . Your timely action will allow you to gain your tutor’s support.

Heavy Amount of Work

At the university level, students generally have to take different modules and courses simultaneously, increasing the possibility of a deadline clash during the term time. The worst time for this situation to occur is when you are  writing your dissertation paper .

If you are overwhelmed with your academic deadlines and start feeling really anxious, it will be best to meet with your tutor to inform him of your needs. The chances are that they will extend your deadline for your dissertation so you can cope with the excessive workload.

Be Honest When Requesting for Dissertation Deadline Extension

The most effective way of getting a  deadline extension for your dissertation  project is, to be honest with your supervisor. Avoid making up lame excuses for being late because this can land you in even more trouble.

Tell the truth and seek guidance from your supervisor. Honesty and integrity will help you to grab your supervisor’s sympathy. Make a list of points you would like to discuss with your supervisor before going to the meeting.

Knowing how to convince your tutor will make it easier for you to talk confidently in front of them. It will help to throw a couple of jokes to relieve the tension a bit.

Remember that a laughing tutor is more likely to grant you the extension. If you are struggling to cope with an unhelpful supervisor, here are some  tips to help you get through the tough times .

Also Read: How to Choose Dissertation Topic

Other Articles: Is it Possible to Write a Dissertation in 10 Days or Less?

How Can ResearchProspect Help?

Unable to get a dissertation deadline extension? Worried that you might not be able to submit your dissertation project on time? Concerned about ordering papers for reasonable prices, which are not unique but relevant and free of grammar mistakes?

At ResearchProspect, we have Masters and PhD qualified writers in all academic subjects. Fill out our simple order form, make the payment, and have your  dissertation  or  essay  paper delivered to your email address before your specified deadline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can i extend my dissertation deadline.

Yes, you can often extend your dissertation deadline. Contact your advisor or department promptly, explaining valid reasons like health issues or unforeseen circumstances. Provide a reasonable new timeline. Respect policies and prioritize open communication.

You May Also Like

Here are the steps to make a theoretical framework for dissertation. You can define, discuss and evaluate theories relevant to the research problem.

Not sure how to start your dissertation and get it right the first time? Here are some tips and guidelines for you to kick start your dissertation project.

Dissertation discussion is where you explore the relevance and significance of results. Here are guidelines to help you write the perfect discussion chapter.

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Sample request letter for extension .

Sample Letter Request For Extension of Thesis / research work Submission. Request an extension of your thesis submission date.

Sample Letter Requesting Extension of Time

[Your Name]

[Recipient’s Name]

[Recipient’s Address]

Subject: Extension Request

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am writing to request a brief extension of time for [briefly state the reason]. I kindly ask for [number of days] additional days to ensure the quality of my work. Your consideration is greatly appreciated.

Requesting a Deadline Extension

[Your Address]

[City, State, ZIP Code]

Subject: Deadline Extension Request

I am writing to respectfully request an extension for the upcoming deadline on [mention the deadline date] for [briefly explain the project or task]. Due to unforeseen circumstances, I require [number of days] extra days to ensure the project’s completion to the best of my abilities. Your understanding and consideration are greatly appreciated.

Request Letter to Extend Date

[Recipient’ Name]

Subject: Request for Deadline Extension

I am writing to formally request an extension for the deadline of [mention the original deadline date] for [briefly describe the task or project]. Unfortunately, due to [briefly explain the reason for needing an extension], I am unable to meet the original deadline.

I kindly request an extension of [number of days] to ensure that I can complete this task effectively and to the best of my abilities. I understand the importance of meeting deadlines and apologize for any inconvenience caused. Your understanding and consideration of this request would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sample Request Letter for Extension

Subject: Letter of request for extension for submission of thesis

Respected Graduate Studies office,

I am writing this letter to request an extension in the deadline for submitting my Master thesis. The date for submission is Sep 19, 2023, but I still have some writing work pending and fear that I will not be able to complete it within the original time frame.

Kindly consider the following reasons why I could not complete my research on time: At this stage in the research we are considering filling a patent file before we submit the thesis to the external reviewer only we need few weeks. Kindly consider my personal circumstance since I got pregnant and I had some complications during that time and after the childbirth. I wasn’t in any condition to work or study and hence, was unable to do any work on my thesis during almost one year. (A medical report is attached with the form). further more, I ‘m working in a full time job which slowed me down to finish my experiment work.

Considering my problem, kindly grant me an extension of few weeks only for submitting the thesis. I assure you that I will complete and submit my thesis well before the revised deadline.

Yours Sincerely,

————————–

Sample Deadline Extension Appeal Letter

To, The Dean, Allied University, Texas, United States of America.

Respected Sir,

With due respect, it is to state that I am student of M. Phil and I had scored good GPA in my two semesters of theory, but now this year is my thesis year and the date for submission for the thesis is ————, but I am unable to meet up the deadline as my some writing work is still pending because patent is to be reviewed by external reviewer before submission of the research thesis. I am pregnant as well and is facing complications in it and was unable to study or do any work related to the research and as a proof of my words I am attaching medical certificate of mine with this application and I am a working woman as well. All the three reasons are genuine in their nature and I need few weeks more in submission of the final research paper.

Kindly see to this matter and grant me more time for the completion of my thesis. Thanking in anticipation.

Yours Truly,

Ms. Rita Ronny,

Sample Letter for Extension

It is stated with due reverence that I am the student of this estimable university. I am in my final year and I have to submit my research project on 23rd of March. It is to inform you that recently my brother died and I could not handle myself. This drastic loss took a lot of my mental peace and time. It is my request to extend the submission date of my final research project. My nature of reason is very genuine and I hope you comprehend. I am sure that I will complete it by that time and submit you promptly.

Yours Faithful,

——————

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RequestLetters

Free Letter Requesting Extension of Time Samples

In this article, I’m sharing my step-by-step guide on how to craft these letters effectively, along with a customizable template and personal tips from my experiences.

Key Takeaways: Understand the purpose and importance of a request for an extension of time. Free Templates :  Utilize the provided templates to simplify the process. Learn the essential components of an extension request letter. Follow a step-by-step guide to write an effective letter. Gain tips on how to make your request more compelling and likely to be granted.

Whether you need extra time for a project at work , a school assignment , or any other deadline-bound task , knowing how to properly ask for an extension can make all the difference. Let me guide you through the steps to writing an effective extension request letter.

Understanding the Need for an Extension

Real-life situations often require flexibility. Whether it’s due to unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or personal emergencies, or simply underestimating the time required for a task, requesting an extension is a common and necessary practice in both academic and professional settings.

Essential Components of an Extension Request Letter

  • Polite Tone : Start with a courteous greeting and maintain a respectful tone throughout the letter.
  • Clear Purpose : State the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph.
  • Specific Details : Mention the original deadline and the length of the extension you are requesting.
  • Reason for the Request : Explain the circumstances prompting your request, being as specific as possible.
  • Proposed Plan : Outline your plan to complete the task within the extended timeframe.
  • Gratitude and Understanding : Express appreciation for the recipient’s consideration and acknowledge any inconvenience your request may cause.
  • Formal Closing : End with a formal closing and your name.

Step-by-Step Guide to Writing Your Letter

Step 1: start with a formal greeting.

  • Address the recipient by their proper title and name.

Step 2: State Your Purpose

  • Clearly mention that you are requesting an extension and specify the task or project involved.

Step 3: Explain Your Reason

  • Detail the reasons for your request. Be honest and concise.

Step 4: Provide a New Timeline

  • Suggest a new deadline and assure the recipient of your commitment to meet this revised date.

Step 5: Acknowledge the Impact

  • Recognize any potential impact on the recipient or the overall project and express your willingness to mitigate any issues.

Step 6: Close Formally

  • Thank the recipient for considering your request, and close with a formal sign-off.

Sample Letter Requesting Extension of Time

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, Zip] [Email Address] [Today’s Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [Their Title] [Company/School Name] [Address] [City, State, Zip]

Trending Now: Find Out Why!

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I am writing to request an extension for [Name of Task or Project] originally due on [Original Deadline]. Due to [Reason for Request], I am unable to meet the deadline and kindly ask for an extension until [Proposed New Deadline].

During this time, I plan to [Outline of Your Plan to Complete the Work]. I understand the importance of this task and am committed to completing it within the extended timeframe.

I appreciate your understanding and am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause. Thank you for considering my request.

[Your Name]

Tips for a Successful Extension Request

  • Be Honest : Provide a genuine reason for your request.
  • Be Early : Request the extension as soon as you realize you need it.
  • Offer Solutions : Show your commitment to completing the task.
  • Keep It Professional : Maintain a respectful and formal tone.
  • Proofread : Ensure your letter is error-free and professional.

Template: Letter Requesting Extension Of Time

[Your Name] [Your Position/Title] [Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [Recipient’s Position/Title] [Company/Organization Name] [Address]

Subject: Request for Extension on [Project/Assignment Name]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to formally request an extension of time for [specific task/project/assignment]. Due to [reason], it has become challenging to complete the work by the originally agreed deadline of [original deadline].

In light of these challenges, I kindly request an extension until [new deadline]. This additional time will enable me to [explain briefly what you will accomplish during the extension period].

Table: Adjusted Timeline | Milestone                       | Revised Date          | |———————————|—————————| | [Milestone 1]                  | [New Date 1]           | | [Milestone 2]                  | [New Date 2]           |

I appreciate your understanding and patience in this matter. Thank you for considering my request, and I am available for any further discussion or clarification.

[Your Name] [Your Contact Information]

Related Posts

  • 3 Proven Letter Samples: Secure Your Extension!
  • Sample Letter for Extension of Time to Project: Free & Effective
  • Assignment Extension Request Letter Example: Free & Effective

Extension Cost Estimator

Frequently asked questions (faqs), q: what is the best way to formally request an extension of time for a project deadline.

Answer: In my experience, the best approach is to clearly outline the reasons for the delay, such as unforeseen circumstances or dependencies on other tasks. It’s crucial to propose a new realistic deadline and assure the recipient of your commitment to meeting this revised date.

Q: How should I address a letter requesting an extension of time to my supervisor?

Answer: I always start by addressing the supervisor respectfully by their title and last name. Express appreciation for their understanding and support before stating the request, as this sets a cooperative tone for the discussion.

Q: Can I request an extension for a personal matter affecting my professional deadlines?

Answer: Absolutely, I’ve found it effective to be honest about personal matters that impact my work. Briefly explain the situation and how an extension will help you maintain the quality of your work, ensuring you remain professional in your request.

Q: What details should be included in an extension request letter?

Answer: Based on my writing experience, your letter should include the original deadline, the requested new deadline, specific reasons for the delay, and a plan to prevent future delays. Being transparent and detailed builds trust and shows professionalism.

Q: How can I ensure my request for an extension is granted?

Answer: From what I’ve learned, it helps to submit your request as soon as you realize the need for an extension. Provide a well-reasoned explanation and demonstrate how you plan to manage the extended time efficiently. This proactive approach often leads to a positive response.

Q: What tone should I use when writing a letter requesting an extension?

Answer: I always recommend using a polite and formal tone, showing respect for the recipient’s time and authority. Convey urgency without sounding desperate or demanding, which encourages a favorable outcome.

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How to Write a Letter Asking for an Extension

Last Updated: May 10, 2024 References

This article was co-authored by Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed. . Alexander Ruiz is an Educational Consultant and the Educational Director of Link Educational Institute, a tutoring business based in Claremont, California that provides customizable educational plans, subject and test prep tutoring, and college application consulting. With over a decade and a half of experience in the education industry, Alexander coaches students to increase their self-awareness and emotional intelligence while achieving skills and the goal of achieving skills and higher education. He holds a BA in Psychology from Florida International University and an MA in Education from Georgia Southern University. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been viewed 3,107,104 times.

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

Tips for Writing an Extension Letter

Write the date, your address, and the recipient's address in the upper right corner. State what your letter is about (like "I'm writing you concerning the essay due for class next week") and give a few details to explain why you're requesting the extension (like a "family emergency").

Sample Letters

dissertation extension letter

Sample Emails

dissertation extension letter

Following Formal Letter Writing Conventions

Step 1 Prepare a header section.

  • If you are sending your request via email, you can omit the date and address portions and start with your salutation. However, make sure to use an effective and clear subject line. For example, if you are emailing a professor, your subject line might read, "Mike Smith HIST 359 Paper Extension Request."

Step 2 Employ a formal and full salutation.

  • Even if you know them informally, this is an official request so keep the tone and content formal. Do not write “Hi, Jim,” for example.
  • Try to find some specific person that you can address your letter to. Otherwise, it can appear like a form letter. For example, “Dear Senator Smith,” is preferable to, “To Whom It May Concern.” [2] X Research source

Step 3 Use a concise paragraph format.

  • To open your letter you might state, “I am John Smith a student in your HIST 456 MWF morning class.” This will jog your professor’s memory and save them time looking you up.

Step 4 Pay attention to your concluding remarks.

  • It is best to close with an official “sign off” before your name. Some of the better options are: “Sincerely” “Best” “All the Best” “Best Regards.” [3] X Research source
  • If you need a reply by a certain time, you should include that information at this point as well. You can always pair it with your thanks. For example, “Thank you for your consideration and I look forward to hearing from you next week.” Just be careful not to appear overly pushy. [4] X Research source

Step 5 Include your full name and signature.

Crafting the Content of the Letter

Step 1 Write the letter as soon as you can.

  • Depending on the situation, you might need to consider your letter as part of an ongoing negotiation. In that sense, it is better to ask for a longer amount of time so that you can compromise and meet in the middle. [7] X Research source
  • Gauge your pace based upon your current progress and what parts of the project have yet to be completed. For example, if you have worked on a consulting project for three months you should have a pretty good sense of how much is left to do.
  • Be aware of the time constraints facing the recipient as well. They may be under their own deadlines that will now need to be pushed back. For example, college professors are often required to submit midterm grades and schedule their paper deadlines accordingly.

Step 3 Be aware of the existing rules.

  • A good reason might be the desire to be thorough or cautious in your work. For instance, if you are completing a project that could potentially impact the safety of others, pointing this fact out when asking for extra time could work in your favor.
  • If you have multiple reasons for your request, choose the best one and focus on it. For example, if you are delaying a job offer you might want to tell them that you would like to conduct additional research into the transfer costs (if this is indeed true) instead of letting them know that you are also waiting on another offer. [9] X Research source

Step 5 Provide a few carefully chosen details as part of your request.

  • For example, if your grandfather dies two days before your college essay is due, it is best to describe the incident as a “family emergency” as opposed to a general “emergency.” You may also want to mention his passing and some information about your travel arrangements. [11] X Research source
  • Have your paperwork in order before submitting any request. You may need to lay out a timeline of prior actions and applications, especially if dealing with the government or another official entity. Showing that you have followed all steps of the process up until this point can only work in your favor. [12] X Research source

Step 6 Stay positive in tone and content.

Sending the Letter to the Recipient

Step 1 Make or save a copy of your letter.

  • If you are going to mail off a hard copy of your letter, make sure to print it out using a high quality printer with a good ink cartridge. A handwritten extension request is generally not acceptable. [14] X Research source

Step 3 Email your extension request.

  • Your recipient may be able to see the exact time that you sent the email. Be aware of this if you like to send off emails very late at night.
  • Keep your email formal and that includes the address that you use as well. Send this email from a professional-sounding account. For example, sending a work email from “[email protected]” is appropriate.
  • If you send your letter via fax, make sure to hold on to the confirmation page showing that your transmission was successfully sent and received.

Step 4 Make a phone call instead of writing.

Expert Q&A

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

  • Try to keep your letter at one page of length or less. This makes it appear complete, yet easy to skim through. [15] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
  • Be aware if your recipient will send you something in return, such as a confirmation letter. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

dissertation extension letter

  • Be realistic in the promises that you make. You do not want to get an extension only to spend the extra time completing additional work. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
  • Make this one-time extension request count. You do not want to try for another one. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
  • Check to make sure that you’ve included all necessary forms with your request. And, some groups will require that you use their form letter as a template. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

Write a Letter of Request

  • ↑ Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.. Educational Consultant. Expert Interview. 18 June 2020.
  • ↑ http://www.uwgb.edu/UWGBCMS/media/career-services/files/pdf/Professional-Letters-Guide.pdf
  • ↑ https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/writing-help/how-to-write-a-business-letter
  • ↑ https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-ask-for-a-deadline-extension-without-losing-your-street-cred
  • ↑ http://www.monster.ca/career-advice/article/delaying-a-job-offer-ca
  • ↑ http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/09/how-to-get-an-extenstion-on-a-paper/be-specific
  • ↑ http://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/recourse-recours/extensionoftime-prorogationdedelai-eng.html

About This Article

Alexander Ruiz, M.Ed.

To write a letter asking for an extension, start with a formal salutation, like "Dear Professor Montgomery." Then, in the body of your letter, state that you'd like an extension and explain why you need one. You should also include a new, realistic deadline that you think you can meet. Remember to keep the tone of your letter positive so it doesn't seem like you're whining or complaining. Also, try to limit your letter to 1-3 paragraphs so that it's short and straightforward. To learn how to end your letter, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Home » Application » Application for Extension of Time for PhD – Sample Application for Requesting Extension of Time

Application for Extension of Time for PhD – Sample Application for Requesting Extension of Time

dissertation extension letter

Table of Contents:

  • Sample Letter

Live Editing Assistance

How to use live assistant, additional template options, download options, share via email, share via whatsapp, copy to clipboard, print letter, sample letter for extension of time for phd.

To, __________ (Receiver’s Name), __________ (Name of the University) __________ (Address)

Date: __/__/____ (Date)

Subject: Request for extension of time

Dear Sir/Madam,

With due respect, my name is __________ (Your Name) studying in department __________ (mention your department) holding roll number __________ (Mention roll number).

I am writing this letter to request for extension for __________ (Mention time duration). The reason for extension is __________ (Mention reason). I hope you accept this application. I will be highly obliged.

Yours Sincerely/ Faithfully, _________ (Signature), _________ (Name), _________ (Roll Number)

Live Preview

The Live Assistant feature is represented by a real-time preview functionality. Here’s how to use it:

  • Start Typing: Enter your letter content in the "Letter Input" textarea.
  • Live Preview: As you type, the content of your letter will be displayed in the "Live Preview" section below the textarea. This feature converts newline characters in the textarea into <br> tags in HTML for better readability.

The letter writing editor allows you to start with predefined templates for drafting your letters:

  • Choose a Template: Click one of the template buttons ("Start with Sample Template 1", "Start with Sample Template 2", or "Start with Sample Template 3").
  • Auto-Fill Textarea: The chosen template's content will automatically fill the textarea, which you can then modify or use as is.

Click the "Download Letter" button after composing your letter. This triggers a download of a file containing the content of your letter.

Click the "Share via Email" button after composing your letter. Your default email client will open a new message window with the subject "Sharing My Draft Letter" and the content of your letter in the body.

Click the "Share via WhatsApp" button after you've composed your letter. Your default browser will open a new tab prompting you to send the letter as a message to a contact on WhatsApp.

If you want to copy the text of your letter to the clipboard:

  • Copy to Clipboard: Click the "Copy to Clipboard" button after composing your letter.
  • Paste Anywhere: You can then paste the copied text anywhere you need, such as into another application or document.

For printing the letter directly from the browser:

  • Print Letter: Click the "Print Letter" button after composing your letter.
  • Print Preview: A new browser window will open showing your letter formatted for printing.
  • Print: Use the print dialog in the browser to complete printing.
  • It's advisable to request an extension as soon as you realize you may need one, ideally well before the original deadline. This allows sufficient time for the university to review and process your request.
  • Provide a clear and valid reason for needing the extension, such as unforeseen personal circumstances, additional time required for data collection or analysis, or unexpected challenges encountered during the research process.
  • Depending on the university's policies, you may be required to provide supporting documentation, such as a medical certificate or a letter explaining your circumstances. Check with your department or supervisor for specific requirements.
  • If your extension request is denied, you should discuss alternative options with your supervisor or academic advisor. They may be able to provide guidance on how to manage your workload and meet the original deadline.
  • While it's possible to request multiple extensions, it's important to demonstrate valid reasons for each request and to communicate openly with your supervisor or academic advisor about your progress and any challenges you may be facing.

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Queen Mary University of London logo in white

Academic Registry and Council Secretariat

Request an extension of your thesis submission date.

This webpage and the extensions application form have been updated as of 10 July 2020. These changes take into account issues raised by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The main changes made are:

  • The guidance notes on the form have been re-organised and updated.
  • “Covid-19 disruption to study” has been added to the reasons for requesting an extension.
  • Normally an extension can be applied for on one occasion only except in exceptional circumstances. Where the reason for the extension is due to the Covid-19 pandemic more than one extension can be applied for.
  • The evidence requested in support of the application has been reduced. Students are asked to provide a timetable for completion of all work on the thesis and the proposed new thesis submission deadline. Draft thesis chapters are not required.
  • Statements have been included in the approval sections for the primary supervisor and Director of Graduate Studies

Students in their final 12 months of study or who have writing up status may apply for an extension to the period of registration and the thesis submission deadline.

Please read the guidance here and the notes on the extension request form, carefully, before requesting an extension.

PGR Extension of Thesis Submission Form [XLS 133KB]

  • You may request an extension of up to one year if your studies are being affected by circumstances beyond your control.
  • Extensions can be granted in periods of whole months.
  • Extensions may be permitted for a number of reasons, including illness, maternity/paternity/adoption leave, personal reasons and financial difficulties.
  • Normally only one application is permitted except in exceptional circumstances, for example if the reason is due to Covid-19 issues.
  • Requests should normally be applied for at the latest 3 months in advance of the current thesis submission deadline
  • Students who have taken up employment during their writing-up year or final 12 months of study may apply for an extension.
  • An extension will not be approved solely to allow students to take up training, work placements, or teaching opportunities.
  • Extensions will not be approved for students who are not making adequate progress.

If you will not be able to work on your research programme at all for a period of time it may be more appropriate to request permission to interrupt your studies .

Application process

First, discuss your application with your Primary Supervisor to review your progress to date and to develop a timetable for completion of all work on the thesis and to agree a new thesis submission deadline.

On the form please explain how circumstances beyond your control make it impossible for you to complete the thesis by your current thesis submission date, and attach your timetable for completion of all work on the thesis and the proposed new thesis submission deadline. The thesis completion plan should include a table of contents, chapter headings and timetable for thesis completion for each chapter. Please use the template provided.

Requests for extensions must be approved by your Primary Supervisor and the school/institute Director of Graduate Studies. Your Primary supervisor and the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS) will review your application and, if they support your request, the DGS will forward the application to the Research Degrees Office by email to  [email protected]

Your request will be considered and the decision made by the Research Degrees Programmes and Examinations Board. When a decision has been made on your application, the Research Degrees Office will notify you and your school/institute.

Immigration permission

If you have Student Immigration Permission (formerly a Tier 4 visa) you may need to apply for an extension of your visa. Please see the  Advice and Counselling Guide before completing this form.

UKRI Research Council funded students

Students who receive their stipend funding from grants awarded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI – the Research Councils) should check the UKRI doctoral training grant terms and conditions with their Doctoral Training Manager before applying for an extension. UKRI monitors the thesis submission rates of its funded students. Please refer to Council specific guidance for further detail. The terms and conditions of UKRI funding take precedence over the Queen Mary Academic Regulations.

Writing-up status

Students in their final 12 months of study who have not already transferred to writing-up status should discuss with their supervisor submitting an application to transfer to writing-up status using the online form in MySIS . A student who is in writing-up status by the time of the start of the extension period will not pay fees for the extended period of study.

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Dissertation Extension Requests

It is expected that the vast majority of undergraduate and postgraduate students will be able to submit their dissertations on time, and will not require an extension.

How do I apply for a dissertation extension?

In the first instance, you should discuss your dissertation extension request with your dissertation supervisor.

A standard dissertation extension request should be applied for via Canvas, within the Faculty. A dissertation extension request of more than 14 days, or 21 days for students with an ARUAA, but no more than 3 months, should be applied for via Extenuating Circumstances, within the Faculty. See information about the Extenuating Circumstances policy and procedure, and the downloadable application form .

Only in exceptional circumstances will dissertation extension requests of more than 3 months be considered, as students are normally expected to be able to complete 60 credits of study within 3 months. A dissertation extension request of more than 3 months must be approved by the Academic Panel.

To apply for a dissertation extension of more than 3 months, your dissertation supervisor should email your completed Extenuating Circumstances form, independent supporting documentation, and their own supervisor statement, confirming that the request is reasonable in light of the circumstances being cited, to [email protected] , for the attention of the Academic Panel.

I am a part-time student, how does this impact my dissertation extension request?

Your mode of attendance does not impact your dissertation extension request. You will not be granted a longer dissertation extension as a result of your part-time status.

What information should my request include?

In your dissertation extension request you must:

  • Make your case, and provide independent supporting documentation of the circumstances that have caused you to request a dissertation extension, i.e. medical documentation or other relevant independent supporting documentation.
  • Confirm your original submission deadline.
  • Confirm the new submission deadline agreed with your dissertation supervisor should the extension request be granted. On agreeing a new submission deadline your supervisor needs to take into account the work done to date and the impact of the circumstances going forward, to ensure the date is reasonably achievable but does not give you an advantage over students who do submit on time

When will I know if my dissertation extension request has been granted?

If you are requesting a standard dissertation extension, or a dissertation extension of up to three months, your Faculty will notify you of the outcome once a decision has been made.

If you are requesting a dissertation extension of more than three months, requiring approval from the Academic Panel, you will be notified of the outcome in the days following the next Academic Panel meeting. The Academic Panel typically meets once a month.

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The Graduate School

University information technology (uit), main navigation, petition for an extension.

A petition for an extension of a Graduate student career beyond the established time limits consists of 

  • formal letter of request to the Graduate Dean
  • completion plan

The letter will demonstrate that the student is in good standing.

Good standing requirements

  • satisfactory GPA for graduation
  • formed supervisory committee
  • program of study completed and approved by the faculty and directors of graduate studies/department chair
  • taken all required preliminary exams and thesis proposal exams required by the department.
  • proposed semester and year of graduation 

These must be fully updated in Grad Tracking.

The letter must demonstrate a firm commitment by the department, research supervisor, and the student to complete the agreement, including any commitments for financial support, and must provide a demonstration that the proposed path to graduation is feasible. 

Completion Plan

The completion plan lays out specific milestones leading to completion, and dates for the completion of the milestones. The milestones must include formal evaluation meetings with the supervisory committee at least once per semester (if a thesis defense does not occur within the semester).

The plan must be signed by

  • the student
  • the research supervisor
  • the director of graduate studies or department chair

Failure to complete the milestones by the specified deadline may result in the dismissal from the program (the supervisory committee would review such a situation and make a recommendation).

Extension Limits

The petition may request either a one-semester or two-semester extension.

Further extensions will be considered for single semester extensions only, and any such request must provide a written update and a revised completion plan with updated milestones, dates, and signatures.

How to Submit the Petition

Send the letter and completion plan to the Graduate Records Office.

Email Graduate Records Office

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Dissertation Writing and Filing

The following guidelines are only for doctoral students. If you are pursuing a master’s degree, please see the Thesis Filing Guide .

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Research Protocols

Eligibility, fall and spring semesters, summer filing, formatting your manuscript, special page formats, organizing your manuscript, procedure for filing your dissertation, permission to include your own previously published or co-authored material, inclusion of your own publishable papers or article-length essays, copyright & your dissertation, copyright ownership and registration issues, inclusion of third-party content in your dissertation; copyright & fair use issues, publishing your dissertation; embargoes, publication requirement, embargo extensions, changes to a dissertation after filing, diploma, transcript, and certificate of completion, certificate of completion, appendix a: common mistakes, appendix b: mixed media guidelines, definitions and standards, electronic formats and risk categories, appendix c: frequently asked questions.

Filing your doctoral dissertation at the Graduate Division is one of the final steps leading to the award of your graduate degree. Your manuscript is a scholarly presentation of the results of the research you conducted. UC Berkeley upholds the tradition that you have an obligation to make your research available to other scholars. This is done when you submit your dissertation for publishing through the ProQuest online administration system and the Graduate Division forwards your manuscript to the University Library. Your dissertation is subsequently published online in the UC system’s scholarship repository ( eScholarship ) and made available within ProQuest/UMI after your doctoral degree is officially conferred by the Academic Senate.

Your faculty committee supervises the intellectual content of your manuscript and your committee chair will guide you on the arrangement within the text and reference sections of your manuscript. Consult with your committee chair early in the preparation of your manuscript.

The specifications in the following pages were developed in consultation with University Library. These standards assure uniformity in the degree candidates’ manuscripts to be archived in the University Library, and ensure as well the widest possible dissemination of student-authored knowledge.

If your research activities involve human or animal subjects, you must follow the guidelines and obtain an approved protocol  before you begin your research.  Visit our web page for more information  or contact the Committee for the Protection of Human Subjects ( http://cphs.berkeley.edu/  or 642-7461) or the Animal Care and Use Committee ( http://www.acuc.berkeley.edu/  or 642-8855).

In addition to the considerations explained below, your Expected Graduation Term (EGT) must match the term for which you intend to file. EGT can be updated at any time using an eForm available in CalCentral.

To be eligible to file for your degree, you must be registered or on approved Filing Fee status for the semester in which you file. We encourage you to file your dissertation as early in the semester as you can and to come in person to our office to submit your supporting documents. If you cannot come to our office, it is helpful if you have a friend bring your documents. The deadline to file your dissertation in its final form is the last day of the semester for your degree to be awarded as of that semester.

Filing during the summer has a slightly different set of eligibility requirements. If you were fully registered during the immediately preceding Spring semester, and have not used Filing Fee already, you may file your dissertation during the summer with no additional cost or application required. Summer is defined as the period from the day after the Spring semester ends (mid-May) until the last day of the Summer Sessions (mid-August).

International students completing a degree in the Summer should consult Berkeley International Office before finalizing plans, as in some cases lack of Summer enrollment could impact visa status or post-completion employment.

If you have already used Filing Fee previously, or were not registered the preceding Spring semester, you will need to register in at least 1.0 unit in Summer Sessions in order to file.

Dissertations filed during the summer will result in a summer degree conferral.

You must be advanced to candidacy, and in good standing (not lapsed), in order to file.

All manuscripts must be submitted electronically in a traditional PDF format.

  • Page Size : The standard for a document’s page size is 8.5 x 11 inches. If compelling reasons exist to use a larger page size, you must contact the Graduate Division for prior approval.
  • Basic manuscript text must be a non-italic type font and at a size of 12-point or larger. Whatever typeface and size you choose for the basic text, use it consistently throughout your entire manuscript. For footnotes, figures, captions, tables, charts, and graphs, a font size of 8-point or larger is to be used.
  • You may include color in your dissertation, but your basic manuscript text must be black.
  • For quotations, words in a foreign language, occasional emphasis, book titles, captions, and footnotes, you may use italics. A font different from that used for your basic manuscript may be used for appendices, charts, drawings, graphs, and tables.
  • Pagination:  Your manuscript is composed of preliminary pages and the main body of text and references. Page numbers must be positioned either in the upper right corner, lower right corner, or the bottom center and must be at least ¾ of an inch from the edges. The placement of the page numbers in your document must be consistent throughout.

Be Careful!  If you have any pages that are rotated to a landscape orientation, the page numbers still need to be in a consistent position throughout the document (as if it were printed and bound single-sided).

Do not count or number the title page or the copyright page. All other pages must have numbers. DO NOT SKIP PAGE ” 1 “. The remaining preliminary pages may include a table of contents, a dedication, a list of figures, tables, symbols, illustrations, or photographs, a preface, your introduction, acknowledgments, and curriculum vitae. You must number these preliminary pages using  lower case Roman numerals  beginning with the number “i” and continue in sequence to the end of the preliminary pages (i, ii, iii, iv, v, etc.). Your abstract must have  Arabic numeral  page numbers. Start numbering your abstract with the number “1” and continue in sequence (1, 2, 3, etc.) The main body of your text and your references also use Arabic numerals. Start the numbering of the main body with the number “1” and continue in sequence (1, 2, 3, etc.), numbering consecutively throughout the rest of the text, including illustrative materials, bibliography, and appendices.

Yes! The first page of your abstract and the first page of your main text both start with ‘1’

  • Margins:  For the manuscript material, including headers, footers, tables, illustrations, and photographs, all margins must be at least 1 inch from the edges of the paper. Page numbers must be ¾ of an inch from the edge.
  • Spacing:  Your manuscript must be single-spaced throughout, including the abstract, dedication, acknowledgments, and introduction.
  • Tables, charts, and graphs  may be presented horizontally or vertically and must fit within the required margins. Labels or symbols are preferred rather than colors for identifying lines on a graph.

You may choose to reduce the size of a page to fit within the required margins, but be sure that the resulting page is clear and legible.

  • Guidelines for Mixed Media:  please see Appendix B for details.

Certain pages need to be formatted in a very specific way. Links are included here for examples of these pages.

Do not deviate from the wording and spacing in the examples, except for details applicable to you (e.g. name, major, committee, etc.)

  • As noted in the above section on pagination, the abstract must be numbered  separately with Arabic numerals starting with ‘1’
  • If you have a Designated Emphasis, it must be listed on your abstract.
  • IMPORTANT: A physical signature page should no longer be included with your dissertation. Approvals by your committee members will be provided electronically using an eForm.
  • The title page does not contain page numbers.
  • Do not bold any text on your title page.
  • The term and year listed on the title page must be the term of your degree. If you filed during the summer, write  Summer .
  • The yellow bubbles in the sample are included for explanatory purposes only. Do not include them in your submission.
  • If you have a Designated Emphasis, it must be listed on your title page ( DE Title Page Sample )
  • If you are receiving a joint degree, it must be listed on your title page ( Joint Title Page Sample )

The proper organization and page order for your manuscript is as follows:

  • Copyright page or a blank page
  • Dedication page
  • Table of contents
  • List of figures, list of tables, list of symbols
  • Preface or introduction
  • Acknowledgments
  • Curriculum Vitae
  • Bibliography

Please do not include an approval/signature page.

After you have written your dissertation, formatted it correctly, assembled the pages into the correct organization, and obtained verbal approval from your committee, you are ready to file it with UC Berkeley’s Graduate Division.

  • Step 0: Confirm your eligibility to file. Your Expected Graduation Term (EGT) must be current term (i.e. the term in which you expect to file your dissertation). If you need to update your EGT you can use the eForm available in CalCentral. Once your EGT is correct, you will see a number of checklist items (“Tasks”) created for you in CalCentral. You use these checklist items to proceed with filing.
  • Step 1: Convert your dissertation into a standard PDF file.
  • Step 2:  Upload your PDF to ProQuest/UMI ( http://www.etdadmin.com ) Follow the instructions on the site. NOTE: DO NOT UPLOAD A DRAFT.  Once your dissertation has been submitted, you will not be allowed to make changes. Be sure that it is in its final form!
  • Step 3:  When you have successfully submitted the document, a message will be sent to the Graduate Degrees Office to review it on-line.  After Degrees staff has reviewed it you will either receive a message that the manuscript has been accepted or that you need to make further changes. If you need to make more changes, you will need to edit your manuscript, create a new PDF, and resubmit it to ProQuest.  Degrees staff will then need to review it again. An email approval will be sent to you once the manuscript is accepted.
  • Step 4: There are two surveys to be completed:the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Berkeley Doctoral Exit Survey. You will find these surveys as “Tasks”in your CalCentral dashboard (as long as you have a current-term EGT). Follow the instructions to complete the surveys and enter the verification codes. You should see the checklist items complete automatically.
  • Review the your committee and email addresses listed — the form will route to each of your committee members for approval.
  • If you chose to embargo your dissertation, you will not receive any copies you order from ProQuest until the embargo is lifted.
  • Once the form has been filed, you may not make any changes to your embargo selections
  • Attach a copy of the approval letter for your study protocol from the Committee for Protection of Human Subjects, or the Animal Care and Use Committee if your research involved human or animal subjects.

A Note on Deadlines

You must upload your electronic dissertation AND submit your final signature eform before 5 p.m. on the last day of the term. Both of these steps must be done before the deadline, regardless of whether your submission has been reviewed and approved. We can not provide a receipt of filing until your dissertation has been reviewed and accepted (which can take up to 4 business days), but you will get credit for the date of first submission.

If you plan use of your own previously published and/or co-authored material in your manuscript, your committee chair must attest that the resulting dissertation represents an original contribution of ideas to the field, even if previously published co – authored articles are included, and that major contributors of those articles have been informed.

Previously published material must be incorporated into a larger argument that binds together the whole dissertation. The common thread linking various parts of the research, represented by individual papers incorporated in the dissertation, must be made explicit, and you must join the papers into a coherent unit. You are required to prepare introductory, transitional, and concluding sections. Previously published material must be acknowledged appropriately, as established for your discipline or as requested in the original publication agreement (e.g. through a note in acknowledgments, a footnote, or the like).

If co-authored material is to be incorporated (whether published or unpublished), all major contributors should be informed of the inclusion in addition to being appropriately credited in the dissertation according to the norms of the field.

If you are incorporating co-authored material in your dissertation, it is your responsibility to inform major contributors. This documentation need not be submitted to the Graduate Division. The eform used by your committee chair to sign off on your dissertation will automatically include text indicating that by signing off they attest to the appropriateness and approval for inclusion of previously published and/or co-authored materials. No addition information or text needs to be added.

Publishable papers and article-length essays arising from your research project are acceptable only if you incorporate that text into a larger argument that binds together the whole dissertation or thesis. Include introductory, transitional, and concluding sections with the papers or essays.

You own copyright in your dissertation. Copyright is automatically created once your work is fixed in a tangible medium (such as saved on your computer hard drive or in cloud storage). Thus, you do not need to register copyright in your dissertation in order to be the copyright holder.

However, registering copyright in your dissertation has certain advantages: First, if your work is registered, you have evidence that you are indeed the author and owner. Second, registration allows greater enforcement of your copyright against an infringer or plagiarist, making available statutory damages set out in Title 17, Section 504 of the U.S. Code, which range from $750 – $150,000 plus attorney fees per copyright infraction. Accordingly, UC Berkeley recommends that you register copyright for your dissertation. You can register copyright through the Copyright Office’s website, www.copyright.gov , for a fee of $35, or through the ProQuest ETDAdmin system when you submit your PDF; doing so through ProQuest costs $55.

You continue to own copyright in your dissertation unless and until you transfer your copyright to another party. By complying with the UC Berkeley Graduate Division’s publishing policies, you are permitting the university to make available a copy of your dissertation online in eScholarship, but you are not transferring your copyright. You grant a similar permission to ProQuest/UMI, the exact terms of which are governed by the agreement with ProQuest you sign in the online submission process. You may request delays (i.e. embargoes) in the release of your dissertation both on eScholarship and in ProQuest. Please see “Publishing Your Dissertation; Embargoes”.

If you are including content in your dissertation not authored or created by you, be sure to consider copyright issues. The University Library can help guide you as you consider these questions. For more detail, please consult the Library’s helpful online guide, entitled Copyright and Publishing Your Dissertation .

To briefly summarize:

  • If the content is in the public domain, then you need not get any permission to use the material. For questions about the public domain, see http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/public-domain.html.
  • If the content you wish to use is subject to a Creative Commons license of some form, you need simply abide by the term of that license. For instance, a CC-BY license means you can use the work without seeking the author’s permission, but must attribute the work to the author. For more on Creative Commons licenses, see https://creativecommons.org/licenses/.
  • If the content you wish to use is protected by copyright and no Creative Commons license governs its use, then you must consider whether your use constitutes Fair Use under 17 USC § 107. If your use of the content is a fair use within copyright law, then you need not seek the author’s permission before using it. See http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/fair-use.html.
  • If your use of the content would exceed fair use under the Copyright Act, then you will need to seek the copyright holder’s permission in order to use the material. Be sure to request the copyright owner’s permission in writing so that you can keep track of permissions granted. Your letter to the copyright holder should make clear that you seek permission to preserve and publish the content in your dissertation through UC Berkeley’s institutional repository, eScholarship, and ProQuest/UMI. For help seeking permission, see http://copyright.universityofcalifornia.edu/use/obtaining-permission.html.

If you have additional questions about copyright and third party content in your dissertation, please contact the University Library .

UC Berkeley’s Graduate Council regulations stipulate that you have an obligation to make your research available to other scholars as part of the degree requirement.  This obligation is consistent with the long-standing principle that doctoral students share their significant scholarly contributions to advance knowledge. This requirement is fulfilled when you submit your dissertation for publishing through the ProQuest online administration system and the Graduate Division forwards your manuscript to the University Library. Your dissertation is subsequently published online in the UC system’s scholarship repository ( eScholarship ) and made available within ProQuest/UMI after your doctoral degree is officially conferred by the Academic Senate.

Making your work available to be read online immediately in eScholarship or ProQuest has many advantages. First, it clearly establishes when your work was created and published, which are powerful resources in preventing or combatting plagiarism. Others will be able to discover your prior publication. Second, it can help support your scholarly profile because people can read and begin citing your work. Citation of your dissertation by others can be offered as evidence of research significance in employment reviews. Further, research available through searches on the Internet can promote contacts that are international in scope and interdisciplinary in reach.

Occasionally, there are circumstances in which you prefer that your dissertation not be published immediately. Such circumstances may include the disclosure of patentable rights in the work before a patent can be granted, similar disclosures detrimental to the rights of the author, or disclosures of facts about persons, institutions, or locations before professional ethics would permit.

The Dean of the Graduate Division may permit the dissertation to be withheld from full-text publication in eScholarship for a specified and limited period of time. An embargo of up to 2 years can be selected on the Final Signature eForm. Once you make a selection regarding an embargo, it may not be changed. Discuss the pros and cons of withholding your dissertation with your faculty committee and departmental advisors. For more information, see the memo Advising doctoral candidates on dissertation embargoes and eScholarship repository  (PDF).

Embargoes beyond the initial 2-year option must be requested pursuant to a petition process using the E mbargo Extension Petition Form . Extensions are granted at the discretion of the Graduate Division, and are based on substantiated circumstances of the kind indicated above and with the endorsement of and an explanatory letter from the chair of the dissertation committee (or, if the dissertation chair is unavailable, the current department chair). Be sure to submit the petition form with sufficient time (at least three months) prior to the expiration of your original embargo to ensure adequate processing time prior to your dissertation’s scheduled release. If a renewal request is submitted less than three months from when the original embargo is set to expire, the Graduate Division cannot guarantee that the request will be processed and granted in time to preclude your dissertation from being made publicly available. Please note that it is your responsibility to request an extension beyond the two-year maximum from both the University and separately through ProQuest/UMI if you would like to extend your embargo both on eScholarship and on ProQuest/UMI.

Changes are normally not allowed after a manuscript has been filed.  In exceptional circumstances, changes may be requested by having the chair of your dissertation committee submit a memo to the Associate Dean and sent to Graduate Services: Degrees, 318 Sproul Hall.  The memo must describe in detail the specific changes requested and must justify the reason for the request. Such requests will not be approved for typographical errors, acknowledgments, or other minor revisions. It is your responsibility to ensure that your manuscript is in its final form before submitting it. If such a request is approved, the changes must be made prior to the official awarding of the degree. Once your degree has been awarded, you may not make changes to the manuscript.

After your dissertation is accepted by Graduate Services: Degrees, it is held here until the official awarding of the degree by the Academic Senate has occurred. This occurs approximately two months after the end of the term. After the degree has officially been awarded, the manuscripts transmitted to the University Library and to ProQuest Dissertations Publishing.

Posting the Degree to Your Transcript

Your degree will be posted to your transcript approximately 10 weeks after the conferral date of your degree. You can order a transcript from the Office of the Registrar (https://registrar.berkeley.edu/academic-records/transcripts-diplomas/).

Your diploma will be available from the Office of the Registrar approximately 4 months after the conferral date of your degree. For more information on obtaining your diploma, visit the Registrar’s website.  You can obtain your diploma in person at the Office of the Registrar, 120 Sproul Hall, or submit a form and pay the current mailing fees to have it mailed to you.

Unclaimed diplomas are retained for a period of five (5) years only, after which they are destroyed.

  • The most common mistake is following a fellow (or previous) student’s example. Read the current guidelines carefully!
  • An incorrect committee — the committee listed on your title page (and on the final signature eform you will submit) must match your currently approved committee. If you have made any changes to your committee since Advancement to Candidacy, you must request an official change from the Graduate Division. Consult your departmental adviser for details.
  • Do not use a different name than that which appears in the system (i.e. the name on your transcript and Cal Central Profile ). Students are allowed to use a Lived Name, which can be updated by self-service in CalCentral.
  • Page numbers — Read the section on pagination carefully. Many students do not paginate their document correctly.
  • Page rotation — some pages may be rotated to a landscape orientation. However, page numbers must appear in the same place throughout the document (as if it were bound like a book).
  • If you have an approved designated emphasis, it must be listed on your title page  and  your abstract.
  • Do not include the signature/approval page in your dissertation. The abstract must be  unsigned .
  • Do not include previous degrees on your title page.
  • There should be no bold text on your title page.

In May 2005, the Graduate Council established new guidelines for the inclusion of mixed media content in dissertations. It was considered crucial that the guidelines allow dissertations to remain as accessible as possible and for the longest period possible while balancing the extraordinary academic potential of these new technologies.

The dissertation has three components: a core thesis, essential supporting material, and non-essential supplementary material.

Core Thesis.  The core thesis must be a self-contained, narrative description of the argument, methods, and evidence used in the dissertation project. Despite the ability to present evidence more directly and with greater sophistication using mixed media, the core thesis must provide an accessible textual description of the whole project.

The core thesis must stand alone and be printable on paper, meeting the formatting requirements described in this document. The electronic version of the thesis must be provided in the most stable and universal format available — currently Portable Document Format (PDF) for textual materials. These files may also include embedded visual images in TIFF (.tif) or JPEG (.jpg) format.

Essential Supporting Material.  Essential supporting material is defined as mixed media content that cannot be integrated into the core thesis, i.e., material that cannot be adequately expressed as text. Your faculty committee is responsible for deciding whether this material is essential to the thesis. Essential supporting material does  not include the actual project data. Supporting material is essential if it is necessary for the actual argument of the thesis, and cannot be integrated into a traditional textual narrative.

Essential supporting material  must  be submitted in the most stable and least risky format consistent with its representation (see below), so as to allow the widest accessibility and greatest chance of preservation into the future.

Non-essential Supplementary Material.  Supplementary material includes any supporting content that is useful for understanding the thesis, but is not essential to the argument. This might include, for example, electronic files of the works analyzed in the dissertation (films, musical works, etc.) or additional support for the argument (simulations, samples of experimental situations, etc.).

Supplementary material is to be submitted in the most stable and most accessible format, depending on the relative importance of the material (see below). Any supplemental material must be uploaded to the ProQuest website under the “Supplemental Files” section.

Note . ProQuest and the Library will require any necessary 3rd party software licenses and reprint permission letters for any copyrighted materials included in these electronic files.

The following is a list of file formats in descending order of stability and accessibility. This list is provisional, and will be updated as technologies change. Faculty and students should refer to the Graduate Division website for current information on formats and risk categories.

Category A:

  • TIFF (.tif) image files
  • WAV (.wav) audio files

Category B:

  • JPEG, JPEG 2000 (.jpg) image files
  • GIF (.gif) image files

Category C:

  • device independent audio files (e.g., AIFF, MIDI, SND, MP3, WMA, QTA)
  • note-based digital music composition files (e.g., XMA, SMF, RMID)

Category D:

  • other device independent video formats (e.g., QuickTime, AVI, WMV)
  • encoded animations (e.g., FLA or SWF Macromedia Flash, SVG)

For detailed guidelines on the use of these media, please refer to the Library of Congress website for digital formats at  http://www.digitalpreservation.gov/formats/index.shtml .

Q1: Can I file my dissertation during the summer?

A1: Yes. There are 2 ways to file during the summer:

  • Register for at least 1.0 unit through Berkeley Summer Sessions. With this option, you can file any time before the summer deadline .
  • Register the preceding spring semester. As long as you were registered in the spring, and have not used filing fee before, you will be allowed to file during the summer without additional fees or applications.

Q2: If I chose that option, does it matter which session I register in during the summer session?

A2: No. You can register for any of the sessions (at least 1.0 unit). The deadline will always be the last day of the last session.

Q3: If I file during the summer, will I receive a summer degree?

A3: Yes. If you file before the end of the summer sessions, you will receive a summer degree. Remember to write “Summer” on your title page!

Q1: I’ve seen other dissertations from former students that were / that had  __________, should I follow that format?

A1: No. The formatting guidelines can be changed from time to time, so you should always consult the most current guidelines available on our website. This question is most frequently asked in regard to the issue of double vs. single spacing.

Q2: I want to make sure that my dissertation follows the formatting rules. What’s the best way to do this?

A2: If you’ve read and followed the current guidelines available on our website, there shouldn’t be any problems. You can upload your dissertation as soon as it is in its final form. If any changes are necessary, you will be given the opportunity to make them without penalties. If you’ve heard horror stories from other students about formatting changes in their manuscripts, you’ve likely been talking to past students who didn’t follow the directions and had to print out their dissertations on expensive, archival paper. Current students submit their dissertations electronically and, as such, it’s much easier and more painless to make changes!

You are also always welcome to bring sample pages into the Graduate Degrees Office at 318 Sproul Hall to have a staff member look over your manuscript.

Q3:  Does my signature page need to be printed on some special paper?

A3: Signatures are now an eForm process. A physical signature page is no longer required.

Q1: I’m away from Berkeley. Is there any way to file my dissertation remotely?

A1: Yes! The whole process is done remotely.

Q2: Can I have a friend bring my dissertation materials for me?

A2: Yes. Please see the answer above regarding filing remotely.

Q3: I read something about needing to allow 4 days to review my dissertation. So what is the actual deadline?

A3: Two things must happen before the end of the business day on the stated deadline: 1) you must have uploaded your dissertation to the ProQuest website and 2) you must have completed all the checklist items that appear in CalCentral (final signature eform and 2 surveys). Though it is not recommended, you can do both of these things on the very last day.

Q4: So what’s this thing about the 4 days?

A4: As you might expect, the Degrees Office receives hundreds of dissertations near the end of the term (in fact, half of all dissertations are submitted during the final week). This means that it may take several days for us to review your dissertation. Don’t worry. You’ll get credit for the date that you uploaded your dissertation. However, it may take up to 4 business days to review your submission and, if everything is acceptable, provide you a Receipt of Filing.

Q5: Can I do the Final Signature eForm before I upload my dissertation?

A5: Yes. We won’t be able to finalize your filing until everything has been reviewed and approved, but you are welcome to do those in any order.

Q6: What’s a Receipt of Filing? Do I need one?

A6: The Receipt of Filing is an official document that we produce that certifies that you have successfully filed your dissertation on the specified day and that, if all other requirements are met, the date of the degree conferral.

Some students may need the receipt in order to prove to an outside agency that they have officially filed their dissertation. Many students simply keep the receipt as a memento. Picking up your receipt is not required.

Q7: What’s the difference between a Receipt of Filing and a Certificate of Completion?

A7: A Receipt of Filing is automatically produced for all students upon successful filing of their dissertation. However, it only certifies that the dissertation has been accepted. The Certificate of Degree Completion  must be requested. It will state that all requirements  have  been met and notes the date that the degree will be conferred. This is a useful document for students who file early in the semester and need some verification of their degree in advance of its conferral (note: degrees are only conferred twice each year).

Q8: How do I know if I’m eligible for a Certificate of Completion?

A8: In order to be eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion, you must:

  • Successfully file your dissertation (your online submission accepted as well as paperwork turned in)
  • Have a fully satisfied Academic Progress Report (APR). The APR all the degree requirements as noted by your department. If there are requirements showing as “unmet” but you believe you have completed, please contact your GSAO.
  • Pay all of your registration fees. While it may not necessarily hold up the production of your certificate, it is important that all fees are paid before the degree is conferred.

Q9: I’m supposed to bring in my approval letter for research with human subjects or vertebrate animals, but it turns out my research didn’t use this after all. What should I do?

A9: If your research protocol has changed since you advanced to candidacy for your degree, you’ll need to ask you dissertation chair to write a letter to the Graduate Division explaining the change. It would be best to submit this in advance of filing.

Q10: My dissertation uses copyrighted or previously published material. How do I get approval?

A10: The policy on this has recently changed. There is no need to for specific approval to be requested.

Q12: I uploaded my dissertation on the last day. What if I’m told I need to make changes?

A12: This won’t be a problem. If there are formatting issues that need to be resolved, you will be notified and be given the opportunity to make revisions – even if it is a few days after the deadline. As long as your dissertation was originally uploaded before the deadline. Obviously, we won’t be able to provide you a receipt (see Q above on Receipt of Filing) until everything has been finalized.

Q13: I found a typo in dissertation that has already been accepted! What do I do?

A13: Once a dissertation has been submitted and accepted, no further changes will be permitted. Proofread your document carefully. Do not upload a draft. In extreme circumstances, your dissertation chair may write a letter to the Graduate Division requesting additional changes to be made.

Q14: Oh no! A serious emergency has caused me to miss the filing deadline! What do I do? Are extensions ever granted?

A14: In general, no. In exceptional circumstances, the Head Graduate Advisor for your program may write to the Graduate Division requesting an extension. Requests of this type are considered on a case-by-case basis and, if granted, may allow you to file after the deadline. However, even if such an exception is granted you will receive the degree for the subsequent term. Your first step is to consult with your department if an emergency arises.

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6 Extension Request Templates for Students

dissertation extension letter

Magical for Extension request

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Being a student often means juggling multiple assignments, projects, and deadlines. Sometimes, you may need a little more time to deliver your best work. That's where our Student Extension Request templates come in. These templates are designed to help you communicate effectively with your professors or course coordinators, requesting extensions in a respectful and persuasive manner. They cover a range of scenarios, from unexpected personal circumstances to complex project requirements.

What templates are included in this Extension request pack?

Final exam extension request template.

Use this template when you need more time to prepare for a final exam. It communicates your dedication to the course and your desire to perform well.

General Extension Request Template

This template is your go-to for requesting an extension on any assignment or project. It communicates your need for additional time in a respectful and professional manner, while also expressing your commitment to the course.

Group Project Extension Request Template

This template is designed for situations where you and your group need more time to complete a project. It emphasizes the collective effort and the desire to produce high-quality work.

Personal Circumstances Extension Request Template

Use this template when personal circumstances have affected your ability to complete your work on time. It maintains a professional tone while conveying the seriousness of your situation.

Research Paper Extension Request Template

This template is ideal for requesting more time on a research paper. It highlights the complexity of the task and your commitment to thorough research and analysis.

Thesis Extension Request Template

This template is designed for situations where you need more time to complete your thesis. It emphasizes the importance of the task and your commitment to producing high-quality work.

More Student packs

dissertation extension letter

6 Financial Aid Inquiry Templates

5 letter of recommendation request templates, 5 resume review request templates, 4 student study group inquiry templates, 3 student note-taking templates, how can you personalize your extension request templates.

Magical allows you to personalize these templates with your recipients information like

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MedSci Communications

Asking for an Extension

by Dagmar Gross | Dec 11, 2019 | Writing Advice | 21 comments

dissertation extension letter

You’ve submitted your manuscript to a medical journal and you’re anxiously awaiting a decision. The editor emails you with a request to “Revise and Resubmit” (yaaay!), with what they consider “major” revisions (not so great, but still good!). And the journal’s deadline for resubmission is an automatically generated 3 weeks from the notification date – landing squarely on December 31 (boooo!), in the midst or end of the holidays, when you had planned to be away, or taking some well-deserved time off with family. Or the deadline is one month out, and there’s no way you’ll be able to complete the additional analyses, generate new figures, and revise the manuscript in that short a time frame.

While every reasonable attempt should be made to revise the manuscript and submit it by the deadline provided by the journal, sometimes it’s simply not feasible or do-able to meet that deadline. In case you weren’t aware – it is okay to request an extension on the submission deadline from the journal.

Yes, that’s right, one can ask for an extension. This shouldn’t be done routinely, but it is certainly a valid request in the circumstances I’ve described above. Or when the deadline falls in the middle of or immediately around a major industry conference that most authors will be attending and presenting at. Or when there are a dozen coauthors across 2 continents, who all need to provide approval, and several have travel or holidays planned close to the submission deadline.

How to go about requesting an extension? On many online manuscript submission sites, once the corresponding author has logged in, there’s actually a dedicated button for sending an email to the journal/editor. When you click on it, an email template is automatically generated. In some cases, the template even has a drop-down subject line list that includes an option for “requesting an extension” (how thoughtful!).

If this option does not exist within the manuscript submission site, then you would go to the decision email you received, hit ‘reply’, and send an email through your own program to the editor. Include “request for extension” and the manuscript reference number in the subject line of your email.

How to word this request? You’ll want to be tactful, respectful, and provide a sound reason for requesting the delay. Also convey that you’re very interested in making the revisions and are keen to have your paper re-considered for publication in the journal. Always remember, making the revisions and resubmitting the manuscript does not guarantee acceptance and publication. There may be further revision requests to address.

Also, always suggest a new deadline that you are confident you can meet. Ideally, it should not be more than four weeks later than the original resubmission deadline provided by the journal.

Here’s a sample request for extension that incorporates these suggestions:

Subject: Request for Extension for Manuscript #12345-R1

Dear Editorial Department,

RE: Manuscript #12345-R1, “Title Goes Here”

Thank you for your offer to revise and resubmit this manuscript for consideration for publication in <journal name>. We appreciate the detailed <thoughtful, insightful> comments made by the reviewers. We are currently working to thoroughly address their comments, and we have asked our statistician to assist with the requested revisions.

We note the deadline for resubmission is <date>. To fully address all of the reviewers’ comments in a manner that we hope will be satisfactory to them, and in light of travel commitments for some of the authors and the upcoming holidays <OR: and in light of most of the authors attending and presenting at the XY conference in City on Dates>, we would respectfully request a modest extension of the submission deadline to <suggest a date that is 2-4 weeks later>.

We hope this will be feasible, and we thank you for your consideration of this request.

Sincerely, Corresponding Author

Ideally, a request for an extension should be made as early as possible in the revision process, i.e., within a week of receiving the decision. However, sometimes you’ll have every intent of resubmitting within the deadline, but then circumstances beyond your control will delay the revision process and seriously compromise your ability to meet the deadline. Don’t wait to the last 48 hours – try to send in your request at least one week ahead of the deadline, and provide some kind of explanation about these circumstances that have delayed the revision.

Finally, it’s important to remember that the request for an extension of the resubmission deadline must come from the corresponding author.

I’d appreciate your feedback on this week’s tip and welcome suggestions for future weekly writing tips.

21 Comments

Uroos Akber

Excellent wording

Dagmar Gross

Thanks. Glad you found it helpful.

Ah Ismail

Thank you so much for the tips. A great sharing!

You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful.

Javad

It was very useful, thanks very much.

You’re welcome! Hope you’ll find useful information in my other blogs as well.

Glad to hear you’re finding my blogs helpful.

Glad you found it helpful.

Diane

Thank you very much!!! It was really helpful!!

Thanks Diane. It’s great to hear my blogs are helping someone.

It’s always good to hear people have found my Weekly Writing Tips helpful. Thank you!

K

What if after the extension time I would like to ask for further extension?

Hi K, that’s a tough question. One shouldn’t ask for a second extension unless there is a specific reason for your not being able to complete it by the first extension deadline. Examples might include the statistician or first author being away due to maternity leave, illness or such, or if it required you going into the data and reanalyzing everything (which you should have known when asking for the first extension). You’ll want to write the letter as above, but provide a more substantial reason.

J Jimenez Pernett

Thanks a lot for this writting advice!

Glad you found it helpful. If there are any other topics you’d like me to address, please leave a comment with your suggestions.

You’re welcome! Glad you found it helpful. If you have any other questions, or suggestions for other Weekly Writing Tips, I’d be pleased to consider them.

Mark

Very nice wording, but I would probably skip the ‘modest’ part; i.e., it’s not up to me to decide if the requested deadline is indeed modest (even when requesting a very short extension).

Good point Mark. This is a suggested template only. Each person should individualize it according to their own language style and preferences. I personally feel it’s “universally” modest if only asking for 2 weeks or less and am comfortable stating this.

dfgfg

thanks. It was really helpful.

Great to hear, Mohammad. You’re welcome!

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Extension to dissertation submission deadline - for postgraduate taught students

If you are unable to complete your dissertation by your current submission deadline, you can apply for an extension.

How do I apply?

Please complete Sections One, Two and Three of the below form, providing as much detail as possible, and submit to your School/Department office.

Following a consideration of the information (and documentary evidence provided - for more guidance on this, see below) a School/Department representative will either decide to approve or reject your application. In some circumstances, you may be asked to provice further information/documentary evidence before a final decision.

What are acceptable reasons for requesting an extension?

You should give as much detail as possible about your reasons for requesting an extension to your dissertation submission deadline.

Each School/Department have clear procedures for granting extensions, including guidance on circumstances that will and will not be considered acceptable. However examples of generally acceptable/unacceptable reasons are as follows:

Acceptable reasons

  • Major computer problems (eg failure of University networks)
  • Significant medical problems
  • Personal problems
  • Compassionate (eg family bereavement)

Unacceptable reasons

  • Minor computer problems (eg lost or damaged disks, printer breakdown)
  • Lost assignments
  • Desired books not in library
  • Unverifiable travel difficulties
  • Not realising deadline imminent

What supporting evidence do I need to provide?

You must include appropriate documentary evidence to support your reasons for requesting an extension. Some examples of appropriate supporting evidence are:

  • Medical certificate – if you were ill or had to take care of someone who was ill
  • Death certificate – if you have suffered a bereavement
  • Supporting letter from your employer – if you had work-related difficulties
  • Bank statements, payslips – if you had financial difficulties
  • Supporting letter from your School

What do I need to do if my dissertation extension deadline would take me over the maximum period of registration?

What if my application is rejected.

If your request for an extension is not approved, your original submission date will apply.

If you have not made sufficient progress with your dissertation to submit by this deadline, your School will need to make a recommendation for you at the next Board of Examiners meeting. If it is your first attempt at the dissertation, you will have the right to re-submit to a deadline agreed by the School, and your dissertation mark will then be capped at 50% for the purposes of classifying your final degree classification. If it is your second attempt at the dissertation, the Board of Examiners will make a recommendation based on the marks for modules that you have already completed. This will normally mean the award of an alternative qualification.

  • Extension to dissertation submission deadline application (DOCX-52kB)

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Sample Letters

Sample Letters

Writing an Impressive Extension Request Letter (Free Templates)

Having written many unique extension request letters, I’ve learned the nuances that can make your request compelling and successful. In this article, I’ll share my tips, personal experiences, and three proven templates you can use to craft your own extension request letter.

Key Takeaways

Key InformationDetails
Purpose of LetterTo request additional time to complete a task or obligation.
TonePolite, respectful, and professional.
Essential ElementsReason for the extension, new proposed deadline, appreciation for consideration.
Template IncludedYes, a customizable template provided.
Persuasive TipsBe honest, provide valid reasons, and show gratitude.

Understanding the Importance of an Extension Request Letter

An extension request letter is a formal document you send to request additional time to complete a task or fulfill an obligation. Whether it’s a project deadline, a bill payment, or a job assignment, asking for more time can be necessary due to unforeseen circumstances. The key is to ask in a way that is respectful and provides a valid reason.

My Experience with Extension Request Letters

Over the years, I have written numerous extension request letters for various reasons—project deadlines, academic assignments, and even personal obligations. One common factor in all these letters is the need to balance politeness with a compelling justification.

How to Structure Your Extension Request Letter

Here’s a structure that I’ve found particularly effective:

  • Address the recipient formally (e.g., “Dear Mr. Smith”).
  • Get straight to the point in the opening sentence.
  • Be honest and concise about why you need the extension.
  • Suggest a reasonable new deadline that you can meet.
  • Thank the recipient for considering your request.

Real-Life Example

Once, I had to request an extension for a major project due to an unexpected family emergency. Here’s a snippet of how I approached it:

“Dear Professor Jones, I am writing to request an extension for the research paper due on May 15th. Due to an unforeseen family emergency, I have been unable to dedicate the necessary time to complete the paper to the best of my ability. I am requesting an additional week to finalize my research and submit a quality paper. I sincerely appreciate your understanding and consideration.”

Tips from Personal Experience

  • Honesty builds trust. If you’re straightforward about why you need more time, your request is more likely to be granted.
  • Acknowledge the inconvenience your request may cause and assure them you are committed to meeting the new deadline.
  • Always thank the person for their time and consideration, regardless of the outcome.

Extension Request Letter Template

Here’s a customizable template you can use for your extension request letter:

[Your Name] [Your Address] [City, State, ZIP Code] [Email Address] [Phone Number] [Date]

[Recipient’s Name] [Recipient’s Position] [Company/Organization] [Address] [City, State, ZIP Code]

Dear [Recipient’s Name],

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request an extension for [specific task or obligation] which is currently due on [current deadline].

Due to [brief explanation of the reason], I am unable to complete it by the given deadline. I am kindly requesting an extension until [new proposed deadline] to ensure that I can deliver quality work.

I understand the impact this may have and appreciate your understanding and consideration. Thank you for your time and assistance in this matter.

[Your Name]

Final Thoughts

Writing an extension request letter can be daunting, but with the right approach, you can effectively communicate your needs and increase the chances of a favorable response. Remember to be polite, honest, and appreciative. Drawing from my extensive experience, these elements are crucial in crafting a successful request.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: what should i include in an extension request letter.

Answer : When I write an extension request letter, I always include the reason for needing more time, the new proposed deadline, and a brief outline of what I’ve accomplished so far to demonstrate my commitment to completing the task.

Q: How do I politely ask for an extension on a project deadline?

Answer : I find it effective to politely request an extension by acknowledging the original deadline, explaining my circumstances without making excuses, and expressing my continued dedication to delivering quality work within the new timeframe.

Q: Can I request an extension via email, or is a formal letter better?

Answer : In my experience, both formats can be appropriate, but I prefer using email for its convenience and speed, ensuring my message is clear, professional, and includes all necessary details just as I would in a formal letter.

Q: How early should I request an extension before the original deadline?

Answer : I always aim to request an extension at least a week in advance, giving my supervisor ample time to consider my request and allowing me to make necessary adjustments based on their response.

Q: What if my extension request is denied?

Answer : If my request for an extension is denied, I typically thank my supervisor for considering my request and immediately work on a revised plan to ensure I meet the original deadline, possibly seeking support or resources to help manage the workload.

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Please note that applications submitted after your submission deadline will be declined.

Doctoral, MSc and MLitt students please note that applications received any earlier than 3-6 months before the thesis submission deadline will be declined and you will be asked to reapply at the appropriate time.

Masters students, please note that applications received any earlier than 2 months before the thesis submission deadline will be declined and you will be asked to reapply at the appropriate time.

Applications should only be submitted if you know that you need additional time and not 'just in case' you do.

If you are a research student who is not self-funded, the terms and conditions of your funding may specify a thesis submission date that is earlier than your submission deadline displayed in CamSIS. If you are unable to meet your funder’s deadline you should discuss this with your funding scheme and supervisor as soon as possible. You only need apply for an extension through your CamSIS self-service if you are unable to submit your thesis by your University submission deadline.

Extension requests for coursework other than the thesis or dissertation (for example, essays, portfolio coursework, the First Year Assessment) should not be submitted via CamSIS - please contact your Department for advice on how to apply.

For taught courses, short deadlines which would not impact on the dates on which the marks would be considered by the Exam Board and Degree Committee can normally be considered locally - see below under 'Your submission date and how to apply'. 

Note that a longer extension may result in you completing and graduating later than the rest of your cohort, so you should seek clarification on the impact of this from your Department, Faculty or Degree Committee, particularly if the timing of your degree completion will have an impact on your future plans, such as further study, employment or visa applications. 

For all applications made via CamSIS self-service, each case is considered in line with the policy of the Postgraduate Committee, which is set out in the guidance on this page. 

Instructions on how to submit an application can be found on the   'Applying for a change in your student status' page.  Please check the guidance below before applying.

If you have any questions about applying for an extension, please submit a query here:  student-registry-help.admin.cam.ac.uk

All requests for an extension must include the following information:

Why has submission been delayed?

See sections below for valid and invalid reasons.

Why is it essential that you remain registered beyond your current submission date?

For example, do you need access to particular resources? If so, please specify which resources. Explanations need not be extensive, particularly where circumstances are relatively self-evident (e.g. if reason for needing an extension is you are still completing lab work).

For extensions on medical grounds, medical evidence must be provided. The medical evidence, including your Student Support Document if you choose to submit this in support of your application, will be referred with the rest of your application to Medical Advisors, who will confirm whether the extension is warranted.

You must provide sufficiently detailed contemporary evidence from a medically qualified practitioner, for example a doctor’s report. Where appropriate, evidence from an accredited counsellor may also be considered. The University is not able to cover the cost of medical documents submitted in support of an application. The evidence:

Examples might be a lab move, equipment failure or political unrest in a fieldwork area. The delay must be caused by something out of your own control.
Where there is a strong academic case that you are actively working on the final stages of your thesis and need a short extension to enable you to submit. You must provide a clear timeline for your submission and explain why it is essential for you to remain registered as a postgraduate student at this stage. 
Students who find themselves unable to study because of medical reasons or family emergencies should normally  . For this reason, extensions based on medical grounds or grave cause are normally limited to one month. If your application is for medical reasons, you will need to include supporting medical documents.
If you will be unable to submit your thesis by your submission deadline for disability-related reasons, you may apply, in advance, for an extension. You may find it helpful to discuss the timing of this and the impact of your disability on your academic work, with the  . You will need to provide clear specialist evidence in support of an application for an extension. If you receive support from the Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre, a Student Support Document or a supporting statement from them, will be taken into account when your application is considered.

It is recognised that pandemic, war/conflict, or natural disaster may have a significant impact on some students' progress. Students are required to provide a clear statement of the extent and nature of the impact to explain the amount of additional time needed. Acceptable reasons for an extension on grounds of pandemic, war/conflict, or natural disaster:

  • Visa issues
  • Medical issues or family circumstances, where a period of intermission should have been requested or a break from study is currently needed
  • Attending conferences
  • Writing/publishing papers
  • Undertaking further research, unless your supervisor, department or Degree Committee make a very strong academic case for this
  • A safety net 'just in case' additional time is needed
  • Employment - this includes employment if you are working while completing corrections to your thesis after your viva
  • Job applications
  • Not wishing to leave Cambridge
  • Continued funding
  • Poor planning -  it should be feasible to complete your research project within the maximum time-frame for your degree (for example, 4 years for a full-time PhD). Therefore reasons such as having collected too much data or a change of direction (unless due to circumstances outside your control) will not normally be considered valid
  • Wanting to incorporate new material at a late stage unless there is a very strong case for this material being  essential  to your thesis rather than merely enhancing its quality
  • Needing time for proofreading, editing or support with academic writing or wanting more time in order to improve the quality of your thesis  - students are expected to produce a thesis to the required standard within the normal time-frame for submission. In planning your thesis you should factor in time for proofreading/editing. 

Research students who do not submit their thesis by their submission date and do not have an extension approved, will be withdrawn from study. They may be able to apply for  reinstatement  when their thesis is ready for submission for examination but not to continue studying. Temporary withdrawal may not always be possible. You can find more information about the effects of withdrawal from study on the  Withdrawal from Study  page.

Students on taught Masters courses should contact their Department for information about the penalties applied for late or non-submission of work. 

PhD students are advised to read the information outlined on the International Student Office webpage:  https://www.internationalstudents.cam.ac.uk/immigration/student-visa/extending-your-visa-current-phd-student

 It is advisable for MPhil students to contact the International Student Office to check the implications of a change to your submission deadline. Some considerations include:

  • Graduate visa eligibility – you may no longer be eligible if your new deadline means that degree approval would not be considered on the same timeline as the rest of your cohort.
  • Student visa extension –   Masters students are not normally eligible for a student visa extension.
  • ATAS requirements – If ATAS is required for your course and nationality, a change in your course dates may mean that a new ATAS certificate is necessary.

The International Student Office can be contacted by emailing [email protected]

Your submission date (thesis/dissertation)

PhD, EdD, BusD, MSc and MLitt

4 years from admission date (full-time) or 7 years (part-time). Your submission date is under 'Thesis Submission Details' on the academic tile in your CamSIS self-service.

If your submission deadline falls over a weekend or holiday period you will still be required to submit by this date. 

via your CamSIS self-service account. Instructions can be found on the  

MPhil by Thesis within one year (full-time) or two years (part-time). Check with your Department. via CamSIS self-service account. Instructions can be found on the  
MPhil by Advanced Study/MEd/MRes/CPGS within one year (full-time) or two years (part-time). Check with your Department. contact programme administrator in Department in the first instance.  Short deadlines which would not impact on the dates on which the marks would be considered by the Exam Board and Degree Committee can normally be considered locally.  For longer extensions, students should initiate an application for an extension via their CamSIS self-service account (Instructions can be found on the ).

If applying for an extension to the deadline for submitting corrections to your doctoral thesis you need to apply in the same way. 

If your course does not include a dissertation and you have an extension for other work approved by your Department which means your marks cannot be considered by the Exam Board and Degree Committee with those of your cohort, please forward the approval for your extension to  [email protected]  so that we can update your record to show why this is still active beyond your original completion date.

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The Thesis Process

The thesis is an opportunity to work independently on a research project of your own design and contribute to the scholarly literature in your field. You emerge from the thesis process with a solid understanding of how original research is executed and how to best communicate research results. Many students have gone on to publish their research in academic or professional journals.

To ensure affordability, the per-credit tuition rate for the 8-credit thesis is the same as our regular course tuition. There are no additional fees (regular per-credit graduate tuition x 8 credits).

Below are the steps that you need to follow to fulfill the thesis requirement. Please know that through each step, you will receive guidance and mentorship.

1. Meet with Your Research Advisor

Upon admission to the program, set up an introductory meeting with your Research Advisor to discuss potential thesis topics as well as course selections that can support your thesis path. 

When you have completed between 24 and 32 credits, you work more intensively with your assigned Research Advisor to determine a specific thesis topic.

Log in to MyDCE , then ALB/ALM Community to schedule an appointment with your assigned Research Advisor via the Degree Candidate Portal.

Failure to work with your Research Advisor initially and then more intensively may result in your Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) Application not being approved (see below) and/or the selection of a different thesis topic.  

Thesis Topic Selection Guidelines

Every effort is made to support research interests that are grounded in your ALM course work, but faculty guidance is not available for all possible projects. Therefore, revision or a change of thesis topic may be necessary.

  • The above point about topic selection is particularly pertinent to scientific research (e.g., biology) that is dependent upon laboratory space, project funding, and access to private databases.
  • This point is also critical for our candidates in ALM, liberal arts fields (i.e., anthropology, English, government, history, international relations, psychology, and religion) who are required to have Harvard faculty direct their thesis projects. Review Harvard’s course catalog online ( My.Harvard.edu ) to be sure that there are faculty teaching courses related to your thesis topic. If faculty are not available, you will need to choose an alternative topic.
  • Your topic choice must be a new area of research for you. You cannot re-purpose prior research. If you want to draw or expand upon your own previously written scholarship for a small portion of your thesis, you need to obtain the explicit permission of your research advisor and cite the work in both the proposal and thesis. Violations of this policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

We’ve put together this guide  to help frame your thinking about thesis topic selection.

While it is natural to follow your interests in selecting a thesis topic, it is important to avoid choosing a topic where your own passions might produce insurmountable biases and assumptions. A thesis is not a piece of advocacy work where you are out to prove something that you already believe. Thesis projects must take a fair and balanced stance by bringing in differing points of view from respected scholars in the field. 

2. Prepare Your Crafting the Thesis Proposal Application

Once you and your Research Advisor have confirmed your thesis topic, the next step in the process is to prepare and submit the CTP Application in order to gain registration approval for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) tutorial or course.

The CTP Application process confirms that you have done enough prior reading and thinking about your thesis topic to generate a pertinent and answerable research question. Pre-CTP preparation is critical as it helps to ensure that you will benefit from and succeed in the CTP.

Application Approvals and Denials. Your Research Advisor will provide feedback on your CTP Application.  If your application is not approved after 3 submissions, your Research Advisor cannot approve your CTP registration. 

If not approved, you’ll need to take additional time for further revisions and submit a new CTP Application during the next CTP submission cycle (if your five-year degree completion date allows).

Application Eligibility Requirements. To be eligible to submit a CTP Application, you need to (1) be in good standing and (2) have completed a minimum of 32 degree-applicable credits, including the research methods/statistics and Engaging in Scholarly Conversation requirement, if required for your field.

Advising Note for Psychology Candidates View More

Students in psychology sometimes face difficulty securing necessary IRB approvals for certain projects. For this reason, Research Advisors will not approve proposals that raise significant concerns about feasibility. Such concerns include cases where projects would require the researcher to possess a level of expertise or experience exceeding documented capabilities, as well as instances where the researcher is unlikely to be able to obtain appropriate faculty supervision for a proposed topic, question, method, or procedure. You must schedule an appointment with your Research Advisor at least three months in advance of the CTP Application deadlines to discuss potential research projects to ensure adequate time for assistance in developing a viable project idea.

Advising Note for Biology and former Biotechnology and Bioengineering and Nanotechnology Candidates View More

Thesis projects in these fields are designed to support ongoing scientific research happening in Harvard University, other academic institutions, or life science industry labs and usually these are done under the direction of a principal investigator (PI). Hence, you need to have a thesis director approved by your research advisor  prior  to submitting CTP Application. Your CTP Application is then framed by the lab’s research. Schedule an appointment with your research advisor a few months in advance of the CTP Application deadlines in order to discuss potential research projects and thesis director assignment.

The CTP Application is sent to our central email box:  [email protected] by the following firm deadlines:

  • June 1 for fall CTP
  • November 1 for spring CTP.  
  • September 1 for the three-week January session (ALM sustainability candidates only)
  • International sustainability students who need a student visa to attend Harvard Summer School must be officially admitted to the degree program before February 1, must submit the CTP Application on February 1, and must register for the CTP course on March 1 in order to submit timely I-20 paperwork. See international students guidelines for more information.

3. Register and Successfully Complete Crafting the Thesis Proposal

Once your CTP Application is approved, you register for the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP) tutorial or course as you would any other degree requirement.

The goal of the CTP is to produce a complete, well-written draft of a proposal containing all of the sections required by your Research Advisor. Creating an academically strong thesis proposal sets the foundation for a high-quality thesis and helps garner the attention of a well-respected thesis director.

Thesis proposals typically include approximately 15 to 20 pages of text, in addition to any required reference sections, such as bibliographies and glossary/definition of terms.

Tutorial experience. The fall and spring CTP  tutorials are not courses in the traditional sense. Although there will be assignments for you to complete during the CTP, with due dates, and there will be times when you and your classmates meet as a group with your Research Advisor, there won’t be a regularly scheduled class meeting time for the CTP. 

The main work for the CTP will consist of your working independently on your proposal with your Research Advisor by submitting multiple drafts and scheduling individual appointments.

Grading. You need to make self-directed progress on the proposal without special prompting from the research advisor. You receive a final grade of SAT or UNSAT (failing grade).

You are expected to incorporate all of your Research Advisor’s feedback and be fully committed to producing an academically strong proposal leading to a thesis worthy of a Harvard degree. If you are unable to take advice from your Research Advisor, follow directions, or produce an acceptable proposal, you will not pass the CTP.

The CTP for sustainability is a three-week course in the traditional sense and you receive a letter grade, and it must be B- or higher to receive degree credit for the course.

Academic Integrity. Successful CTP completion also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our academic integrity guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

Maximum of two attempts . If you don’t pass the CTP, you’ll have — if your five-year, degree-completion date allows — just one more attempt to complete the CTP before being required to withdraw from the program. If you fail the CTP just once and have no more time to complete the degree, your candidacy will automatically expire. Please note that a WD grade counts as an attempt.

If by not passing the CTP you fall into poor academic standing, you will need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before enrolling in the CTP for your second and final time, but only if your five-year, degree-completion date allows. If you have no more time on your five-year clock, you will be required to withdraw from the program.

Human Subjects

If your thesis, regardless of field, will involve the use of human subjects (e.g., interviews, surveys, observations), you will need to have your research vetted by the  Committee on the Use of Human Subjects  (CUHS) of Harvard University. Please review the IRB Lifecycle Guide located on the CUHS website. Your research advisor will help you prepare a draft copy of the project protocol form that you will then finalize with your thesis director to send to the CUHS. 

Given the amount of time that can be required for IRB review, drafting of the required CUHS project protocol forms need to be started with your Research Advisor during the CTP tutorial, before a thesis director has been assigned.

4. Post-CTP Proposal Approval, Thesis Director Assignment, and Registration

Successfully completion of the CTP means you have completed a well-written full draft proposal. Ordinarily, this full draft is not a final accepted proposal. Most students reach the final accepted proposal stage by submitting additional changes and edits to their RA post-CTP.

Post-CTP Changes and Edits Deadline. We expect you to work diligently and quickly with your RA post-CTP to move from full draft to final proposal stage. Indeed, you should have an approved final proposal and be registered in the thesis soon after CTP completion, within weeks, but no later than 3 months. You cannot delay. If you take longer than 3 months after the CTP to register for the thesis, you may be required to retake the CTP.

Thesis Director Assignment. Once your RA has determined that your draft has reached the final proposal stage, you move to the thesis director assignment stage. The Research Advisor places you with a thesis director by sending out your final proposal to prospective Thesis Directors.

Do not approach faculty to ask about directing your thesis.  You may suggest names of any potential Thesis Directors to your Research Advisor, but it must be the Research Advisor who makes contact with them. (If they are eligible/available to direct your thesis, after you have an approved thesis proposal.) You are not permitted to approach faculty to ask them about directing your thesis.

Registration. When a Thesis Director has been identified or the thesis proposal has been fully vetted by the preassigned life science Thesis Director, you will receive a letter of authorization from the Assistant Dean of Academic Programs officially approving your thesis work and providing you with instructions on how to register for the eight-credit master’s thesis. The letter will also have a tentative graduation date as well as four mandatory thesis submission dates (see Thesis Timetable below).

When registering for the thesis, you will have two weeks to pay in full.  This is an eight-credit course, so be sure to have the necessary funds available when you register.

You must be good academic standing to register for the thesis. If not, you’ll need to complete additional courses to bring your GPA up to the 3.0 minimum prior to registration.

Thesis Submission Deadlines and Graduation Timetable

The thesis is a 9-to-12-month project that begins after the Crafting the Thesis Proposal (CTP); when your Research Advisor has approved your proposal and identified a Thesis Director.

The date for the appointment of your Thesis Director determines the graduation cycle that will be automatically assigned to you:

Thesis MilestoneFor May GraduationFor November GraduationFor February Graduation
March 1 – June 30August 15 – October 15November 1 – February 15

.
February 1July 15October 1
.

March 1August 15November 1

April 1September 15December 1
April 15October 1December 15
(see step 7 below).May 1October 7January 3

As you can see above, you do not submit your thesis all at once at the end, but in four phases: (1) complete draft to TD, (2) final draft to RA for format review and academic integrity check, (3) format approved draft submitted to TD for grading, and (4) upload your 100% complete graded thesis to ETDs.

Due dates for all phases for your assigned graduation cycle cannot be missed.  You must submit materials by the date indicated by 5 PM EST (even if the date falls on a weekend). If you are late, you will not be able to graduate during your assigned cycle.

If you need additional time to complete your thesis, you need to formally request an extension by emailing that petition to:  [email protected] .  Regardless of when you started, the maximum allotted time to complete your thesis, including any granted extensions of time is 12 months.

Advising Tip to Meet Your Five-Year Deadline: The last possible time you can register for the CTP to meet your five-year deadline date is the fall term two years prior or, if a sustainability student, in the January session one year prior. It is not, however, recommended to wait this long. Indeed, it is vigorously discouraged.

For example, if your five-year deadline is May 2026:

  • Complete the CTP in fall 2024 (or in January 2025, if a sustainability student)
  • Be assigned a Thesis Director (TD) in March/April 2025
  • Begin the 9–12-month thesis project with TD
  • Submit a complete draft of your thesis to your TD by February 1, 2026
  • Follow through with all other submission deadlines (April 1, April 15 and May 1 — see table above)
  • Graduate in May 2026

5. Working with Your Thesis Director

You must work diligently and independently, following the advice of your Thesis Director in a consistent, regular manner equivalent to full-time academic work to complete both the research and the writing phases of your thesis by your required timeline.

You are expected to incorporate all of your Thesis Director’s feedback and be fully committed to producing an academically strong thesis worthy of a Harvard degree. If you are unable to take advice from your Thesis Director, follow directions, or produce an acceptable scholarly thesis product, you will not receive a passing grade.

You are required to produce at least 50 pages of text (not including front matter and appendices). Chapter topics (e.g., introduction, background, methods, findings, conclusion) vary by field.

Once registered in the thesis, we will do a 3-month check-in with you and your Thesis Director to ensure progress is being made. If your Thesis Director reports little to no progress, the Dean of Academic Programs reserves the right to issue a thesis not complete (TNC) grade (see Thesis Grading below).

6. Thesis Template, Format Review, and Academic Integrity Check

All ALM thesis projects must written in Microsoft Word and follow a specific Harvard Extension School format. A properly formatted thesis is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without it.

You are required to use the Extension School  ALM Thesis Template  or the Extension School ALM Thesis Template for Creative Writing  (specifically designed for creative writing degree candidates). The template has all the mandatory thesis formatting built in.

Besides saving you a considerable amount of time as you write your thesis, the template ensures that your submitted thesis meets the mandatory style guidelines for margins, font, title page, table of contents, and chapter headings. If you use the template, format review should go smoothly, if not, a delayed graduation is highly likely.

Your Research Advisor will complete the format review  prior  to submitting your thesis to your Thesis Director for final grading according to the Thesis Timetable (see above).

Academic Integrity. Format review also includes a check on the proper use of sources according to our  academic integrity  guidelines. Violations of our academic integrity policy will be referred to the Administrative Board.

7. Mandatory Thesis Archiving

Once your thesis is finalized, meaning that the required grade has been earned and all edits have been completed, you must upload your thesis to Harvard University’s electronic thesis and dissertation submission system (ETDs).

Uploading your thesis ETDs is an explicit degree requirement; you cannot graduate without completing this step. Furthermore, no changes to the thesis are allowed once it has been graded and archived in ETDs.

The thesis project will be sent to several downstream systems:

  • Your work will be preserved using Harvard’s digital repository DASH (Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard).
  • Metadata about your work will be sent to HOLLIS (the Harvard Library catalog).
  • Your work will be preserved in Harvard Library’s DRS2 (digital preservation repository).

By submitting work through ETDs @ Harvard you will be signing the Harvard Author Agreement. This license does not constrain your rights to publish your work subsequently. You retain all intellectual property rights.

For more information on Harvard’s open access initiatives, we recommend you view the Director of the Office of Scholarly Communication (OSC), Peter Suber’s brief introduction .

Thesis Grading

You need to earn a grade of B- or higher in the thesis. If you fail to complete substantial work on the thesis, you will earn a grade of TNC (thesis not complete). If you have already earned two withdrawal grades, the TNC grade will count as a zero in your cumulative GPA.

If you earn a grade below B-, you will need to petition the Administrative Board for permission to attempt the thesis for a second and final time. The petition process is only available if you are in good academic standing and your five-year, degree-completion date allows for more time. Your candidacy will automatically expire if you do not successfully complete the thesis by your required date.

If approved for a second attempt, you may be required to develop a new proposal on a different topic by re-enrolling in the CTP and being assigned a different thesis director. Tuition for the second attempt is calculated at the current year’s rate.

If by not passing the thesis you fall into poor academic standing, you’ll need to take additional degree-applicable courses to return to good standing before re-engaging with the thesis process for the second and final time. This is only an option if your five-year, degree-completion date allows for more time.

The Board only reviews cases in which extenuating circumstances prevented the successful completion of the thesis.

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York Graduate Research School

dissertation extension letter

If unexpected circumstances are affecting your ability to work, you may be permitted to extend your progression or confirmation of enrolment deadline, or your submission deadline. 

There is no guarantee that you will be able to extend your programme, especially if the unexpected circumstances could have been remedied with a  Leave of Absence  at an earlier stage. Full details of permissible circumstances for extensions can be found in the  Policy on Research Degrees . 

Type of extensionExtension periodApplication window
Extensions to progression or confirmation of enrolment Maximum two months (four months in exceptional circumstances) Apply within two months of your existing deadline
Extensions to submission Maximum six months (up to one year in exceptional circumstances) Apply within three months of your submission deadline*

*Your submission deadline is your original submission deadline or your deadline for re-submitting your thesis where you receive a revise and resubmit outcome at the first attempt, or your corrections deadline. 

Multiple extensions exceeding a total period of two years will not normally be granted.

Applying for an extension

Applications for extensions should be made before your current progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission deadline.

If you need to apply for an extension to a progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission deadline, you should speak to your supervisor. If you decide an extension is appropriate, you should agree a proposed extension date. This date should be justified by the circumstances and approved by your departmental Graduate Chair.

You should then complete a PGR Special Cases 'Change of Plan' request form:

PGR Special Cases 'Change of Plan' request form

The forms ask you to provide:

  • a detailed account of the present state of the thesis or dissertation (submission only)
  • detailed reasons for completion being delayed
  • a detailed timetable for the completion of outstanding work agreed with the supervisor (submission only)
  • the proposed extended progression, confirmation or submission date agreed with the supervisor
  • supporting evidence (see below); your request will not be considered without this.

You may need the agreement of your funding body before an extension request can be approved.

[email protected] +44 (0)1904 325962 Student Hub, Information Centre Basement, Market Square

You must provide supporting evidence with your extension request. You should submit copies of any evidence along with the extension of submission form.

Evidence may include:

  • A medical certificate or doctor’s or counsellor’s letter detailing your medical circumstances. This should include the duration and expected duration.
  • A medical certificate or doctor’s or counsellor’s letter detailing a dependant's medical circumstances.
  • A death certificate or other dated evidence of bereavement.
  • Confirmation of maternity (MAT B1 form).
  • A letter from an employer giving details of exceptional or unexpected employment commitments.

Sensitive information

Whilst it is encouraged that students share as much as they can with their department wherever possible, sometimes a student will not want to make their particular personal circumstances known to their department.

If this is the case then the student should submit their request in the normal way (i.e. submitting the form to their supervisor for approval and then the departmental Graduate Chair for departmental approval) but declare in their statement that they have submitted a separate statement and evidence directly to the Special Cases Officer in PGR Administration.

Sensitive information should be sent directly via email to  [email protected] .

Your request will be reviewed by PGR Special Cases. They may:

  • Grant an extension outright;
  • Grant an extension shorter than requested;
  • Grant an extension with no possibility of further extension;
  • Grant an extension subject to special conditions;
  • Reject an extension outright.

PGR Special Cases will then inform you of their decision via email. This will confirm your new progression, confirmation of enrolment or submission date. This will also define any conditions attached to the extension, and detail any fees payable.

Computing and library access

For extensions to submission, you will have access to computing and library facilities for the period of the extension. Your access will end after your thesis has been submitted for examination.

Depending on your circumstances, you may have to pay a continuation fee following an extension to submission. You will be advised of this when your extension is confirmed.

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COMMENTS

  1. PDF Request for Extension to Thesis/Dissertation Deadline

    Reason for Extension Request (to be completed by committee chair): Please attach more pages if needed. I hereby request an extension of the deadline to submit my thesis/dissertation and all required graduation documentation to the WTAMU Graduate School. I understand that extensions are granted only on a case-by-

  2. How to Get Dissertation Deadline Extension

    You can either work day and night with the aid of energy drinks to get your paper completed to an acceptable level or obtain a deadline extension to give yourself more time to do the research work and write your paper to the highest quality standard. This brief piece will help you get a dissertation extension and blow away your doubts.

  3. Sample Request Letter for Extension DocumentsHub.Com

    Sample Letter Request For Extension of Thesis/ research work Submission. Request an extension of your thesis submission date. Sample Letter Requesting Extension of Time [Your Name] [Date] [Recipient's Name] [Recipient's Address] Subject: Extension Request Dear [Recipient's Name], I am writing to request a brief extension of time for [briefly state the reason].

  4. Free Letter Requesting Extension of Time Samples

    Essential Components of an Extension Request Letter. Polite Tone: Start with a courteous greeting and maintain a respectful tone throughout the letter. Clear Purpose: State the purpose of your letter in the first paragraph. Specific Details: Mention the original deadline and the length of the extension you are requesting.

  5. 5 Ways to Write a Letter Asking for an Extension

    1. Write the letter as soon as you can. As soon as you know you will need an extension, immediately begin preparing your letter. You need to give the recipient as much time as possible to make a decision about your situation. You also want to appear prepared, despite asking for an adjustment to the schedule. [6] 2.

  6. Application for Extension of Time for PhD

    When drafting a letter to request an extension of time for a PhD, clarity and politeness are key. Clearly state your name, department, and roll number, along with the duration of the extension and the reason for it. Express gratitude and sincerity in your request, and close the letter respectfully. Table of Contents: Sample Letter

  7. Request an extension of your thesis submission date

    PGR Extension of Thesis Submission Form [XLS 133KB] Criteria: You may request an extension of up to one year if your studies are being affected by circumstances beyond your control. Extensions can be granted in periods of whole months. Extensions may be permitted for a number of reasons, including illness, maternity/paternity/adoption leave ...

  8. PDF Dissertation/Thesis Submission Deadline Extension Signature Form

    No extension has been granted until you receive a response to the form you submit online. Last name: First name: Student ID Number: Graduate program: I hereby request an extension of the deadline to submit my dissertation or thesis and completion forms to the Laney Graduate School.

  9. Dissertation Extension Requests

    A dissertation extension request of more than 14 days, or 21 days for students with an ARUAA, but no more than 3 months, should be applied for via Extenuating Circumstances, within the Faculty. See information about the Extenuating Circumstances policy and procedure, and the downloadable application form. Only in exceptional circumstances will ...

  10. Petition for an Extension

    A petition for an extension of a Graduate student career beyond the established time limits consists of . formal letter of request to the Graduate Dean; completion plan; Letter. The letter will demonstrate that the student is in good standing. ... taken all required preliminary exams and thesis proposal exams required by the department.

  11. Dissertation Writing and Filing

    Embargoes beyond the initial 2-year option must be requested pursuant to a petition process using the Embargo Extension Petition Form. Extensions are granted at the discretion of the Graduate Division, and are based on substantiated circumstances of the kind indicated above and with the endorsement of and an explanatory letter from the chair of ...

  12. 6 Extension Request Templates for Students for free

    Subject: Extension Request for Thesis Submission Dear Professor's Name, I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to request an extension for my thesis submission, due on Due Date. The scope of my research has expanded, and I need additional time to ensure a comprehensive and well-structured thesis.

  13. Asking for an Extension

    Sincerely, Corresponding Author. Ideally, a request for an extension should be made as early as possible in the revision process, i.e., within a week of receiving the decision. However, sometimes you'll have every intent of resubmitting within the deadline, but then circumstances beyond your control will delay the revision process and ...

  14. PDF Extension: Letter Template

    Position School/College Australian National University Email Address. DD Month YYYY. Head of Agency Agency/Department Email address. r]To whom it may concern,As the chair of the supervisory panel for Sir Roland Wilson (SRW) PhD scholarship holder [scholar's name], I am writing to support their request for an extension to their scholarship.

  15. Extensions Procedure for Postgraduate Research Students March 2021

    g. To apply for an extension the candidate must formally apply and provide details of what stage the thesis has reached, the reason/s for the delay including details of the mitigating circumstances, an assessment of the time required for the thesis to be submitted with a full work plan and an assurance that the thesis will be submitted by

  16. Extension to dissertation submission deadline

    If it is your first attempt at the dissertation, you will have the right to re-submit to a deadline agreed by the School, and your dissertation mark will then be capped at 50% for the purposes of classifying your final degree classification. If it is your second attempt at the dissertation, the Board of Examiners will make a recommendation ...

  17. Writing an Impressive Extension Request Letter (Free Templates)

    Start with a Polite Greeting. Address the recipient formally (e.g., "Dear Mr. Smith"). State Your Purpose Clearly. Get straight to the point in the opening sentence. Explain the Reason for Your Request. Be honest and concise about why you need the extension. Propose a New Deadline.

  18. Extending your submission date

    Extending your submission date Please note that applications submitted after your submission deadline will be declined. Doctoral, MSc and MLitt students please note that applications received any earlier than 3-6 months before the thesis submission deadline will be declined and you will be asked to reapply at the appropriate time. Masters students, please note that

  19. The Thesis Process

    The CTP for sustainability is a three-week course in the traditional sense and you receive a letter grade, and it must be B- or higher to receive degree credit for the course. ... You are required to use the Extension School ALM Thesis Template or the Extension School ALM Thesis Template for Creative Writing (specifically designed for creative ...

  20. Extensions

    Extension period. Application window. Extensions to progression or confirmation of enrolment. Maximum two months (four months in exceptional circumstances) Apply within two months of your existing deadline. Extensions to submission. Maximum six months (up to one year in exceptional circumstances) Apply within three months of your submission ...

  21. PDF Applications to extend the deadline for the submission of dissertations

    DISSERTATION AND COURSEWORK EXTENSIONS NOTES FOR GUIDANCE Contact: [email protected] EAMC Page 1 of 5 v1.0 2021-2022 Applications to extend the deadline for the submission of dissertations and other coursework Notes for Guidance for Staff and Students 2021-22 These guidance notes are intended to complement the relevant University Ordinances.