Early or late submission
Early submission
More than one month before your standard end counts as early and needs permission. Discuss it with supervisors and IPC. Hold a formal IPC-chaired meeting attended by all supervisors, ensuring it is in your interests and your decision. You must not be pressured to submit early.
Use RD-ES. The framework says School RDC approval; Regulation D5.4 says RDEB consideration. Ask the School and Operations Team to confirm the full approval route before submitting.
There is no fee reduction; §4.1 notes a possible stipend effect, so confirm funding separately. Permission does not predict the exam outcome. The specialist PhD by Published Works submission window is three to twelve months.
Late submission
A thesis submitted after the agreed end date is not automatically put forward for examination. The RDEB considers it at its next available meeting. Its decision should be communicated within five working days of that meeting.
Send the Operations Team:
- A detailed explanation of the unexpected circumstances.
- Why applying for an extension before the maximum end was difficult or impossible.
- A DoS supporting statement explaining circumstances and actions taken to support you.
Contact the DoS/Operations Team immediately. This process is not permission to plan for lateness. If you foresee a problem, use Grace period or Extending maximum registration at the appropriate time.
For late post-viva work use Extending a corrections deadline and Completing corrections.
Sources: Framework §§4.1, 6.4, pp. 38, 65–66; D5.4. Framework · Regulation D5.4 · Open issue.