go to main contents
Search
URV

Duration of study programme: Change from full-time to part-time status or vice versa

  • DESCRIPTION: Students may follow a doctoral programme either full time or part time.
     

    For students who started their doctoral studies prior to or during the academic year 2022-23, the duration is as follows:

    Full-time → Maximum duration of three years
    Part-time → Maximum duration of five years

    For students who started their doctoral studies during or after the academic year 2023-24, the duration is as follows:

    Full-time → Maximum duration of four years
    Part-time → Maximum duration of seven years

    Students who have accredited a minimum degree of disability of 33%, the duration is as follows:

    Part-time → Maximum duration of six years
    Full-time → Maximum duration of nine years


    If there is no obligation to study full-time (e.g. because the student has a trainee research staff contract, is the beneficiary of a grant the conditions of which stipulate full time study, needs to obtain a visa, etc.), the student is advised to study part-time because this means they will have a longer period of time to prepare their doctoral thesis.

Administrative procedure

Who

The doctoral student or authorized individual on presentation of the necessary identification.

Doctoral students with a trainee researcher or grant-holder contract requiring full-time status may not apply for part-time status. However, they can apply for such status after the contract or grant has concluded. In these cases, the change of status will be effective as of the academic year in which it is requested and approved by the academic committee.

Where

Through the online administrative procedures on the Intranet of the URV.

If the student does not have access to the online procedures, they can submit their application to the online registry of the Universitat Rovira i Virgili or to any of its auxiliary registries.

When

At any time during the academic year but no later than three months before the deadline for depositing the doctoral thesis.  The doctoral student can consult the deadline on SAD.

How

By submitting An application  form addressed to the chair of the academic committee of the doctoral programme.

Cost

None.

Observations

  • The Campus/Faculty/School Secretariat will process their application with the corresponding academic committee.

  • Students who have started their studies before or during the academic year 2022-23 and who, during the ordinary thesis preparation period, prior to any extensions, have been registered for at least one academic year as a part-time student, will have 5 years to prepare their thesis, starting from their first date of registration.

  • Students who have started their studies during or after the academic year 2023-24 and who, during the ordinary period of preparation of the thesis, prior to the extensions, have been registered for at least one academic year as a part-time student, will have 7 years to prepare their thesis, starting from their first date of registration.

    If any of these students has a degree of disability of 33% or more, instead of 7 years they will have 9 years to complete their thesis from their first date of registration.

​​                                                                                                    

Resolution of the application

Who

The academic committee of the doctoral programme. In the event of an unfavourable resolution for technical reasons, the corresponding technical body, as delegated by the academic committee, will decide.

When

When required.

How

  • The academic committee assesses the application and, if necessary, accepts it, signs the document electronically and sends it by email to the campus/faculty/school secretariat for academic management.
     
  • The campus/faculty/school secretariat for academic management updates the information in the student's file and sends them the corresponding resolution by electronic notification. It will send a copy of this resolution to the Doctoral School, to the secretary's office of the corresponding department and to the doctoral programme coordinators.

Observations

  • For students who started their doctoral studies before or during the academic year 2022-23:

    • If they request a change from full time to part time during the first extension, the extension will be two years, but the period before the extension will not be recalculated and will remain three years.

    • Students cannot request a change from full time to part time during the second extension, because it has no effect on the calculation of academic progress.

  • For students who started their doctoral studies during or after the academic year 2022-23:
    • During the extension period, students cannot request a change in full/part time status because it has no corresponding effect on their course load status.
  • The resolution will remain valid for the duration of the programme.

  • Doctoral students must maintain their administrative relationship with the URV by registering annually up until the moment when they deposit and defend their doctoral thesis.