Suspension, leave and extension of the PhD
During your PhD
Certain circumstances may require you to temporarily suspend your doctoral career, postpone the start of the Programme or request additional time to complete the PhD. These situations follow different procedures and should be communicated as early as possible.
Suspend
Temporarily interrupt an already active doctoral career
Postpone
Defer the starting date of your doctoral pathway
Extend
Obtain additional time beyond the ordinary duration of the PhD
01 · Suspension and postponement
When can the PhD career be suspended?
FAMILY LEAVE
Maternity, paternity and family-related leave
Maternity, paternity, adoption and foster-care situations are managed in accordance with current legislation and the provisions applying to the doctoral career.
HEALTH
Illness or injury
A suspension may be requested in the case of documented illness or injury lasting more than 30 days.
OTHER CASES
Other documented circumstances
Other cases include teaching-qualification courses and situations provided by law, serious documented personal or family reasons, delays in obtaining an entry visa and, in specific cases, the probationary period following permanent employment in the public administration.
Maximum period
6
months
Maximum duration under the current general rule
Under the current UNICAM Regulations, suspension of the career or postponement of the start date may be granted for a maximum of six months, provided that this is compatible with the type and conditions of the scholarship or funding.
02 · Request procedure
Submit the request promptly and formally
1
Inform your Supervisor and Programme Coordinator as soon as the need arises.
2
Complete the appropriate request and attach the documentation supporting the reason.
3
The request is submitted to the Academic Board for the required academic assessment.
4
Wait for completion of the applicable academic and administrative procedure.
Serious personal or family reasons
An additional approval is required
Where suspension or postponement is requested for serious and documented personal or family reasons, the request is also subject to approval by the S.A.S. Board.
03 · During the suspension
The doctoral timetable is shifted accordingly
Career
Administrative deadlines are deferred for a period corresponding to the authorised suspension.
Scholarship
If a scholarship is awarded, its disbursement is deferred for a period corresponding to the suspension, subject to the applicable funding conditions.
Training
The Academic Board determines how any training activities missed during the suspension must be recovered.
05 · Extension of the PhD
Additional time beyond the ordinary duration
PROVEN REASONS
Up to 12 additional months
Where proven reasons prevent the doctoral thesis from being submitted within the ordinary duration of the Programme, the Academic Board may grant, upon request, an extension of up to twelve months without additional financial burdens for UNICAM.
SCIENTIFIC NEEDS
Extension with corresponding scholarship
For justified scientific needs, an extension of up to twelve months may also be approved with a corresponding extension of the scholarship, provided that the necessary financial coverage is identified.
18
months
Overall limit for extension and suspension
Under the current Regulations, periods of extension and suspension may not normally exceed eighteen months in total, except in specific cases provided for by law.
Do not confuse the procedures
Extension is different from revisions requested by external reviewers
An extension of the PhD Programme concerns the duration of the doctoral career. A postponement of the final examination following the external review of the thesis is instead part of the thesis-review procedure.
Forms and documents
Download the appropriate form
SUSPENSION
General suspension request
Use the general form for a request to suspend the doctoral career.
MATERNITY
Maternity suspension request
Specific form for suspension related to maternity.
PARENTAL LEAVE
Parental leave / maternity form
Specific form for parental leave and related maternity cases.
Additional forms and declarations are available in the general administrative forms section.
Before submitting a request
Check these four points
1
Reason
Clearly identify the circumstance supporting the request.
2
Dates
Indicate the proposed starting and ending dates.
3
Documentation
Attach the evidence required for your specific case.
4
Funding
Check any conditions linked to your scholarship or project.