Milestone Extension
Requests for an extension of milestone due date can be requested by the candidate no later than 2 weeks before the official milestone due date. Extensions will only be approved where the candidate experiences research-related events which have direct impact on the progress of research (refer UQ policy Higher Degree by Research Candidature Progression). Milestone extensions vary across HDR programs as follows:
- PhD candidates who attained the Confirmation milestone prior to 1 January 2019 may apply for up to 3 x 3 month (FTE) milestone extensions during their candidature, including submission.
- PhD candidates who commenced from 1 January 2019 may apply for up to 2 x 3 month (FTE) milestone extensions during their candidature, including submission.
- MPhil candidates may apply for up to a maximum of 4.5 months (FTE) during their candidature, including submission, with no request exceeding 3 months in duration.
The Graduate School will only consider extensions made on the basis of research-related delays. Examples of acceptable research-related issues include unexpected experimental results, the emergence of new literature, or delays in gaining ethical approval. In instances where personal circumstances (health or work commitments ) are slowing progress, candidates should instead consider options for part-time enrolment or a formal interruption to candidature.
Completing a milestone after the due date – without an approved extension – has no impact on the due date for subsequent milestones; milestone due dates are based on the candidate’s commencement date, not the date on which the milestone was attained.