1. Applications for admission as a Graduate Student shall be sent to the Secretary of the Board of Graduate Studies.
2. Each application shall include:
3. Exceptionally, a person who is not a graduate of a university or similar institution may be admitted as a Graduate Student if he or she submits evidence of general educational qualification satisfactory to the Board.
4. The Secretary of the Board shall communicate each application for admission as a Graduate Student to the Secretary of the Degree Committee for the Faculty or other approved institution with which the proposed course of research or study appears to be most nearly connected, subject to the approval of the Board in cases coming under Regulation 3. The Degree Committee shall consider the application and shall communicate their opinion thereon to the Secretary of the Board. If the Degree Committee agree to decline the application it shall fail, and the Secretary shall so inform the applicant. If the Degree Committee agree to recommend approval of the application, and confirm that appropriate facilities are available for the applicant’s proposed course of research or study, their recommendation shall be considered by the Board, who shall decide upon the application. If the Board approve an applicant for admission as a Graduate Student the applicant’s name shall be entered on the Register of Graduate Students.
5. The Board shall determine the conditions of each applicant's admission as a Graduate Student, the term from which he or she is admitted, and the conditions of his or her registration as a candidate for a degree or other qualification, if any, after considering recommendations by the Degree Committee. Before declining a recommendation that a student be registered as a candidate for a particular degree or other qualification the Board shall give a representative appointed by the Degree Committee an opportunity of explaining the Committee's reasons for their recommendation. The Board shall have power after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee:
provided that, before exercising any of the powers conferred by clauses (a)–(g) above in a manner contrary to the Degree Committee's recommendation, the Board shall give a representative appointed by the Degree Committee an opportunity of explaining the Committee's reasons for their recommendation.
6. Admission as a Graduate Student shall not have effect in respect of any period before the term in which the student was admitted to a College and was matriculated, except as provided in Regulations 1(d) and 2 of the regulations for the Ph.D., Eng.D., Ed.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees.
7. A Graduate Student shall not be admitted as a candidate for any University Studentship, Scholarship, Exhibition, Prize, Medal, or other such emolument, which is open only to undergraduates. For the purpose of any regulation respecting the standing of candidates for any other emolument, the term from which a student not a graduate of the University is admitted as a Graduate Student shall be counted as his or her tenth term, and an allowance of terms made by the Council under Regulation 2 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees, and Ed.D. Degree or under Regulation 3 of the regulations for the Eng.D. Degree, shall count in calculating such a student's standing for the purpose of this regulation. Any term during which a student had leave to intermit his or her course of research or study under Regulation 1(c) of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees, or any period of intermission allowed under Regulation 5 of the regulations for the M.Phil. Degree or under Regulation 5 for the regulations for the M.Res. Degree, shall not count unless the Board shall have decided otherwise.
8. Each Graduate Student shall pursue either
A Degree Committee shall be responsible to the Board for the general supervision of the work of each Graduate Student under their care, and shall appoint a Supervisor for each such student. The Degree Committee shall, for such courses of research or training as the Board shall determine, also appoint an Adviser. The Board shall prescribe such duties of the Supervisor and Adviser as it deems necessary for the supervision of Graduate Students. All appointments of Supervisors and Advisers shall be communicated by the Degree Committee to the Secretary of the Board and to the Supervisor or Adviser, and the Board shall have power to make representations to the Degree Committee about any particular appointment.
Each Supervisor shall send to the Secretary of the Board, for communication to the Degree Committee concerned, a written report on the work of each Graduate Student under her or his charge. Such a report shall be sent
9. The Degree Committee concerned shall have power to require a Graduate Student to take a progress examination. The form of the examination shall be subject to approval by the Board. Any such examination shall be held not later than the end of the vacation following the second term after the term of the student's admission as a Graduate Student or at a time to be determined by the Board. For Graduate Students registered for the part-time Ph.D., Ed.D., M.Litt., or M.Sc. Degrees the progress examination shall be not later than the fourth term after the term of the student's admission. The Board, after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee, shall determine how many, if any, of the terms previous to an examination under this regulation shall be counted for the purpose of Regulation 1 of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees, and Regulation 4 of the regulations for the M.Phil. Degree, and Regulation 4 of the regulations for the M.Res. Degree.
It shall be the duty of the Examiners for the examination so approved to report in writing to the Degree Committee. The Degree Committee shall forward such reports to the Secretary of the Board.
The payment to any Examiner who is not a University officer (other than an Associate Lecturer who receives no stipend from the University) shall be fixed by the Board after considering a recommendation by the Degree Committee.
10. The Board shall have the power to remove any Graduate Student from the Register of Graduate Students:
11. (a) A Graduate Student who is registered as a candidate for the Ph.D., M.Litt. or M.Sc. Degree shall pay the University Composition Fee as determined by Regulation 10 of the regulations for University Composition Fees for each term up to and including the term in which he or she submits a dissertation or a revised dissertation for the Ph.D., M.Litt. or M.Sc. Degree, up to a maximum of nine terms if a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree or six terms if a candidate for the M.Litt. or M.Sc. Degree. The maximum number of terms shall not include any term allowed to be counted under Regulation 5(d).
(b) A Graduate Student who is registered as a candidate for the M.D. Degree shall pay the University Composition Fee as determined by Regulation 10 of the regulations for University Composition Fees for the course.
(c) A Graduate Student who is registered as a candidate for a qualification other than the Ph.D., M.Litt. or M.Sc. or M.D. Degree shall pay the University Composition Fee as determined by Regulation 10 of the regulations for University Composition Fees for each term up to and including the term in which he or she completes the requirements for the qualification, up to the maximum specified in the regulations for the qualification.
(d) A Graduate Student shall pay the same total fee whether registered for a part-time course or for a full-time course leading to the same qualification, and the maximum number of terms specified in clause (a) shall be increased accordingly.2
(e) A person employed in a University institution3 at least 40% full-time who has been accepted for admission as a Graduate Student, and who is registered as a candidate for the Ph.D., M.Litt, or M.Sc. Degree, or for an M.Phil. Degree examined by thesis and oral only, or for a Certificate of Postgraduate Studies, shall pay a University Composition Fee of one-third the Home and EU postgraduate Fee for any term in which that person continues in employment by the University.
(f) The Board, in cases of hardship or for any other cause which they may deem sufficient and on the recommendation of the Degree Committee concerned, may remit or reduce the fee payable under clause (a) in respect of a particular Graduate Student.
(g) In the case of a Graduate Student following a course of study that requires a period of instruction in an approved institution, the Board may, on the recommendation of the Degree Committee concerned, remit or reduce payments under clause (a) of this regulation.
12. If the Tutor of a candidate for the M.Phil. or M.Res. or M.Ed. Degree, or for any Diploma or Certificate for which candidates are required to be Graduate Students, supplies the Board of Graduate Studies with satisfactory evidence that the candidate has been hindered by illness or other grave cause in preparing for or taking the examination or any part of the examination for the degree or other qualification concerned, and such representations are received by the Secretary of the Board not later than three months after the date on which the result of the examination was communicated, the Board shall have power, notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the relevant regulations,
provided that a candidate may reject the offer of an allowance by writing to the Secretary of the Board within one month of the date on which the allowance was offered. Representations received after the prescribed time limit shall not be considered.
A student, or her or his Tutor with the student’s consent, may seek review of a decision in relation to that student made by the Board of Graduate Studies. A request for review shall be made in writing, stating the grounds of review, normally within one month of written notification of the Board’s decision (unless, in exceptional circumstances, the Registrary or a deputy permits a longer period). If the request includes, in the opinion of the Chair of the Board, relevant additional information not previously available, the Board will reconsider its decision at its next meeting following receipt of the request. If no such additional information is included or if, on reconsideration, the decision is reaffirmed by the Board, the procedure described in the following paragraphs shall apply.
The Registrary or a deputy shall appoint a reviewer. Exceptionally, a panel of three reviewers may be appointed. If so, references below to ‘the reviewer’ shall be construed accordingly.
The reviewer will consider the request, the documentation available to the Board (less any confidential medical information), the Ordinances which apply to the Board’s decision, and the Board’s Notes of Guidance. He or she will obtain an opinion from the Board, seek such other information as he or she may require and, at her or his discretion, may hold a hearing (but there is no obligation to hold a hearing). The reviewer will issue an adjudication in writing as soon as possible, stating findings of fact, conclusions, and, if any, recommendations, for consideration by the Board. The reviewer shall be concerned with determining whether there is evidence of: inadequate consideration of the matter by the Board; the Board having made a decision, to the detriment of the student, which is inconsistent with the relevant Ordinances or its own Notes of Guidance; or material circumstances of which the Board was unaware and which were of such a nature as, had the Board been so aware, to have been likely to cause the Board to have reached a different decision.
The Board shall normally accept the recommendation of the reviewer. If, exceptionally, the reviewer’s recommendation is not accepted a written explanation shall be provided to the reviewer, the student, and her or his Tutor. The Board may decide not to accept a recommendation in any instance in which: (i) the reviewer has sought to make a decision replacing that of the Board; (ii) the reviewer’s recommendation is inconsistent with the Ordinances governing Allowances; or (iii) the reviewer’s recommendation is such that, were it to be accepted, it would set a precedent which would not be in the interests of the proper conduct of the Board’s business or in the wider interests of the University.
The conclusion of the consideration by the Board of Graduate Studies of any recommendation by a review shall be the normal final point of decision within the University. A reviewer may summarily dismiss an application which seems to her or him to be vexatious or frivolous.
13. A Graduate Student who wishes to be a candidate for a degree or other qualification at some other university or similar institution, shall receive, on application to the Secretary of the Board, for any period of study in the University of not less than two terms, a certificate that he or she has pursued his or her studies during that period with regularity and industry, if, in the opinion of the Supervisor concerned, a course record statement can properly be given. The certificate shall be signed by the Secretary of the Board. A fee of £7 shall be charged for each such certificate and for any similar certificate, letter, statement, or document that may be issued by the Secretary of the Board on application by a Graduate Student.
14. Fees shall be payable to Supervisors of Graduate Students as follows:
15. The amendments to Regulations 10 and 11 approved by Grace 3 of 10 March 2010 shall apply to students commencing a course of research or study as a Graduate Student, or with a view to registration as a Graduate Student following such a course, on or after 1 October 2010.
1. The following regulations shall apply to any University examination listed in the Schedule to these regulations.
2. The Board of Graduate Studies shall have power, in connection with any examination for a degree or other qualification, to remit a recommendation or resolution received from a Degree Committee concerning a particular candidate to the Degree Committee for further consideration. The Degree Committee may recommend a course of action as a consequence of any such remission but the power to determine the action to be taken lies with the Board of Graduate Studies and not with the Degree Committee
3. The Board shall consider any representations made by or on behalf of a candidate which constitute a complaint about the conduct of the examination in that candidate’s case, provided that such representations shall not be considered unless they are received by the Secretary of the Board not later than three months after the date on which the result of the examination was communicated to the candidate. The Board shall consider the representations which in the judgment of the Board constitute a complaint on one or more of the following grounds:
If the Board are of the view that a complaint does not fall within any of the grounds specified above, they shall dismiss the complaint and shall inform the complainant accordingly.
The Board shall consult the Degree Committee concerned under Regulation 2 about any representations made under this regulation.
4. If after considering any views expressed by the relevant Degree Committee under Regulation 2 and any representations made by or on behalf of a candidate under Regulation 3:
5. If, after the candidate has been informed of a decision taken by the Board of Graduate Studies the candidate, or a person acting on the candidate’s behalf, makes representations challenging the Board’s decision under Regulation 4(a) or rejecting one or more of the remedial steps determined by the Board under Regulation 4(b)(i) to (vii), then the Board shall refer such representations to a Review Committee constituted in accordance with Regulation 6, provided that those representations are received by the Secretary of the Board within three months of the date on which the Board’s decision was communicated by the Secretary to the candidate. For the avoidance of doubt representations received after this period has expired shall not be considered.
6. A Review Committee appointed under these regulations shall consist of
The General Board shall maintain a panel of members of the Regent House who are willing to serve as members of a Review Committee, and shall appoint twelve persons to the panel, four persons being appointed in the Michaelmas Term of each year to serve for three years from 1 January following their appointment. When any representations are to be referred by the Board of Graduate Studies to a Review Committee, the General Board shall appoint two members of the panel to serve as members of the Review Committee for the particular case. In selecting members of the panel for appointment as members of a Review Committee, the Board shall exclude any person who has been involved in the particular case at an earlier stage. A person appointed a member of a Review Committee shall serve until the conclusion of the particular case for which he or she was appointed.
7. The Academic Secretary, or a deputy appointed by the Academic Secretary, shall act as Secretary to a Review Committee.
8. For the purpose of these regulations the term ‘complainant’ shall mean the student making a complaint, or on whose behalf a complaint is made.
9. The Secretary to the Review Committee shall notify the complainant of the persons appointed to be members of the Committee. The complainant shall be entitled to object for good cause to any member so appointed. The Vice-Chancellor shall rule on any such objection, and her or his decision shall be final. If the Vice-Chancellor allows such an objection, the General Board shall appoint another member of the panel to serve as a member of the Committee.
10. The Review Committee shall consider the representations made or referred to them under these regulations which in the judgement of the Committee constitute a complaint on one or more of the following grounds:
If the Committee are of the view that a complaint does not fall within any of the grounds specified above, they shall dismiss the complaint and shall inform the complainant and the Board of Graduate Studies accordingly. For the purposes of these regulations the term ‘examination’ relates to the assessment of the candidate’s performance by the original or any subsequently appointed Examiners and not to any consideration of the case by the relevant Degree Committee or the Board of Graduate Studies.
11. Any representation considered by a Review Committee to fall within any of the grounds specified in Regulation 10 shall be made available to each of the following:
Each of these parties shall be given an opportunity to submit a written statement to the Committee in response to the complaint. Such a statement may include reports of the Examiners or extracts from those reports. The Committee shall have power to seek statements from other persons or bodies, as they think fit.
12. Any statement submitted to the Review Committee under Regulation 11 shall be made available to the complainant and to the other parties specified in that regulation, each of whom shall be afforded an opportunity to comment on it.
13. Once the Review Committee have received the comments specified in Regulation 12, they shall appoint a day and time for a hearing at which the complainant shall be entitled to be present and to be accompanied by not more than two advisers, each of whom shall be either an officer of the Graduate Union, a sabbatical officer of Cambridge University Students’ Union, or a member of the Regent House; one of these advisers shall be permitted to act as the complainant’s representative and to speak on her or his behalf. The Committee may, at their discretion, invite the Examiners concerned to the hearing.
14. A Review Committee shall consider any complaint or any representations referred to them under Regulation 5 and shall have power to dismiss the complaint or, if they consider it justified:
15. The Secretary to the Review Committee shall send written notification of the Committee’s decision and the reasons for it to the complainant and to the other parties specified in Regulation 11.
16. The decision of a Review Committee on any particular case shall be final. No person who applies for a review under the review procedure established by these regulations shall be entitled also for review of the same matter under the procedure for determining complaints by members of the University in statu pupillari established under the regulation for complaints by students5.
Examinations, including progress examinations approved under Regulation 9 of the General Regulations for Admission as a Graduate Student, leading to the following qualifications:
B.D. Degree |
M.Res. Degree |
M.D. Degree |
M.Phil. Degree |
Vet.M.D. Degree |
M.Ed. Degree6 |
Ph.D. Degree |
M.St. Degree |
Ph.D. Degree by special regulations |
Certificate of Postgraduate Study |
Eng.D. Degree |
Diplomas in: |
Ed.D. Degree |
Economics |
M.Sc. Degree |
Legal Studies |
M.Litt. Degree |
International Law |