GENERAL REGULATIONS FOR ADMISSION AS A GRADUATE STUDENT

Amended by Graces 2 of 28 October 2015 and 6 of 13 July 2016

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:

1. (a)a statement of the course of research or study which the applicant wishes to pursue, the date from which he or she wishes to begin the course, and the degree or other qualification, if any, for which he or she wishes to become a candidate;
2. (b)a completed graduate application form together with such other statements and evidence as the Board of Graduate Studies may require;
3. (c)such payment of a fee in respect of admission charges as the Council and the General Board, on the recommendation of the Board of Graduate Studies, may determine from time to time.

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:

1. (a)to vary the conditions of a particular student's admission and of his or her registration as a candidate for a degree or other qualification;
2. (b)to register as a candidate for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree a candidate previously registered for the M.D. degree, or the Ph.D. Degree or 〈Bus.D. Degree or〉1 Eng.D. Degree or Ed.D. Degree, or to register as a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree a candidate previously registered for the 〈Bus.D. Degree or〉1 Eng.D. Degree or Ed.D. Degree;
3. (c)to register as a candidate for the M.Phil. Degree or M.Res. Degree a candidate previously registered for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree, who has not submitted a dissertation in candidature for one of those degrees, and to allow such a student to count towards his or her course of study for the M.Phil. Degree or M.Res. Degree not more than three terms during which he or she was a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree;
4. (d)to register as a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or the M.Litt. Degree, a Graduate Student who has been approved for the M.Phil. Degree or M.Res. Degree and to allow such a student to count towards his or her course of research as a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree, such terms as the Board may determine in accordance with the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees;
5. (e)to register as a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree, a Graduate Student who has been approved for the M.St. Degree or M.Ed. Degree, and who may have proceeded to that degree, and to allow such a student to count towards his or her course of research as a candidate for the Ph.D. Degree, or for the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree, not more than three terms of the period during which he or she was a candidate for the M.St. Degree or M.Ed. Degree or up to five terms where the candidate registers for the part-time Ph.D., M.Sc., or M.Litt. Degree;
6. (f)to register a student for a course of research or of study as a candidate for a particular degree or other qualification from the term of his or her admission as a Graduate Student or from any subsequent term;
7. (g)to determine that any particular term of a student's course of research or of study shall not count towards the requirements for the M.D. degree, or the Ph.D. Degree, 〈or Bus.D. Degree〉1, or Eng.D. Degree, or Ed.D. Degree, or M.Sc. Degree, or M.Litt. Degree, or M.Phil. Degree, or M.Res. Degree, or other qualification; and
8. (h)to refer any Graduate Student to the Fitness to Study Panel under the University’s procedure to determine fitness to study;

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., 〈Bus.D.〉1, 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 〈Bus.D. Degree or〉1 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

1. (a)a course of research approved by the Board and by the Degree Committee who recommended his or her admission, or, with the consent of the Board and the Degree Committees concerned, by some other Degree Committee, under the direction of a Supervisor appointed by the Degree Committee concerned, and shall comply with any special conditions that the Degree Committee or the Board may lay down in his or her case, or
2. (b)a course of advanced study and research, as prescribed in the regulations for the 〈Bus.D. Degree or〉1 Eng.D. Degree or Ed.D. Degree, or
3. (c)a course of advanced study, as prescribed in the appropriate special regulations for the M.Ed. Degree or M.Phil. Degree by advanced study and approved by the Board and the Degree Committee concerned, under the direction of a Supervisor appointed by the Degree Committee concerned, and shall comply with any special conditions that the Degree Committee or the Board may lay down in his or her case, or
4. (d)a course of training in research, as prescribed in the appropriate special regulations for the M.Res. Degree and approved by the Board and the Degree Committee concerned, under the direction of a Supervisor appointed by the Degree Committee concerned, and shall comply with any special conditions that the Degree Committee or the Board may lay down in her or his case, or
5. (e)a course of study or of research as prescribed in the regulations for a University Diploma or Certificate, or in partial fulfilment of the requirements for a degree or other qualification of another university or similar institution.

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

1. (i)once each term,2
2. (ii)at any time when in the Supervisor’s opinion a Graduate Student is not making satisfactory progress in her or his work, is otherwise not fulfilling the conditions that have been laid down in her or his case, or appears unlikely to reach the standard of the degree or other qualification for which he or she is registered as a candidate.

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 the M.Phil. Degree by dissertation, and Regulation 7 of the general regulations for the M.Phil. Degree by advanced study, and Regulation 4 of the regulations for the M.Res. Degree. In the case of a student who, following the completion of this registration examination, cannot be recommended for registration for the degree sought, the Degree Committee may agree the following:

1.  (i)to prescribe registration for a lower degree or certificate;
2. and/or(ii)to offer a further assessment for the purposes of reviewing the student’s registration status at a time to be determined by the Board, provided that the further assessment is completed before the submission of a thesis for examination for any lower degree or certificate under (i).

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:

1. (a)if he or she is no longer a member of a College;
2. (b)if he or she has failed to pay the fees due from a Graduate Student;
3. (c)if he or she has completed twelve terms of research as a full-time Graduate Student registered for the Ph.D., M.Sc., M.Litt., or M.D. 〈or Bus.D.〉1 or Eng.D. Degree or a proportionately longer period if registered as a part-time Graduate Student. In such a case the Board shall consult the Degree Committee before depriving the person of the status of Graduate Student;
4. (d)if, in the opinion of the Degree Committee and the Board, the report on an examination prescribed under Regulation 9 is such as to show that the candidate is not qualified to continue in her or his course;
5. (e)if, after completing six terms (if registered for a full-time course) or ten terms (if registered for a part-time course) he or she is not registered as a candidate for any degree, provided that in such a case the Board shall have obtained the concurrence of the Degree Committee in the deprivation;
6. (f)if the Degree Committee have satisfied the Board
7.  (i)that the student has not been working to their satisfaction; or
8.  (ii)that the student has not complied with the conditions laid down in her or his case; or
9.  (iii)that, in their opinion, the student is not likely to reach the standard of the M.Sc. or M.Litt. Degree, or M.Phil. or M.Ed. or M.Res. Degree, or of any other qualification for which he or she might be registered as a candidate.

11. (a) A Graduate Student who is registered as a candidate for the Ph.D., 〈Bus.D.〉1, Eng.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., 〈Bus.D.〉1, Eng.D., M.Litt., or M.Sc. Degree, up to a maximum of nine terms if a candidate for the Ph.D., 〈or Bus.D.〉1 or Eng.D. Degree (except in the case of certain doctoral programmes as defined by the Board, in which case up to twelve terms of fees may be collected), 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.3

(e) A person employed in a University institution4 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., Ed.D., M.Litt, or M.Sc. Degree, or for an M.Phil. Degree by dissertation, 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,

1. either(a)to approve the candidate for the degree or other qualification without further examination, provided that no candidate shall be so approved unless the Degree Committee concerned judge him or her to have performed with credit in a substantial part of the examination,
2. or(b)to allow the candidate to be examined or re-examined under such conditions and at such time as may be determined by the Board after consultation with the Degree Committee concerned;

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:

1. (a)No fee shall be payable to the holder of a University office specified in the Schedule to Special Ordinance C (i) 1. No fee shall be payable to the holder of an office in an institution which maintains a formal University Partner Institute agreement with the University for any supervision undertaken during the duration of that agreement.5
2. (b)Subject to the provisions of clause (a),
3.  (i)a fee of not less than £55 a term shall be paid to a Supervisor for each Graduate Student under his or her supervision who falls under Regulation 11 on receipt by the Board of Graduate Studies of the report specified in Regulation 8;
4.  (ii)at the request of the Schools Degree Committee concerned, the Board may pay a fee of not less than £55 a term to the Supervisor of a Graduate Student who has leave under either Regulation 1(b) of the regulations for the Ph.D., M.Sc., and M.Litt. Degrees, and for the Ed.D. Degree, or Regulation 2(a) of the regulations for the 〈Bus.D. or〉1 Eng.D. Degree, or Regulation 4 of the regulations for the M.Phil. Degree or Regulation 4 of the regulations for the M.Res. Degree to work outside the University;
5.  (iii)when a remission or reduction is made under Regulation 11(f) in respect of a Graduate Student who has not completed the requirements for the degree or other qualification for which he or she is registered or has applied to become registered, the Supervisor shall be paid a fee of not less than £55 a term;
6.  (iv)when a remission or reduction is made under Regulation 11(f) in respect of a Graduate Student who has completed the number of terms of research or study and residence required for the degree or other qualification for which he or she is registered, the Board School in which the student is registered shall decide whether the Supervisor is to be paid a fee in respect of that student.

Temporary Regulation

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.