Key milestone dates

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Keen to finish your degree on time?

You and your supervisors will meet formally to review your progress at key milestones throughout your degree. This will keep you on track with both your research objectives and your expected submission date.

Your supervisors will advise you of what is required for each milestone in your discipline to:

  • evaluate the progress of your research project
  • determine whether your work has met expectations
  • identify any problems with your progress
  • help you set the direction for your successful completion.

For more information concerning progress reviews, candidature milestones and expected submission dates, see Being a candidate.

Your schedule of milestones is outlined below.

Candidature milestones

Full-time students

PhD/doctoral student MRes/MPhil student
Pre-confirmation 6 months 3 months
Confirmation 1 year (1 year, 6 months if ≥75 credit points of mandatory coursework) 6 months
Progress review 2 years 1 year
Progress review 3 years 1 year, 6 months

Part-time students

PhD/doctoral student MRes/MPhil student
Part-time Part-time
Pre-confirmation 1 year 6 months
Confirmation 2 years 1 year
Progress review 3 years 2 years
Progress review 4 years  
Progress review 5 years 3 years
Progress review 6 years  

Please note:

  • Pre-confirmation is a progress review meeting. The purpose of this meeting is to check that you are on track for your confirmation meeting.
  • Confirmation is a key milestone early in your degree. This process determines whether your intended research project is feasible. It will also indicate your academic preparedness to complete your project.
  • Depending on your discipline, there will be different work requirements at each milestone.

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