Duration of studies

The minimum duration of doctoral studies is two years. Doctoral students admitted and registered in a doctoral programme may not begin procedures to deposit and defend their theses until at least the academic year following the year in which they are admitted to the programme. That is, they must be registered for two academic years and receive a favourable assessment twice before they can apply to deposit their thesis.

Notwithstanding the previous point, if a student changes from a doctoral programme governed by previous regulations (a process called adaptation), or if a student changes from a doctoral programme governed by Royal Decree 99/2011, or if a student is registered in the URV under a signed cotutelle agreement, the student may request a reduction in the minimum duration of the doctoral programme so that he/she can submit his/her thesis during the same academic year that he/she was admitted or the one immediately after. Furthermore, he/she will only be required to obtain one favourable assessment. The request must be submitted in accordance with the established procedure (Reduction of the minimum course duration for doctoral students).

A. Students who started a doctoral programme up to and including the academic year 2022-23 (inclusive)

Students registered full-time have three years in which to complete their doctoral studies; if they register part-time, they have five years to complete their studies. The total duration of their doctoral studies is calculated from the date on which they first register for the doctoral programme to the date on which they deposit their thesis.

Full-time students can apply for a one-year extension. Part-time students can apply for a two-year extension. Exceptionally, both full-time and part-time students can apply for an additional one-year extension.

* From the date of the first registration to the programme until the date the thesis is deposited.

IMPORTANT: If a student does not deposit his/her thesis before this deadline, he/she will be definitively withdrawn from the programme.

B. Students starting a doctoral programme as from the academic year 2023-2024 (inclusive)

B1) Maximum duration in general cases

The duration of the doctoral studies is four years (full time) or seven years (part time, with previous authorisation by the academic committee), starting on the date of the first registration to the doctoral programme and finishing on the date the doctoral thesis is deposited.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a one-year extension.

* From the date of the first registration to the programme until the date the thesis is deposited.

IMPORTANT: If a student does not deposit his/her thesis before this deadline, he/she will be definitively withdrawn from the programme.

B2) Maximum duration for students with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%

For students with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 33%, the duration of doctoral studies is six years (full time) or nine years (part time, with previous authorisation by the academic committee), starting on the date of the first registration to the doctoral programme and finishing on the date the doctoral thesis is deposited.

Both full-time and part-time students can apply for a one-year extension.

* From the date of the first registration to the programme until the date the thesis is deposited.

IMPORTANT: If a student does not deposit his/her thesis before this deadline, he/she will be definitively withdrawn from the programme.

The following are grounds for permanent withdrawal from the doctoral programme:

• Not completing the registration process during a given academic year.
• Failing to submit a research proposal and the doctoral activities document within the established deadline, or being assessed negatively or as absent after the second exam period. During the annual examination period, new students starting in the academic year 2023-24 (inclusive) must submit a document that describes their research plan, their personal training plan, and the training activities they have taken.
• Exceeding the established maximum duration of studies and any extensions without having submitted a doctoral thesis for deposit.
• Failing to pass or failing to attend the bridging courses in the first year.

Permanent withdrawal from the programme implies:

• The doctoral student will no longer continue in the doctoral programme in which they are registered.
• The doctoral student's file will be closed.

Students may subsequently apply for admission and register in another doctoral programme.

Students may follow a doctoral programme either full time or part time.

Candidates pre-registering for the first time for doctoral studies can apply for part-time studies on the pre-registration form. If the academic committee resolves that admission is part-time, the candidate will have to select this type of dedication at the time of self-registration for the first year.

Doctoral students registered from the second year onwards can apply for part-time dedication by following the corresponding administrative procedure.

Students who started a doctoral programme up to and including the academic year 2022-23 (inclusive):

• Those students who, during the ordinary period of thesis preparation prior to the extensions, have registered for at least one academic year with part-time dedication, will have five years to apply for the deposit of the doctoral thesis, counting from the date of the first registration in the doctoral programme.
• If the change of dedication (from full-time to part-time) is requested during the first extension, the extension will be for two years, but the period prior to the extension will not be recalculated, which will continue to be three years.
• It is not possible to request a change of dedication (from full-time to part-time) during the second extension because it has no effect on the calculation of the duration of the doctoral programme.

Students starting a doctoral programme as from the academic year 2023-2024 (inclusive):

• Those students who, during the ordinary period of preparation of the thesis prior to the extensions, have registered for at least one academic year on a part-time basis, will have seven years to apply for the deposit of the doctoral thesis, counting from the date of first registration in the doctoral programme. In the case of students who have accredited a minimum degree of disability of 33%, this period will be nine years.
• The change to part-time status may only be requested during the regular period prior to the extension. If authorised, the duration of the programme will be seven years. In the case of students who have accredited a degree of disability of at least 33%, the duration of the programme will be nine years.
• During the extension period, it is not possible to request a change of dedication because it has no effect on the duration of the doctoral programme.
   

This is the procedure to be followed by doctoral students who foresee that they will not be able to deposit their thesis by the established deadline. More information can be found by consulting the corresponding administrative procedure.

Students who started a doctoral programme up to and including the academic year 2022-23 (inclusive):

• Full-time students can apply for a one-year extension.
• Part-time students may apply for a two-year extension.
• Exceptionally, in both modalities of dedication, they can apply for an additional one-year extension.

Students starting a doctoral programme as from the academic year 2023-2024 (inclusive):

• Only a one-year extension can be requested.

This is the procedure to be followed by students who cannot dedicate themselves to the completion of their doctoral thesis due to personal reasons during one academic year. Upon request, it can be extended for an additional academic year. Further information can be found in the corresponding administrative procedure.

It stops the calculation of the duration of the studies.

During the leave of absence, the doctoral student can continue to be assessed, and the personal situation will be considered to make the assessment criteria more flexible. If, despite the flexibility, the student is unable to take the assessment, he/she will be classified as 'Absent due to temporary leave'. If a new student obtains this grade in the second exam session, he/she will be required to cancel his/her registration and pre-register again.

Transitory for the academic year 2024-25:

• If the application is submitted before 1 October, registration for the academic year 2024-25 will not be required.
• If the application is submitted after 1 October, the registration for the academic year 2024-25 must be formalised and paid.

From the academic year 2025-26 onwards, to be able to introduce the Temporary leave of absence for personal reasons in the file, it will be necessary to be registered for that academic year.
 

This is the procedure to be followed by those students registered for a doctoral programme who interrupt their studies due to illness, risk during pregnancy, birth, risk during breastfeeding, adoption, foster care, leave for the purpose of adoption or foster care, leave for breastfeeding compaction, gender violence or any other situation provided for in the regulations. Further information can be found on the website of the corresponding administrative procedure.

Doctoral students who are in this situation must be registered.

The duration of the leave of absence is added to the duration of the doctoral programme.

During this leave of absence, the student may continue to be assessed, and his/her personal situation will be considered to make the assessment criteria more flexible. If, despite the flexibility, he/she is unable to take the assessment, he/she will be marked as 'Absent due to temporary leave'. If a first-year student obtains this grade in the second exam session, he/she must be required to cancel his/her registration and pre-register again.
 

In the academic year 2024-25, on a transitional basis, doctoral students who have taken a temporary leave of absence for personal reasons must apply to resume their studies to rejoin the doctoral programme. Further information can be found on the website of the corresponding administrative procedure.

For the academic year 2025-26, this procedure will only apply to students from the third year onwards who have been authorised to cancel their registration for the immediately preceding academic year.