Permanence and leaves

Permanence

The minimum length of stay in doctoral studies is 18 calendar months of dedication time. 

The maximum length of stay in doctoral studies is 36 months on a full-time basis or 60 calendar months on a part-time basis. The calculation of the time spent on doctoral studies will be counted from the first enrolment in the doctorate to the submission of the thesis defence application. The dedication time coincides with the elapsed time when the PhD student has always full-time dedication, and it is multiplied by 0.6 in the case of  being always part-time dedicated.

Once the maximum dedication time has elapsed, the PhD student may request a first extension, of 12 calendar months for a PhD student who has always been full-time and 24 months if the PhD student has always been part-time dedicated. Once the deadline for the first extension is over, there is the exceptional possibility of requesting a second extension, which would in any case be 12 calendar months, regardless of the type of dedication of the student (full-time or part-time).

Leaves

There are two types of temporary leaves, which will not be computed for the purpose of the minimum and maximum length of permanence in doctoral studies:

• For reasons of illness, pregnancy or any other cause provided for in the current work regulations: The duration of the leave will be determined by the cause of it.
• One's request for leave: the PhD student may apply for a single temporary leave of absence from the doctoral programme to the CAPD for duly justified reasons. The maximum period of this temporary leave will be one year, extendable to another year.

During a leave period, the activities carried out by the PhD student may not be included in their activity document.

Definitive leaves

Definitive leaves can be of administrative or academic in nature.

The following are causes for administrative definitive leave:

• Not enrolling annually in an academic year.
• Failure to submit the research plan within the established deadlines.
• Not having passed the additional training within the set deadlines.

The following are the causes of academic definitive leave:

• Having two consecutive negative reports in the annual evaluation.
• The final rejection of the research plan.
• Not having passed the thesis defence within the established deadlines.