Extending Your Degree
The Graduate School sets limits for the expected time to degree for each degree level:
Doctoral Candidates
The Doctor of Philosophy degree must be earned within eight years from the inception of full-time graduate study at Brandeis. Leaves of Absence and Health Leaves of Absence stop the time-to-degree clock. Students may apply for a year-long extension of their time-to-degree, for a maximum of two extensions. Each semester the Graduate School will initiate the extension application process for students who are approaching the end of their time-to-degree clock. If a student does not complete the degree within ten years from the inception of full-time graduate study, they will be withdrawn from the PhD program.In recognition of the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad research and health disruptions of our doctoral students' progress, GSAS will grant an extension of time to degree for any doctoral student who was enrolled during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, thereby extending their time-to-degree from eight to nine years. For students who matriculated in Summer 2021 and going forward, the time-to-degree policy returns to eight years.
Master's Candidates
The master's degree must be earned within three years from the inception of full-time graduate study at Brandeis.Extension Procedures
There are some circumstances in which PhD students need to extend beyond these time-to-degree limits. Whenever a student approaches the time-to-degree limit, the Graduate School will instruct the student to apply for an extension. The extension application will require a report on the current state of your dissertation, a plan for when and how you will complete it, and a paragraph addressing any barriers you have faced towards completion and the resources and supports you have in place to be able to complete the dissertation now.
Please be aware that, following the receipt of your form, the graduate school will be in touch with your advisor and program to discuss the feasibility of your plan.
PhD students may receive a maximum of two extensions; if a student does not complete the degree within ten years of the inception of full-time graduate study, they will be withdrawn from the PhD program. Students no longer eligible for additional extensions will receive a letter stating that they must finish their degree by the close of the summer term.
The tuition charges for any semesters of enrollment beyond the time-to-degree limits will depend on the student’s residency status. In most cases, doctoral students on extension will be enrolled in post-residency status and charged the corresponding tuition based on the number of semesters they have been enrolled (see Tuition Structure for PhD students policy), and master’s students will be enrolled in extended master’s status. Students will also be expected to enroll in or waive the student health insurance plan with their extended enrollment.
Addendum, effective October 2021
Students entering Brandeis with no previous graduate work must earn the doctorate within eight years from the inception of study. In recognition of the extraordinary circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic and the myriad research and health disruptions of our doctoral students' progress, GSAS will be automatically granting an extension of time to degree for any doctoral student who was enrolled during the Spring 2020, Fall 2020 and Spring 2021 semesters, thereby extending their time from eight to nine years. At the end of the student’s eighth year, the Graduate School will still facilitate the extension petition process in the interest of transparent communication between the student, program and GSAS, but all extensions will be granted.