Time Limitation Policy
Candidates for master's degrees must complete the degree within three years of initial registration. If the degree is pursued strictly on a less than full-time basis, it must be completed within five years of initial registration, after which point the student will be withdrawn from the University.
Candidates for doctoral degrees must complete the degree by the end of PhD7. Please note that students admitted after a master’s degree are normally considered to be PhD2 and not PhD1 (direct entry). Students should contact their Graduate Program Coordinator/Administrator to confirm the number of years in which they must complete the degree.
The object of these regulations is to encourage candidates to complete their theses and qualify for their degree without undue delay.
Students who do not complete their degree requirements within the time limits stated above will be withdrawn from the University and will lose their student status and access to McGill facilities and support. International students on study permits will also be required to leave Canada.
Students can apply for readmission by completing and submitting the Request for Readmission webform only when they are ready to submit their initial thesis and will be charged fees for the term of readmission and any future terms of registration up to and including their term of graduation.
Council of the FGSR - February 2, 1996; Council – January 18, 2016
Senate – April 20, 2016
Procedures for readmission
- The individual must complete and submit a Request for Readmission webform when they have an initial thesis ready to submit within myThesis.
- Students seeking readmission after reaching time limitation should complete the readmission form when they have a supervisor-approved initial thesis that is ready to be submitted in myThesis within 2-3 weeks.
- Students who reached time limitation and do not have a thesis ready for submission should expect deregistration and withdrawal. If you are requesting a registration extension for exceptional circumstances, please make the appropriate selection in the form. Extension requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the Unit and GPS Associate Deans, and only exceptionally granted.
- The Unit will review the request for readmission and confirm with the supervisor that the thesis is ready for submission. If the review is favourable, they will forward their approval and supervisor confirmation that the thesis is ready for submission by email, with the request for readmission, to Management of Academic Records in Enrolment Services. Please note that there is no obligation on the part of the Unit to recommend readmission.
- Enrolment Services reviews the readmissions request, the Unit recommendation and if relevant, the recommendation of the GPS Associate Deans. If the request is approved, a readmission letter is issued to the student.
- Once readmitted:
- Students who requested readmission to submit their thesis are expected to access myThesis immediately to start the initial thesis submission process. Students need to be registered to access myThesis, so this process can only begin when registration is recorded. Students cannot access myThesis prior to the readmission term to start the initial thesis submission process.
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For example: If you intend to submit your initial thesis in the Fall term, and you apply for readmission for that term, then you will be able to access myThesis on September 1st.
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- Students must pay fees for the new academic session.
- Thesis submission and examination will proceed according to normal procedures. For more information, see the GPS website.
Interim access to libraries and electronic resources
A graduate student who is no longer registered because of non-compliance with the Time Limitation Policy, but who requires access to library or VPN resources to complete their thesis, has the following options:
- Use online resources in person on computers located in the libraries
- Access online library resources from home through VPN (provided by ICS). Access will normally continue for six (6) months after the last registered term. The supervisor can submit a request to ICS for an individual to maintain VPN for additional time. For additional information on expiry of IT services, please consult the Knowledge Base article IT services available after leaving McGill.
- To obtain Library borrowing privileges and extend access to library e-resources, the supervisor should send an email request to the head librarian at their branch library. For Humanities and Social Sciences Library, please contact hsslloans.library [at] mcgill.ca
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