Research Degree FAQs

On this page you will find answers to the frequently asked questions whilst studying for a research degree at the UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology.

IoN Contacts

Q: What is an RDGT?

A: RDGT stands for Research Department Graduate Tutor. There is at least one RDGT per IoN research department and you will be allocated to one at the start of your degree. An RDGT is an independent academic who can assist you with pastoral support, check your progression and provide advice. You should meet with your RDGT at least once per year and you should update them on any changes to your degree. Your RDGT is your first point of contact for any concerns throughout your degree.

Q: Who is my RDGT?

A: A list of RDGTs can be found on the contacts, regulations and support webpage.

Q: What is a DGT?

A: DGT stands for Department Graduate Tutor where the department is the Queen Square Institute of Neurology (IoN). There is one DGT who is the lead for the IoN. This is Prof Tammaryn Lashley who has many years experience as an RDGT and been a member of staff at the IoN for 15+ years. The DGT is responsible for any complex PhD issues which cannot be resolved internal to the research department with the RDGT. The DGT also approves UCL forms such as exam entry, examiner nomination, interruption of studies etc.

Q: Who are the Higher Degrees Subcommittee?

A: The Higher Degrees Subcommittee (HDSC) consists of the DGT, all IoN RDGTs, the Research Degree Programme Coordinator, the Head of Education and Student Experience and some Faculty PGR representatives. The HDSC meets four times per year and discuss PGR issues within the department and brainstorm improvements and solutions. The HDSC also meets with the Student representatives in the Staff Student Consulative Committee (SSCC) meetings to discuss student feedback.

Funding opportunities for PhD students

Q: Are there any scholarships available for PhD students?

A: UCL Graduate Research Scholarships aim to attract high-quality students to undertake research at UCL. Up to 20 UCL Graduate Research Scholarships (GRS) are available annually to prospective and current UCL research students from any country.

The UCL Research Opportunity Scholarships runs in partnership with the Windsor Fellowship and offers full financial support. This scholarship is aimed at particular BAME groups who are underrepresented at the PhD level and is available to prospective and current students.

Q: Where can I find general information and resources on UCL PhD regulations?

A: A good start is reading the IoN PGR page on contacts, resources and support.

Q: What training opportunities are available for a PhD student at the ION?

A: There are plenty of opportunities to attend weekly teaching seminars and workshops at the ION and UCL. The IoN weekly programme can be found on the IoN Education home page. There is also the IoN induction programme for new students, ad-hoc statistics workshops, exam preparation workshops and research integrity courses. Students can also audit IoN PGT lectures. Modules offered by the IoN can be found via the UCL Module Catalogue.

The UCL Doctoral Skills Development programme (DocSkills) was created to provide professional development and research training courses. These courses can be booked via Inkpath with your UCL log in details.

Q: Are there any opportunities to undertake training outside UCL?

A: There may be excellent external training courses which may be useful to attend. There is currently no central fund to pay for individual students to attend these courses but if there is enough demand, the IoN could offer these courses as ad-hoc sessions. Please contact the Research Degree Programme Coordinator.

Q: Who should I contact in case I face financial issues?

A: At UCL we understand students can face financial issues and we aim to help and advise you as much as possible. The Student Funding Team offers information online and one-to-one support through appointments. For more information about your funding options, visit the following page https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/fees-and-funding.

Students also have access to the UCL Financial Assistance Fund and the UCL Emergency Loan depending on their eligibility.

Research Student Log

Q: What is the Research Student Log?

A: The Research Student Log provides a framework for recording details related to your graduate research programme, scheduled supervisory meeting and activities concerning the development of your academic and keys skills. It is a mandatory component of all UCL research degree programmes.

Q: What are the 20 ‘Robert’s Points’ and how do I collect them?

A: PhD students are required to complete 20 "Robert’s Points" per year by taking Doctoral School skills training courses. The training courses are provided by UCL or its affiliated member institutions and are booked via Inkpath. The training is free of charge and there is a wide variety of useful courses available. You gain one point per half day of training. Inkpath and the Research Log are now linked so courses will be automatically uploaded onto the Research Log with the equivalent number of Robert's points.

Q: Why aren't my supervisors appearing on the Research Log?

A: Student and sueprvisor information are drawn from Portico. Please check if your supervisors are correctly listed on Portico with start dates. If they are, then it's likely that your supervisor will need to log into the Research Log and this will activate their access to your log. If your supervisors are not correct on Portico, please contact the Research Degree Programme Coordinator.

Q: Where do I upload content from my supervisor meetings?

A: Under the tab "Formal Supervisory reviews", you will find the formal review points on the left hand side menu. At each time point, you are required to fill in a review which will be sent to your supevisors for sign off.

Q: My PhD milestones do not align with the review points on the Research Log, what do I do?

A: The research log reveiw points are fixed at 3 years for full-time students and 5 years for part-time students. We understand at UCL that students progress at different rates and do not always have something significant to upload at each review point. If this is the case for you, please fill in each review as much as you can - there doesn't need to be a large amount of detail.

Thesis Committees

Q: What are thesis committees?

A: All MPhil/PhD students registered in the School of Life and Medical Sciences starting after 1st September 2019 will be required to have a Thesis Committee (TC). The role of the TC is for its members to support the Student throughout the PhD programme. The TC comprises the Subsidiary Supervisor and at least two additional members with relevant academic experience, but who are not from the same laboratory/ research team as the Primary Supervisor. These members may be UCL staff or external to UCL, but at least one should be a member of UCL academic staff. Please see the TC guidelines below for more information. The relevant TC forms which require completion can be found at the end of the guidance from page 16 onwards.

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Interruption of studies

Q: What is an interruption of studies?

A: An interruption of studies is a formal break from your degree. You will not have access to UCL resources but you will have access to your UCL email address. Interruptions are for a fixed period of time; usually up to one year in the first instance. Your degree is paused for this period of time and then will resume after the interruption is completed.

Q: How do I apply for an interruption of studies?

A: Interruptions of studies can be applied for via the submission for the interruption form to the Research Degree Programme Coordinator. There must be an important reason to request an interruption e.g. parental leave, illness, bereavement, financial problems etc. Your supervisor and sponsor must be supportive of your interruption. The Research Degree Programme Coordinator will obtain departmental approval and then request for the student record to be updated. The process is approx. 2-3 weeks for straight forward applications.

Q: I am an international student with a student visa, can I interrupt my studies?

A: International students can interrupt their studies for less than 60 days in total. If more time is required, then they will need to return to their home country and reapply for their student visa in order to return to the UK.

Q: Can I apply for backdated interruptions?

A: Backdated interruptions are possible but only in extenuating circumstances e.g. a student is very unwell and cannot apply for their interruption until after they have recovered.

Transfer/Upgrade from MPhil to PhD

Q: What do I need to do to transfer from MPhil to PhD?

A: For students who started after 1st September 2019, they will follow the thesis committee guidelines. Please read the MPhil to PhD upgrade tab.

For students who started before 1st September 2019, your MPhil to PhD upgrade will be similar but without a thesis committee. You will need:

Upgrade report (8,000 to 10,000 words)
Progress report (2-3 pages) and timeline
Upgrade presentation
Upgrade viva
Supervisor report
Upgrade panel form

The upgrade report must be read and approved by all supervisors. The upgrade report should include a progress report and a detailed timeline. The progress report should provide a summary of progress with headings including aims, methods, findings and the remaining work to be completed. Additionally, please include details of the generic skills training you have undertaken and/or conferences and courses attended. The upgrade report must be submitted to the supervisors and both viva examiners AT LEAST TWO WEEKS before the scheduled upgrade. The examiners will be nominated by the Principal supervisor.

The student will perform an upgrade presentation for 30 minutes to their research department which will be followed by a private viva (30-45 minutes) with the upgrade panel. If requested by the student, the principal supervisor may be present at the upgrade viva but should withdraw whilst the panel makes their decision. Please inform your department administrator of the date of your presentation so that they can advertise to your research department. The Primary Supervisor will need to submit their written report to the upgrade examiners AT LEAST TWO WEEKS before the scheduled upgrade.

All upgrade documents should be sent to the Research Degree Programme Coordinator within the IoN Education team. These documents will be reviewed by the Higher Degree Subcommittee (HDSC) who meet four times per year.

Q: When can I transfer from MPhil to PhD?

A: You can transfer between 9 and 18 months, from registration, for full-time students and between 15 and 30 months, from registration, for part-time students. If you would like to transfer before or after this time period, please speak to your Research Department Graduate Tutor (RDGT) for advice.

Q. What format should my MPhil to PhD upgrade thesis have?

A: This varies and depends on the amount of data already acquired by the PhD candidate and the projects design. A typical structure includes an Introduction (with literature review on the topic), Hypothesis and study design, any relevant acquired data this far and Discussion-Aims of the PhD studies etc.

Q. How much longer should I expect to continue studying after upgrading?

A: Although it depends on each PhD programme, most students upgrade half way through their research degree so for a typical 3 year full-time PhD, there should be approx. 18-24 months left of your PhD and for part-time students, there should be approx 24-30 months left of your PhD.

Q: Where can I find further information on upgrading from MPhil to PhD?

A: You may found the following page useful: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/status/research-students/upgrade

PhD thesis, viva and the final year

Q: When I move onto Continuing Research Status, do I still have to pay fees?

A: No, once you have moved onto CRS, you will no longer be subject to fees.

Q. As a CRS student, when should I submit my thesis?

A: Full-time students have one year to submit, with part-time students having two years.

Q: What happens if I fail to submit on time?

A: If you do not submit at the end of your CRS period, your record will be closed and you will lose access to UCL facilities (eg. Portico, Library etc). You can still submit your thesis, however your supervisor will need to request special permission to be made and you will also be liable for a late submission fee. For further information, see https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/research-assessments/extension-fees

Q: Can I obtain an extension to CRS?

A: An extension to CRS can be granted in special circumstances only and your supervisor will need to complete the relevant form through Portico. Full details regarding the extension, including the form, can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/status/research-students/completing-research-status.

Q. How long in advance should I submit the exam entry form?

A: Ideally the exam entry form should be submitted at least four months before you plan to submit your thesis. This form must be submitted before the examiner nomination form.

Q: When can I submit my thesis?

A: Your thesis must be submitted after the exam entry form has been logged, but can be submitted before the examiners have been appointed.

The earliest time that a full-time PhD student can submit their thesis is two years after intial enrolment and for part-time students, this is three years after initial enrolment.

If you are on CRS status, you must submit before the end of the CRS deadline, otherwise you will incur a penalty (see above).

Q: Where do I submit my thesis?

A: It should be submitted to the Research Degrees office via UCL dropbox. More information can be found here https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/research-assessments/format-bind-and-submit-your-thesis-general-guidance#Submit%20your%20thesis

Q: Do I have to submit the thesis in person?

A: No, theses are now submitted electronically.

Q: Can I submit my thesis without the examiners being approved?

A: Yes. You can submit your thesis, providing you have already submitted your Exam Entry Form and it has been approved.

Q: Can my thesis be ring bound?

A: Theses are usually now online. If your examiner would like a hard copy, please view information on binding via this page: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/research-assessments/format-bind-and-submit-your-thesis-general-guidance

Q: What forms do I need to submit with the thesis?

A: We do not necessarily require any forms with the viva copies of the thesis, but if you have been impacted by the covid pandemic and would like to inform the examiners of this, you can submit a covid impact form. We do require the following on/before the final copies are submitted:

Thesis Deposit Agreement form - must be uploaded to the Library with your e-thesis. For further information please refer to: http://www.ucl.ac.uk/library/e-theses/deposit

These forms can be submitted along with the viva copies and can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/research-assessments/format-bind-and-submit-your-thesis-general-guidance

Q: Who appoints my examiners?

A: Your Primary Supervisor must complete the Examiner Nomination Form and nominate two relevant examiners, usually an internal and external. This will be initially approved by the Departmental Graduate Tutor (Prof Tammaryn Lashley), before being submitted to the Research Degrees office for quality assurance checks. The form is then forwarded to the Faculty Graduate Tutor and the Chair of the Research Degrees Committee (or nominee) for final approval.

Q: How long does this process take?

A: If there are no problems with the nomination, we expect the process to take approximately 2-3 months from the time of submission. However, this time period is only a guide and the approval process may be quicker depending on the availability of the various signatories, or longer (up to 4 months) if there is a problem requiring clarification from the supervisor.

Q: How do I find out when my examiners are appointed?

A: Your Primary Supervisor will receive an email once the examiners have been appointed.

Q: When will my thesis be sent?

A: Your thesis will usually be sent within 24 hours of your examiners being appointed.

Q: Will I be told when the thesis is sent?

A: An email will be sent to you and your supervisor. We will always use your UCL email address.

Q: When should the viva be organised?

A: The viva must only be organised once the examiners have been formally appointed.

Q: Who organises the viva?

A: Usually the viva will be arranged by your supervisor for a mutually convenient date. Occasionally, this responsibility might be carried out by another member of your department.

Q: How quickly will I get the examiners’ reports?

A: Ideally, the examiners should submit their reports to Research Degrees within two weeks of the viva, occasionally this may not be possible, but the reports will be sent to your email address once they arrive.

Q: What are the common outcomes of the viva?

A: The common results of the viva can be found here: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/students/exams-and-assessments/research-assessments/viva

Q: When does the deadline for completing the corrections start?

A: The deadline starts from the date of the result letter sent from Research Degrees. This deadline relates only to the date you should submit the corrections to the designated checker (in the case of three month corrections) or, in the case of a resubmission, to re-enter for the exam and submit the revised thesis to the Research Degrees office.

Q: I have been asked to complete minor amendments, who checks these?

A: The examiners will indicate on the Joint Report who will be checking the amendments, occasionally both will wish to see the corrections. The format by which the corrections should be submitted will be agreed by the designated checker.

Q: I have been asked to resubmit my thesis, what happens now?

A: Once you are satisfied that you have met the requirements laid down by the examiners, you will need to complete the following procedure:

You will need to submit a new exam entry form to the Research Degrees Office.
Your supervisor should confirm by email that the examiners are still willing to act and provide their current contact details (normally an email requesting this is sent to your supervisor).
An email will then be sent to the supervisor and examiners reconfirming their appointment and enclosing the relevant forms.
You submit your thesis to the Research Degrees office via UCL dropbox for dispatching to the examiners. At this point the resubmission fee will also be added to your record.

If the examiners have requested a second viva, the supervisor should arrange this as they would normally. In these circumstances, the procedure will follow that of a typical PhD examination.

Q: How long will it take to receive confirmation of my award?

A: Once we have all the reports, confirmation that any corrections have been completed and any fees are paid, we anticipate sending the confirmation of award to the contact address in approximately five working days.

Q: When will I receive my certificate?

A: Your degree certificate will be sent to your contact address two to four months after the official award date. Please ensure this address is kept up to date on Portico.

PhD thesis formatting and binding tips