Dispensation Requests

Specific dispensations relating to your status as a PGR student include:

• Suspension: requests for extra terms of suspension beyond those which can be approved by the board
• Reinstatement: request for reinstatement to the university where you have already used up all of the time for your course. One extra term can be granted for the purposes of submission.
• Part-time Study: if your course is not already offered on a part-time basis, then you can request this. Generally, this is for reasons related to disability, employment or childcare.
• Antedated admission: request for admission to be dated to a time from when you began your DPhil programme at another university, if you transferred to Oxford with your supervisor. A request can also be made for transfer of status to be waived if evidence is provided that you completed an equivalent assessment at your former university.
• Extension of Probationer Research Student status: request for deferral of transfer of status beyond the number of terms that the board can allow (i.e. beyond the 6th term for the first attempt and 7th term for a second attempt)
• Extension of deadline for Confirmation of Status: if you need to defer your confirmation of status for longer than the three terms which your board can allow
• Extension of student status: requests for extension of student status beyond the number of term's extension which can be granted by the board

There are other dispensations you may need to apply for, such as:

• • Matriculation deferral: request to defer your matriculation beyond your third term of study. This is generally used for part-time students who spend limited time in Oxford
• • Recognised or Visiting student status: if you need to request an extension to your status as a Recognised or Visiting student or need to request to hold visiting or recognised student status despite previously matriculating
• • Anything else: If you need any other adjustment to the Examination Regulations, then this can be requested via the Dispensation Process.

 

As soon as you are aware you need a dispensation.

You aren't able to apply for dispensation yourself, and it instead done by the following parties:

• - Matriculated Postgraduate students: your Department/Faculty/divisional Graduate Studies Assistant (or, when appropriate your College)
• - Non-Matriculated students: your department

If you feel you will need a dispensation, it is therefore recommended you reach out to those who will be able to do your application on your behalf explaining clearly:

• - You are looking for an dispensation
• - Explain any extenuating circumstances impacting your studies; you don’t need to go into lots of details but you need to be able to briefly describe what has/is impacting you, and give specific examples of how they are impacting your studies
• - Explain why you feel a dispensation is the best decision for you given the circumstances
• - Share with them any evidence you have to support the application

They will either complete the dispensation form entirely on your behalf, or, ask you to draft it so that they can submit it. If you do need to draft it yourself, then include the same information we've described above.

Part of the form is to ask for an explanation of how the dispensation would happen in practice. If they are supportive, your College/Department can generally help to discuss this plan with you to come up with a solution that works for them and therefore is more likely to be accepted.

You are able to draft the form yourself following the advice above. You'd then need to send this in to your College/Department for them to submit to the Education Committee, which they should do despite them not agreeing. On the form, there is a section which your College/Department need to fill out explaining whether they do or do not support the application. Once they've filled this in, they can send it into the Education Committee.

Part of the form is to ask for an explanation of how the dispensation would happen in practice. So, if you don’t have the College/Department on board, you need to be clear yourself on what exactly you are requesting. For example, if you are requesting a major adjustment to assessment such as to spread one year of teaching and assessment over two years, you'd need to provide a detailed proposal of how this would be done.

It takes at least two weeks to hear back, but more complex dispensation requests will take longer to be considered.

The outcome of your application will be shared with your College/Department (whoever applied for you). Occasionally, they can forget to update you, so every month or so it might be worthwhile checking with them if they have heard back.

If you are unhappy with the outcome, you can submit an appeal.