The information at Guidance and forms for doctoral students lists the standard academic process. The information below covers the changes due to the current circumstances:

• Registration: induction
  If you are a new student then you should receive some local support from your Department or School, as well as a central induction. Please discuss any local requirements with your Supervisory team. All new doctoral students are required to attend the central induction session Starting Your Doctorate. If you have joined the University from February 2020 you can now access this session online.
• Approval of candidature
  It is possible that the current crisis may lead you to delay your start date but if you do start your doctorate during this crisis, you will still need to complete your Candidature form with your supervisor within one month of your start date if you are full-time, or within three months if you are part-time. Candidature forms will continue to be submitted to FDSCs for approval in the normal way.
• Confirmation (not required for Professional Doctorates)
  Students who are unable to submit for confirmation by their expected deadline because of the COVID-19 crisis, should email the Doctoral College to request an extension to their deadline.
  Given that face-to-face confirmations are no longer possible, and if it is not possible to delay the confirmation, students and supervisors may need to request to hold the session via video conferencing. See Appendix 3 of QA& Research degrees for guidelines on how to plan, set-up and conduct a video conference confirmation.
  It is not possible to submit a hard copy of your confirmation report to the office (where currently required). For this reason, we are changing the submission requirements for the foreseeable future.
  A hard copy will not be required, please submit your confirmation documents via the Moodle submission points by your deadline dates.
• Writing up
  You can still apply to transfer to writing up status in the normal way.
• Notice of intention to submit thesis or portfolio
  Students are still required to give at least two months’ prior notice to the Doctoral College, of the intended date of submission of their thesis.
• Submission of thesis or portfolio
  Students who are unable to submit by their registration end date because of the COVID-19 crisis, should contact the Doctoral College to request an extension.
  It will not be possible to submit a hard copy of your thesis. For this reason we are changing the submission requirements for the foreseeable future.
  First submission of thesis
  A hard copy will not be required, please submit your thesis via the Moodle submission points by your deadline dates. Arrangements for vivas and confirmation examinations will be forwarded to you in due course.
  Archive copy of thesis
  We will accept a receipt from Print Services showing that your thesis has been submitted for hard binding in order to process your viva paperwork for graduation. We will be happy to collect hard bound thesis from Print Services when we are next on campus. Please email your Programmes Administrator, at the email addresses below, when your thesis is ready for collection.
  Faculty of Engineering and Design: doctoralprogrammes-eng@bath.ac.uk
  Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences: doctoralprogrammes-hss@bath.ac.uk
  Faculty of Science: doctoralprogrammes-sci@bath.ac.uk
  School of Management: doctoralprogrammes-som@bath.ac.uk
• Examination (Viva Voce)
  Given that face-to-face vivas are no longer possible, and if it is not possible to delay the viva, students and supervisors may need to request to hold the exam via video conferencing. See Appendix 3 of QA& Research degrees for guidelines on how to plan, set-up and conduct a video conference viva.
• Graduation
  The Graduation Ceremonies in summer 2020 have been cancelled.