Students who are unable to submit their thesis for examination or complete their degree requirements by the maximum period of their candidature will have to apply for an extension of their candidature. This should be done at least three months before the expiry of the maximum candidature. Faculties may approve extension of candidature not exceeding two years on a cumulative basis. Beyond the two-year limit, the approval of the Board of Graduate Studies is required.

Students are to apply for extension using the prescribed application form at https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/nusgs/gd/ through thesis advisor(s), Head of Department, to Vice Dean of Faculty.

A candidature would be considered lapsed (candidature terminated) once these maximum candidature period of the degree is reached unless an extension was previously approved.

Students applying for a transfer of their candidature will need to take note of the following:

1. Tuition Fees

Tuition fees payable for the semester of transfer will depend on the effective date of transfer.

Effective Date of Transfer of Candidature	Fees Payable
Within the first two instructional weeks of the semester	Fees for new programme is payable
After the first two instructional weeks of the semester	Fees for the former programme is payable

2. Eligibility Guidelines for MOE Subsidy

Students who have previously enjoyed government subsidy/sponsorship in a graduate programme should refer to the eligibility guidelines on fee subsidy. Students who are ineligible for fee subsidy are also not eligible for some scholarships.

3. Service Obligation Agreement

International students who have signed the Service Obligation (SO) agreements with the Ministry of Education (MOE) and are transferring/admitting to a programme of a different level (e.g. from a PhD to a Master's or vice versa), will have to apply and sign a new SO agreement if they wish to pay the SO fee rate for the new programme.

Please refer to the SO Scheme for eligibility and other information. The student can serve both SO bonds concurrently, i.e. the bond length will still be three years upon graduation from the last programme. If a student has signed SO agreement for the former programme, s/he should consult his/her Department on the fee payable for the new programme.

Important: The timing for such transfers/admits should be aligned to the signing of SO agreement for the semester, because if a student misses the scheduled SO online application period for the semester, s/he will have to pay unsubsidised tuition fee for the semester and apply for SO Scheme in the following semester. Upon approval, the subsidy will start from the semester for which approval is given.

1. Transfer from Master's by Research to PhD

Student has to pass the PhD Qualifying Examination (QE) and meet any other criteria set forth by the Faculty before the candidature can be upgraded. Please refer to the Faculty's guidelines in this aspect. Applications to upgrade the candidature should be made using the prescribed application form at https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/nusgs/gd/, through thesis advisor(s), Head of Department and Vice Dean of Faculty.

As a result of the upgrading, the maximum candidature will be five years from the original date of registration. Unit will be given for the work done towards the Master's degree. Nevertheless, if there is no credit transfer to the new programme, the student will be considered to be withdrawing from the previous programme and admitting afresh to the new programme. The student will have a new admit term (fees payable and degree requirement as per new cohort) and a new candidature period.

For research scholarship holders, the scholarship period will generally be extended to correspond to the period given to PhD students in the respective Faculty. The terms and conditions of the research scholarship award remain unchanged. In addition to the scholarship stipend, an additional stipend of S$500 may be given from the QE pass date up to such date as decided by the Faculty.

2. Transfer from PhD to Master's by Research

Student should complete and submit the prescribed application form at https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/nusgs/gd/, through thesis advisor(s), Head of Department and Vice Dean of Faculty. A student may also be advised to transfer if s/he has not been performing satisfactorily in his/her PhD. In such cases, the student should similarly complete and submit the prescribed application form.

As a result of the transfer, the maximum period of candidature will be reduced to three years from the original date of registration. The student will have to apply for extension of candidature, if necessary. Nevertheless, if there is no credit transfer to the new programme, the student will be considered to be withdrawing from the previous programme and admitting afresh to the new programme. The student will have a new admit term (fees payable and degree requirement as per new cohort) and a new candidature period.

For research scholarship/fellowship/award recipients, the scholarship/fellowship/award may be terminated with the transfer. If the scholarship/fellowship/award is terminated before the end of the first two instructional weeks, the tuition fee for the semester will not be covered by the scholarship/fellowship/award. If excess payment has already been made, the student will be informed to make the necessary refund. If there is an over-consumption of leave, the appropriate amount arising from that will be added to the refund. In addition, for full-time international students whose spouse/children are here on a social visit pass sponsored by the University, the pass may also be cancelled once the application for conversion to part-time candidature has been approved.

3. Transfer from one Faculty/Department to another; or from one Master’s by Coursework Programme to another Master’s by Coursework Programme

Student should consult the Faculty/Department(s) hosting the programmes on the possibility and procedure. There is no change to the admit term and candidature period (in general) if there is credit to be transferred from the previous programme to the new programme.

If there is no credit transfer to the new programme, the student will be considered as withdrawing from the previous programme and admitting afresh to the new programme. The student will have a new admit term (fees payable and degree requirement as per new cohort) and a new candidature period. An administrative fee of $40 for the request will be charged.

4. No direct transfer of candidature from PhD/Master's by Research to Master's by Coursework or vice versa

Student will be considered as withdrawing from the previous programme and admitting afresh to the new programme. The student should consult the Faculty/Department(s) hosting the programmes for advice on the possibility and procedure. The student will have a new admit term (fees payable and degree requirement as per new cohort) and a new candidature period.

If a student transfers from a research to a coursework programme and the student is/was in receipt of research scholarship/fellowship/tuition fee allowance, s/he will be charged administrative fees for the transfer of courses depending on the number of courses to be transferred to, the total number of courses required for, and the prevailing tuition fees of the new coursework programme. The student can consult his/her Department for more details.

An administrative fee of $40 for the request will be charged.

Students applying for a conversion of their candidature will need to take note of the tuition fees payable arising from the change in their academic load, i.e. from full-time to part-time or vice versa.

• Research-based Programmes

  Research students are to apply using the prescribed application form at https://myportal.nus.edu.sg/studentportal/nusgs/gd/ through thesis advisor(s), Head of Department, to Vice Dean of Faculty.

  Generally, research students should have already submitted a satisfactory first draft of the thesis to the thesis advisor before the request for conversion from full-time to part-time candidature can be approved. For students who are or who have been on research scholarship/fellowship/award, under no circumstances should they commence employment before they obtain approval from the University. Otherwise, their candidature may be terminated immediately.

  Fees are still payable until such time the thesis has been submitted for examination. For full-time international students, the University will inform the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of the conversion to part-time candidature. The Student’s Pass must be cancelled/surrendered to ICA, using a prescribed "Cancellation/Surrender of Student’s Pass/Long-Term Visit Pass" form, which is downloadable from the ICA website. Any spouse/child social visit pass sponsored by the University will also have to be cancelled accordingly.

  For research scholarship/fellowship/award recipients, the scholarship/fellowship/award will be terminated with the conversion to part-time. If the scholarship/fellowship/award is terminated before the end of the first two instructional weeks, the tuition fee for the semester will not be covered by the scholarship/fellowship/award. If excess payment has already been made, the student will be informed to make the necessary refund. If there is an over-consumption of leave, the appropriate amount arising from that will be added to the refund.

• Coursework-based Programmes

  Coursework students are to apply using the prescribed application form (if available for the Faculty) or consult their Faculty for the procedure.

  Graduate students who wish to enrol concurrently in another programme offered by NUS or another University have to seek approval in writing from the Vice Dean of Faculty through the thesis advisor(s) (for research students) and the Head of Department. Research students can only enrol in another programme if they have submitted the thesis for examination.

  Research students who are doing a research degree and a coursework graduate degree concurrently are advised to file for graduation from the coursework degree first as they can then seek credit and grade transfer for the coursework component of the research programme (subject to the approval of the Department/Faculty). If students are to file for graduation for the research degree first, they generally cannot use any of the courses for the coursework degree.

  Students who have enjoyed government subsidy / scholarship in a graduate programme will not be eligible for government subsidy in another graduate programme at the same or lower level. Instead, such students will be liable to pay unsubsidised fees for the graduate programme that they now wish to undertake.

Graduate students who wish to enrol concurrently in another programme offered by NUS or another University have to seek approval in writing from the Vice Dean of Faculty through the thesis advisor(s) (for research students) and the Head of Department. Research students can only enrol in another programme if they have submitted the thesis for examination.

Research students who are doing a research degree and a coursework graduate degree concurrently are advised to file for graduation from the coursework degree first as they can then seek credit and grade transfer for the coursework component of the research programme (subject to the approval of the Department/Faculty). If students are to file for graduation for the research degree first, they generally cannot use any of the courses for the coursework degree.

Students who have enjoyed government subsidy / scholarship in a graduate programme will not be eligible for government subsidy in another graduate programme at the same or lower level. Instead, such students will be liable to pay unsubsidised fees for the graduate programme that they now wish to undertake.

The candidature of a student can be terminated when the student:

• has performed unsatisfactorily in his/her coursework and/or research work;
• is the subject of a disciplinary case brought before the Board of Discipline;
• is missing in action (without approved leave);
• has failed to register for course(s) when s/he is expected to (without approved leave or other approval);
• has exceeded the maximum candidature (candidature has lapsed); or
• has overdue fees

The student will be notified officially in writing if his/her candidature is terminated and s/he is required to destroy the Student Card (by cutting it into pieces) and discard it.

Please note that students who leave the University after the second instructional week of a semester are liable to pay fees for the whole semester.

For international students holding a Student’s Pass, the University will inform the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) of the termination. The Student’s Pass must be cancelled/surrendered to ICA, using a prescribed “Cancellation/Surrender of Student’s Pass/Long-Term Visit Pass” form, which is downloadable from the ICA website. Any spouse/child social visit pass sponsored by the University will also have to be cancelled accordingly.

Students who have been dismissed due to poor Grade Point Average (GPA) can refer to Continuation and Graduation Requirements regarding appeal for reinstatement.

Students who have been dismissed and would like to return to the same programme of study generally will have to apply for readmission and be subjected to the prevailing tuition fee rate and policy. Nevertheless, students may appeal to return within 12 months from date of termination, by submitting a request with justifications for reinstatement of candidature to their Faculty for consideration. Reinstatement of candidature will be considered on a case-by-case basis and is not guaranteed. An administrative fee of S$250 is payable for approved reinstatement of candidature.

For those on MOE-subsidised programmes and are successful in gaining readmission, they will be subjected to the eligibility guidelines for MOE subsidy.