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. Just as undergraduate programmes, 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 respective prescribed application forms through supervisor(s), Head of Department, to Vice-Dean of Faculty. For students of the Faculty of Engineering, please download the application form from the Faculty’s website.

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

Extension of candidature applications received after the candidature has lapsed would only be considered if there are compelling reasons. If approved, an administrative fee of S$250 is payable to reinstate the candidature.

Application for extension submitted more than 12 months after the expiry of the maximum candidature will not be considered.

A Master’s or Graduate Programme by research student has to pass the Ph.D. 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. Application to upgrade the candidature should be made using the prescribed application form through supervisor(s), Head of Department and Vice-Dean of Faculty.

As a result of the upgrading, the maximum candidature will be five years from the date of registration. Credit will be given for the work done towards the Master’s degree.

For research scholarship holders, the scholarship period will be extended to correspond to the period given to Ph.D. 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/- will be given from the QE pass date up to such date as decided by the Faculty.

Students who have previously enjoyed government subsidy / scholarship in a Ph.D programme will not be eligible for government subsidy when the candidature is upgraded to Ph.D. Instead, such students will be liable to pay “Full Fees” for the Ph. D programme that they now wish to undertake. Please refer to the eligibility guidelines for fee subsidy.

Written request for transfer of candidature can either be made by the student (through supervisor(s) and Head of Department to Vice-Dean of Faculty) or by the supervisor(s) to Vice-Dean of Faculty. There is no prescribed application form.

As a result of the transfer, the maximum period of candidature will be reduced to three years from the date of registration. Student will have to apply for extension of candidature, if necessary.

For research scholarship holders, if there is an over-consumption of leave, scholars will be asked to refund the appropriate amount arising from that.

Students who have previously enjoyed government subsidy / scholarship in a Master’s programme will not be eligible for government subsidy when transferring the candidature to another Master’s programme. Instead, such students will be liable to pay “Full Fees” for the Master’s programme that they now undertake. Please refer to the eligibility guidelines for fee subsidy.

Students are to apply using the prescribed application form (if available for the Faculty) or by submitting a written request through supervisor(s) (for research students) and Head of Department, to Vice-Dean of Faculty.

Generally, research students should have already submitted a satisfactory first draft of the thesis to the supervisor before the request for conversion to part-time candidature can be approved.

Fees are still payable until such time the thesis has been submitted for examination. For international students, the student’s pass will be cancelled once the application to convert to part-time candidature has been approved.

For research scholarship holders, the scholarship stipend will be terminated with effect from the approved date of conversion. If excess payment has already been made, students 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 international students whose spouse/children are here on a social visit pass sponsored by the University, the pass will also be cancelled once the application for conversion to part-time candidature has been approved.

Please refer to fees payable arising from change in academic load.

There is no prescribed application form. Students are to submit a written request through the supervisor(s) (for research students) and Head of Department, to Vice-Dean of Faculty.

Please refer to fees payable arising from change in academic load.

Research students who wish to enrol concurrently in another course have to seek approval in writing from the Vice-Dean of Faculty through the supervisor(s) and the Head of Department.

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 modules for the coursework degree.

Graduate research students who wish to withdraw from their course should submit the Withdrawal from the University (Graduate Research Students) form with their student card through their supervisor(s), Head of Department, to Vice-Dean of Faculty. A letter confirming the withdrawal from the University will be sent to student within three weeks after submission of the form.

Graduate coursework students should check with their respective Faculty for information on the withdrawal procedure.

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. Not having attended any class or not having utilised university’s resources are invalid reasons for exemption from fee payment.

For students who have modules registered for the semester, depending on when during the semester they notify the University of the intention to withdraw, their module(s) and candidature withdrawal status will be recorded as follows:

Students who withdraw after registering for modules during Special Term Part 1 and 2 will have their module(s) and candidature withdrawal status recorded as follows:

Students who have withdrawn from the University and subsequently decide to return to the same programme of study will have to apply for readmission and be subjected to the prevailing tuition fee rate and policy. However, if the decision to return is taken within 12 months from date of withdrawal, the student may submit 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 reinstatement/readmission, they will be subjected to the eligibility guidelines for MOE subsidy.

The candidature of a student can be terminated when:

- performance in coursework and/or research is unsatisfactory;
- student is the subject of a disciplinary case brought before the Board of Discipline;
- student is missing in action (without approved leave);
- student did not register for module(s) when s/he is expected to (without approved leave or other approval); or
- student has exceeded the maximum candidature (candidature has lapsed)

When any of the above occurs, the student will be notified officially in writing.

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.

The student card has to be returned to his/her Department or Programme Office. For international students, the student’s pass and spouse social visit pass sponsored by the University (if any) will be cancelled.

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 surrendered to ICA within seven days from the date of the termination letter. Any spouse/child social visit pass sponsored by the University will also be cancelled.

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.

For students whose dismissal is due to candidature lapse, they 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.