Completing Research Status

Full Job Description

This page explains how to register for completing research status if you are ready to write up your thesis and how to apply for an extension to your existing CRS.

Overview Of Completing Research Status (Crs)

If you are eligible, you may register as a completing research status (CRS) student while you write up your thesis. You will only be permitted to move to CRS status with the approval of your supervisor or other departmental authority. If you have already been granted completing research status, you may apply for an extension under certain circumstances.

If you do not submit your thesis before the end of your CRS period, your registration as a student will be closed. It is therefore essential that you do not take up CRS unless you are ready to write up your thesis and are confident that you will meet the deadline.

Automatic Covid 19 Extension

If the start date of your research degree was on (or before) the 27 September 2020 you will automatically be given 18 months (FT) or 36 months (PT) of CRS. Please note, this extension will not show in your Portico record until you are moved to CRS.

Eligibility

To register for CRS you must:

• have met the minimum period of enrolment for your programme, as indicated in the academic manual
• (for students enrolled on MPhil/PhD programmes) have upgraded to PhD status, unless your department has confirmed to the Research Degrees Team that you are entering for an MPhil only
• be able to submit your thesis within 12 months (for full-time students) and 24 months (for part-time students)
• have completed your data collection/field work and have agreed a clear writing up plan with your supervisor
• be eligible under the rules of your funding body, as advised by the departmental administrator
• have met any other departmental or divisional conditions

While on CRS, you are not required to pay fees. Once you have entered CRS, you cannot interrupt your studies or go on Study Leave (you can instead request a CRS extension).

• Once enrolled, CRS students will continue to be able to use, or will be reissued with, a UCL identity card and will be entitled to the use of all the general UCL facilities and services.
• A CRS student, in laboratory-based research, may be admitted to a laboratory and be given use of UCL equipment, where such admission and use will materially enhance the quality of the thesis or will expedite its completion. Such admission and use shall, however, be on the condition that this does not significantly interfere with the use of the laboratory or equipment in question by other students or staff of UCL, or incur additional expense. The student’s Principal Supervisor, with the approval of the Head of Department/Division, shall be responsible for making any arrangements necessary to comply with this condition. In the event that a CRS student is refused admission or use, they shall have the right of appeal to the Faculty Graduate Tutor who shall consult the student’s supervisor and Head of Department/Division.
• The student’s department/division may, at its discretion, give any other supervisory assistance during the writing up period. CRS students will be expected to comply with all the duties and responsibilities of any other research student as set out in the Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degrees.

You must read the Academic Manual and the Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degrees before applying for CRS status.

How To Apply For Crs

Please contact your Departmental PGR Administrator to check on your eligibility. They will then contact the Research Degrees team to confirm the date your CRS is authorised to start.

Re Enrolment

If your CRS status starts on/or before the 1st October 2025, you do not need to re-enrol but you should still log into Portico and check that your home, term and contact address details are up to date.

If your CRS starts after the 1st October 2025, you must re-enrol and pay fees up to the start of your CRS status.

Extension To Completing Research Status

We understand that you may experience unexpected difficulties during your CRS period. You may apply for an extension to CRS in exceptional circumstances.

Applications for extension to CRS must be made on Portico. Applications must be supported by a student’s department and may be made on the grounds of illness of student or close relative, maternity leave, bereavement, responsibilities as a primary carer or academic circumstances out of the control of the student. Work commitments or any duties carried out for a department are not considered grounds for extension; submission of a thesis is expected to be a priority. Applications on the grounds of the illness or termination of employment of the Principal Supervisor may be considered but departments are expected to make arrangements for alternative supervision under such circumstances.

You must read the Academic Manual before applying for an extension to CRS. You can only apply for an extension for CRS whilst on CRS, but you must do so before the expiry of your submission deadline. You should apply for the extension three months before your submission deadline.

How To Apply For An Extension

• You will need to log in to Portico to apply for a CRS extension. You should do this before the expiry or your CRS period.
• You will find the task in the ‘My Studies’ section of your Portico page, under the ‘Research Student Administration’ container. A user guide is available with step-by-step instructions for submitting an application.
• Once you have completed the online task, your application will pass to your supervisor and then to your Departmental Graduate Tutor for consideration.
• You will receive an email to confirm the outcome of your application.
• You may also need to apply to your funding body for an extension. Please seek further advice from your Departmental PGR Administrator if you think this is the case.
• Many of the funding bodies apply sanctions to the department if students do not submit their thesis within 4 years from the start of registration. You should discuss this with both your supervisor and your Departmental Graduate Tutor before submitting an application.
• If you have any queries about the task, please log in to AskUCL and search the FAQs or raise a ticket.

To register for CRS you must:

• have met the minimum period of enrolment for your programme, as indicated in the academic manual
• (for students enrolled on MPhil/PhD programmes) have upgraded to PhD status, unless your department has confirmed to the Research Degrees Team that you are entering for an MPhil only
• be able to submit your thesis within 12 months (for full-time students) and 24 months (for part-time students)
• have completed your data collection/field work and have agreed a clear writing up plan with your supervisor
• be eligible under the rules of your funding body, as advised by the departmental administrator
• have met any other departmental or divisional conditions

While on CRS, you are not required to pay fees. Once you have entered CRS, you cannot interrupt your studies or go on Study Leave (you can instead request a CRS extension).

• Once enrolled, CRS students will continue to be able to use, or will be reissued with, a UCL identity card and will be entitled to the use of all the general UCL facilities and services.
• A CRS student, in laboratory-based research, may be admitted to a laboratory and be given use of UCL equipment, where such admission and use will materially enhance the quality of the thesis or will expedite its completion. Such admission and use shall, however, be on the condition that this does not significantly interfere with the use of the laboratory or equipment in question by other students or staff of UCL, or incur additional expense. The student’s Principal Supervisor, with the approval of the Head of Department/Division, shall be responsible for making any arrangements necessary to comply with this condition. In the event that a CRS student is refused admission or use, they shall have the right of appeal to the Faculty Graduate Tutor who shall consult the student’s supervisor and Head of Department/Division.
• The student’s department/division may, at its discretion, give any other supervisory assistance during the writing up period. CRS students will be expected to comply with all the duties and responsibilities of any other research student as set out in the Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degrees.

You must read the Academic Manual and the Code of Practice for Graduate Research Degrees before applying for CRS status.

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