Get your research degree award and graduate

There are several conditions that must be met before you are awarded your research degree and can attend a graduation ceremony.

Research degree award

Your name can only appear on a pass list and your research degree awarded once all the following conditions have been met:  

• Your examiners’ report has been approved by the Progression and Examinations Group at one of its meetings.
• Doctoral College Operations (DCO) has received confirmation that the internal examiner is satisfied with any corrections.
• You have deposited the full text version of your eThesis in White Rose eThesis Online.
• All tuition fees to the University have been paid.
• If applicable, all assessed or taught modules have been completed successfully.

In accordance with the decision of the Graduate Board, no exceptions will be permitted and the staff in DCO have no discretion in these matters.  

After the Progression and Examinations Group meeting you can track progress towards award in GRAD via the ‘award checklist’. Once your name has appeared on a pass list you will receive an email to your University account confirming the award of your degree. Please allow five working days from the date of the meeting for this to happen (occasionally there may be queries that need to be resolved and which may extend this timeframe).

Find out more about pass lists on Understand the submission and examination process.

Graduation

Only those who have successfully completed their award and have appeared on a pass list are eligible to attend the graduation ceremony. This would not include those whose ‘pass’ status is subject to outstanding corrections or submission of the eThesis. 

Further information about the arrangements for graduation and certificates can be found on the Graduation page.

To be eligible to attend graduation this December the following are the key dates to be aware of:

Any tuition fees must also have been paid.

Certificate 

Your degree certificate won’t be handed to you at graduation. Instead, this will be posted and emailed to you.  

After your name has appeared on the pass list you will receive a GRAD notification requesting your up-to-date contact information so that we can provide you with the digital and physical copies of your degree certificate.

Once you have provided us with your contact information, we aim to provide the digital and physical copies of your certificate within four weeks.

We recommend you provide us with a personal email address, as your university email address usually closes 90 days after your name appears on the pass list. 

If you have any questions please contact the Doctoral College. Please include your student ID in all correspondance.

Award statement for research degrees 

After your name has appeared on a pass list, if you require evidence of your research degree award before you receive your official certificate, you may wish to request a statement. The statement will confirm:

• your period of study,
• school of registration,
• thesis title,
• submission date for examination,
• viva date
• date of award

Statements can take up to four weeks to process (if you apply for a statement before your name has appeared on a pass list, the four week period will begin from the date of the pass list). Statements for research degrees are free of charge for the first three months after your name has appeared on a pass list. Requests for research degree statements can be made to the thesis examination team if evidence of your research degree is essential at that time eg for job applications. After three months, statements should be ordered through the online store on the University website and there is a small charge.

Graduate visa

PGRs holding a current Student Visa may be able to apply for the Graduate Visa once they have appeared on the pass list. Further information is available on the Working in the UK after study page.