Making changes to your candidature
If you wish to make a change to your candidature, you must request this change through either the Research Education Candidature System (RECS) or Sydney Student, as indicated below.
You should attach supporting documentation wherever relevant, including a completed Student Declaration (doc, 52KB) form if you are an international student.
All requests require approval and can take time to be process, so check the relevant deadlines and ensure you’ve met all the requirements as outlined below, to avoid unnecessary processing delays.
A request may be approved, conditionally approved, or rejected, or you may be asked to provide further documentation so that it can be considered more fully.
Candidature changes can only be processed within the research period to which they apply, so while requests submitted in advance can be considered, they will remain as ‘pending’ in RECS until they can be applied.
If you need to request a change to your candidature after the relevant deadline has passed, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) to discuss your options.
If, as your research progresses, the topic of your research and/or your thesis changes, discuss this in the first instance with your lead supervisor and with your faculty or school’s Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent).
Be aware that any substantial change to your research or thesis topic may affect your progress, scholarship payments, and potentially your student visa. Contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for guidance on these issues.
If the proposed change of thesis topic would also mean changing supervisor(s), see also making changes to your supervisory team.
If the proposed change of thesis topic would also mean applying to transfer from a master’s degree by research to a doctorate or vice versa, see also transferring between degrees.
Contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for further guidance.
Your ‘mode of attendance’ refers to whether you are studying full time or part time.
Depending on your circumstances, at any stage during your candidature, you may be able to request to change your mode of attendance from full time to part time or vice versa. If your request is approved, your required thesis submission date will be updated accordingly.
If you are in a period of approved extension of your candidature, if you subsequently request to change from full-time to part-time study, your required submission date will not be moved for a second time.
Any request to change your mode of attendance must be submitted by the relevant deadline, as indicated in the tables below. Provided you meet that deadline, you may choose for your request to either:
Selecting the backdated option may result in overpayment of any scholarship and/or Centrelink payments you are receiving, so check the conditions of those payments before requesting a change.
If you submit your request after the deadline for a particular research period, you will only have the option of your request taking effect from the start of the next research period.
Before requesting to change your mode of study, check the time limits for completing HDR degrees as outlined in the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule (pdf, 533KB) to ensure you can still complete your degree within the required period.
If you receive a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, your payments may be affected if you change your mode of attendance without the required approvals. Check your scholarship offer letter for the applicable terms and conditions, and if you need further guidance, email the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC).
Changing your mode of attendance may also affect your eligibility for Centrelink payments and travel concessions, so if you are receiving a Centrelink payment and you change your mode of attendance, you must inform Centrelink.
| Research period | Deadline for domestic students |
|---|---|
| Research period 1 | 17 January 2025 |
| Research period 2 | 24 March 2025 |
| Research period 3 | 24 August 2025 |
| Research period 4 | 24 October 2025 |
The conditions of your student visa may limit your eligibility to change your mode of attendance or may require you to meet additional requirements.
Further, you can only change from full-time to part-time study under certain circumstances. You must also submit a completed Student Declaration form to support your request.
For further guidance, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), email a Compliance Officer or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
| Research period | Deadline for international students |
|---|---|
| Research period 1 | 17 January 2025 |
| Research period 2 | 17 March 2025 |
| Research period 3 | 17 August 2025 |
| Research period 4 | 17 October 2025 |
In the Research Education Candidature System (RECS), go to ‘My project’, then ‘Candidature maintenance’, then ‘Start a new request’, select ‘Change mode of attendance’ and complete the required form.
In some cases, you may be approved to change your mode of attendance to part-time for a limited period (e.g., two research periods). You are responsible for changing your mode of attendance back to full-time at the end of this period. Failure to do so may risk your scholarship and/or visa.
As your research progresses, the topic of your research and/or thesis might change, and it may be beneficial for you to seek out an additional or alternative supervisor.
The first step is to discuss any proposed change with your faculty or school’s Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent) and with your current supervisors to confirm that your revised topic can feasibly be researched and your thesis still submitted on time.
Any substantial change to the topic of your research and/or thesis may affect your progress.
If you receive a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University or are on an international student visa, changes to your supervisory team will be subject to additional terms and conditions. For guidance on these issues, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC).
If your Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent) and current supervisors agree with the proposed change, they may suggest appropriate alternative supervision.
If everyone involved agrees to the new arrangement, you must then request formal approval for the change through RECS. Go to ‘My project’, then ‘Candidature maintenance’, then ‘Start new request’, then ‘Change supervisors’ and complete the required form.
If the name of your proposed new supervisor does not appear in the dropdown list, this means they are not currently listed on the University’s Supervisor Register. HDRAC can provide information on how a current staff member can apply to register as a supervisor.
Supervisors who are not current staff of the University of Sydney must have or establish an affiliation with the relevant faculty or school before applying to register as a supervisor.
If you wish to change your lead supervisor and your proposed new lead supervisor is from another faculty or school, you must submit a new application for admission to your degree through that faculty or school (rather than requesting to change supervisors through RECS).
Your application will be assessed for eligibility for a new offer of admission. If you receive an offer of admission to your new degree and you accept it, you must then discontinue (withdraw from) your original degree and re-enrol with your new faculty/school (your offer letter will include instructions on how to do this).
If you need to take leave for one full research period or longer, you must request a suspension of your enrolment. If you need to take leave for less than one full research period, you should request a leave of absence.
During a period of approved suspension your enrolment is paused, so the length of your candidature, your milestone completion dates and your required thesis submission date will all be automatically adjusted. When your period of approved suspension ends, you must re-enrol or request a further suspension.
You may request a suspension for a minimum of one full research period up to a maximum of one year. Longer suspensions are only granted in compelling circumstances, at the discretion of your faculty or school.
Before requesting a suspension, you must seek advice from the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) to ensure you fully understand how it may affect your studies.
If you have not yet enrolled and wish to postpone your start date, you must email the Admissions team to request that your start date be deferred.
You must submit your request for a suspension by the deadline for the research period you wish to suspend, as indicated in the accordions below.
Late requests will only be considered in compelling circumstances and with the relevant supporting documentation. Contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for guidance.
Before requesting a suspension, check the time limits for completing HDR degrees as outlined in the University of Sydney (Higher Degree by Research) Rule, to ensure you will still be able to complete your degree within the required period.
If you are receiving a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, your payments may be affected if you suspend your studies. Some scholarships do not permit suspensions until you have completed a specified period of your candidature. Check your scholarship offer letter for the applicable terms and conditions, and if you need further guidance email the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC).
Suspending your studies may also affect your eligibility for Centrelink payments and travel concessions, so if you are receiving a Centrelink payment and you suspend your studies, you must inform Centrelink.
| Research period | Deadline for domestic students |
|---|---|
| Research period 1 | 17 January 2025 |
| Research period 2 | 24 March 2025 |
| Research period 3 | 24 August 2025 |
| Research period 4 | 24 October 2025 |
The conditions of your student visa may limit your eligibility to take a suspension or may require you to meet additional requirements.
Further, you can only request a suspension on certain compassionate or compelling grounds, and you must provide the required supporting documentation as part of your application.
You must also submit a completed Student Declaration form. For guidance on this requirement, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC).
You cannot suspend your studies for reasons relating to employment or finances. Applications are assessed on a case-by-case basis.
If your suspension is approved, the University will notify the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) by cancelling your current electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) and, at the same time, issuing a new eCoE for you to recommence your studies when you return. This notification means that your student visa may be subject to cancellation. You will need to contact DHA for information relating to your visa. See the information on the DHA website about changes to your study situation.
Note that if you are granted a suspension, you may be liable for tuition fees for the additional period of candidature, as your scholarship may not cover this period.
For more advice about suspending your studies, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), email a Compliance Officer or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
| Research period | Deadline for international students |
|---|---|
| Research period 1 | 17 January 2025 |
| Research period 2 | 17 March 2025 |
| Research period 3 | 17 August 2025 |
| Research period 4 | 17 October 2025 |
Shortly before you are due to return from an approved suspension, the University will email you with instructions on how to apply to recommence your studies or request a further suspension. Ensure you check your student email account for these important instructions.
Check the deadlines provided in your email to ensure you do not inadvertently enrol yourself in an earlier or later semester than intended.
In Sydney Student, go to ‘My studies’, then ‘My Research’, then ‘Request to recommence studies’ and follow the prompts.
Once you have submitted this request, log out of Sydney Student, then log back in and re-enrol for the next research period.
If you are receiving a Centrelink payment you must inform Centrelink of this change.
Submit your request to recommence your studies three to four weeks before you wish to recommence, to allow time for the University to provide you with a new electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE).
If your student visa has been cancelled, then once you have your new eCoE you will need to apply to the Department of Home Affairs for a new visa.
If you are receiving a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, you must also complete a ‘Research scholarship recommencement’ form to apply for your payments to recommence.
If you will be unable to complete or submit your thesis by your required submission date, you may be eligible to request an extension of your candidature. Extensions are only granted at the discretion of your faculty or school’s Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent), and may be limited or conditional. An extension of candidature can only be applied for within six months of the final thesis submission date.
Before submitting an extension request, you must discuss your circumstances and proposed revised research schedule with your supervisor.
If you are receiving a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, any extension of your candidature will most likely see it exceed the maximum entitlement period for your scholarship payments.
You can check the end date of your payments in Sydney Student by selecting ‘My Finances’, then ‘Scholarships, prizes, bursaries and loans’, then ‘Awards’ to see a list of past and current payments, including their start and end dates.
Extending your candidature may also see your studies exceed the ‘allowable time’ for which you may be eligible for Centrelink payments and travel concessions. If you are receiving a Centrelink payment and you make any change to your candidature, you must inform Centrelink.
You must also submit a completed Student Declaration form to support your extension request. Contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for guidance on this requirement.
If your request for an extension of your candidature is approved, you may also need to apply for an extension of your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE) through Sydney Student (go to ‘My studies’, then ‘Course details’ and follow the prompts).
For further guidance, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), email a Compliance Officer or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
In RECS, go to ‘My project’, then ‘Candidature maintenance’, then ‘Start new request’, select ‘Extension’ and complete the required form.
You will be prompted to provide:
You will not be required to disclose the nature of any health concern that comprises the reason for your request.
Once your request has been assessed, you will be informed of the outcome and (if approved) of your new required thesis submission date.
Please log in to RECS to check the outcome in full when available, as often your faculty or school’s Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent) will have added a note or condition that is not otherwise visible.
If you are considering transferring from a master’s degree by research to a doctorate or vice versa, you should first discuss this with your supervisor and your faculty or school’s Associate Head, Research Education (or equivalent), to ensure you are aware of all the requirements and implications. Please note, that some schools have specific processes to approve transfer to a PhD, so make sure to talk to your Associate Head, Research Education early.
The relevant supporting documentation must accompany all applications. You may contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for further guidance.
If you are currently completing a master’s degree by research and would like to transfer to a doctorate, you will need to:
If you are completing a doctorate and would like to transfer to a master’s degree by research, this will shorten your candidature and bring your required thesis submission date forward.
Discuss your situation with your supervisor, and contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for further guidance.
Please review the following requirements, as applicable.
If you receive a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, your payments may be affected if you transfer to a different degree.
Check your scholarship offer letter for the applicable terms and conditions and email the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC) for further guidance.
If you are receiving a scholarship or other financial assistance from the University, you must also complete a ‘Research scholarship recommencement’ form to apply for your payments to recommence.
If you are receiving a Centrelink payment, you must inform Centrelink of this change.
The conditions of your student visa may limit your options to transfer to a different degree or may require you to meet additional requirements. See visa implications for international students.
Discuss your situation with your lead supervisor, and for further guidance, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), email a Compliance Officer or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.
You must submit your application to transfer between degrees before the relevant deadline for the research period in which you wish to transfer. If you submit your application after the relevant date, it will not take effect until the following research period.
For further guidance, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC).
In Sydney Student, go to ‘My studies’, then ‘Course details’, then ‘Change your course’ and follow the prompts. If your application is approved, you will receive an offer with instructions on how to accept it. You must accept your offer before you can enrol in your new course through Sydney Student.
You will be informed of your new required thesis submission date, which will be calculated from the start date of your original degree.
Some faculties offer HDR students the option of enrolling concurrently in a coursework program. This generally means enrolling full time in one degree and part time in the other, resulting in an intensive program that involves significant time commitment and excellent organisational skills, so thorough consideration is required before applying.
Concurrent enrolment is generally not permitted during your first (and in some cases second) year of candidature, to allow you the best chance of getting your HDR studies off to a good start. Where available, it is open to both domestic and international students if permitted by the conditions of your student visa.
To be eligible to apply for concurrent enrolment you must:
Being enrolled concurrently is not justification for not meeting the progress or other course requirements of your HDR degree. If during your concurrent enrolment your progression or academic performance falls below the required standard of your HDR degree, you may be asked to ‘show good cause’ as to why your candidature should not be terminated. If this is the case, you will be provided with specific instructions regarding this process at the time.
If you wish to complete an HDR degree concurrently with a coursework degree but are not currently eligible for concurrent enrolment, your options may include:
If you are considering discontinuing (withdrawing from) your studies altogether, you are strongly encouraged to first speak with your supervisor to confirm whether this is the best option in your situation. You may instead be eligible to take leave or suspend your studies until you are able to get back on track.
To discontinue your studies, in Sydney Student go to ‘My studies’, then ‘Course details’, then ‘Discontinue your course’ and follow the prompts.
Once your request has been processed, your enrolment in your course and in any units of study will automatically be ended. Any scholarship payments or other financial assistance you are receiving from the University will also be terminated as of the date of your discontinuation, and any funds owing to the University will need to be repaid.
If in future you wish to return to study at the University of Sydney, you will need to submit a new application.
To avoid financial or academic penalty, submit your application before the census date of the research period from which you wish to discontinue.
If you are receiving a Centrelink payment and you discontinue your studies, you must inform Centrelink.
If you discontinue your studies, the University will notify the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) by cancelling your electronic Confirmation of Enrolment (eCoE).
This notification means that your student visa will be subject to cancellation. You will need to contact DHA for information relating to your visa. See the information on the DHA website about changes to your study situation.
If you wish to discontinue your enrolment at the University of Sydney within your first six months of candidature to take up an offer at another Australian education provider, you must request a ‘release’.
For more advice about discontinuing your studies, contact the Higher Degree by Research Administration Centre (HDRAC), email a Compliance Officer or visit the Department of Home Affairs website.