The University of Oxford has today announced a four-week grace period for the submission of postgraduate researchers’ theses, a decision which could save these students up to £508 each, according to the Oxford Student Union.
Postgraduate research students (PGRs) would ordinarily incur the University’s Continuation Charge if they had not submitted their thesis by Friday of 0th week, but this grace period now means they will not have to sumbit until Friday of 4th week. By delaying the deadline from 15 January to 12 February 2021, the University is accommodating the unique challenges students may face due to the coronavirus pandemic. Students will now not have to “apply for an academic extension to cover late submission” as long as their thesis is submitted by 12 February 2021, the University says. This grace period does not necessarily cover colleges, and the Oxford Student Union has stated that it will work with colleges in order to try and extend the provision of a grace period to the college’s continuation charge.
The Oxford SU’s Vice President for Graduates, Lauren Bolz, who campaigned for the change, said of the grace period, “I am really pleased that the University… has recognised the impact that Covid-19 has had on students’ studies”.
However, the Student Union has committed to continuing to campaign for students’ interests in this regard, with Bolz promising to, “lobby for the same grace period to be implemented in Trinity Term 2020 [sic] and for continued improvements to the overall graduate student experience”.
Image credits: Alexander Kachkaev