Doctoral Student

Full-Time Classification

Full-time students are expected to engage in their studies on a full-time basis. All doctoral students are considered full-time students and are assessed fees according to Schedule A of the doctoral degree tuition fees schedule. Full-time students are eligible for graduate scholarships and fellowships. Normally, teaching assistantships (TAs) and research assistantships (RAs) are limited to full-time students.

Graduate programs may articulate specific limitations regarding concurrent paid employment as consistent with the definition of full-time study. Recipients of TAs must adhere to the appropriate union's regulations governing number of hours worked while holding a TA.

Part-time Classification 

Part-time studies are designed for students who are unable to devote full-time hours and expect they will require a longer timeline to complete their studies. Fulltime students typically devote a minimum of 35-40 hours per week to academic activities (e.g., research, teaching or research assistantship, and professional development) related to their studies. Students may have a number of reasons for undertaking part-time studies, including professional obligations (e.g., government or industry work, consulting, self-employment, or equivalent) or personal circumstances that make it impossible for them to devote full-time attention to their program of study.

Part-time studies are only available in some programs, as part-time study may not fit the curriculum or research in some fields of study. Programs that offer part-time studies must demonstrate that their curriculum (e.g., sequence of coursework, exams, research activities) will be feasible for students studying part-time.

Admission to part-time study will also depend on finding a suitable supervisor, as part-time studies may not suit the research topic of the student or some faculty. The expected academic workload of students classified as part-time is determined by the graduate program.

Students who wish to be classified as parttime must obtain approval from their proposed supervisor and graduate program coordinator as part of the admission process. It is strongly recommended that a conversation take place between student, supervisor, and program coordinator to establish realistic plans and expectations for progression through the degree, as described here: https://gradstudies.ok.ubc.ca/academics/stu dent-supervisor-expectations/

Part-time status is not to be used as a means of reducing total tuition paid. 

Students classified as part-time are assessed tuition fees according to Schedule C. 

Students who are on Schedule C and who are classified as part-time are advised that:

• They may not be eligible to receive interest-free status government loans, teaching assistantships, research assistantships, student housing, and some fellowships or scholarships.
• They are exempt from the Minimum Funding Package guarantee for PhD students.
• A maximum 8-year time period is allowed for completion of the part-time doctoral program (compared to a 6-year time period for full-time students).
• Students who pay tuition fees according to Schedule C are not permitted to revert to Schedule A. Likewise, students who pay tuition fees according to Schedule A are not permitted to revert to Schedule C throughout the duration of their program

Due to Canadian immigration regulations, part-time study has particular implications for international students. International students should seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant before pursuing part-time classification.

Funding:

Funding expectations for part-time students will vary depending on circumstances. Prior to a student enrolling in part-time studies, communication between the program, supervisor, and student will be required to clarify expectations, in writing. Consideration should be given to a contingency plan for if the student's circumstances change.

Part-time students are not eligible for some sources of funding, including tri-agency scholarships.

Students must not be encouraged to take part-time studies because a department/supervisor cannot provide a full-time funding package to the student.