Delay PhD track
Is a PhD candidate successful when their research is completed in 50 months?
My research shows that more than 75% of PhD candidates require more than 50 months to complete their research. This may not be a problem; some PhD candidates combine their research activities with a job taking into account the subsequent delay. Others just opt for a PhD track which takes 5 rather than 4 years. An unforeseeable delay in the PhD track may be very undesirable. If, for instance, the PhD candidate is entitled to exactly four years research funding only while needing 50 months to complete the research, who, then, is responsible for funding the last two months? It is to be hoped that the research group or faculty will have a sufficient additional budget to support the PhD candidate, so close to the finish, in reaching this goal. It appears that the first year of the PhD track is crucial. Supervisors and PhD candidates should decide on a plan for a solid beginning from the start. One PhD candidate advised: as soon as you suspect a possible delay, go and talk to your supervisor. The same applies to the supervisors: as soon as a PhD candidate no longer seems to be able to stick to the time schedule, discuss this with the PhD candidate and involve them in looking for solutions to prevent this or further delays. The more delays, the more expensive the research activities will turn out to be.