Completing status

Completing status (writing-up)

Completing status is the period in which you are writing-up the final draft of your thesis and offers a reduced fee of around £650 p.a. Once your funding comes to an end you will be charged full fees until you submit your thesis if you do not apply to transfer to completing status. Transfer to completing status is not automatic.

The standard completing (writing up) fee for the 2024/25 academic year is £650 and for the 2025-26 academic year is £680.

You can request to transfer to completing status by submitting the online form within your Surrey Self-Service Research Programme record under the Requests tab. Please ensure that you also submit the exam entry form request at the same time, if not before, so that your supervisors have sufficient time to select your examiners. The Admissions, Progression and Examination Sub-committee (APESC) will not be able to consider your completing status request until it has your complete exam entry form.

You will continue to receive full supervision whilst on completing status and you must continue to log your monthly supervision meetings. You will also be expected to submit progress reviews whilst on completing status in line with the timeframes advertised by the research degree programme team.

Transferring to completing status before submitting your thesis is not a requirement and funded PGRs may find that it is not beneficial for them to transfer to this status as it may impact on their eligibility for any remaining stipendiary payments. Check your funder’s terms and conditions before making a request to transfer to completing status if you are still within your funded period.

You must submit a thesis for examination before the end of the approved completing status period. If problems arise and you are unable to submit your thesis for examination by the end of your approved completing status period, you must contact researchdegrees@surrey.ac.uk. If you reach the maximum period of registration and you have not submitted your thesis, your registration may be terminated unless you have valid grounds for an extension.

The regulations on completing status can be found in section A2 of the regulations for research degrees.