Instructions for administrating the withdrawal and reinstatement of doctoral student resources

These instructions describe the administration of resource withdrawal at a departmental level, the head of department’s request to the president to have the resources withdrawn, and the processing of the request prior to the president’s decision.
The instruction also covers the administration of a doctoral student’s application to reinstate previously withdrawn resources.

  • Diary number: 1-257/2023
  • Dnr preg. version: 1-434/2014
  • Decision date:
  • Validity period: Fr.o.m. 2023-03- 16 och tills vidare
  • Decision: Kommittén för utbildning på forskarnivå
  • Document type: Instructions
  • Handled by department/unit: Juridiska avdelningen
  • Preparation with: Fakultetskansliet och internationella relationer, HR-avdelningen
  • Revision with respect to: Amendments to current rules and the discontinuation of doctoral grants as a form of financing.

Summary of the instructions

These instructions have been drawn up to support the preparation and decision-making process with respect to the withdrawal and reinstatement of doctoral student resources and to ensure that the procedures are conducted in an efficient and legally secure manner.

Chapter 6 Section 29 Paragraph 1 of the Higher Education Ordinance provides that an individual study plan must be drawn up for each doctoral (third-cycle) student. This plan must include the obligations of the doctoral student and the higher education institution and a timetable for the doctoral student’s study programme. The plan must be adopted after consultation between the doctoral student and his or her supervisors.

The second paragraph provides that the individual study plan must be reviewed regularly and amended by the higher education institution as necessary and after consultation with the doctoral student and his or her supervisors. The period of study may only be extended if there are special grounds for doing so.

According to Section 30, if a doctoral student substantially neglects his or her obligations under the individual study plan, the president shall decide that this student is no longer entitled to supervision and other study resources. Before such a decision is made, the doctoral student and his or her supervisors must be given an opportunity to make representations. The case must be considered on the basis of their statements and other available records. The assessment must consider whether the higher education institution has fulfilled its own obligations under the individual study plan. The decision must be in writing and provide reasons.

Resources may not be withdrawn for any period in which the doctoral student has been appointed to a doctoral studentship.

A decision to withdraw resources for a doctoral student or not to reinstate said resources may be appealed to the Higher Education Appeals Board.  The Board’s decisions may not be appealed (Higher Education Ordinance Chapter 12 Section 2 Item 6, and Section 5).