Outcome of the PhD examination

Your result

Your Examiners send their reports and your candidature will be considered at the next available meeting of the Degree Committee. The Degree Committee decides whether or not to endorse the post-viva recommendation of your Examiners and makes a decision on the award of the degree. The Degree Committee is the awarding body for the PhD Degree.

Shortly after our meeting the result will be entered in CamSIS and Student Registry will send you an email informing you of the result and advising you on what to do next. Your Examiners' reports will be attached to the email. You should expect this email within approximately 6 working days of the Degree Committee meeting but it may take longer at peak times. Outcomes of the examination are:

 

For information on graduation and on obtaining the certificate or transcript, see the Cambridge Students website.

 

Examination review

A PhD student who fails the examination and feels unfairly treated, or fails to complete it through illness or other serious impediment, has access to the University's Examination Review procedure.

 

Status letter

If you have had your oral but not yet had official outcome of your examination and you require a letter (for example, for an employer or for visa purposes) to give the current state of your examination, please contact the office. This letter can be provided only if the Examiners' reports have been received and if the Examiners' recommendation and the outcome are sufficiently clear to make a statement prior to the meeting.

You will need to tell us:

  • the purpose of requesting a letter before the Degree Committee meeting
  • the person to whom the letter should be addressed
  • the address to which it should be sent
  • whether a hard copy is required (or can it be sent as a PDF by email?)
  • the date by which it is needed