This scheme is designed to give students who have almost finished their PhD studies or other doctorate qualification with the University of Plymouth an additional 12 months of immigration permission in which to look for and start work in the UK.
From summer 2021, the Doctorate Extension Scheme will merge into the new Post Study Work Visa Graduate route under which PhD graduates can apply for 3 years' permission in the UK to work. It is not yet clear whether there will be provision for current Doctorate Extension Scheme participants to switch into the Graduate route for the balance of the 3 years' permission.
- You can only apply in the UK under this scheme.
- You must be a doctoral candidate with current Tier 4 or Student immigration permission. This means you must be studying for a PhD qualification or one of the doctorate qualifications identified on page 69 of the Student route guidance as 'Doctorate qualifications'.
You can only apply for the DES in the 60 days before the expected end date of your PhD. If you upload your thesis then you would no longer be eligible to apply under the DES.
You will need to wait for your corrections to be approved, then make an appointment with ISA to submit the DES application before you upload your final thesis to Pearl.
Please contact ISA for more details.