I have been checking this regularly Pineapple and just wanted to send a virtual ((hug)), you have been so strong and you really deserve some good news at the beginning of 2013, and an apology from whoever has been dragging their feet. I think you are doing the right thing in being patient and not hassling anyone, but they haven't treated you very well at all.

Try to take some time to relax over Christmas - a spa day, a weekend away - whatever you fancy. And try to think positive.

Take care, Natassia x

Hi Pineapple! There really isn't much I can add except to tell you we're all thinking of you and I hope you manage to enjoy yourself over the holidays. Can't believe you're still waiting, but every extra day you wait you're a day closer to having your celebration. Big hugs KB

No news, but I just wanted to thank everyone for their continued support. Holidays were rather bittersweet, but allowed me sometime to reflect on this whole process and think about other things.

Let's hope this week will be my results week, even if it's bad news.

I'm not even on a Phd yet but I keep checking as your story has really hooked me, I'm OCD and would have totally cracked and annoyed the life out of everyone at the uni by now and probably totally blown any professional relations so well done you for remaining calm. Although I'd still be tempted to send a phishing email wishing the post grad office dealng with your submission a happy new year, ending on 'I'm looking forward to getting my results soon' or something like that, just to politely remind them you're still there and waiting. Hoping this is your week Pineapple :-)

K x

Fingers crossed it's good news and it's SOON.

You should add 'infinite patience' to the skills section of your CV.

Bit of a pattern going on here! Nearly two weeks into January. No news and no further updates from university (despite my demands for updates). I'm finding it rather funny at the moment! Probably nervous laughter ;)

The wait continues.

Obtained some new placements for my practitioner training, still applying for graduate jobs and trying to bring myself to complete training for a minimum wage job. All in all, trying to keep busy.

Head of department sent round an email today wanting to portray the department as a friendly professional department in the departmental conference next week. Made me laugh!

hi Pineapple, I came on here expecting you to have had news, I cant believe this is still going on! I would start putting more pressure on – politely of course, but be firm. Draft an email to Head of School, supervisors, internal grad office, whoever else may be connected with this). Say that you're seeking advice relating to your position because:

It’s already been 5 months since resubmission, the outcome of which has not been communicated to you in a reasonably expected timeframe. You were the given impression that this would be sooner - end Oct, sometime in Dec, etc

The only indicator you’ve had that your work has been received/looked at is a request for final word count (which you immediately provided)

You have fulfilled the requirements issued to you by the university - resubmitting by required time, providing additional info, etc. (They would have be onto you like tracker dogs if you had missed your resubmission deadline!)

You need your result to indicate updated doctoral status on your CV (5 months or more is a long time, jobs can come and go, and if faced with a choice employers are more likely to go for someone who has a PhD confirmed than one that’s just at submitted status - a polite reminder of this won't do any harm)

You need the result back in a timely manner to address any further minor recommendations /amendments (should there be any).

You concede that there may be reasons for delayed results, but you have not been given any.


This is a resubmission, not a first reading, it’s not as though the examiners are unfamiliar with the material and are reading something completely new. It's remarkable really - as lecturers we get hauled over the coals if undergrad marking assignments are returned late, yet PhD trajectories seem swept under the carpet. I would have thought your uni would have been itching to record a doctoral completion, especially with the upcoming REF?

Good luck with it all!

Thanks kronkodile! Very useful.

I've had enough. Submitted formal complaints to various people and if they don't respond to my requests, I'm seeking legal advice and submitting a compliant to the OIA.

I've had four researcher interviews (research assistant and post doc positions) over the last 2 months, all of the interviewers asked about this resubmission and no doubt influenced the application unsuccessful outcome.

Will keep you all posted.

Thanks for the support

Okay, fair enough Pineapple. It's nearly 6 months since resubmission and you need to move on with your life. This situation is clearly stopping you from doing that so complaining is now the right thing to do.

Three months maximum is all reassessment of a resubmission should reasonably take. Remember the OIA expects you to have taken all reasonable steps (internal complaints procedure) before involving them.

You'll at least remind them you're still hanging around.

All the best,

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Ok, update. They've marked my thesis and will let me know of their decision 'very soon'. The internal and external are in the processes of phone conversations following from completing their reports and they will let me know of their decision shortly. (I don't know what that means?!?)

This delay is due to external examiners huge workload and the external examiner sent the university several apologies.

To fail at this point will be utterly devastating! I'm sitting here quietly crying at my desk. :'(

Good luck Pineapple. I hope they let you know soon!!! It sounds like they have completed their individual reports and are trying to reach consensus on the joint examiners report- most likely on what corrections might be needed. I am every faith you will not fail. Please try to keep positive (which I am sure may almost be impossible at this stage). I had a few further corrections to do after my resubmission, it is of course annoying but at least you know for definite the end is in sight. I had to add another table, change the structure of my discussion (again), and had a few other smaller issues to address e.g. inserting a few references to work they thought should have been included. So don't worry if you do indeed have a few few additional things to do :)

I have everything crossed for you and am sending you loads of positive vibes and a massive virtual hug!!! :)

Good luck from me too. It does sound like you've some corrections to do as regards them correlating their respective reports, but hopefully this will all be behind you in a matter of a couple of moths at most.

I wonder if your threat to complain finally spurred them into giving you a more complete update as to what is happening?

Fingers crossed,

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

Thank you :) I'm happy to work on some additional corrections in order to obtain my PhD qualification in the summer. I only hope their not deciding on a more sinister outcome (MPhil or outright fail), although helpfully reassured from this thread this is perhaps unlikely. We shall see.

I sent my compliant to various people very early this morning. A few hours after my compliant, I received a detailed update from the postgraduate office. From the email, the postgraduate office received regular updates and apologies from examiners prior to Christmas but the postgrad office (and my supervisors) failed to keep me in the loop- well, excluding the apology from my supervisor on the final day of last term.

Hopefully 'very soon' means today or in the next few days....

Wow, I can't believe you are still waiting! Well done on submitting those complaints - I think you've been remarkably restrained and I hope this has finally given them all the kick up the bum they needed. I don't want to give you false hope as obviously I have no way of knowing for sure, but if they have made a decision and are now finalising things over the phone, then that implies to me it will be a pass with some corrections. I am keeping everything crossed for you and I really hope you hear this week.