I really hope this means they are close to a final decision. I cannot believe how long they have made you wait. We are all hoping for good news. Hang in there :)

No news :( I imagine any real bad news ( Mphil or outright fail) will completely ruin Christmas plans! I'm prepared for some more minor corrections and happy enough to do them, but the not knowing and being kept in the dark like this is just torture (only the postgrad office seem to be talking to me at the moment!). All very isolating. Tough times, but hanging in there just about. Thanks for the support. Along with other distraction methods, these messages of support are really helping me cope with this wait so I really appreciate it x.

University is closing for Christmas next week and the postgraduate office closes for Christmas lunch for most of today. Surely their not going to keep me waiting until January?! (despite news that the postgraduate office expects a result 'any day now'). Oh well, back to my job applications....

I would like to think that the examiners should realise the immense anxiety you are experiencing. Surely they will not keep you waiting until after Christmas??????? Is there a way you can check the guidelines for the examiners set out by the university? Within my institution is stated a decision must have been reached within 6 weeks of them receiving the thesis (I would give a few weeks over depending on when thesis was submmitted). In your case they have had more than enough time!! This is a disgrace and I really feel for you. I would be beyond anxious now and just getting angry!! In fact as someone who went through the resubmission process I feel really angry on your behalf haha!! :)

I've only posted in the past for advice on applications so have no idea yet what it's liek to do a Phd but having read your thread I agree that I would def look into the guidelines for when you are suposed to get a result. How near are you to the uni and how have you been contacting them? If it is comutable I would go down to the office and speak to someone in person, it's very easy to ignore emails and phone calls but not when you're stood there at the desk! I would personally do this ASAP otherwise like pp said, there's no way to get anyone then until at least 2nd week in Jan! Be firm and persistent. Good luck :-)

What I am wondering is why aren't your supervisors screaming blue murder over this? It is quite a large part of their responsibilities. Have they mentioned anything, or done the necessary chasing up at their end.

Also its usually the internal examiner that is the main point of contact for amendments. Wouldn't it be easier to track them down at your institution and have an informal discussion with them?

My supervisors are not responding to my pleas for updates. But, from my last attempts for an update from my supervisors, I immediately heard back from the postgrad office informing me that I need to wait for news from the postgrad office. My internal examiner no longer works or is based at the institution/university which is perhaps contributing to this delay. Can't find any time based regulations on examiners decision following resubmission.

I can only speculate on reasons for a delay: Failed PhD and therefore consulting with university personnel; working through a 100,000 word thesis on busy time schedules; delays in communication between the examiners themselves; delays in communication between examiners and university; time spent looking through new thesis and comparing with old overly long thesis; any annual leave affecting communication; other issues regarding payment for examination ; changes to internal examiners circumstances etc etc. I've heard nothing from my university other than to wait for a decision from the postgrad office and my examiners wanted a word count breakdown of my thesis.

I know my thesis was a great improvement over my first draft and adhered to all of their major recommendations and almost all of their smaller suggestions for improvement. At the viva and within examiners report, they were mostly positive regarding my thesis- ie encouraging me to publish thesis material in numerous journals/books, commented on ground breaking findings and important contributions to knowledge and were confused over my worries of an MPhil outcome. Therefore, I'm hoping this delay isn't an indication of sinister or bad news, but given my tendency to see things negatively along with this long delay, I'm naturally going to think something's wrong! If their agreeing corrections, I'm happy to resolve them, but I'm reaching my breaking point!

I've contacted my supervisors again asking for an update and copied it to the PhD departmental lead . If I don't hear from them soon, I'm going down there myself to demand some answers. Sorry to keep moaning on this forum!

Hi Pineapple, I returned to the forum today just to check on whether there have been any updates from you! I must say I admire that you're keeping a cool head. I think you're doing the right thing by being proactive without going ballistic on them. As M. Beefy pointed out, you don't want to get on their bad side. Your sups deserve a good telling off - after you get your diploma! Hang in there. I'm crossing my fingers for you!

I've been following your story Pineapple and just wanted to say I 'really' hope you hear this week! Hang in there! Sending you virtual hugs (( ))

Pineapple it really does seem that perhaps luck has not been on your side. If your internal is no longer at the uni, this is most likely the reason for a delay (amongst other things), but I understand you can't help but think negative thoughts!

I really think you will be ok, and I am sure at this stage any corrections will not phase you as you will just be so glad to have a final decision.

In no way in my previous post was I suggesting rushing anyone into a decision, but merely highlighting that I know how this feels, and I think it is awful they have kept you waiting so long. You obviously do not want to rock the boat until you have finished, but at the same time I do think you have been let down badly.

Thinking of you this week and really hope you get some news.

Hang in there :)

Thanks everyone :)

Received an apology from my supervisor, but their just telling me to wait for final decision from examiners, which is all I can do really!

Another job interview this week, which will hopefully distract me from this mess. Fingers crossed.

Hang in there Pineapple! Although you haven't heard about your viva, you sure have a lot of interviews- that suggest that you are good at what you are doing.

Just a thought, does your Head of Department (HoD) aware of this issue? Generally HoD would want you to complete as soon as possible because it will affect the department's ranking if you didn't complete your PhD within certain period.

It might worth to do so.

Really hope this is finalised before christmas for you. To make you wait would be cruel and highly unprofessional, although it feels very unprofessional to have kept you waiting this long since resubmission in the first place. Hope you hear soon.

Thanks everyone for your continued support. I'm still waiting. Well, the university shuts tomorrow, so I imagine if there's no news tomorrow, I'll be waiting till January.

On more a more positive note, had a good job interview today :) Only a short term researcher/ consultancy position, but will provide me with some really useful experience. I had to defend myself today on why this PhD has taken so long, which added to the annoyance with this waiting time. Grrrrr. Another job interview on Monday, but this time for a long term researcher/PostDoc position, so plenty of distractions at the moment. Just hope I can deliver a far more superior presentation than my disastrous performance in my other PostDoc job interview last month! Fingers crossed.