Ok, so finally after many years I got results worth to publish and good enough to write my thesis and get my PhD.

However I wonder if the next 6 months will be enough to:

Publish 2+ papers, write down my thesis, apply for the remaining postdoc jobs and industry jobs, do networking, attend one more conference, eat, take a shower, sleep, relax, etc.

There is no possibility to get more time (funds) as I already got a year of extension. And I am nearly broke (foreign student paying international fees).

But I found out a leak in the "leave in absence" rules, my supervisor knows I suffer from anxiety, and my psychologist has been telling me to take time off (I knew I wouldn't come back to finish and I would be feeling very depressed at home knowing that I still could manage to finish).

In order to take an on-leave status, you need to apply 4 months ahead, and I will be banned from using the university facilities.

Well, I only need access to journals and my desktop to write down my thesis. I am very independent and I am confident in my writing skills, also my supervisor always reads what I sent her and she replies in less than a week. The access to my desktop is guaranteed, and my friends will lend me access to the journals trough students codes.

My idea is, that, in case I need it, I will finish my writing back at home while on-leave. I think that, by that time I would be only left with few chapters to finish, so it is not like I will write my entire thesis back at home, just polishing in a more supportive environment (I know I can do it). I want to do this to avoid paying monthly fees as I have no money to do it (in 6 months I won't get paid anymore). I also saved enough miles (conference trips) that I can afford go back and forth form country to country (my visa expires in a year, plenty of time to write). So I expect 1 or 2 months of "on leave" status (maybe none, but it is better to be prepared).

What do you people think?. I know it sounds cheap, but I really think that I can finish and it is worth to do it, but being realistic, it may happen that I won't be able to do so many things at the same time, and thesis writing is the only thing I think it can be delayed few months.

Cheers.

Do it!

My Sup always tells me to be ruthless, and this seems like a perfect example of how/why that could/should be done. My one concern is that during an interruption of study (being on leave) you are not allowed access to any university facility, which includes your supervisor. Your sup has no obligation to give you feedback during this time, and in fact may be in breach of her/his contract by doing so - you should check this out before going ahead...

Good luck either way...

In my experience the uni probably won't even notice you're gone/not be organised enough to actually impose a ban on any facility use. It takes about 2 years before they take peoples names off doors/re-format computers etc. So I wouldn't worry! If you are chummy with security/admin they prob won't even care if you are technically not allowed to access stuff.

I wouldn't be so sure about that. I took a 5 month medical break in 2007 and within days of starting it my library record was changed to say I couldn't borrow anything due to being on a study break. Luckily I didn't need the library access during that period and was taking a (very much needed) total break. Email access etc. continued - it does at my university during study breaks. But no library borrowing, though I could have wandered in there to look in person.