It is now four and a half years into my PhD study. My fellowship has been over, as it provides me with only a four-year funding. I am now living in my home country, finishing the dissertation. In total, I have 4 empirical papers, two of which have been published in high impact factor journals. The third paper is under review, whereas the last, fourth paper is near to completion (85 per cent). I am experiencing severe anxiety now in working on my dissertation. This is because despite the termination of the fellowship, my supervisors have not yet given me a clear clue when I can submit my dissertation. I really need your advices. Does this indicate that my supervisors delay my PhD? What can I do to better cope with the problem?

Have you asked your supervisors about this?

I would create a realistic time for submission (when you will have thesis completed, including sending them drafts and editing) and email them this schedule and tell them you want to get the ball rolling on an official date for submission and select examiners ect. I would in the email request a meeting (maybe skype?) to discuss it all.

Should be fine. I would't worry just yet

Hi TreeofLife and newlease36,

Of course, I already asked about the issue, two times. The first is the third and a half years into my PhD, when they (verbally) promised me that I could submit the dissertation at the end of my fellowship (the fourth year of my PhD). For the second time, they promised me, two months after the termination of my fellowship, that I was able to submit the dissertation in December last year. This time, the promise was made so formal that they were willing to attach their signature in a form. Then, it turned out that they did not stick to the promises by slowing down the progress of the last paper. The process of getting feedback on the last paper took times. And even at the end of the fourth year of my PhD when the progress of the last paper was about 85% (only the discussion section needed finishing), one of the supervisors suddenly changed his mind. I communicated this problem to the second supervisor, but he did not give me a definitive answer. I had no choice rather than complying with the demand. He instructed me to radically modify the whole paper, such that I had to start from zero (making the outline of the ideas). I ever requested them politely to have a meeting via Skype, to discuss about my serious concern, but did not receive any response.

I'm assuming you're not in the UK. Here we have a 4 year deadline and you can't easily submit after that without an extension agreed.

You need to tell your supervisors that you want to submit asap. From what you've said it doesn't sound like you have got this across to them clearly.

Failing that, I think you need to speak to the administrator in your department, or head of postgrad, or pastoral care person and ask their advice.

Hi, masbogel,

Contact your Graduate School to ask for guide on how to submit your thesis and graduate.

It is extremely odd that you have been left hanging like that. You have published two high impact factor papers and should be able to graduate. I am surprised that your fellowship did not have a rule that you must submit your thesis by the end of it.