I've finally got my letter stating my corrections have been accepted, and the senate will award me my PhD next week. (So lucky, my corrections were due in on Friday 17th February and I just got them in on time, then went in to labour on the Monday morning and gave birth on the Tuesday!).

I've heard that banks favour those with a PhD so was going to change my title with mine, and possibley my passport when it needs renewing in two years time. I hadn't intended on using it outside academia, other than maybe on a professional CV as I sometimes work in industry too.

Has anyone else heard similar about the banks, or is this nonsense?

Congratulations on completing your corrections and on the new addition! I've never asked but someone at the university said to me straight after my corrections were passed to get the 'Dr' title on my passport and bank details. I thought they were joking but they were serious. Not sures if it makes any real difference though.

Again, congratulations!!!

I would have thought you could use it after your viva but apparently it's not official until you've graduated and got the certificate! The bank will want to see this as my friend tried after her viva but they wanted proof! I suggested plonking the doorstop on the counter to show them! Passports don't have a section for titles but you might as well use it as you've earned it! (up) :-)

The Dr title is official as soon as you've got the official letter saying that Senate has conferred the award on you. This should follow soon after any corrections are approved. You don't have to wait for graduation, which can in some cases be nearly a year later. Graduation for PhD people is very much a formality.

I changed my title with the bank, and will change it on my passport when that needs to be renewed in 3 years time. This was purely for identity purposes, so I have something on me with the Dr title. But I do not use the title outside academic needs. Day to day I'm just Mrs. My husband, also has PhD, is same: Mr for most things, but Dr for academia. He travels abroad for his (academic) work, and it's handy to have Dr on his passport at times like that.

Note I never speak to the bank, so never have them calling me Dr. I just wanted a piece of card with it on it, for convenient proof.

Passports can be updated to show Dr. There's a note to that effect added at the back of the passport. To get this you send in your graduation certificate with a passport application. That's what my husband did.