Timeline

This section lists a timeline that is considered `normal'. It may or may not apply to your situation.

1st year (MRes): pass the exam
2nd year (Mphil)
- before Easter: mock upgrade
- Sept: real upgrade — a paper and a presentation
3rd year
- Further develop your upgrade paper — the aim is to have a chapter (or a paper if you prefer)
4th year
- A new project — the aim is to have the second chapter
5th year
- A new project — the aim is to have the third chapter
6th year (CRS + Job market year)
- You need to talk to your supervisor and ask him/her if this is a good time for you to entre CRS. After you have made the decision, email the PhD administrator (Daniella).
- Job Market year — have the job market paper ready as early as possible
- Write up the thesis

When you enter the MPhil year, your student status on Portico will tell you that your expected graduation time is four years later. For example, I started my MPhil in Sept, 2017. My expected graduation time was Sept, 2021, which is the end of the 5th year according to my timeline above. Don’t worry about this at all. You can easily extend the graduation year for at least one year. If you need more time, you can always extend it further as long as you talk to your supervisors and convince them the extension is needed.

A 6-year timeline is based on my own experience. People can finish early and sometimes it takes longer for some people as well.

Take your time and follow your own pace.

Visa Related

For the international students, you need to apply for multiple visas in this five to six years’ journey. Find more information here.

MRes year
- After getting the unconditional offer, UCL will issue you the CAS for visa application.
- You will get a visa that covers your MRes year + 4 months extra.
- A new visa is needed after you pass the MRes year.
MPhil year
- After passing the MRes year, UCL will issue you the CAS for visa application.
- You need to re-enrol to UCL when the term starts in Sept. When you enrol, you need to show that you have submitted your visa application. At this time, you don’t necessarily need to have the new visa with your. UCL will only ask you to show evidence that you have submitted the visa application.
- The ddl for enrolment is normally mid October. You will have enough time to submit the new visa application.
- After receiving the new BRP, remember to upload the copy of the new BRP on portico.
- At this point, the visa will cover your study until the 6th year, Jan.
Extend your visa for CRS year
- If you decide to start your CRS year in the sixth year, Sept (that is, the beginning of the sixth year), you don’t have to extend your visa now. Your previous MPhil visa is very likely still valid. Normally it expires on the sixth year, Jan (that is, around the end of the first term in the sixth year).
- You need to write an email to the UCL visa team and let them know that you need a new CAS around two to three months before your visa expires.
- They will respond you and ask you to fill out a CAS application form.
- After you fill out the application form, they will issue you a CAS.

No longer need to go to the police to register your visa.