Suspension (maternity, illness, curricular internship preparatory for teaching etc.) and withdrawal from the PhD programme

Rules applicable from the 38th cycle onwards

Within the legal duration of the PhD programme, PhD students may request a suspension in the following circumstances:

• birth of a child;
• civil national service;
• serious illness or infirmity;
• caregivers who are recipients of Law no. 104/92;
• be subject to a prison sentence for a period not exceeding the legal duration of the course; other serious and documented personal and family reasons.

With the exception of the birth of a child, suspension may be requested for a minimum period of 1 month and a maximum of 6 months, renewable if necessary. The total duration of the periods of suspension used (added to any periods of career extension) may not exceed 18 months.

Suspension for the birth of a child

The suspension for the birth of a child and the periods of suspension related to parental leave follow current Italian maternity and paternity regulations.

Find out more

Rules applicable up to the 37th cycle

Within the legal duration of the PhD programme, PhD students may request a suspension in the following circumstances:

• birth of a child;
• serious infirmity, supported by medical certificates, with a total duration of not less than six months;
• serious illness of a member of the applicant's household for a total duration of not less than six months, supported by medical certificates;
• enrolment in Italian military training institutions;
• civil national service.

With the exception of the birth of a child, the duration of the suspension in all cases is 12 months. The total duration of the suspension periods used must by not exceed the legal duration of the PhD programme. If this occurs, the PhD student will be excluded.

Suspension for the birth of a child

The suspension for the birth of a child and the periods of suspension related to parental leave follow current Italian maternity and paternity regulations.

Find out more

Suspension shall entail the postponement of the finish date of the legal duration of the PhD programme to cover the entire suspension period used. During the career suspension, the payment of the scholarship (if received) is also suspended and no career advancement activities are possible.

To request suspension, PhD Students must send the following documents to aform.udottricerca@unibo.it, with copies (cc) to the PhD programme director and their supervisors:

• special suspension request form [.pdf 127 KB] completed and signed;
• documents confirming the need for the request.

These documents must be posted from an institutional e-mail address (@studio.unibo.it or @unibo.it). The career suspension will be recorded only after verification and positive response from the offices.

After the suspension period and prior to restarting attendance, otherwise they shall be excluded from the programme, PhD Students must write to aform.udottricerca@unibo.it in order to complete enrolment for the current academic year and reactivate their position.

The PhD student may at any time irrevocably withdraw from enrolment in the PhD programme by submitting to the PhD Unit the appropriate withdrawal form [.pdf 130 KB] completed and signed, bearing a € 16 revenue stamp.

Withdrawal results in the interruption of scholarship payments from the effective date of withdrawal. Those who have withdrawn and who have received payments after the date of withdrawal are obliged to return the amounts received.

Withdrawal does not entitle the student to a refund of fees and contributions paid.