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Extension of doctoral employment due to Covid

Chapter 5, Section 7, Par. 4 of the Higher Education Ordinance, states that the total period of a doctoral student's employment may exceed the time corresponding to full-time third-cycle study for four years if special grounds exist. At KTH, consequences of COVID-19 that result in the need for extension should be treated as special grounds.

If an extension is deemed necessary for the doctoral student as a result of COVID-19 then this must be documented in the ISP where a new preliminary date for completion of the student’s studies must also be indicated. It is important to identify cases that risk needing an extension at the earliest possible stage, both in order to alter the order of priorities (if possible) and to clarify funding at an early stage in cases where extension becomes inevitable.

At EECS the FA / vice FA will approve the special reason and extent of the possible employment extension. If approved, the contract extension will be carried out at the end of the Ph.D. employment, if deemed necessary.

Link to the central pages about Ph.D. student employment extension due to Covid-19.

Routine for approval of special reason at EECS

  1. The Supervisor, Ph.D. student and Head of Division discuss the case
  2. The supervisor fills in the form: EECS - routine: Motivation for extension of employment as a doctoral student as a result of COVID-19
  3. The form automatically gets sent to HR-support where it's picked up by the Division HR-contact person who gets financial approval from the Division Head and then sends it to FA/vFAs for approval
  4. FA/vFAs decide on approval or rejection and notify involved parties
  5. If necessary HR makes a last extension of the employment contract at the end of the Ph.D. contract period.

Please note that the need for extension must be noted in the eISP.