Following the passing of the qualifying examination and the completion of all course work and departmental language or research-skill requirements (if any), the student’s advisory committee will submit a Nomination to Candidacy Form to the University Graduate School. Upon approval of the dean, the student will be admitted to candidacy. By request, students can be provided a certificate of candidacy.

The date of successful completion of the qualifying examination (not the date of final approval of candi­dacy) is the one used in determining the seven-year periods for currency of courses (see "Qualifying Examination") and comple­tion of the dissertation (see Submission of the Dissertation).

The policy of the Graduate Faculty is that students may be dismissed for failure to maintain adequate academic progress toward the degree.  For candidates, this standard is set by the faculty of each program or by the student's dissertation committee. The student must first be notified of deficient academic progress by being placed on probation for one semester.  If the deficiency is not rectified, the student may be dismissed.

Reinstatement to Candidacy

Any student whose candidacy lapses will be required to apply to the University Graduate School for reinstatement before further work toward the degree may be done formally. To be reinstated to candidacy in the University Graduate School, the student must:

1. Obtain the permission of the departmental chairperson
2. Fulfill the departmental require­ments in effect at the time of the application for reinstatement
3. Pass the current Ph.D. qualifying examination or its equiva­lent (the department must define in advance specifically what is meant if an "equivalent" examination is to be used, and that definition must be approved by the dean)
4. Request reinstatement to candidacy from the dean.

Such reinstatement, if granted, will be valid for a period of three years, during which time the can­didate must enroll each semester for a minimum of one credit (not including summer terms except when the student is graduating during the summer).