In general, students should advance to candidacy no later than three calendar years after the first enrollment in a UNCG doctoral program.

Students will be admitted for candidacy for the next semester after all required documents are submitted. The Graduate Program Director must submit the Admission to Candidacy form and a final plan of study to move a student to candidacy status. This will certify that the requirements for candidacy will have been met by the end of a given semester. As soon as grades are filed for that semester, the Graduate School will inform the GPD and the student if the latter have been moved to candidacy status. Candidacy allows students to enroll in three (3) credits of 799 and retain full-time status. To qualify for this, students must be admitted to candidacy before the first day of classes for the term they will begin using this status.

No changes to a Plan of Study are permitted once a student is admitted to candidacy. Students admitted to candidacy are considered all but dissertation (ABD) and may only register for 799, extension, or post-candidacy course work required by their program.