Full-time students have extensive and full access not only to the institution’s research facilities, but also to professors and student networks. This enables a better integration and socialization of the student into the respective discipline. Having made a full-time commitment, students are able to spend more time utilizing all the tools the university has at its disposal, which is a considerable advantage over part-time or distance / online learning students, who may only be able to participate to a lesser extent in the research activities of their university’s department.

A full-time student will also be able to engage more intensively, not only with their own supervisors, but with the department as a whole, which allows for a greater platform for the exchange of knowledge related to the field. This invariably gives students an advantage when it comes to being considered by the department for conference presentations and other involvements. Although probably not a deliberate distinction on the part of the professors, a full-time student will simply have a greater visibility within the department.

Another distinct advantage the full-time student has over his or her part-time counterpart is access and integration into related student networks. Meetings with the supervisor and the supervising committee take place on a regular basis, but often no more frequently than once a week at most. It is then informal student networks that provide a structure and support for research students committed to gaining new insights and receive constructive feedback for their work. Most full-time PhD students will engage in a structured coursework programme in their first year of study and it is here that these networks naturally form. Such groups in which all students undergo similar experiences in their pursuit of a doctoral degree can prove an invaluable source of support for staying motivated and focused during the course of the programme.

Full-time students typically rely on savings or external funding to finance a PhD degree over the course of three or more years. External funding is more easily obtained for full-time students than for part-time students. The underlying assumption is that part-time students work while completing their doctoral degree and thus rely less on funding opportunities available through universities and research institutions. Full-time PhD study, on the other hand, does not facilitate employment during the studies unless it is institution or research related. Funding opportunities are therefore predominantly available to full-time students only.

Lastly, when deciding whether the full-time option is for you, consider that full-time study takes significantly less time to complete and may give you just that little bit of an advance in completing your thesis before someone else submits their findings in a similar field. However, full-time PhD study is a full-time commitment in the literal sense. While there is not always a strict attendance structure beyond the coursework element of the programme, it requires a considerable amount of dedication and engagement on a full-time basis in order to meet the academically rigorous demands of the degree. If you are able to be out of the workforce for the duration of the programme and have a source of funding to help your study, then the full-time option is an obvious choice.

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