Outline of the Program
Ph.D. studies may not exceed four and a half years from the date of admission to the date of submitting the dissertation. Every academic year consists of two 15-week semesters. The Board of Studies may appoint a personal consultant for the student at any stage (in addition to the supervisor) from the Weizmann Institute of Science (WIS) staff. Until the research proposal is approved (see below) the research student remains in a trial period. The Board of Studies is authorized to recommend that the Dean terminate the student’s studies at any time, but the final decision in this matter is the sole prerogative of the Dean. Switching to another research group requires approval by the Board of Studies and the FGS Dean. In special cases, the school will consider approval for switching groups for a second and last trial period.

Credits and Courses

	During their studies, students must accrue credits according to the requisites of the pertinent Board of Studies.
	In special cases the Board of Studies may require the student to accrue an amount of credits greater than those required in that specific major or participate in courses in accordance with its decision.
	It's obligatory to accumulate half of the required credit points or courses by the time the Interim Report is due, and complete the rest by the deadline of Final Report.
	Please note that unless there is an obvious continuum of studies (as full-time FGS students), the FGS will not recognize credit points from courses which are five years old (including FGS courses).
	Further information is available under in "Courses" section.
	Any deviation from the official curriculum requires prior approval from the pertinent Board of Studies.

Progress Reports and Thesis
Students must submit their reports on time (i.e. by the set deadline). Students may view the deadlines for their reports through am special online Service. Requests for extensions must be sent by e-mail (a month before the deadline), to the PhD studeis Coordinator.

Conferring of the Degree
PhD degrees are awarded at the graduation and awards ceremony that takes place once a year in the spring.

Distinctions
The Scientific Council of the Weizmann Institute of Science does not award degrees with distinctions such as Cum Laude or Magna Cum Laude.

Awards
Every year the FGS awards several prizes to outstanding PhD students for outstanding achievements.  The FGS asks (once a year, towards the end of the first semester) the WIS scientific staff to recommend candidates for the awards. The candidates from all majors are ranked by the Boards of Studies with the final ranking determined by the FGS Steering Committee and presented for approval by the Dean of the Graduate School. The awards for excellence in studies and research are granted at the graduation ceremony in the spring.