Royal Decree 99/2011 of 28 January 2011, which regulates official PhD studies, establishes a time limit for the completion of PhD studies. 

The duration will be a maximum of three years for full-time students or five years for part-time students, in both cases from admission to a PhD programme (15 October) until the presentation of the PhD thesis at the Academic Committee of the corresponding program.

If the application for the thesis to be deposited before the Academic Committee of the programme has not been submitted before the end of the aforementioned period, the Committee may authorise the extension for a further year, which may exceptionally be extended for an additional year under the conditions established in the corresponding PhD programme.

Depending on the completion of full-time or part-time studies, as well as on the exceptional circumstances envisaged, you will have the deadlines indicated in the following table.

The request for extension must be addressed to the Academic Committee of the programme within the four months prior to the end of the period of stay in the programme (bear in mind it shall be different if you are full time or part time).