Completing a PhD is often compared to working full time. But thankfully, your research schedule doesn’t need to be a strictly 9-to-5 affair.
Depending on your study area and supervisor, you’ll likely be able to craft a research plan that works for you. Let’s explore how UQ’s flexible PhD programs make it possible to juggle your study with still having a life outside of uni.
The PhD offers a lot of flexibility. This allowed me to participate in several activities that weren’t directly related to my PhD. I went to fieldwork twice, visited collaborators in the US, went to the Dominican Republic to present my research results to the local government, and attended a WHO workshop in Bangladesh.
Build your own schedule
While your primary supervisor will set some expectations, you’ll largely be free to determine your own research schedule. This means you can often fit your study around your other commitments, rather than vice versa, or even choose to study your program part time.
“During your PhD, you have the flexibility to manage your own time,” says PhD candidate Yufan Liu.
“The university offers a wide range of workshops and seminars, so you can choose to attend those that suit your schedule and align with your interests or development needs.”
A flexible PhD program isn’t just about when you study, though. It’s also about how you study. No two days are the same as a PhD candidate, and you’ll often be able to plan your tasks to suit your current goals and headspace.
“Some days are spent entirely at the bench doing experiments, while others are more analytical or writing-heavy, and I can shift my schedule based on what stage I’m at,” says Renee Chu, another PhD candidate.
“I’ve also been given space to explore new skills and ideas beyond the original scope of my project.”
Having that freedom has kept the work interesting and helped me grow in ways I didn’t expect – not just as a researcher, but in how I approach problem-solving and learning in general. It’s given me a sense of ownership over the experience, allowing me to steer the direction of my research and development.
PhD candidate Aakash Kurian Thottam has similarly created (and adapted) a research schedule that suits him.
"I have been able to structure my weeks to suit the kind of work I am doing," he says.
"This includes blocking deep focus time when needed, while also making space for teaching, attending workshops, collaborating with peers, or even just having coffee-fuelled brainstorms with friends."
"It’s a rhythm that’s allowed both productivity and creativity to coexist."
Flexible delivery (on campus, WFH, remote)
Depending on your research and supervisor requirements, you’ll likely be able to build a study plan that works around your lifestyle. This could include a mix of in-person study on campus, days working from home, and even the option to work remotely for periods when required.
“I’ve been able to work from home at least a day or two most weeks, which is much appreciated since my commute is an hour each way,” says PhD candidate Rose Foster.
“I often find it easier to get straight into writing if I’m working from home, and to get more uninterrupted writing time that way – unfortunately, I’m easily distracted by the promise of a walk to get coffee and have a chat with colleagues!”
“The flexibility also gives me the chance to head to a later Pilates class if I fancy it, which sometimes gives me the mental break I need to clear my head for inspiration to strike for my writing.”
Rose will also be working on her PhD abroad for a few weeks.
“I’m heading overseas this year to complete some interviews and do some writing from the UK,” she says.
“The ability to work remotely during this time will give me a chance to get the data I need for my PhD while also hopefully progressing my writing without all the distractions here at home!”
The flexibility of my PhD will allow me to catch up with my family and friends in England, which is a massive benefit.
Flexible collaborations
At UQ, you won’t be stuck in a silo, only working with academics from your own field or specialty. Our PhD candidates enjoy the freedom to consult and collaborate with mentors and peers across all areas of study.
In fact, many PhD students at UQ have a multidisciplinary advisory committee, consisting of a primary supervisor from their core field of study plus 1-3 supporting supervisors from complementary areas. This means you’ll always have access to a diversity of perspectives, often giving your research a unique lens.
For example:
- Aakash Kurian Thottam has PhD supervisors with training in marketing, psychology and nonprofit studies, allowing him to delve into people’s motivations for donating to charity, while also exploring emerging areas like cryptocurrency and global giving practices.
- Beatris Mario Martin’s team includes global health epidemiologists and experts in data modelling, enabling her to improve responses to disease outbreaks.
- Chiemeka Chinaka has collaborated with leading neurologists, neuroscientists and behavioural economists to research more cost-effective treatments for Parkinson’s disease.
- Dylan Berger’s research combines Indigenous metaphysics with linguistics to breathe new life into the Gumbaynggirr language.
- Rose Foster is working with environmental lawyers and conservation scientists to preserve seascapes.
Thanks to the collaborative nature of my supervisory team, my training was precisely tailored to the project’s technical requirements and enriched with key transferable skills. They organised hands on workshops at UQ and coordinated remote courses from leading experts, giving me dedicated time and support to learn – and immediately apply – each new technique.
Strike a balance between study and leisure
Make no mistake: even a flexible PhD program will be a challenging and time-intensive endeavour. But it’s not all work and no play.
As long as you’re managing your time well and hitting key milestones, you’ll still have opportunities for downtime and holidays during your program. The important thing is that you allow yourself to relax when you’ve got the space to do so.
“A PhD is a very human experience – no one expects you to work yourself to exhaustion,” says Dylan.
“Be honest with yourself. Work hard when you’re working, and enjoy your time off when you’re away from your project.”
I was able to enjoy overseas holidays during my studies, and I have had some of my best lightbulb moments during these times.
Extend your PhD if necessary
The average duration of a PhD is 3 years and 9 months at UQ. But even if you start your research intending to be done and dusted that quickly, there’s some room for flexibility. Life happens, and some candidates end up needing to extend, interrupt or postpone their research for a period.
If you raise potential problems and obstacles early with your supervisors, there’s usually a way forward that can adjust to your changing circumstances.
If you know in advance that full-time research is going to be challenging, consider applying for a part-time PhD program instead.
Pave your unique path to a PhD
From the outside, it might seem like the path to starting a PhD is linear: do an honours undergraduate program, then apply.
But the requirements for a PhD are a little less rigid than that. You could become eligible by completing a master’s degree with a research component, or even by gaining extensive research experience through your career.
Learn more about PhD eligibility
Convenient locations and facilities
Just 7km from Brisbane CBD, our St Lucia campus is serviced by over 10 direct bus routes from the city and outer suburbs. If you’ve commuting from a riverside suburb, the ferry also gives you a scenic route to get here. This convenient location makes it easier to meet your supervisor on campus, duck into the lab for some trial, or just catch up with some fellow researchers over a coffee.
As UQ classifies PhD candidates as staff members, you’ll also have the option of parking in the exclusive staff car parks.
While researching on site, you’ll have access to:
- day care, kindergarten and early learning centres
- parenting rooms and baby change facilities
- printing services
- plenty of dining options
- heaps of quiet study spaces
- Commonwealth Bank and ATMs
- a news agency, pharmacy, grocery store, hair salon and post office
- a medical centre, physiotherapist and pathology collection centre
- sporting courts, fields and facilities.
This wide range of services and facilities means you won’t need to travel back and forth from other locations while you’re on campus.
Based on your area of study, you may find yourself studying at one of our other campuses in Herston, Gatton or Dutton Park. These locations provide specialised learning facilities and equipment for medicine and public health researchers (Herston), agriculture, environment and veterinary researchers (Gatton), and pharmacy and biotechnology researchers (Dutton Park).
Each campus offers amenities and services for a convenient and comfortable experience while you're studying on site. Our Herston campus is easy to get to via public transport, our Gatton campus is serviced by a free intercampus bus service, and our Dutton Park campus is just across the river from St Lucia and easily reached via multiple busway routes.
As a UQ student, you’ll also have access to UQ Brisbane City at 308 Queen Street, where you'll find versatile spaces for all kind of events, from catch-ups over coffee to large conferences. Whether you're collaborating with other academics, meeting up with a supervisor, or just looking for a peaceful place to do some research (or recharging), this convenient central site has you covered.
Flexibility gives me the room to grow not just as a researcher, but as someone learning to balance thinking, writing, connecting, and living.
Final thoughts
There’s no one right way to do a PhD – only the way that works for you. With the flexibility to shape your research around your life, UQ gives you the freedom to grow as both a scholar and a person.
