Hi guys

hope you are all doing well.

I am 1.5 years into my PhD and just recently passed my QE confirming my candidacy. But I would like to know in terms of worst case scenario, what happens if someone fails a PhD? Like the exam at the end of the 4 years. I am under a scholarship. What will happen if somehow i have nothing significant to show after 4 years and during the oral defense, i failed it? Will they 'force' me into extending my stay until i get a phd or in other case will they just fail to award me a degree? For the latter, if that happens do i need to repay back the stipend i have been receiving?

Hi Iwan, I think the outright 'fail' rate is something like 1 or 2%, assuming you submit your thesis. Of course, there is a range of other things that can happen, including various types of corrections, resubmission or the award of an MPhil instead of a PhD - it's worth looking on your uni website to see which types of outcome they use. But assuming you pass the various stages along the way (like the one you have just passed - well done) and manage to write and submit your thesis, failing should not be something you expect. I don't think it is normal to repay a stipend either.

International students often have clauses that they have repay the stipend if they don't get a PhD.

I don't think you have to repay the stipend. I have a friend who was a foreign student, quit in the second year, not being asked to pay back the money. The stipend is the sorry, not the lending.