About a week ago, I received an email from the University of Texas. The subject line said, "12 semester rule". Thinking that it was a mass email I perused it, but quickly realized that I was one of only a few recipients in the BME department getting this email.

My understanding of the 12 semester rule is that the University doesn't allow grad students to stay in school more than 14 semesters (summer semesters don't count). But in order to stay till your 14th semester, a graduation plan needs to be set in place by the end of your 12th semester. Dear readers, I am in my 12th semester.

Side note though, what the rule doesn't account for is people like yours truly who have been here for other graduate degrees (such as masters studies), and then continued on for higher degrees. Technically, I've only been in my current PhD studies for 6 semesters, but the University still wants me to get out.

Fortunately, that's what I want to do as well.

So my advisor and I are working on a plan for me to finally get a move on towards graduation. It involves doing a dissertation proposal sooner than later, and then defending the dissertation before the beginning of the 15th semester (if possible).

It is possible to stay enrolled longer than 14 semesters, but it requires a petition to the Graduate School and the verbal consent of a wife who already cannot wait for you to get out of school.