Direct comparison
PhD Student vs Candidate: What Changes
PhD student vs candidate: candidacy follows qualifying exams and an approved committee. See what changes, what stays, and why you still lack the PhD.
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How do PhD student (before advancement), PhD candidate (after advancement) compare side by side?
The table below compares PhD student (before advancement), PhD candidate (after advancement) across 12 procurement-relevant dimensions, from stage of the doctorate through source.
Side-by-side comparison
| Dimension | PhD student (before advancement) | PhD candidate (after advancement) |
|---|---|---|
| Stage of the doctorate | Coursework and examination stage. At UC San Diego, advancement means completing "all course and any other program requirements", so the student is still working toward that point. | Dissertation stage, "often called ABD" at UC San Diego. American University: the candidate has completed all degree requirements "except for research and successful defense of the dissertation". |
| How the status is reached | By enrolling in the doctoral program. | By being approved for advancement to candidacy by the graduate school. UC Berkeley: advancing means "you are ready to research and write a doctoral dissertation". |
| Qualifying or comprehensive examination | Still to be taken. Berkeley and UC San Diego use an oral Qualifying Examination; American University asks for a "comprehensive examination or equivalent". | Passed. At Berkeley the oral Qualifying Examination is what shows students are "qualified to advance to candidacy". |
| Committee | A committee is requested for the examination (UC San Diego: at least two weeks before the exam). | Approved committee required (American University). Oregon: committee on file "for at least 6 months prior to the date of the final oral defense". Berkeley: yearly meeting with at least two committee members. |
| Coursework | Program coursework still being completed (Oregon requires pre-advancement coursework before advancing). | Complete. Oregon: advancing "signifies that the student has completed their coursework". American University requires the Program of Study courses to be finished. |
| Registration and credits | Registered in coursework. Oregon also requires a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 and good standing to advance. | Enrols in dissertation credits. American University: after approval the student can enrol in #899 dissertation courses. Oregon: at least 18 dissertation credits are required to graduate (except DMA music performance). |
| Progress reporting and time limit | Candidacy-specific rules do not yet apply. | Berkeley: candidates meet yearly with at least two committee members and complete an online Academic Progress Report; "if you exceed the time limit, your candidacy for the degree will lapse", and reinstatement needs a program petition. |
| Degree held | No PhD. | No PhD yet. Candidacy precedes the defense; the degree follows once the dissertation is defended and requirements are met. UC San Diego awards a Candidate in Philosophy (C Phil) degree on advancement in some programs, which is a different degree from the PhD. |
| Common label | Doctoral student, PhD student. | PhD candidate, doctoral candidate; informally "ABD" (all but dissertation), described as colloquial by American University. |
| Where usage differs | The CASRAI dictionary entry for doctoral candidate treats "student" and "candidate" as synonyms and counts a candidate from initial registration through the viva. | The four US graduate schools above reserve "candidate" for the post-advancement stage; the same CASRAI entry notes that some funders also separate pre-candidacy from post-candidacy. |
| When to use which | Use "PhD student" while you are in coursework or still have your qualifying exam ahead, or if your institution has not recorded your advancement. | Use "PhD candidate" once your graduate school has recorded your advancement. If your handbook or funder defines the terms differently, follow that definition. |
| Source | UC Berkeley Graduate Division, "Doctoral Advancing to Candidacy" (grad.berkeley.edu/?p=34011); University of Oregon Graduate School, "Advancement to Candidacy" (graduatestudies.uoregon.edu/academics/policies/doctoral/advancement-candidacy). Read 2026-10-29. | UC San Diego Graduate Division, "Advancing to Candidacy" (grad.ucsd.edu/academics/progress-to-degree/advancing-to-candidacy.html); American University, "Advancement to Candidacy" (american.edu/provost/grad/advancement-to-candidacy.cfm). Read 2026-10-29. |
Common questions
Common questions about PhD student (before advancement) vs PhD candidate (after advancement)
Is it a PhD candidate or PhD student?
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Both can be correct for the same person at different times. In the US policies compared here, you are a PhD student until your graduate school advances you to candidacy, and a PhD candidate afterwards. Some institutions and funders use "candidate" for the whole period of enrolment, so check how your own handbook uses the word.
When can you say you are a PhD candidate?
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After you have been formally advanced to candidacy. The usual steps are completing coursework and passing a qualifying or comprehensive examination with an approved committee; American University also requires a defended dissertation proposal and an RCR certificate. The requirements vary by institution, so your graduate school's advancement policy is the authority.
Do PhD candidates have a PhD?
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No. Candidacy is a status within the doctoral program, not a degree. American University describes a candidate as someone who has completed everything except the research and successful defense of the dissertation, so the PhD is conferred only after that defense and the remaining requirements are met.
Why are they called PhD candidates?
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Because they are candidates for the degree. Berkeley's policy speaks of "your candidacy for the degree", which lapses if the time limit is exceeded. At UC San Diego some programs award a Candidate in Philosophy (C Phil) degree on advancement, which is separate from the PhD.
Is being a PhD candidate a big deal?
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It is a formal milestone with consequences. It follows an examination and committee approval, it marks the shift to dissertation work and dissertation credits, and at Berkeley it brings yearly committee meetings, progress reports and a time limit after which candidacy lapses.
Can I call myself "Dr." if I have a PhD?
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Once the PhD has been conferred you hold the doctorate; a PhD candidate does not yet. Whether and where the title "Dr." is used depends on the country, the institution and the profession, and the sources compared here do not set a rule, so check your institution's guidance and, for clinical or licensed work, your licensing body's rules.
