Information from a recent course on being a PhD supervisor, run by John Wakeford.
Of the 1996-7 cohort of full-time PhD students (excluding those not upgraded from MPhil and those not continuing into the second year):
- 30-36% had a doctorate after four years
- 50-70% had a doctorate after five years
- 72% had a doctorate after seven years
So about one in four of the students who initially register has a doctorate within one year of their funding running out.
These figures vary dramatically by university. The latest figures are that in 2007, seven years after starting their doctoral studies,
- 92% of those at Kings College, London, who had been upgraded had a doctorate
- 62% of those at The Open University who had been upgraded had a doctorate
- 26% at John Moore University, Liverpool, who had been upgraded had a doctorate
Success rates also depend on other factors: the best success rates are amongst international students, research council funded, over 30 at registration, with a first-class degree from other university, studying medicine or veterinary science. The worst success rates are amongst those who are UK industry sponsored, under 25 at registration, with a 2nd class degree from same institution, studying computing, architecture or languages.