Doctoral Transfer Applicants

A Pathway for Candidates Seeking to Continue Doctoral Studies at Monarch

Monarch recognizes that some doctoral candidates may wish to transfer their PhD studies or continue their research journey within a new academic environment. Changes in research direction, institutional fit, supervisory alignment, or program philosophy often lead motivated researchers to explore doctoral pathways that better support their long-term scholarly development. The Doctoral Transfer Applicants pathway at Monarch provides such candidates with the opportunity to join a structured, principled, and academically rigorous doctoral program designed specifically for working professionals.

Monarch’s doctoral programs are aligned with the learning expectations and research competencies articulated in the European Qualifications Framework (EQF) for advanced study, which emphasizes independent inquiry, theoretical contribution, and the ability to generate new knowledge through rigorous academic research.

This alignment means that while prior doctoral coursework, ABD status, or early dissertation drafts may demonstrate meaningful academic development, Monarch must conduct its own review to ensure that a transfer applicant is prepared to meet the research standards and scholarly expectations associated with EQF-level doctoral outcomes. Transfer candidates frequently bring valuable experience from other institutions, yet their readiness for placement within Monarch’s qualitative and phenomenological research model must be assessed independently.

Our aim is to support applicants who seek a fresh, coherent, and academically grounded doctoral experience, whether they wish to resume paused research, refine a previously attempted topic, or begin their dissertation in a more structured environment. The sections below outline the key considerations, eligibility requirements, and application steps for candidates wishing to transfer into a Monarch doctoral program.

Key Considerations for Transfer Applicants

Important Information for Candidates Seeking Advanced Standing

ransferring into a doctoral program is a significant academic decision, and candidates often arrive with a diverse range of experiences—completed modules, partially developed proposals, or early-stage dissertation chapters. Monarch welcomes these inquiries; however, it is essential that prospective transfer applicants understand the framework within which such requests are evaluated.

Doctoral research at Monarch follows a distinct scholarly progression rooted in qualitative inquiry, phenomenological interpretation, and the development of meaning from the lived experience of stakeholders. This research ethos—together with Monarch’s internal academic quality standards—means that prior doctoral work from another institution, while valuable, cannot be accepted as a substitute for Monarch’s required research modules, academic checkpoints, or manuscript expectations.

The purpose of the transfer review is therefore not to validate prior doctoral work, but rather to determine the extent to which a candidate’s background supports their successful integration into Monarch’s research environment. This includes an assessment of research maturity, conceptual clarity, methodological readiness, and the feasibility of pursuing the proposed inquiry within Monarch’s advisory structure.

Candidates should also be aware that doctoral programs differ widely across institutions in structure, standards, and philosophical orientation. As such, time already invested elsewhere, whether measured in semesters, tuition, or pages written, does not automatically translate into accelerated progression within the Monarch framework. All doctoral candidates, including those joining through a transfer pathway, must demonstrate the competencies expected at each stage of the Monarch program.

The considerations outlined below help clarify these expectations and ensure that applicants enter the process with an accurate understanding of how transfer evaluations are conducted.

- - Prior doctoral coursework or dissertation chapters cannot be transferred for credit or used to bypass Monarch’s required research sequence.
  - Any previously developed proposal or manuscript sections may inform the candidate’s future work but must undergo Monarch’s full review and approval process.
  - Placement within the program is determined by research competence, not by duration of past study or tuition previously paid elsewhere.
  - Scholarships or internal financial assistance are not available; all tuition obligations follow Monarch’s standard monthly or quarterly structure.
  - All candidates must demonstrate a viable, contextually grounded research direction consistent with Monarch’s qualitative and phenomenological ethos.

In short, transfering into a Monarch doctoral program is entirely possible, but it is not automatic. Each case is carefully evaluated to ensure that the candidate is positioned for success within Monarch’s academic framework and research philosophy. Prior study may offer valuable background, yet all candidates must ultimately demonstrate their readiness to engage fully with Monarch’s doctoral sequence and meet the standards associated with producing a rigorous, meaningful, and academically defensible dissertation.

Eligibility Requirements

Academic and Research Foundations Expected of Transfer Candidates

Before a transfer application can be meaningfully assessed, Monarch must confirm that the candidate possesses the foundational academic preparation and research maturity necessary to enter a doctoral pathway within our institution. Transfer candidates often arrive with varied backgrounds, some with completed doctoral coursework, others with initial manuscript attempts, and others with only a conceptual outline of their research direction.

Because of this diversity, Monarch applies a consistent eligibility framework to ensure that all candidates, regardless of origin, meet the minimum scholarly standards for doctoral-level work. These requirements are not intended to create barriers; rather, they provide a baseline of academic competence and research readiness that is essential for success in a doctoral environment grounded in scholarly rigor and qualitative inquiry.

The criteria below therefore serve two key purposes:

1. 1. To ensure that incoming candidates possess the academic depth required for doctoral-level study, including a recognised master’s qualification and relevant disciplinary preparation.
  2. To confirm that the candidate’s research trajectory can be supported within Monarch’s supervisory capacity, safeguarding both academic quality and future progress through the program.

Meeting these eligibility requirements does not guarantee acceptance or determine placement, but it does ensure that the application can be evaluated within Monarch’s academic standards and research expectations. Transfer applicants must meet the same baseline academic requirements expected of all doctoral candidates at Monarch, including:

- - A recognized master’s degree in a relevant discipline.
  - Evidence of doctoral-level study or research activity at another institution (if applicable).
  - A current curriculum vitae.
  - Academic transcripts from all previous post-secondary studies.
  - A clear statement of research interest, demonstrating alignment with Monarch’s supervisory capacity.
  - A sample of academic writing (e.g., prior proposal, chapter draft, or scholarly essay).
  - Additional materials may be requested during the evaluation process.

Together, these requirements ensure that every transfer applicant enters the review process with the foundational knowledge and research readiness necessary to succeed within Monarch’s doctoral framework.

What Monarch May Consider for Placement

How Prior Doctoral Experience Is Reviewed and Interpreted

Once eligibility has been established, Monarch undertakes a deeper review of the applicant’s prior doctoral experience to determine the most appropriate entry point within our program. This review is not a credit-transfer exercise, Monarch does not import coursework, dissertation chapters, or institutional approvals from other universities. Rather, the objective is to understand the extent to which the applicant’s previous work demonstrates research capability, conceptual maturity, and methodological readiness within the context of Monarch’s qualitative and phenomenological research ethos.

Because doctoral programs differ significantly in structure, philosophical orientation, and academic expectations, prior study is considered primarily as evidence of developmental progress, not as a substitute for Monarch’s own progression requirements. Placement decisions therefore evaluate how well the applicant’s existing knowledge and skills align with the competencies expected at various stages of the Monarch doctoral pathway.

This approach ensures that transfer candidates are neither advanced prematurely, risking gaps in foundational research competencies, nor required to repeat learning they have already demonstrably mastered. The ultimate goal is to place each candidate at the level where they can confidently progress and where the integrity and standards of Monarch’s doctoral programs are fully preserved.

While no credit is transferred, the following may be reviewed to inform entry-level placement:

- - Doctoral coursework completed elsewhere (for background assessment only).
  - A previously drafted research proposal, conceptual outline, or manuscript sections.
  - Evidence of familiarity with qualitative inquiry, phenomenological orientation, or prior fieldwork.

Placement may occur in one of the following stages:

- - Preparatory Phase
  - Research Proposal Phase
  - Thesis Development Phase

This determination is based solely on academic merit and research readiness. In all cases, the placement decision reflects Monarch’s responsibility to uphold academic rigor while ensuring that each candidate enters the program at a point where meaningful progress, scholarly coherence, and doctoral-level integrity can be sustained.

What Monarch Cannot Accept

Boundaries That Safeguard Academic Integrity and Program Consistency

While Monarch is supportive of candidates seeking to continue their doctoral studies within a new academic home, there are clear and non-negotiable boundaries regarding what prior work can and cannot be integrated into a Monarch doctoral program. These boundaries ensure that all candidates, regardless of origin, progress through a coherent research development pathway that reflects Monarch’s methodological orientation, academic expectations, and internal quality standards.

Doctoral programs vary widely across institutions in their philosophical foundations, research paradigms, supervisory models, and manuscript structures. As a result, work completed elsewhere, whether coursework, supervisor-approved chapters, or partially drafted dissertations, often reflects assumptions and conventions that do not align with Monarch’s qualitative and phenomenological research ethos. Accepting such work as equivalent would compromise the intellectual integrity of the program and create inconsistencies in how doctoral outcomes are assessed.

For this reason, Monarch does not import or validate previously submitted academic material as part of the formal doctoral record. Prior work may still offer valuable insight into the candidate’s development, but it cannot replace the academic processes, internal evaluations, and structured progression that define the Monarch doctoral journey. Establishing these limits helps ensure fairness across cohorts and preserves the rigor and coherence for which Monarch’s programs are designed.

To avoid misunderstandings, applicants should note:

- - Previously completed dissertation chapters cannot be imported into the Monarch thesis.
  - Supervisor approvals or committee feedback from another university do not carry forward.
  - “ABD status” does not reduce program requirements.
  - Tuition paid to a previous institution has no bearing on Monarch’s fee structure.
  - Prior study cannot accelerate completion or reduce the expected duration of the Monarch program.

These policies ensure consistency, academic integrity, and adherence to Monarch’s own doctoral standards. These restrictions are essential to maintaining the consistency, credibility, and scholarly rigor of Monarch’s doctoral programs, ensuring that every dissertation produced under the Monarch banner reflects a unified set of academic standards and research principles.

Tuition and Duration

Standard Fee Structure and Rationale for Non-Transferability of External Payments or Time Spent Elsewhere

Transfer applicants follow the standard Monarch tuition structure, which applies equally to all candidates regardless of whether they begin their doctoral studies at Monarch or join after time spent in another institution. Monarch cannot offer tuition reductions, fee credits, or accelerated timelines based on payments made to external organizations or time invested in prior doctoral programs.

This policy reflects the fundamental reality that doctoral programs across institutions differ substantially in academic philosophy, methodological expectations, supervisory frameworks, progression checkpoints, and manuscript standards. Even when a candidate has invested considerable effort elsewhere, that work has occurred under a different academic system—guided by different faculty, assessed under different criteria, and aligned with a different institutional model. As such, Monarch cannot accept external payments or elapsed time as meeting any portion of Monarch’s internal requirements.

Equally important, tuition at Monarch is tied to the delivery of Monarch’s own academic services, including supervision, administrative support, access to modules, research evaluation, and the full examination process. These services must be provided in full to every candidate who enters the program, irrespective of their prior experience. For this reason, external payments made to another institution cannot offset the cost of services that Monarch itself must render.

Similarly, the expected duration of study at Monarch is governed by the candidate’s progression through Monarch’s defined milestones—not by time spent enrolled elsewhere. Even highly motivated and experienced transfer candidates must demonstrate proficiency at each stage of Monarch’s doctoral process to ensure academic coherence, methodological rigor, and the integrity of the final dissertation.

For candidates requiring additional time, extended-duration pathways remain available and may be arranged if needed. However, the academic length of the program is determined by Monarch’s standards and faculty evaluation, rather than any prior enrollment period at another institution.

In this way, Monarch ensures that all doctoral graduates—whether new entrants or transfer students—complete a consistent and academically defensible program of study reflective of Monarch’s identity as a principled doctoral institute.

Detailed tuition tables are available on each program page, and at the following link: https://umonarch.ch/tuition-fees/

How to Apply as a Transfer Candidate

The application procedure for transfer candidates is identical to that of all other doctoral applicants. Please submit the standard Monarch doctoral application form and include the following notation in the Memo / Additional Notes field:

“Doctoral Program Transfer Entry Request.”

This notation ensures that your application is properly flagged for academic review. Once received, the Academic Office will evaluate your materials and advise you regarding admissibility and potential placement.

Next Steps

An Open Invitation to Continue Your Doctoral Journey at Monarch

Candidates who believe that Monarch may offer a more suitable academic home for their doctoral studies are warmly encouraged to submit an application. The transfer review is designed not only to assess academic readiness, but also to help prospective candidates understand how their research interests may flourish within Monarch’s supportive and intellectually rigorous environment.

If you feel aligned with Monarch’s qualitative research philosophy, supervisory approach, and commitment to meaningful scholarly inquiry, we invite you to move forward with confidence. Submitting an application allows the Academic Office to provide personalised guidance regarding program fit, potential placement, and the pathway that would best support your development as a researcher.

To begin, submit the standard Monarch doctoral application form and include the following notation in the Memo / Additional Notes field: