<p>Most schools I’m familiar with just have a requirement after 7-8 years that you and your faculty member write a short statement as to why it’s taken you an extended period of time to finish your PhD, then you’ll get an extension for a year. Just have to keep doing it every year you stick around. Every grad student knows someone that’s been around 10+ years. My group just graduated someone who had been around for over 15 years.</p>