Information is provided below on the ongoing support available for Doctoral and MPhil students impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The University, through the Doctoral College, has provided support for Doctoral and MPhil students where their research activity was impacted by the onset of Covid-19 pandemic from March 2020. This support has been in the form of academic mitigations, fee-free extensions, as well as funding support through the Covid-19 Impact Fund. A significant number of students have benefited from fee free extensions to complete their primary research and/or the writing up of their thesis and we have supported over 600 students through the Covid-19 Impact fund with funding ranging from 4 to 26 weeks.
From academic session 2023-24, there will be some changes to these Covid-19 mitigations:
As a research student, you have a period of minimum candidature during which tuition fees are paid. This is normally the period when you are expected to conduct and complete your primary research (e.g., full-time PhD students have a 3-year period of minimum candidature, part-time PhD students have a 6-year period of minimum candidature). If you require any additional time for primary research beyond this minimum candidature period, further tuition fees are normally required for this.
We will continue to support students whose research progress was impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic, during the 23/24 academic year. If you are due to reach the end of your minimum candidature up to 31st August 2024 you will still be able to apply for a fee free extension to minimum candidature, to allow you to complete your primary research.
Please note that if you are in receipt of studentship funding paid through the University, this may include tuition fees beyond the end of your minimum candidature, and you may not need to apply for a fee free extension to minimum candidature. If you are unsure, please contact your Graduate School.
You will be able to request an extension to minimum candidature through the PGR CoP system using the usual ‘Mitigations’ form. You can request an extension of up to 6 months and you will need to provide details of the demonstrable impact on your research, in support of your request, along with supporting evidence (where appropriate) and a GANTT chart.
If you require additional time beyond the 6 months, a further application should be submitted.
If you believe that you will require an extension to your minimum candidature, you should submit your request normally 3 months before the end of your minimum candidature.
We understand that the Covid-19 pandemic may have impacted your research degree progress due to a variety of factors such as IT equipment availability, lack of access to resources, and/or personal issues – including caring responsibilities and this may mean that you are unable to submit by your original thesis submission deadline.
We will continue to support students in the 23/24 academic year and if you are approaching your thesis submission deadline, up to 31st August 2024, you will still be able to apply for a fee free extension to your thesis submission deadline.,
You will be able to request an extension of up to 3 months in the first instance and should provide a justification for your request, along with supporting evidence (where appropriate) and a GANTT chart. If you require additional time beyond these 3 months, a further application should be submitted along with an updated GANTT chart.
All requests should normally be submitted 3 months before your submission deadline.
If you are in receipt of an externally funded studentship and receive an extension to your funding, this does not automatically result in a corresponding extension of the same duration. If your funding extension goes beyond your current submission deadline, you will need to apply for an academic extension to your submission deadline through the PGR CoP system
Please be reassured that we will not forget the impact that Covid-19 has had and continues to have and we will keep these fee free extensions in place as long as it is necessary to support our students impacted by Covid-19.
Covid-19 Impact Statement
Please be reassured that we will not forget the impact that Covid-19 has had and continues to have, and we will keep these fee free extensions in place as long as it is necessary to support our students impacted by Covid-19.
Where you have changed your thesis from what was originally intended due to Covid-19, you will continue to be able to include a Covid-19 Impact Statement in your thesis submission for examination. This statement is not compulsory and should only be included where you wish to explain to their Examiners the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the research project.
You may be able to access the Student Financial Support Fund. This fund is available to PGR students but is only intended to assist students in cases of unexpected or immediate financial difficulty. Awards are therefore designed to alleviate immediate difficulty while students are encouraged to pursue alternative funding sources. Further information is available here.
