Funding

How are my tuition fees paid?

Most funded studentships include payment of tuition fees within the terms of the studentship. These will be applied by the DA Funding Team through the student system before you start your studies. When you complete registration, the final step (‘Financial Registration’) will already be completed, and you shouldn’t be asked to pay fees.

If you are a funded student and you are notified to pay tuition fees, please contact HUMS.DoctoralAcademy.funding@manchester.ac.uk in the first instance.

How will I receive my maintenance stipend from my internally funded, ESRC or AHRC award?

Maintenance awards are paid directly into your bank account via Campus Solutions. Most awards are paid monthly. You must ensure you have input your UK bank account to your record. You do this by going into your MyManchester, choosing the funding portal and selecting the ‘Bank Account Details’ link.

• Guidance on adding your details so you can receive maintenance awards

You can view your maintenance award when you log onto self-service, choose campus finances then financial aid. When you log onto this service if you see a button to put on your bank account details please do so as this means that the university does not have these details on your record.

When you log on, if you cannot see your maintenance stipend or if it has not been set up as you expected, you need to let the funding team know as soon as possible on HUMS.doctoralacademy.funding@manchester.ac.uk.

Please note that payment of maintenance awards will automatically stop if you have not fully completed registration. Most maintenance awards also stop during periods of approved interruption.

Monthly stipend payments are paid in advance and are normally received on the last Thursday of the preceding month. Disbursements for October and January are processed early to account for the start of term and the Christmas closure. The expected payment dates of 2024/25 are:

Should you experience any problems with your stipend payments, contact HUMS.doctoralacademy.funding@manchester.ac.uk in the first instance, or fill out the Student Services Online Enquiry Form.

Most Schools and funding providers include a Research and Training Support Grant (RTSG) to support PGRs undertaking research development activities. Typically, this can include support for attending conferences and symposiums, contributions towards costs related to data collection, and the purchasing of items relevant to research. Fieldwork Bursaries are also offered by some School to support costs associated with approved periods of fieldwork. Visit your School page on the left-hand menu to find out what is available and how to apply.

For PGRs funded by Research Councils and other external funding providers, you will often have a separate support grant that should be accessed in the first instance:

ESRC-funded PGRs

ESRC-funded PGRs eligible to apply for Research Training Support Grant and other financial support including Overseas Fieldwork Funding, and Overseas Institutional Visit. Please refer to the NWSSDTP website for further information.

AHRC-funded PGRs

For AHRC NWCDTP-funded students, funding to help with skills training, placements, attending events, conferences, or going on fieldwork is available by application. Please refer to the NWCDTP website: NWCDTP funding for current students.

Please click on your School on the left for more information.

Soc-B CDT and Data Analytics CDT-funded PGRs

Soc-B CDT PGRs should refer to the SOSS information on the left-hand menu.

Data Analytics PGRs please contact the team at The University of Leeds

Funding for fieldwork and conference attendance

This generally comes from the CDT. See appendix B for more information on how you access such funds. Funding may also be available from the various Research Groups that form the Cathie Marsh Institute for social research (CMI). Talk to your supervisor or programme director for more information about seeking funding from the CMI.

The CDT funding is for one year in the first instance, and renewable subject to satisfactory progress. The funding is provided for 4 years, covering fees, maintenance (stipend) and research training costs. It does not provide funding for the fifth “overtime”, i.e. Submission Pending, year so it is important to bear in mind that there is a fee of around £200-£400 for this year. You will need to budget for this and any maintenance costs if you go into your overtime period.

Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

You will incur expenses carrying out your doctoral research; these will vary in the amount and type of expense depending on the research you are undertaking. You may need to fund field work, surveys, secondary data purchase, laboratory analysis or the use of external facilities such as high speed computing. You are strongly encouraged to participate in academic meetings, conferences and workshops and to present your findings and you may also need to attend university-run or external training courses, which may incur some expense. With this in mind postgraduate students are provided with access to Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) funds.

The RTSG is intended to be used to pay for expenses which the student and supervisor deem to be in direct support of a student’s research and training. Examples are:

• UK and overseas fieldwork expenses;
• UK and overseas conferences and summer schools;
• Language training courses usually undertaken in the UK prior to an overseas fieldwork trip;
• Reimbursement of interpreters, guides, assistants;
• Survey costs, e.g. printing, stationery, telephone calls;
• Purchase of small items of equipment for example cameras, tape recorders or telephone and photocopying facilities in their outlet (some small items may be available to hire from your School).
• Books essential for your research.

In exceptional circumstances, the Centre may consider requests for the purchase of ‘equipment’ from this allowance. Any such request must be clearly and adequately justified based on the nature of the research being undertaken and as being essential for the successful completion of the PhD. In these instances, any equipment purchased worth in excess of £200 will remain in the custody of the University following completion.

Students may only claim from their RTSG during their funded period of study (i.e. when maintenance and fees are paid) and not during the writing up period. Students should note that they also cannot pay in advance from their RTSG for activities/items taking place after the end of the standard funding period. Overtime fees cannot be paid from your RTSG account. The funds for RTSG are pooled at a Centre level, however as a guideline we would expect students to spend up to £750 in any one year.

Agreeing your budget

In the month after arrival, each student should discuss their funding arrangements with their supervisor(s). A budget for your research costs must be prepared on the budget pro- forma. Please provide a signed copy for the form to the Centre Manager (datacdt@leeds.ac.uk) by the end of your first month of study. You should continue to review this budget through the course of your degree.

Making purchases and claims

Before you make any purchases in support of your research please read the information on eligible expenditure.

Please complete the RTSG approval form and return to the Centre Administrator (datacdt@leeds.ac.uk). Items up to £100 don’t need to be approved in advance, however you will still need to complete the approval form and return with an expenses form to claim back the funds.

In some instances, purchases can be made for you by your local administrator, this will need to be done for IT software, paying individuals and some high cost items such as international air fares. Once your RTSG form is approved the Centre Manager will send details of the purchase to your local purchasing team to arrange this.

Other items can be bought by you and claimed back through expenses at the University of Leeds. Please return your RTSG approval form with an expenses form to the Centre Manager. Please note that claims must include original receipts and be submitted within 6 weeks of the end of the trip or purchase. All expenditure on your accounts must comply with Leeds University financial regulations.

Expenses must be authorised by your supervisor BEFORE you send in the claim. Unauthorised claims will be returned. Expense claims are paid on a Friday. The cut-off date for receipt of the approved form is two weeks before payment.

Please contact HUMS.DoctoralAcademy.funding@manchester.ac.uk if you have further questions.

Please contact our funding team at HUMS.doctoralacademy.funding@manchester.ac.uk for guidance on what funding is available to you on the dual programme and how to apply.

The Professional Doctorate is managed by a specialist team within the Doctoral Academy. Please refer to your handbook for further information on your Research & Training Support Grant or contact your administrative team directly:

• Doctorate in Child Psychology: HUMS.DCP@manchester.ac.uk
• Doctorate of Educational & Child Psychology: HUMS.DECP@manchester.ac.uk

 Please submit an application via the online form:

• PGR Research and Training Support Grant Proforma

Disabled Students’ Allowance (DBA)

If you are from England or Wales, you may be eligible for a Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) for help with costs you may incur as a direct result of your disability while attending your course.

Depending on your needs, extra support from the DSA could include:

• Specialist equipment
• A non-medical helpers allowance
• Help towards the additional costs of travelling to your institution
• A general allowance

Further information and a DSA application form are available from the GOV.UK website.

Other funding for students with disabilities

The Prospects website contains a section on funding for students with disabilities, including advice for non-UK EU and international students.

You may also wish to consult advice published on the Disability Rights UK website.

Disability Support Office

The Disability Support Office can advise on external sources of financial support and can help with making an application for these funds:

tel +44 (0) 161 275 7512/8518 or +44 (0) 161 275 2794 (minicom)
fax +44 (0) 161 275 7018
email disability@manchester.ac.uk
Disability Advisory and Support Service website

For more information on School specific funding, please select your School from the menu on the left for details on what is available and how to apply.