In April 2020, UKRI provided a funding package for doctoral students in their final year of funding and who were in need of a COVID-related extension to submit their thesis in a timely manner. In May, the University committed significant sums to match the UKRI extension scheme for the 73% of our doctoral research students not funded by UKRI. Both schemes have been in operation since the summer of 2020.
Following a review of their funding extension scheme, in November 2020 UKRI announced a Phase II. In parallel, the University has also agreed to fund a Phase II of its own Doctoral Programme COVID-19 funding extension scheme. Both of the new Phase II schemes will open on Monday 8 February 2021. They will run in parallel, use the same application form and replace the Phase I schemes.
In recognition that there are different funding/candidature end dates across different cohorts, there will be a sequence of deadlines for application. Students are only able to apply to a single funding round and, wherever possible, should discuss their application with their supervisory team.
The closing dates for applications are:
- 12:00, Wednesday 3 March 2021
- 12:00, Wednesday 2 June 2021
- 12:00, Wednesday 6 October 2021
- 12:00, Wednesday 1 December 2021
The Phase II schemes will support funded extensions on an exclusively COVID-related and needs-priority basis. In line with stated UKRI policy, the funding is not intended to cover ‘time lost’ due to COVID-19. It is intended for those who have been unable to mitigate delays encountered exclusively as a result of COVID-19, and/or to adjust their projects in order to achieve submission of a doctoral level thesis within their funding period under pandemic conditions.
Priority will be given to students based on the proximity to the end of their funding (or, for self-funding students, their candidature), those with additional caring responsibilities arising due to COVID, those with long term sickness, neurodivergence or who can demonstrate an exclusively COVID-related equality, diversity and inclusion reason for needing an extension.
The extension funding that may be applied for will depend on the type of existing funding that a doctoral student is in receipt of, and the stage of that funding. For both schemes, any funding extensions granted will be confined to fees and/or any stipends. Other costs, such as conference attendance, travel, or the Research Training and Support Grant will not be covered. An extension must be used for the sole purpose of enabling the timely submission of the doctoral thesis and must not be used to support other activities. Expenditure on both schemes must be complete by 31 March 2022.
For full details of the scheme, including eligibility criteria and links to the application forms, please head to our dedicated PGR Funding Extensions SharePoint site.
