Funding for Current Postgraduate Researchers
Funding For Current PGRs
Funding For Current PGRs
There are several funding options in place to help support your research while at the University of Exeter.
Financial Support for PGRs
For any student who is experiencing financial difficulty, the Success for all fund is here to help.
You may be facing financial hardship; be struggling to pay for IT or a learning disability assessment; or have bills to pay while waiting for your first grant payment to arrive.
All registered undergraduate and postgraduate University of Exeter students in financial difficulty are eligible to apply, irrespective of fee-status. Priority will be given to students undertaking their first degree who are from low income households or without family support. The majority of funds are means-tested and you will be asked to provide evidence in support of your application. Please note, funding will not be given to pay your tuition fees.
Please read the Success for all fund webpage for further information and eligibility.
A new policy on Sickness Absence Stipend Payment is now in place. This policy makes provision for PGR students who are in receipt of University-funded studentships, for the continuation of stipend payments during a period of interruption of study on medical grounds. Eligible students will be entitled to continue to receive studentship stipend payments whilst interrupted on medical grounds, for up to 13 weeks within any 12-month period, and may do so on more than one occasion (with the total period of studentship funding available to the student extended accordingly). To check to see if you are eligible please read the documents below:
The Alternative Funding Guide can help you find alternative sources of funding-especially charities - which can make awards to any student regardless of subject, or nationality.
UK or EU nationals or those with settled status are eligible to apply for a Postgraduate Doctoral Loan (government led). The loan can help with course fees and living costs while you study a postgraduate doctoral course, such as a PhD.
Full details can be found on the Government website.
Queries about student loans should be directed to pgradmin@exeter.ac.uk,
How will my loan be affected if I change to part time?
The PGR Loan is available on a Full Time and Part-time (0.5FTE) only. The loan is not available on a variable part-time basis (0.6-0.9). If you are on any part-time FTE, they will receive a loan at 0.5FTE – they cannot opt to have a loan at the full-time rate even if it is closer to their actual FTE.
If you are transferring to a part-time mode of attendance and in receipt of the student loan, you will need to take this into consideration before changing your mode of attendance.
When can I apply for the loan?
You can apply for the loan at any time during your period of study but may not be entitled to the full amount if you apply later in the programme. The loan payments will be spread out for the remainder of your programme.
I plan to submit my PhD in 3 years, but the loan payment is scheduled over 4 years – can the loan duration be shortened?
No, the loan payment is scheduled evenly across the maximum duration of the programme (please see https://as.exeter.ac.uk/academic-policy-standards/tqa-manual/pgr/periodsofregistration/ for full details for your programme). When entering the loan request paperwork, please ensure that you enter your completion deadline according to MyPGR (add the login here Log-in to Exeter SRS - Web Access to your data) to avoid delays to the loan payment.
My details have changed – how can I notify the Student Loan Company?
If your contact or payment details change, it if your responsibility to update your personal details with the SLC.
The duration of my Masters by Research, part-time course is 4 years, but the Student Loans Company has given me the option to apply for my funding over 3 or 4 years, what should I do?
It is your responsibility to spread the funding of your loan over 4 years to avoid running out of funding before the end of your course.
What happens if I interrupt my studies?
If you interrupt then the payments will pause until you return to study unless you have already received a payment for the period of interruption, in which case you should keep the funds safe and use them for when you return to study (i.e. for the extended period of your programme).
Support for PGRs experiencing financial difficulty
Below is a list of support for PGRs who might be experiencing financial difficulty.
The Guild Advice Unit (part of the Students Guild) is here to help any student based in Exeter (Streatham and St Lukes) if you experience financial difficulties during your course. They can offer information and advice on a variety of financial issues.
The SU advice team (part of the The SU) has a wide range of advice for PGRs on Penryn and Truro on what to do, should a student face financial hardship.
They can provide information and advice on student loans, bursaries, grants, tuition fees, welfare benefits, income tax, council tax, financial hardship, debt problems, debt management and budgeting.
We realise that when financial difficulties occur that this can have a series impacts on a student's wellbeing. Therefore we want to remind you of all the wellbeing support available to you should you find yourself in financial difficulity.
Wellbeing - PGR Education Welfare Advisor
If you have any concerns about your mental health or wellbeing, you can speak to the PGR Education Welfare Advisor confidentially and they can give advice and signpost to further support.
Spectrum.Life
Spectrum.Life is a employee assistance programme which is also open to PGRs. They provide confidential telephone, video and live chat counselling service to help with things like stress, anxiety, depression, relationship issues, bereavement and more. It is easy to access through the online portal, is flexible and provides you with choice and clinically approved resources to help you to manage your health and wellbeing at work and at home.
This is a confidential service and information about who has used it, will not be fed back to the University.
Full list of all the wellbeing support available to PGRs can be found on the PGRs Health and Wellbeing webpage.