In June 2019, the UKRI Updated the Standard Terms and Conditions document relating to training grants, introducing improved provisions relating to sick leave.
The update outlines clear requirements that where a medical note is held, the researcher is entitled to continue to receive their studentship for up to 13 weeks (TGC section 8.2 in the document, quoted below):
TGC 8.2 Sick Leave: Payment of a Studentship must continue for absences covered by a medical certificate for up to thirteen weeks within any 12 month period. If the illness lasts for more than thirteen weeks You must suspend the Studentship for the period beyond the thirteen weeks.
In addition to paid leave, a student who has taken sick leave is also entitled to have their funding extended by the same amount of time taken as absence. For example, should a student take four weeks of absence with a note, they are entitled to support payments during that period and will also have their Training Grant support end date extended by four weeks. illustrated below. These updates also apply to other categories of leave including parental leave and jury service as outlined in TCG 6.1.1.
TGC 6.1.1 The period of a Student’s support must be extended in line with these Training Grant Terms and Conditions, to offset a period of absence for maternity leave, shared parental leave, adoption leave, absences covered by a medical certificate and extended jury service, this must be in line with TGC 8.1 and TGC 8.2. The total period of an agreed extension must not normally exceed 12 months during the lifetime of an award. Please see TGC 8.4 for further information.
The updates affect all UKRI-funded students – including the EPSRC funded students across Maths, Computers Science and Information Security that might be most relevant to our WISDOM members, but also including AHRC, BBSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC, STFC), Innovate UK and Research England.
The full document can be viewed at:
https://www.ukri.org/funding/information-for-award-holders/grant-terms-and-conditions/
Please ensure your fellow post-graduate research students and faculty staff are aware of these entitlements.
COVID-19 & ROYAL HOLLOWAY SPECIFIC
For Royal Holloway post-graduates concerned about the current impact of COVID-19 research completion within their existing funding period, the university has announced various financial support options as of Friday 3rd April.
Amy Ertan, PhD Student