WRDTP Covid-19 Updates

Can I work on my research from home?

Yes, and you should try to do this if at all possible.

Will I still get my ESRC funding while my University is closed?

You should still receive your maintenance payments as usual. Your fees will continue to be paid directly until the end of your third year.

I am close to submitting or have already submitted, how will I be affected?

Your department or school will be best placed to let you know how to submit your thesis, and will make arrangements for your viva voce to be held virtually. Please speak to your supervisor in the first instance if you have queries about this.

Covid-related Sick Leave

We recognise that this is a challenging time for students and UKRI are doing what they can to support funded students. Should a student experience mental health issues or an exacerbation of an existing mental or physical condition as a result of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, they are encouraged to discuss this with their doctor and access support available at their institution.

Those with disabilities and chronic illness should continue to seek support through existing support mechanisms, such as the Disabled Student Allowance, as well as talking to supervisors and other university staff about the specific impact of COVID -19 on them and their research as part of discussions on extension requirements.

The UKRI standard Training Grant Terms and Conditions on sick leave normally requires a medical certificate and provides for costed extensions for sick leave up to 13 weeks in a 12 month period. Recognising the exceptional circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic this condition will not be applied to COVID-19, or new or exacerbated conditions linked to the pandemic and the government response to it. This ensures those who are ill due to the pandemic are not disadvantaged compared to those experiencing other disruptions such as shielding or additional caring responsibilities.

The sickness period of students who are ill with COVID-19 or a COVID-related condition (for example increased mental health issues due to lockdown) can be considered separately from the normal terms and conditions. For cases relating to COVID-19, sick leave can be claimed for up to 28 weeks within a 12-month period. Universities are asked to satisfy themselves that there is enough evidence that the student has had a period of sick leave without putting an undue burden of proof on the student (it may not be possible for the student to obtain a medical certificate at this time).

Shielding

If a student is shielding, and are not able to work from home, they can use their shielding letter to claim sick pay. They should receive sick pay for the period detailed in their shielding letter. Students can claim for more than one period of shielding.

How can I stay in touch with the WRDTP/my cohort?

Whilst we are all doing our bit and socially distancing ourselves, please do remember that you are part of a community and at this time in particular we all need each other to stay mentally healthy. We will continue to send out emails about training, tweets about current opportunities, and our DTP Matters newsletters where you can catch up on news and student experiences from your peers.

Will the WRDTP Annual Conference take place this year?

The WRDTP Annual Conference will again be held on a virtual basis over a number of days in June, and more information will be added to the training section of our website in due course. Like last year, sessions will be recorded and added to the VIRE, so if you are unavailable at the specified date and time, you will still be able to benefit from the sessions.

Where can I access further support if I need it?

We recommend meeting regularly with your supervisory team, who can direct you to the support mechanisms which are available within your HEI at this time. If you have any questions, you are welcome to contact us too and we’ll do our best to help – enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk. Don’t forget to keep in touch with your networks; Google Hangouts and Skype are free resources so use them!

In addition to the above, please find below a list of links to helpful resources for support:

Rethink – Managing your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak

Mind – Coronavirus and your wellbeing

NHS – Social distancing and changes to everyday life

Methods Lab – Rethinking research methods in the changing context of Covid-19

Department for Education helpline

The Department for Education has a helpline to answer questions about coronavirus concerns related to education for staff and students.

You can contact 0800 046 8687 (opening hours are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday) or email DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk with any further questions.

My funding will end between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021, can I request an extension?

All students with funding end dates between 1 March 2020 and 31 March 2021 are eligible to apply for a funded extension of up to six months. The WRDTP has contacted all affected students and supervisors via your institution’s Scholarships Officers, and the deadline to confirm whether or not you required an extension was Wednesday 20 May 2020.

The WRDTP has submitted this information to the ESRC, and on Friday 5 June, informed Scholarships Officers of the outcomes of all extension requests, who in turn will inform all affected students. If your extension has been approved, colleagues at your institutions will update your Je-S records accordingly. If you have any questions about this process, please contact your institution’s Scholarships Officer in the first instance.

My funding will end on or after 1 April 2021, what actions should I be taking? Can I request an extension?

All students with funding end dates on or after 1 April 2021 were encouraged by the WRDTP Director to keep a log of how their research had been affected by Covid-19 back in April (a copy of the email can be found further down this web page).

UKRI have confirmed that DTPs should be in regular contact with their students on any overseas placements. In the first instance, students and their supervisors should check their HEI’s insurance cover for any repatriation to the UK in cases of pandemic. Any additional costs associated with returning to the UK will be met by the WRDTP. Students should in the first instance follow Government advice and that of their research organisation – if your RO requires you to return to the UK for example, you should do so if at all possible, or seek special dispensation from your university to remain overseas. If you have any questions about this, email enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk and we can put you in touch with the right people at your HEI to ask.

Can I apply for an extension if I want to undertake a placement in future?

Generally, UKRI do not expect an extension to be granted on the basis of the need to undertake a placement. However, an exception for placements that are critical to completing the research project or that are an integral part of the training scheme should be made. Extensions should not be given to support other placements. UKRI recognise that this means some students will not get the training experience they expected, but priority must be given to support students to complete a doctoral-level research project.

Where the ability to conduct a placement is critical to completing the research project, or is an integral part of the training scheme, this should be considered as part of discussions for the need and length of an extension.

I have been able to reschedule my planned visit/placement, but the new dates will fall in the last six months of my PhD, is this permitted?

Although students are not usually allowed to plan placements or visits overseas that will fall into the last six months of their PhD, the ESRC have given DTPs more flexibility due to current circumstances. If you think this may affect you and want to run the details of an essential placement or visit by us, please email enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk and we’ll be able to discuss this further with you.

More details about planned events and activities can be found hereunder the Events, activities and placements section.

My travel plans have been impacted by Covid-19 restrictions, what do I need to do?

Where travel is impacted, we’d ask students to check with their HEI’s travel insurance providers in the first instance to see if costs for their trip can be claimed back via this route.

When will I be able to resume planning for overseas visits, fieldwork or conference attendance?

We are pleased to confirm that we are again able to consider applications which involve overseas or UK-based travel, including fieldwork, institutional visits and conference attendance. However, all travel must take place in accordance with your institution’s guidance and the UK Government’s travel advice.

Can I still apply for funding under one of the ESRC’s additional funding scheme calls?

I have been awarded a studentship and I’m due to start in October 2021, what are my options?

The UKRI has acknowledged the need for flexibility for students due to start their doctoral studies in October 2021. Research organisations are encouraged to indicate the potential for late starts in offer letters.

The WRDTP is part of ongoing discussions with all of our partner institutions to confirm their plans for the new intake of doctoral students (and for our 1+3 students, their plans for the MA Social Research programmes). If you have been awarded a studentship from the WRDTP and have questions about when/how your studies will commence in the new academic year , please contact the PGR Admissions Officer in your department or school in the first instance. If you are unsure of who to contact, email enquiries@wrdtp.ac.uk and we’ll be happy to point you in the right direction.

I can’t work on my thesis as much as I would normally, should I temporarily apply for part-time study and then switch back later when the situation has improved?

UKRI recognises that many students will be unable to work their usual hours during the crisis. The purpose of extensions for final year students is, in part, to ensure that these students can complete their studies. They do not need to move to part-time modes of study.

However, there may be circumstances in which a student wants to change their mode of study in response to the pandemic, for example where it has resulted in changes to personal or household circumstances (such as a partner no longer working), or as part of redeployment activity. In such cases a change in the mode of study is permitted, whether from full to part-time or vice versa. UKRI will allow the number of mode changes to exceed the maximum set out in the UKRI standard Training Grant Terms and Conditions where the additional mode changes are directly related to the pandemic.

More details can be found here under ‘Part-time students’.

If I am a part-time postgraduate researcher, on what basis are the funds awarded?

Medical personnel

UKRI are aware that due to the coronavirus outbreak that there is an increase in demand on the clinical service and that students may be asked to undertake additional clinical sessions. Although they expect doctoral students to fully concentrate on their research, they understand that this is an exceptional situation and they are fully supportive of any decision to reduce the time spent on research during the outbreak.

If students do decide to reduce the time spent on research, then UKRI will agree an extension to the studentship. However, students may wish to consider whether a suspension would be appropriate. If there will be any on-going expenditure for the student, then an extension would be required.

COVID-19 related research

If it has been agreed that a student’s doctoral research project can be repurposed towards COVID-19 research, their funding can continue as normal. A costed extension to cover the time needed to adapt the research direction could be covered, in the same way as other case-by-case extensions.

Where a student is undertaking COVID-19 research outside of their doctoral studies (e.g. seconded), in the first instance the funding for the individual during this time should come from the COVID-19 research funding and the studentship suspended if possible. We will consider supporting some modest consumable/running costs (e.g. maintaining animal colonies) during the absence period, but if such on-going expenditure is required then a studentship extension would be required.

More information on the above can be found in the UKRI guidelines.