We know that the pandemic has caused major disruption for many of our postgraduate researchers and we have been listening to their concerns about ensuring that they have the necessary time and funding to complete their research.
PhD funding is complex, and UK and international funders have responded to the issues in a number of ways including some funders offering short extensions to students in their final year of funding (known as costed extensions). We needed to absorb the different advice, guidance and policies from funders before being able to take a final decision. UK funders such as UKRI and the Wellcome Trust also issued further guidance late last week, which is also informing our decisions.
I am pleased to say that the Executive Board agreed to introduce an underwritten support package that offers up to a 6 month funded extension for all of our PhD students who either receive funding from UK funding agencies or who are funded by the University.
The Dean of the York Graduate Research School will be communicating further details to our research community about the process that students, whose funding is due to end between 1st April 2020 and 31st March 2021, need to follow to access a costed extension.
This remains a complex situation, because of the different funding models that exist, including the various ways universities, other institutions, or industry may match-fund posts. We are continuing to liaise with national funders to support postgraduate researchers who have been affected by the pandemic, and the Graduate School will also be issuing further advice to our international and self-funded PGRs on the best ways to complete their studies successfully.
If you have further questions, please contact your Department.
