Durham University Business School Fully-Funded PhD Scholarships 2017, UK

The following Terms and Conditions apply to all University-administered (including Research Council) Postgraduate Research awards. In the case of externally-funded awards, the rules of the Funding Agency e.g. Research Council, take precedence over those of the University; therefore, in the event of any conflict between these Terms and Conditions and those of the Funding Agency, the latter shall prevail. Students in receipt of an externally-funded award should also familiarise themselves with the Funding Agency’s terms and conditions.

1. Full-time postgraduate research students on a University-administered studentship are not nor deemed to be employed by the University and payments to the student are in the form of a “stipend”. The stipend is not considered taxable income by HMRC, and stipend recipients are eligible for Council Tax exemption certification. Therefore statutory employment laws do not apply.
2. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that their registration process is complete well in advance of any due stipend payments, as these will only be paid to students who are fully registered with the University.
3. Student registration is required annually and takes place through the on-line enrolment process. Fully registered means that the registration status for the appropriate academic year within the Student Information System (Banner) is classed as “RE”. The “RE” status has to be maintained in order to retain entitlement to the stipend, and the “RE” status has to be in effect at the date of each stipend payment, in order for the stipend payment to be processed. Students should also be aware that there is a lag between achieving “RE” status and the ability of the University to transfer funds to a UK bank account, and so students are responsible for enrolling in a timely manner.
4. The University’s payment method for stipends is in GBP (UK Pounds Sterling) via BACS (Bank Automated Clearing System) into a UK-based bank account. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that up-to-date bank account details are held by the University, and that any changes in account details are advised at least one month in advance of any due stipend payment, as BACS payments are set-up in advance of the payment date. From authorisation of a BACS payment being submitted to the University’s Finance Department to the funds being transferred to the recipient account can take up to ten working days.
5. As enrolment for first year postgraduate students, by necessity, generally takes place closer to the start of the academic year, students should be aware that it may not be possible to achieve “RE” status, and for BACS instructions to be issued and processed, prior to the student’s start date. Students should, therefore, be aware of the possibility of a short delay and ensure they have sufficient funds to cover this period. On-line enrolment for students commencing their second (or later) year of study is available well in advance (up to 3 months) of the start of the new academic year and students are encouraged to enrol early to ensure stipend payments continue uninterrupted.
6. Stipend Payments are made quarterly, in advance by the beginning of October, January, April and July respectively. It is possible that, if a student registration state changes from “RE” during that quarter, a stipend “overpayment” may occur, for example, as the result of an approved suspension of studies. In the event of overpayment, these monies will be due for repayment to the University. Repayment may be in the form of invoicing of the overpaid sum, or where practical, via means of withholding, or adjusting the value of, a future payment. Any withholding or adjustment will be notified in writing to the student by the University.
7. It is the responsibility of the student to understand which circumstances may lead to a student registration status other than “RE”. Common examples include:
   i) A student on continuation (registration status "CO"). Continuation is the period after supervised study, commonly called writing-up. Stipend payments are not paid to students on continuation.
   ii) A student who submits early, during their period of supervised study. Once a thesis is submitted, a student is no-longer a "registered student" (RE), but a student "under examination" (UE). Stipend payments are not paid to students under exam. 
8. If a student is prevented from studying by illness for a continuous period of more than two (2) weeks, he/she must inform his/her supervisor immediately and provide a medical certificate. This information MUST be passed on to the Student Immigration and Financial Support Office (SIFSO) immediately who can advise on what the best next steps are having due regard where applicable to the terms and conditions of the particular external funding council. 
   Where for example in the case of a period of ill health preventing study of longer than two (2) weeks, a concession may have to be raised, or a suspension of studies sought, which may in-turn affect eligibility for stipend payments. Students should be aware that not all Research Councils will allow a retrospective break from funded study or extension of submission date.