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Original poster

Removal of PhD stipend due to part time study. Can they do this?

94 replies

ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 10:16

Hi all,

I am a fully funded (fees and stipend) PhD student just about to return from interruption due to maternity. I am returning part time due to child care. My university administrator has today informed me that my stipend will be stopped if I return part time. This is paid by the university, not an external funding body.

Is there anything I can do? Any advice gratefully received.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 18:14

Thank you to those of you who have offered advice.

OP posts:
Frankensteinisamonster · 09/01/2023 18:16

The request has not been considered and reasons have not been given for the refusal. It is a flat no

then it’s likely a common policy and not specific to you. Stipend is only available for full time study.

FeinCuroxiVooz · 09/01/2023 18:19

Doing a PhD is not employment and a stipend is not a salary. The stipend only exists for someone doing full time research. I don't think it's discriminatory as the same rules would apply to any person who wanted to research part-time, not just you. Rather, it would be discriminatory for you to receive any part of the stipend when there have been many thousands who have studied for a PhD part-time before with no stipend or support.

You may be eligible for Universal Credit - the web page says "You may be able to claim if you are studying part-time or doing a course for which no student loan or finance is available."

Yarnosaura · 09/01/2023 18:55

Elf the FB group 'PhD and early career researcher parents' would be worth joining.

If there's no way to resolve the stipend issue you can apply for a doctoral loan.

titchy · 09/01/2023 19:03

Except that in this case the "business reason" is entirely down to university funding bollocks. Nobody would be any worse off if things were organised differently.

Well yes they'll have received £X from the funder to have the project done in 4 years. If the money isn't spent they have to give it back - which will be a problem next time they bid for funding. And OP will have already meant that someone for a year wasn't doing whatever she was doing so there's the risk they can't fulfil the contract.

titchy · 09/01/2023 19:05

It will almost certainly have been awarded under the same ts and cs as UKRI stipends which are only ever FT.

titchy · 09/01/2023 19:07

If it's humanities is there no way you can work FT say Wed to Sun with your dh taking over childcare at the weekend - humanities lends itself to wfh surely.

aramox1 · 09/01/2023 19:07

Try going to your department, faculty or university equality diversity and inclusion team. This may not get it changed but it's worth raising it.

Franklyfrank · 09/01/2023 19:32

I was lucky to have a lot of freedom during my PhD, so was able to decide the hours I worked myself. As long as my supervisor was reassured I was making progress he was happy. As I worked from home a lot of the time there was nobody who asked where I was or what I was doing. I had a baby 6 months in and on average worked 3 days per week after my maternity leave. This did mean that I missed out on a lot of the additional things PhD students do, such as teaching, seminars, conferences, etc. But that was a price worth paying for me, as I was able to complete in about 3 years with full stipend to the end. I appreciate this may not be an option for everyone, but I hope perhaps you can find some flexibility to make this work. Good luck!

Acinonyx2 · 09/01/2023 19:40

Sounds like there is no contract expectation in this case if it's a solo humanities project. I had my dd end of 2nd year PhD and I was funded as FT. I intermitted for maternity for a year - then decided to intermit for another year and come back officially FT the year after that. So in fact I worked PT for 2 years - one unfunded and one funded (because officially there was no PT option). I worked Sats while dh looked after baby as well. Could you manage without funding for one year (intermit) - work PT then go back officially funded for a year FT so that it is like one year's work in total spread over 2 years? Hope that makes sense - it worked for me.

walkinthewoodstoday · 09/01/2023 19:49

titchy · 09/01/2023 19:07

If it's humanities is there no way you can work FT say Wed to Sun with your dh taking over childcare at the weekend - humanities lends itself to wfh surely.

This sounds like a good idea- not ideal - so flexible working rather than part time

Angelik · 09/01/2023 19:57

Stipends can be paid for part time study. If pure univ funded then they can do what they like.

I think you are being discriminated against. Pp who said because others have not been able to do what you're asking for means it isn't discrimination is talking rubbish - how will things ever change!

What does your supervisor say? And yes, speak to your dept/faculty EDI.

I am angry on your behalf. You are a student and should be supported to achieving your degree. There is no good reason not to. Indeed, it would be an utter waste of what you've done so far.

Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 20:01

Acinonyx2 · 09/01/2023 19:40

Sounds like there is no contract expectation in this case if it's a solo humanities project. I had my dd end of 2nd year PhD and I was funded as FT. I intermitted for maternity for a year - then decided to intermit for another year and come back officially FT the year after that. So in fact I worked PT for 2 years - one unfunded and one funded (because officially there was no PT option). I worked Sats while dh looked after baby as well. Could you manage without funding for one year (intermit) - work PT then go back officially funded for a year FT so that it is like one year's work in total spread over 2 years? Hope that makes sense - it worked for me.

This would be ideal, except I didn’t have any entitlement to maternity leave. I had to interrupt. The maximum period of interruption is 12 months, which I’ve already had.

OP posts:
bigkidsdidit · 09/01/2023 20:03

I’m very surprised people are defending this. It is trivially easy to get no cost extensions to funded resesrch projects for part time workers - I’ve done it many times. Not allowing this is discrimination imo. It’s no skin off anyone’s nose if a PhD takes 5 years part time vs 4 full.

I would ask them for their reason op and for the equality impact assessment

Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 20:03

Angelik · 09/01/2023 19:57

Stipends can be paid for part time study. If pure univ funded then they can do what they like.

I think you are being discriminated against. Pp who said because others have not been able to do what you're asking for means it isn't discrimination is talking rubbish - how will things ever change!

What does your supervisor say? And yes, speak to your dept/faculty EDI.

I am angry on your behalf. You are a student and should be supported to achieving your degree. There is no good reason not to. Indeed, it would be an utter waste of what you've done so far.

My supervisors have kept largely out of it. They’ve said it doesn’t feel fair and one said ‘there are equity issues here’, but they’ve said they don’t have the power to change it. I know that.

I’ve emailed the SU, the VC, and left a voicemail with Pregnant then Screwed. I’ll update if anything comes of any of that.

OP posts:
Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 20:04

bigkidsdidit · 09/01/2023 20:03

I’m very surprised people are defending this. It is trivially easy to get no cost extensions to funded resesrch projects for part time workers - I’ve done it many times. Not allowing this is discrimination imo. It’s no skin off anyone’s nose if a PhD takes 5 years part time vs 4 full.

I would ask them for their reason op and for the equality impact assessment

Thank you!

OP posts:
Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 20:05

Thank you all for your input. It is appreciated.

OP posts:
Shouldhavebutdidnt · 09/01/2023 20:08

I did a funded PhD and took maternity leave for 6 months at the start (in Humanities & Social Sciences). My approach was to do the full 38 hours but in 3 days plus weekends / naps so I worked full time but only paid for 3 days of childcare. Like you the stipend covered childcare and very little else.

I don’t know if this is possible in your area but maybe worth considering if it is. I submitted in 3 year and 3 months full time (not including one Covid lockdown and mat leave).

happy for you to PM if that would help?

AngryLemon · 09/01/2023 20:12

Absolutely not true that stipends are only full time. I'm UKRI funded and have the option to go part time at any stage - as long as it's not under 0.5FTE.

Highdaysandholidays1 · 09/01/2023 20:15

Two of my ESRC students have gone part-time, one had maternity leave, and our uni pays sick leave now as well. your uni sounds behind the times.

Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 20:17

Highdaysandholidays1 · 09/01/2023 20:15

Two of my ESRC students have gone part-time, one had maternity leave, and our uni pays sick leave now as well. your uni sounds behind the times.

It is! The stipend is £13,000 a year full time

OP posts:
parietal · 09/01/2023 21:02

ESRC and other UKRI students can go part time.
grant funded students can go part time (and most grants would give a no-cost extension to allow this)
your university should DEFINITELY allow part time

Does your university have any ATHENA SWAN or is it working towards that? The Athena Swan lead should be able to put pressure on management to avoid discrimination.

Original poster
ElfHasBeenSilly · 09/01/2023 21:32

parietal · 09/01/2023 21:02

ESRC and other UKRI students can go part time.
grant funded students can go part time (and most grants would give a no-cost extension to allow this)
your university should DEFINITELY allow part time

Does your university have any ATHENA SWAN or is it working towards that? The Athena Swan lead should be able to put pressure on management to avoid discrimination.

Thank you, that’s helpful. They’re Athena Swan Bronze. Apparently looking to gain silver this year.

How do I contact Athena Swan lead? There’s no contact details on the institution page.

OP posts:
parietal · 09/01/2023 22:54

sorry, i'm not sure how you find out who your university's Athena Swan person is. there should be 1 or 2 people within each dept and also a university-wide committee. You'd have to ask around among the profs who could potentially be on the committee.

At my university, a google search for 'athena swan uni-name' lets you download the previous submissions which will probably have the names of the relevant committees and their goals etc set out.

DogDaysNeverEnd · 09/01/2023 23:11

It sounds like you need to establish whether they can't give you a PT stipend or don't want to. I'd be asking for clarification. I was NERC funded and was given 6 months mat leave on full stipend. I wanted to return part time for the second 6 months of the year then go back to full time but I was told only 1 change was permitted so I just did chuff all for those 6 months (with supervisor consent) knowing I would pick up the slack after my 3 years of funding ended. Anyway, point being, part time is paid with UKRI, you could track down the policy and quizz your place why they don't follow that approach?

I never found any funding for childcare as a PhD student btw. But there is one possibility, if you can earn enough to get over the tax fre childcare and funded hours threshold you do save a fortune plus those earnings help meet the costs.