PhD folk on this board

[debs40]

I'm desperately trying to complete my PhD. I couldn't complete within the 12 months completion because of all the stuff going on with DS.

I have now been told that my fees have gone up from £100 per term to £250. I have not received an explanation for this and it seems like an unfair penalty to me given that the University have been given full information about DS's problems.

I have queried this with the Registrar who has not answered me but my remote access to e-journals etc has now been stopped - obviously as a consequence of non-payments.

Anyone think of any reason, other than a penalty for late completion (which would be wholly inappropriate), for my fees to have increased??

It's usual tbh. Mine are reaosonable for the 4th 'writing up' year but if I hit the fifth they go up to several thousand (which obviously I'm not going to pay as I already have one). At my previous place you weren't allowed to submit if you went over 4 years so I think it's fairly common.

Really you should have been signed off last year so it didn't count. I would talk to your supervisor.

Unfortunately, I think it's normal to charge a fee for 'writing up' students even if the period of study has ended. Increases happen for the usual money grabbing reasons etc.

Thanks. I can understand charging the fee but, as a lawyer, I wonder whether you can justify the increase as anything other than a penalty for non-completion and if the regulations don't stipulate that there will be a financial penalty, how can it be imposed?

It's like the situation with banks and their penalties for overdrafts (e.g. justified because of extra admin etc). Penalties have to be reasonable and reflect the additional work involved. They can't just be a figure plucked out of thin air.

I understand you can't be signed off in your completion year and I have been given extra time. I am aiming to submit by June anyway.

The ever-helpful Uni admin have only ever made contact which hinders my progress!!

HAve yo looked at topehr course fees as well? My MA fees should I manage to complete (starting to look hopeful again fingers crossed) will jump a whopping 20% next year as that is how theya re making up funding shortages.

I think the fees are less though aren't they for the writing up year. I am funded now so my bench fees are paid- but they are more than they are charging me in my writing up year. They said the big jump in the 5th year is basically because the stop part funding the bench fees and just charge you the full whack.

I think regs provide for writing up fee to cover library and Internet costs ours do anyway. Increases are just a hazard of life - sounds like I am trying to defend them but I am just guessing at their logic.

Yes, but this is not an increase due to a general increase in fees as those completing within 12 months still face fees of £100. This is a fee increase for late completion.

I may be p*ing in the wind with this, but I have never had any help from the Uni, bar my supervisor reading completed chapters so I do get a bit grrrrrr with them

Cor, don't you think you're sometimes angry with everything and everyone...

y, agree with cyber. The costs for library/internet/supervisor's time etc are more than I will be charged in the writing up year. By the 5th year they just don't reduce any of those costs so it goes up to several grand.

Yes but £100 is nowhere near the cost of library/internet/supervisor etc. So they are part funding for the 4th year. I don't think £250 is either - so I would check when they revert to full (standard) fees.

Hi, yes, I know that there is a fee to be paid for writing up years but why does it go up incrementally if it is not a penalty? Sorry, I'm really grateful for your comments, but I don't understand how they can justify increasing fees without admitting that they are imposing a penalty for not completing on time which they say they are not.

This is not a question of a general increase in fee rates but of a structured fee framework which increases fees the longer you don't complete.

This makes it a financial penalty for non-completion and these types of penalties are subject to the law e.g. they have to be reasonable, justified and non-discriminatory etc.

Our students get to use very expensive legal databases too. I sometimes think that's why completion rate is so low !

Our students get to use very expensive legal databases too. I sometimes think that's why completion rate is so low !

Adding me as a remote user to the library database will cost nothing as it will be on a Uni wide basis but I can see your point on the supervisor's costs.

Maybe that is their answer - that they are not charging me full fees anyway and can only subsidise this for so long and so have to start increasing the fees.

That would make sense but it's not what they have said ....yet

Blardy blardy blardy hell.......is there no end to the cost of having a child who needs extra support. I keep meaning to put in my DLA application but with fighting to get a diagnosis and looking at statementing applications....and trying to finish a PhD there never ....oh and don't forget the kids.... there is never enough time!!

Thanks for listening to Ms Angry.....grrrrr

No you are getting a bigger discount the earlier you complete. At least that's how our university phrased it.

In my first PhD if you were funded by a grant awarding body you were not allowed to submit if you went over 4 years, so I guess that's even unfairer!

I think there's still a cost. We get unlimited free inter library loans for example and they're about £25 a go (that sort of ballpark someone feel free to correct me).

I can see what you're saying and that explains it. It's not what the Uni have said yet but I'm sure they will.

Sorry, should have added - thanks!

Debs call for teh DAL form

You get a few weeks to submit it but its apid from the date you request it. so will sit happily there until teh submission date still accruing funds IYSWIM

And get the DLA claim in!! Sorry, not nagging, but spend a night with a glass of wine and get it done. That will more than likely be worth more than a couple of hundred a month and should help with fees. Make sure you claim for lower rate mobility as well if your ds is over 5.

Thanks guys....just called for it!

Well done debs. Just a thesis to write now