Student funding opportunities

Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

The Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) can be accessed by students whose funding provides access to a RTSG. Details of this will be in your funding offer letter. Access to RTSG funds is only available up to the end of your funded period.

RTSG is intended to be used to pay for expenses which the funding recipient, their supervisor/s or their school deem to be in direct support of the funding recipients PhD research.

RTSG should not be considered as a personal allocation for each individual funding recipient as the RTSG is intended to be used based on a funding recipient’s needs and priorities. However, funding recipients are entitled to a notional amount per academic year, over the course of their funding. The value of the yearly notional amount as well as the total amount of RTSG over the funded period will be stated in the funding offer letter.

Funding recipients applying for RTSG can spend more than the notional amount in a given year, so long as the overall spend does not exceed the total RTSG allowance over the funded period

Notional RTSG values are not increased to cover extensions, however funding recipients can spend their remaining RTSG during extension periods. It is advised for funding recipients to keep a record of how much RTSG funding they have claimed.

Applications for RTSG funding should not be made retrospectively, but rather in advance of the activity.

Receipts are required for all claims. In addition, claims can be submitted up until a funding recipient’s PhD submission date (assuming the initial claim/expense occurrence took place prior to the end of the funding)

Examples of RTSG expenses are:

• Fieldwork expenses
• UK, EU and overseas conferences and summer schools
• Language training courses usually undertaken in the UK prior to an overseas fieldwork trip
• Reimbursement of interpreters, guides, assistants
• Survey costs e.g. printing, stationery, telephone calls
• Purchase of small items of equipment e.g. cameras, tape recorders, films
• Gifts for local informants
• Books and other reading material not available through libraries

RTSG is not to be used for the following:

• Laptops (or other computing equipment). In exceptional circumstances, we may consider requests from funding recipients to purchase a laptop or other computer equipment from this allowance. Such requests must be clearly rationalised based on the requirements of the research and successful completion of the PhD. In such circumstances, any equipment purchased in over £200 will remain the property of the funder and should be returned upon submission of the thesis.
• Visa/Immigration expenses to enter the UK to commence study or extend stay
• Subscription costs to academic societies, or professional bodies
• Proofreading
• Journal subscriptions
• Job interview expenses 
• Business cards

If a funding recipient is unsure as to whether they may claim for a particular item, they should contact the relevant RTSG contact.