Studentships

Studentships relate to the funding arrangements associated with a postgraduate student (usually a postgraduate research student).  A studentship will generally be made up of some or all of the following three elements: tuition fees, maintenance and a training support fee.

Studentships are typically awarded by Research Councils and Charities and may be awarded to the University rather than individual students and are exempt from VAT.  Conversely, any charge to a business, made by the University for a studentship, is taxable at the standard rate.

A training support fee (TSF), or “bench fee”, can be attached to the studentship to fund the miscellaneous costs associated with conducting a PhD. It is typically used to fund laboratory and other consumables, small items of equipment, travel to conferences and other fieldwork expenses. This is normally standard rated for VAT.