Revised UKRI award increases PhD minimum by £2k
5 Sep 2022
PhD students will benefit from a 10% increase in the previously announced UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) minimum grant for the new academic year.
From 1 October this will be set at £17,668 full time equivalent (FTE) for 2022/2023, the organisation announced.
Protests had followed the previous statement that the minimum would increase to just over £16,060 from the previous academic year’s £15,600. Students pointed out the rise of less than 3% would leave many struggling with rising inflation.
The new increase adds £2,000 to the minimum level – a year on year increase of 13%.
In a statement, UKRI Champion for People, Culture and Talent Professor Melanie Welham said:
“I am pleased to announce this increase in stipend levels as a result of our review this summer of the support we provide our postgraduate research students.
“As well as raising the minimum stipend now, UKRI is committed to further reviewing its funding offer as part of its current work on the New Deal for Postgraduate Research.”
However, she warned that the rise in the level of the new academic year’s minimum stipend could affect the total number of applicants that UKRI can fund in the future
“One theme that came through in comments made in response to my open letter was the recognition that enhancing stipends could see fewer students supported overall,” stated Welham.
“This, and many other scenarios and questions are being explored in the work we are prioritising to inform the stipend rates for the 2023 to 2024 academic year, which we will communicate in the spring of 2023.”
https://www.ukri.org/publications/stipends-update-from-professor-melanie-welham/
