Postgraduate research

University funded

Graduate Teaching Assistants

The Graduate Teaching Scheme was developed to facilitate knowledgeable and skilled graduates to pursue a PhD as well as to contribute to the teaching community at the University of Leicester.

A Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) holds a unique role at the University as both a registered student (in receipt of a stipend) and also an employee. As such, a GTA holds two mutually dependent agreements: employment and student with the University of Leicester, and is expected to abide to the terms and conditions of both agreements.

The GTA package amount is equivalent to the Research Councils UK Doctoral Stipend for each academic year. This comprises a salary element (at 0.2FTE of point 16 on the University salary scale), which is paid monthly in arrears, with the balance payable as a stipend, monthly in advance. The total value of the annual package (salary plus stipend) remains unchanged during the academic year, but will be revised to the new Research Councils Doctoral rate at the start of each new academic year.

All GTAs are entitled to a tuition fee waiver equal to the value of the Home fee.

Where a full overseas fee waiver is not available International GTAs are required to pay the tuition fee difference between the Home fee waiver and the overseas fee amount. You will be liable to pay your element of the fee liability in line with the dates and number of instalments of the University payment schedule.

Stipend payments can only be made after the registration process has been completed.

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University of Leicester Studentships

Once you have been offered and accepted a studentship, your department will advise Finance of any tuition fee waiver and/or stipend that is required to be paid. If your tuition fee waiver does not cover your full tuition fee you will be expected to pay the your element of the fee liability in line with the dates and number of instalments of the University payment schedule.

Stipends are usually paid at the published Research Councils UK rates, however the actual rate awarded will be confirmed upon application. Stipends are typically paid monthly, in advance, on the first day of each month.

Stipends are only paid during the research stage and not during a period of writing up or submission of thesis. If you enter a period or writing up or submit your thesis, stipends will stop even if it is before the funding end-date.

Research Councils UK document their terms and conditions relating to areas such as suspension, maternity leave and paternity leave. Research Councils UK sponsored students are not entitled to stipend payments when study is suspended for reasons that are not of a medical nature. Research Councils UK sponsored students will be paid for the first three months (maximum) for medical suspension, and six months maternity, both of which are subject to the University seeing the relevant medical evidence. It is your responsibility to promptly notify the Studentships Team (studentships@le.ac.uk) of such circumstances and provide all required evidence so stipend payments can be adjusted accordingly.

If you have a query with any aspect of your existing studentship, please contact studentships@le.ac.uk.

Staff remission of tuition fees

For guidance on how to apply and who can apply visit Sharepoint/Organisational Development/Remission of Tuition Fees.

Once you have had your remission of tuition fees confirmed, Organisational Development will advise Fees and Income of your tuition fee waiver. If your tuition fee waiver does not cover your full tuition fee you will be expected to pay the element of the fee liability in line with the dates and number of instalments of the University payment schedule.

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