EPSRC Doctoral Training Accounts

Funding Allocation

---

Each year the University is awarded a new DTA. The value of our DTA is set by the EPSRC using an algorithm, which calculates the University’s allocation according to the amount of EPSRC research grant income that we have secured in the last year. (Mathematical Sciences allocations are determined by peer review in a seperate exercise outside of the algorithm.)

The EPSRC announces the value of the University’s new DTA in February. Indicative allocations to qualifying departments are then calculated according to the amount of research grant income each has contributed towards the University’s overall total (except for Mathematical Sciences, which has its allocation determined by peer review).  Departmental allocations are confirmed by the beginning of March.

The current distribution of DTA funds is as follows:

A detailed breakdown of the allocation of DTA 2010 funds can be found here.

Studentship Rates

---

The standard EPSRC doctoral studentship funds a student for 3.5 years (42 months), providing the following financial support to the award-holder each year:

• A tuition fee waiver at the Home/EU postgraduate research rate;
• A tax-free maintenance grant at the UK Research Councils’ national minimum rate, which in 2010/11 is £13,560; and 
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of £1,500.

The length of a studentship can be varied to between 3 and 4 years in duration and the level of RTSG can be adjusted up to a ceiling of £2,000 per annum.

The forecast cost of tuition fees and maintenance grants over the next four (4) years can be found here.

Award-holders may also qualify for an enhanced stipend of £2,000 each year. The EPSRC provides resources to fund larger maintenance grants to students studying in the following subject areas:

• Engineering;
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT);
• Materials; and
• Statistics and Operational Research.

In the University’s 2010 DTA, there is £41,980 available to support enhanced stipends. If a student is selected for this additional support please include this when completing their registration.

Funding Rules

---

Whilst DTAs offer the University significant flexibility as to how we can use the funds granted to us, there are number of rules we are required to follow. At least 50% of the total cost of a full studentship (fees, maintenance at the national minimum rate and RTSG) in any given year (12 months) must come from one of the University’s DTA for the student to be eligible for DTA funding. The remaining 50% can be taken from another DTA or from University funds or from external sources, such as an industrial sponsor. This is commonly known as the '50% Rule'.

In addition to this rule once a student starts to be funded by a DTA, they must continue to be supported be a DTA until the end of their studentship, although it does not have to be the same DTA. Furthermore, students must be funded by a DTA for a minimum of one (1) year (12 months) to qualify.

Within the EPSRC’s rules there are a variety of funding options available to deploy DTA resources. Click here for the different combinations. If you are seeking to transfer the costs of a studentship between DTAs and research grants please contact Student Financial Support to discuss the options that are open to you.

Student Eligibility

---

To be eligible for DTA funding a student must be a UK/EU citizen. EU students who have not been resident in the UK for the last three (3) years proceeding the start of their studentship are only eligible for a fees-only award. International students are not eligible for any funding through a DTA.

Eligible students must be able to demonstrate a capability to undertake and benefit from research training through to completion to the standard necessary to qualify for a PhD. This normally requires an upper second class honours degree, or a combination of qualifications and/or experience equivalent to that level.

Full details about the EPSRC’s eligibility criteria for students can be found at http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/funding/students/Pages/eligibility.aspx.

Recruitment and Registration

---

Departments are autonomous to recruit and appoint eligible students for funding from their allocation of DTA resources.

Following the selection of a student for funding please complete and submit an online Student Registration Form to notify Student Financial Support. Please note that only sections 1, 2, 4 and 6 of the online form need to be completed. If you will be using different DTAs and/or other funding sources to finance a studentship a EPSRC DTA Variable Funding Form also needs to be completed and attached to the student's Student Registration Form. This supplementary form enables you to record the precise funding arrangements of a studentship for each academic year.

Following receipt of the student's registration details an official award offer letter will be issued to the selected student, which will outline the terms and conditions of their studentship and how it will be administered. The student will then be asked to accept the terms and conditions of their award and provide their bank details if they are to receive a maintenance grant.

Departments must submit completed EPSRC doctoral studentship nomination forms for selected students to Student Financial Support by Friday, 27 August 2010 for their studentship to be set up for the start of the 2010/11 academic year.

New doctoral studentships funded from the University's 2010 DTA start from 1 October 2010. Students funded on older DTAs can start their studentship at any time.

Management of Awards

---

Once a DTA-funded student has commenced their studies Student Financial Support will submit their details to the EPSRC via the Je-S system. During the lifetime of a student's DTA funding Student Financial Support may require further information from their principal supervisor to keep their Je-S record up-to-date.

The payment of a DTA-funded student’s tuition fees and maintenance grant is arranged by Student Financial Support. All maintenance grant payments are paid in advance on a quarterly basis by BACs transfer. A student’s RTSG is transferred to their department’s designated RTSG cost centre 3 to 4 months into the academic year.

Further Information

---

If you have any questions about the management and administration of DTAs, please contact:

^{Mrs Andrea Bailey (Student Financial Support Officer)
Tel: +44 (0)191 33 46485
Email: financialsupport.postgraduate@durham.ac.uk}

Forms and Resources

---

• EPSRC Doctoral Studentship Funding Combinations
• EPSRC DTA 2010 Allocations
• EPSRC DTA Variable Funding Form - XLSM file