Your questions answered – postgraduate research students

Updated: 24 January 2022

You may find it useful to read these FAQs in conjunction with the regulation documents and forms available via the Centre for Doctoral Studies.

We expect PGR students normally to be based in London for their research degrees, as per King’s academic regulations. However, we recognise that there are currently significant challenges for some PGR students, in terms of getting to the UK.

However, students are still able to travel to the UK (provided, if applicable, that any necessary visas have been arranged). Nonetheless, such travel does likely incur significant financial cost, in terms of tests and quarantine, above and beyond the normal costs of visas and travel. In such situations, PGR students, whether new or continuing, might want to consider the potential to study remotely.

Studying remotely is not necessarily a simple decision:

1. The nature of many courses means that there is a considerable component of study & research that can only be undertaken in person. Therefore, any consideration of studying remotely should start with a discussion between the student and the supervisory team, to assess whether remote study is feasible.
2. As well as this practical consideration, there may be other factors, for example the terms and conditions of the funding of the PhD which may also influence this decision.
3. In some cases, students are starting a more structured programme of training in their first year as part of a cohort of students. It may not be possible to undertake this training remotely and/or the student might feel it is a major disadvantage not joining the programme in person (when most other students are physically present). This could make it much harder to settle in and build key working relationships.

However, assuming none of these issues are a significant impediment, the student can study remotely.

In all cases, if the student requires a visa to enter the UK, advice should be sought from the Visa advice team to check any specific individual circumstances. Students who have visas, and who have started studying remotely outside of the UK, will need to be studying in the UK in person by the UK Visas and Immigration deadline of 6 April 2022 (or by the next deadline set by their supervisory team, whichever is earlier).

Students should indicate on the Study location form their location (this should be completed as part of enrolment or re-enrolment). Students do not need to complete the Off-campus study form if the remote study is COVID related.

Another option which might be considered is delaying the start of the degree until the next entry point, in June 2022. However, again, the same factors will need to be considered, as described above. Continuing students should consider interruption of study if remote study is not feasible

Are current recruitment and scholarship application processes still going ahead?

Yes. Recruitment is not impacted. Find out about the latest scholarships.

I am an international student and have accepted a place for a research degree but haven’t enrolled yet. What do I need to know?

Your Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) is valid for 6 months from the date of issue. As long as you apply for your visa within 6 months of being issued your CAS, it will be valid for use, although you might need to update it with your intended arrival date in the UK. To find out more on CAS updates visit our article How can I change information in my CAS?

I am a student from an EU country. What do I need to know?

As you may be aware the UK exited the European Union on the 1 January 2020.

You can find information on the Advice & Guidance pages:

Students with Pre-settled or Settled Status

Students in the UK with no status

Students outside the UK

Please contact the Advice & Guidance Team for specific advice

Protecting the health and wellbeing of the entire King’s community is a priority for the university. For our latest updates and safety guidance, please refer to the Keeping King’s safe together webpages.

How do I study on campus safely?

In order to be physically on campus, you will need to have conversations with your supervisors using the return to campus policy.

If you are planning to come to campus, you should complete our online risk assessment tool. You will need to use your King’s account to complete the form. The form will explain the measures that we have put in place to support you and identify if any further steps are required.

What should I do if I am identified as high or medium/high risk and planning to come to campus?

Please discuss the results with your supervisor who will advise you about the next steps and ask you to complete an individual risk assessment.

What should I do if I am identified as high risk but am not planning to come to campus?

If you are not planning to come to campus, then you do not need to take any further action on risk assessments. However, it is advisable to let your supervisor know as early as possible so that adequate support can be put in place for when you join us on campus.

If you have a long-term health condition or a disability, there are a range of articles in our Disability support section that explain how our services can support you during your time at King's.

Please speak to your supervisor(s) about your research, in particular, to discuss what research you can continue to undertake given the current situation. It is important to emphasise that most research activities can continue, accessing King’s systems remotely where needed. You may find the guidance from the Research Ethics Office particularly helpful if your research involves human participants.

Please read all the information on this page, which includes guidance on how to record any disruption to your progression.

Can my research continue on campus?

Please discuss continuing your research on campus with your supervisor(s) if you have not already done so and follow your Faculty/department guidance on this. When on campus please ensure that you are tested regularly. Respecting safe distancing, wearing a face covering unless exempt and regular hand washing are the best ways to help reduce transmission of the virus. Please see the Keeping King’s Safe Together webpages for information.

In 2020 we extended the thesis submission deadline for all students (who enrolled prior to 1 April 2020) by 3 months. There are currently no plans to issue a further blanket submission deadline extension. Students who need additional time to submit should request this via the exemption process with guidance from their faculty. Such requests are dealt with on a case-by-case basis. This extension does not guarantee additional stipend payments. It is just an extension of the submission deadline.

I am a funded student. What is the impact of the King’s submission deadline extension on me?

As a funded student (e.g. those on UKRI programmes) you should follow the terms and conditions of your funding body and seek advice from your supervisor and the relevant programme manager.

Please see further information in the funding section below.

When do I need to submit my RD1 form if my expected submission deadline has changed?

The RD1 form should be submitted a minimum of four months before your intended submission date. Download the RD1 form.

I am already in the process of completing my thesis corrections. Will I receive an extension?

If you are in the process of completing your thesis corrections, you will not receive an automatic extension. Submitting corrections is a critical point involving a number of individuals such as external examiners. Students are therefore encouraged to complete and submit corrections within their current deadline if at all possible. However, if you absolutely cannot complete your corrections due to COVID19, please apply for an exemption. Upon approval, the research degrees team will communicate this decision to your examiners.

I am a visiting research student. Will my visit get extended automatically by three months?

We are not automatically extending such visits.

Does the three month extension affect upgrade deadlines?

No, it doesn't. The vast majority of PGRs successfully complete the upgrade process well within the timeframe of 9-18 months, as set out in the academic regulations. We have therefore decided that there is no need to institute a blanket extension to the upgrade process at this point.

I am an international student. Do I need to extend my visa because of this extension?

Please get in touch with the Student Advice & Guidance Team for help and support.

Do I have to use the additional three months granted by the university?

No. For example, if you are a full-time PGR student, you can still submit your thesis within four years. The extra three months, which extends your deadline to four years and three months, just gives you more time if you require it.

Will I have to pay extra fees for this three-month period?

No extra fees will be applied.

I need more time to pay my tuition fee, can I access any help?

If you need more time to pay your fee, please complete and submit the following form.

I have received the 3 months submission deadline extension. Does this mean my stipend payments will automatically be extended by 3 months?

Unfortunately not. The extension of submission deadline does not guarantee additional stipend payments. This is dependent on your research degree funding body and they will be able to advice you on any funding extensions (UKRI funded students please see contact details below). If your funding body is not able to provide additional support, please see the Financial Support section below.

I am funded by UKRI, who do I contact?

If you are part of the Doctoral Training Centres or Partnerships please contact your CDT or DTP Director or Manager, or your PGR faculty contact.

For general UKRI queries please contact ukri-studentships@kcl.ac.uk

Can I access any financial support?

If you have been directly affected financially by the COVID-19 crisis, you may be eligible for financial support through the PGR Financial Aid scheme. This scheme is administered by the Centre for Doctoral Studies and involves a simple application form being submitted along with any relevant supporting documents. Please find full details on the Student Funding webpage.

For covid related financial support for students arriving in the UK, please visit Student Services Online.

Can I access any financial support for my visa extension?

Yes, currently PGR students whose Tier 4 (General) student visa expires on or before 31 July 2022can apply for assistance with their visa extension. See the PGR Financial Aid scheme guidance for further details.

Can I make a claim for additional stipend payments through this scheme?

The scheme will not replace or provide additional stipend payments (see questions in the ‘Funding’ section for more information). The PGR Financial Aid scheme is designed to help those currently directly affected financially by the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. If you are in this situation, we encourage you to apply to the PGR Financial Aid scheme and also to seek advice from the Advice & Guidance team.

What records will I need to keep in order to apply for funding extension in the future?

In order to make a case for additional funding in the future, all funded students are advised to:

1. Keep a record of how your project is being impacted, including copies of any supporting evidence. Examples of supporting evidence include notes of cancellation of a scheduled research visit, cancelled experiments abroad/field trips.
2. Working with your supervisors, review your progress objectives on the online progress reports.
3. Depending on what stage you are on the PhD trajectory, consider what you can practically and constructively do towards your PhD right now, to minimise the impact caused by COVID-19, and to continue to make progress. You might adjust objectives accordingly, to include new tasks which can be more easily carried out in your current working environment.
4. In your online progress reports, record any impacts and time delays which are unavoidable (evidenced as per (1) above), and provide a description of what you have done to continue to progress (as described in (3)).

Where do I record my lack of progress due to COVID-19?

If your progress has been disturbed by this the current situation we ask you to record this your online progress reports.

We are expecting you to record your delays in:

• Question 1.2b – Briefly describe any issues/problems which have prevented you from achieving your targets
• Question 1.2c – Explain how these have been addressed and your plans to meet any unmet targets.

How can I explain the impact of COVID-19 to my thesis examiners?

We are giving all PGRs the option of including an Impact Statement alongside their thesis. This will enable you to explain to your examiners how you have modified your research in the light of COVID-19. Find out more.

King’s College London recognises the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on PGR students. Students are expected to adapt their research activities to mitigate, as far as possible, the disruptions caused by COVID-19 restrictions. Nevertheless, the impact of disruptions on the research may merit explanation in the thesis. Examiners should consider the student’s COVID-19 impact statement in relation to the scope and volume of the research student’s work whilst always upholding the academic requirements for a research degree award.

Read the full Impact Statement Policy.

Can my viva voce examination go ahead?

From 1 September 2021 the following oral examination formats are available to students:

• Face-to-face examination
• Fully remote examination
• Hybrid (partially remote) examination

For more information on oral examinations please refer to the Guidance for Oral Examinations document

Is there any guidance for online viva examination?

Yes, the Research Degrees Examination Team have provided a guidance document for everyone who is involved in setting up, conducting, participating, and managing the oral examinations for research degrees. You can find this document on the Research Degrees website.

Will my upgrade viva or MD presentation go ahead?

Yes, these are essential assessments. They can be conducted virtually. Please discuss with your supervisor and see local faculty or department advice.

My home environment is not suitable for online examination, what are my options?

If your home environment is not suitable for online examinations, such as upgrade viva and oral examination please get in touch with your supervisor for other onsite alternatives for you.

How can I explain the impact of COVID-19 to my thesis examiners?

We are giving all PGRs the option of including an Impact Statement alongside their thesis. This will enable you to explain to your examiners how you have modified your research in the light of COVID-19. Find out more about the COVID-19 Thesis Impact policy on the Research Degrees website.

Do I need to interrupt my studies if I am ill and self-isolating with symptoms?

Students who are not well, self-isolating with symptoms of Coronavirus, can apply for an interruption of studies, even if they are close to submission.

Do I need to interrupt my studies if I am self-isolating without symptoms?

We acknowledge that this situation will be disruptive and engagement with your studies may be difficult. If you are self-isolating without symptoms we would not anticipate that you interrupt your studies. However we recognise that individual circumstances may vary and, if you feel your studies will be impacted by self-isolation, we encourage you to discuss this with your supervisor.

Can I travel abroad for my research?

In light of the coronavirus pandemic, the university continues to update its travel policies, with additional authorisation requirements to ensure that staff and students are able to travel safely for the purposes of conducting College business, research or as part of a course.

The travel policy has now been updated to reflect changes in UK travel restrictions as a result of Step 4 of the government roadmap and individual vaccination status. Students can potentially travel, subject to appropriate risk assessment and approval by a Head of Department or designate. King’s travel insurance will be issued on approval of the risk assessment.

Risk assessment guidance is available on the Health & Safety Services’ SharePoint site and information about King’s travel insurance is available on the Finance website. If you have any questions about travelling on your student visa, please contact the Advice and Guidance team.

Fit to Fly: KCL TEST now offers free Fit to Fly certificates to King’s students and staff. KCL TEST is a convenient, non-invasive saliva test to check for coronavirus for those who do not have symptoms (asymptomatic). You can pick up a PCR test kit and return your completed sample during opening hours at hubs across all campuses. Find out more about Fit to Fly certificates.

What training and development opportunities are available to me?

Whilst no workshops or training courses are running on site during this time, the Centre for Doctoral Studies (CDS) and other training providers have worked hard to make sure that development opportunities are still available to our PGR community. In most cases we are delivering courses virtually, via platforms such as KEATS or Zoom. A large number of online courses are already available to PGRs.

Ceremonies

In light of the ongoing restrictions and the uncertainty around travel in the coming months, King’s has taken the difficult decision to postpone the in-person graduation ceremonies due to take place in winter 2022. Please visit Student Services Online for more information about future ceremonies.

Degree certificates

You can find more information about obtaining your degree certificate on the Student Services Online website.