Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

The Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) can be accessed by students whose funding provides access to the RTSG. Details of this will be in your funding offer letter. Access to RTSG funds is only available up to the end of your funded period.

RTSG is intended to be used to pay for expenses which you, your supervisor or school deem to be in direct support of your research. Examples are:

  • Fieldwork expenses
  • UK, EU and overseas conferences and summer schools
  • Language training courses usually undertaken in the UK prior to an overseas fieldwork trip
  • Reimbursement of interpreters, guides, assistants
  • Survey costs e.g. printing, stationery, telephone calls
  • Purchase of small items of equipment e.g. cameras, recorders, films
  • Gifts for local informants
  • Books and other reading material not available through libraries

RTSG is not to be used for the following:

  • Laptops (in exceptional circumstances, we may consider requests from award holders to purchase laptop or other computer equipment from this allowance. Such requests must be clearly rationalised based on the requirements of the research and the successful completion of the PhD. In such circumstances, any equipment purchased in excess of £200 will remain the property of the funder following the end date of the award).
  • Visa/Immigration expenses to enter the UK to commence study or extend stay
  • Subscription costs to academic societies, professional bodies etc
  • Proofreading
  • Journal subscriptions
  • Job interview expenses 
  • Business cards


 

ESRC Funded Students

  1. Check page 18 of the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide and page 12 of the SGSSS Student Handbook to ensure your proposed RTSG spending is permitted
  2. If your proposed spending is permitted by the funding guidelines and funding and payment arrangements, fill in the form and follow the steps to upload your RTSG request to the SGSSS GradHub (https://www.sgsss.ac.uk/studentships/esrc-training-funds/) 

Non-ESRC funded students

  1. Check page 18 of the ESRC Postgraduate Funding Guide and page 12 of the SGSSS Student Handbook to ensure your proposed RTSG spending is permitted (this applies to both ESRC and non-ESRC funding)
  2. If your proposed spending is permitted by the funding guidelines and funding and payment arrangements, seek approval from your Supervisor
  3. Contact your School/Discipline RTSG contact/s (below) with details of your proposed expendidature. Your RTSG contact/s will advise if the purchase will be made directly by the School of if you should claim the purchase via the Student Expenses procedure
  4. If claiming reimbursement via the Student Expenses procedure, submit completed student expenses form and all receipts to your RTSG contact/s. If the purchase is being made directly by the School, your RTSG contact/s will be in touch with further details 

RTSG Contact/s

School/Discipline RTSG Contact/s
Accounting & Finance Angela Foster
Central & East European Studies socpol-pgr-admin 
Economic & Social History socpol-pgr-admin
Economics Sophie Watson
Education Eleanor Johnston
Institute of Health & Wellbeing socpol-pgr-admin
Interdisciplinary Studies Kerri LaBrash
Law Susan Holmes
Management Sophie Watson
MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit Brenda Butler
Politics socpol-pgr-admin
Sociology socpol-pgr-admin
Urban Studies socpol-pgr-admin