1. Research Support Fees (sometimes called Bench Fees) are defined as a fee charged to provide funding to cover research-related items/activities which are essential in order to carry out the research. Research Support fees are an annual charge which will apply in addition to the tuition fee in each year of the programme, except the writing up year.

2. Allowable extra costs include:

• Laboratory consumables
• Specialist technical support which is not available within the University
• Specialist off-site testing or processing of data which cannot be done at the University
• Training in specialist techniques, software etc. unique to a particular project
• Travel to other locations which is essential to complete the project
• Conference attendance, including travel and associated costs

3. Such costs will not include academic supervision or administrative support, or normal overheads such as space, IT support and library provision, which are included in the tuition fee.

4. Research Support fees will be applied at one of the following band levels dependent on subject area (Appendix A):

5. An individual Research Support Fee within the stated band will be calculated dependent on the specifics of the project. The Research Support fee should include a breakdown of how the fee was calculated and what it covers. The offer letter should specify both the tuition and Research Support fees.

6. Research Support Fees will be invoiced upon first enrolment and then annually on the anniversary of enrolment. The fee will be held by the University on behalf of the student (or sponsor) to ensure that these additional research costs can be met.

7. Students will submit requests for consumables, equipment, software or costs associated with research conference attendance via local Faculty processes in consultation with the Director of Studies. Requests will only be approved by the faculty providing they are justified in line with the programme of research and resource implications outlined in the Research Proposal and that sufficient funds remain.

8. Any unused funds must be carried over into the following year; the value of any annual invoices will be adjusted to top up the account to the level of the stated annual fee.

9. Students (and sponsors) will be provided with an annual statement with a breakdown of spend against their RSF accounts at the point when the invoice is raised for the subsequent year.

10. Any unspent funds at the end of the project must be automatically refunded to the student (or sponsor).

11. Research Support fees must be clearly set out alongside the tuition fees on the website or wherever else the programme is advertised.

12. Any equipment purchased from a Research Support fee remains the property of the University and should be returned when the student leaves.

* Students are required to pay for their own art materials

Policy on Research Support Fees for Postgraduate Research Students