Managing your TCRS Grant - for Schools and Departments

Managing your TCRS Grant

Grant Duration: TCRS PhD studentships will be 3.5 or 4 years in length

Each School will work with its Departments to manage the TCRS studentship programme in the way which works best for them. Schools will be notified about their TCRS grant in October each year and liaise with their Departments to finalise funding for each of their TCRS studentships.

The amount of studentships funded by TCRS will depend on the fees charged for PhD courses offered in the particular School concerned, the student’s fee status and their mode of study (full or part-time).

The University’s Student Funding Team (SFT) will manage the process of formal TCRS studentship offers to the candidates selected by Departments. Candidates nominated for a TCRS studentship, should not be nominated for another University of Cambridge studentship programme like those offered by the Cambridge Trust. 

Departments will need to keep SFT up to date with the appointment of reserve candidates when students decline their TCRS awards. The SFT will also provide data about the studentships to the TCRS MC for reporting.

Whilst we have provided some information about how TCRS will run once students are in residence, full information about how to run TCRS studentships is available from the TCRS Studentship Team.

  • Where donors have contributed 50% or more, the studentship may be called [donor name] -TCRS
  • Where donors have contributed a full studentship, the matching studentship will be called TCRS, unless the donor wishes to have both studentships called [donor name] -TCRS
  • The TCRS Management Committee may consider requests from donors about variations on naming, so long as TCRS is used for all studentships receiving a grant from the TCRS programme

The Department or its School needs to apply to the Management Committee for support with additional costs due to a change in the mode of study. That is, a student changing from full- to part-time study.

  • Trinity funds will be provided (at the same proportion originally agreed for the initial studentship) to cover additional costs caused by a change to mode of study 
  • The administration of students’ requests to change of mode of study should not be delayed and Schools should assume that the Management Committee will be sympathetic to all arrangements made (noting that the amount requested will have to come from their TCRS Fund allocation)
  • Schools will not have to seek formal approval from the TCRS Management Committee for matched funds they wish to use for this purpose
  • Schools can use ineligible funds to cover additional costs associated with a change in mode of study and do not have to seek permission to do this (however, it would be useful for Schools to report to the Management Committee if they do this)
  • TCRS offers should be made for 3.5 or 4 years (or as determined as most appropriate by the Department or School) in line with UKRI guidance which should reflect the field of study (it was noted that PhDs in some fields did not take as long as others)
  • TCRS funds are not be available for over-run extensions regardless of the length of the studentship awarded
  • Schools can fund over-run extensions at their own discretion, but can not call upon TCRS funding 

In the event that a student withdraws from their TCRS:

  • Schools can re-cycle remaining TCRS funds for a replacement student
  • Schools can apply for one (or more) year’s matched TCRS funds to make up a full studentship in the following round for matching funds from TCRS
  • Schools can also use their own funds if they wish to replace a student during the academic year. Ineligible funds may be used to do this if need be and reported to the Management Committee.
  • Departments should disburse the RTSG directly to students
  • Schools need to note that the Trinity component of the research allowance will be a proportion of £10,000. That is, the proportion (TCRS/School) agreed for the studentship more generally
  • Schools can provide for any funds required for a RTSG which needs to be in excess of £10k
  • Schools can use ineligible funds to provide match funding for one final studentship in a cohort to maximise the amount of TCRS created. A maximum value of £20k of ineligible funds to provide match funding for one final studentship in a cohort is allowed without approval by the Management Committee
  • Schools should apply to the Management Committee in cases where ineligible funds required to provide match funding for one final studentship in a cohort are more than £20k
  • Ineligible funds used as match funding for one final studentship in a cohort should not total more than 25% of the full award’s value

TCRS does not provide hardship funding. Students are encouraged to discuss hardship with their College Tutorial Team.