Dealing with disruption and life events

Whatever support we can offer is likely to be dependent on your issue and circumstances (e.g., mode of study and funding) so it is important to talk to us early if you experience disruption so we can signpost to appropriate guidance.

Good overall guides to the research degree programmes can be found in the handbooks – Forms and Guidance: handbooks – including those for PhD, Professional Doctorate and Affiliated Research Centre.

This page contains links that will support you if you experience disruption during your research degree.

Student tip: “It is always being better to speak up early and get support in place, rather than waiting several months and then realising the issue has had a major impact on your progress.”

Forms and Guidance

Note: if any of these links are broken try searching on the main Forms and Guidance page.

Maternity, Paternity, Adoption and Shared Leave Policy

Return to study form

GSN Pages

Fees, funding and cost of living | Graduate School Network

Student wellbeing

Training resources

The following modules are part of OLCreate: Research skills for PhD students | OLCreate (enrolment keys are here RESEARCH-SKILLS: Enrolment keys | OU online).

Other helpful resources

Complaints and appeals procedure

Dignity and respect policy

Disability Support Form

Fee rules (separate documents for directly registered PGRs and ARC PGRs)

Fitness to study

Funding for study-related costs

Mental Health Casework and Advice Team | learn3

Report + support

Frequently asked questions

How do accrued study breaks work?

Full-time students – if you have a disability registered with the Disability Support team, you can request accrued study breaks instead of standard study breaks as a reasonable adjustment. Accrued study breaks are for students who can’t study at full-time intensity as a result of disability or ill health. You log the time you can't study, and when a month has been accrued, you can submit a study break. You can log the time as 'Absence' in PGR Manager or keep your own record on a spreadsheet.

Part-time students – same as for full-time students but part-time students can also apply for an accrued study break if you have caring responsibilities which prevent you from studying. The OU uses the widely adopted Carers Trust definition of a carer as 'Anyone who cares, unpaid, for a friend or family member who due to illness, disability, a mental health problem or an addiction cannot cope without their support'. Please note this is not for childcare. You would need to either:

be registered with the Disability Support Team or
provide evidence you are a carer - this can be appointments or letters in relation to the person you are caring for.

Applying for the study break – The PGR Manager system does not have a separate section for accrued study breaks. Please use the standard Study Break and make it clear in the text that it is an accrued break, uploading additional evidence/logs as required. Accrued study breaks count as part of the total study break allowance. If you are full-time, 18 days (roughly 7.5 hours per day) equates to a month accrued; if you are part-time, 9 days equates to a month.

The Research Degree Regulations that reference these adjustments are:

RD 9.4
RD 9.5
PD 8.4.

If you want more help with accrued study breaks or any other aspect of administering the PGR study journey, please contact your Faculty mailbox: Research-Degrees-[Faculty name][at]open.ac.uk.

What differs between Faculties?

Each Faculty may have its own policy and procedure around stages and actions including:

how you can spend any funds related to your training, e.g., a training grant
health and safety, including work stations and risk assessments for fieldwork
arranging travel for conferences and fieldwork
equipment and specialist software
Third Party Monitor allocation and any subject-specific buddying/mentoring.

We recommend you start by talking with your Faculty Administrator about what happens in your Faculty (mailbox address on RESEARCH-SKILLS: Contact us | OU online).