PGR working hours and holidays

Students commencing research degrees may be surprised that they are not entitled to the long vacation periods to which they have become accustomed as taught students. 

Research students’ working hours and holiday entitlements are not governed by regulation.  The differing requirements of disciplines and types of research will to a large extent determine the length of the working day/week appropriate to the individual concerned, and students must, in the main, be guided by their supervisor and department. 

In History this can be very flexible - your working pattern may vary depending on the time of year and type of research activity you are undertaking i.e. you may work different hours on a research trip as well as personal commitments. Some students prefer to mainly work 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. Others prefer a more flexible approach. 

To be successful in your research it's important to have a good work/life balance. This can sometimes be harder to achieve at PGR level due to the programme structure, so it's important that you make sure to take breaks and the holiday that you're entitled to. Being so exclusively work oriented that you take little or no time off is potentially detriment to both your wellbeing and your work.

If you experience unforeseen difficulties during your studies, such as illness or serious personal problems, you should look to take leave of absence. Leave of absence is not granted to cover holiday.

Please note that funding bodies may also place restrictions on the amount of work students may undertake outside their studies. You should check the information for scholarship holders webpage for details.