Sheffield raises PhD stipends

Sheffield University is to follow the research councils' lead by raising funding for the 350 PhD students it supports. The increase will cost the university Pounds 350,000 a year. Earlier this year the government increased the minimum stipend research councils paid PhD students by Pounds 1,000 to Pounds 6,455. The extra money, amounting to more than Pounds 12 million a year, was provided for in the comprehensive spending review. Sir Gareth Roberts, Sheffield vice-chancellor, said the move was to ensure that all research students were treated equally.