The Royal Holloway Doctoral School brings together key aspects of research student life, aiming to ensure that research students are fully integrated as members of the University's research community and to provide you with opportunities to meet and share ideas and experiences across our three faculties. The Doctoral School will support you throughout your student journey, ensuring availability of relevant contemporary research skills and employment training alongside the highest standards of administrative, pastoral support and specialist referral.

• Discover what services the Doctoral School provides for you 
• Contact the Doctoral School for advice and support

 

Your supervisor or a member of your supervisory team should always be the first point of contact for any questions or concerns you may have about your programme of study or your research. In addition, the Associate Dean (Research and Knowledge Exchange) exercises overall responsibility for the welfare and academic progress of the research students within your Faculty, supported by the Department PGR Leads.

For most non-academic-related queries, please contact the Doctoral School. However, for the following, please contact your Faculty's helpdesk:

• Queries about study space within your Faculty.
• HR queries - for those of you teaching alongside your research.
• Submitting expenses (unless techne, SeNSS or ISG CDT funded, in which case the Doctoral School deals with them).
• Ordering serivices or goods.

The Student Services Centre (SSC) provides support for non-academic matters and student life such as replacement Student ID cards, travel concessions and document and letter requests.

Ask Royal Holloway is our self-service enquiry platform designed to help you get the answers to your questions, fast. We have hundreds of help articles on all aspects of you student journey from enrolment, settling into university life, assessments, results, graduation and beyond.

If you can't find what you're looking for, you can 'Ask a Question' through Ask Royal Holloway and it will be sent to the right team who can help. You'll be able to log back in any time and track the progress of your query from the 'My Questions' tab.

Please check information online on opening times and how to contact the Student Services.

• Online: Ask Royal Holloway
• Phone: 01784 27 6641
• In person: Emily Wilding Davison Building (ground floor, opposite the Library)

The PGR Peer Mentoring Scheme has been set up to provide the opportunity for new researchers at Royal Holloway to benefit from informal peer-to-peer support from researchers who are in the later stages of their research degree.

Find out more about the PGR Peer Mentoring Scheme

Our Student Life teams are here to support you with your health and wellbeing and to help you have positive academic, personal and social experiences as a Royal Holloway research student. The Student Life Directorate is comprised of specialist teams who cover a broad spectrum of wellbeing and experiential support, and can provide guidance and advice on issues which can impact your wellbeing and academic success. 

Find out more

 

Student communities

We value the diversity of our student community and we are keen to support the different range of needs required by different communities. You can find out more about communities support available here.

 

Supporting you with your wellbeing

Our Wellbeing Support team of wellbeing advisers provides advice and guidance to all students on personal and emotional wellbeing, to assist them in maintaining a healthy balanced lifestyle and to support them throughout their studies towards submission of their research and graduation. The advisers encourage all members of our student and staff community to alert them to concerns or signs of vulnerability - in themselves and others - to enable proactive engagement with early intervention. No issue is too big or too small for the team to provide you with the right support or access to specialist services.

• Email: wellbeing@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about wellbeing support
• Find out more about wellbeing for postgraduate researchers

 

Supporting you with your disability 

Our Disability & Neurodiversity team supports all students who have disclosed a disability, long standing medical condition, specific learning difficulty or mental health condition. The disability and academic advisers will help co-ordinate the right support for you including liaising with your academic department and the Doctoral School, external providers or specialist support services, including adjustments for vivas.

To access our support you need to declare your disability and register with the team who will then work with you to implement appropriate support as soon as possible. 

• Email: disability@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about Disability & Neurodiversity support

 

Supporting you with your emotional and mental health 

Our Counselling and Mental Health team support you with your emotional and mental wellbeing and provide non-clinical mental healthcare to students who require support. The Mental Health Practitioners assist as a common point of entry for mental health triage, assessment and referral (where needed) onto specialist NHS or mental health services. They can particularly help students with emerging mental health concerns and provide short term support interventions.

The Counsellors provide support when worries impact your studies and life as a student and you may find it helpful to speak to one of the team for non-judgmental support. They work to the BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions and are a BACP accredited team. You will need to register online to arrange appointments with these teams.

• Email: mentalhealth@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Email: counselling@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about counselling and mental health
• Register for support from the Counselling and Mental Health team via the Wellbeing Portal

 

Supporting you with your finances

Our Money Advice team will assist with financial difficulties you may experience including advice about the cost of learning, support with extra financial assistance (Study Support Grant), short term loans, budgeting advice, emergency support (including local Foodbanks where other options have been exhausted) and a wide range of other financial enquiries. Blackbullion is also available to students - a financial capability tool with lots of advice and support. They aim to ensure your time at university is as financially stress-free as possible.

• Email: moneymatters@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about Financial Advice
• Submit applications for financial support for the Money Advice team via the Wellbeing Portal

 

Tackling and addressing sexual misconduct

As a values-led organisation we are committed to taking steps that will make a significant and credible difference to protecting students from harassment and sexual misconduct. These include:

• Raising awareness of our policies and reporting, student-led campaigns in partnership with the Students’ Union, and the provision of guidance and advice.
• Promptly responding to any cases that are reported, so we can provide support to those who are reporting incidents and ensure appropriate actions are taken against those who are found to have transgressed.
• Ensure regular mandatory training is provided online and onsite for staff and students, with ongoing evaluation to ensure we are constantly striving to improve what is delivered.

Find out more about this here

 

Supporting you as an international student

Our International Advice team are the first point of contact for international students about a range of support services – including visa and immigration advice – and will ensure you are able to access the most appropriate services as required to support you living and studying in the UK. They also proactively work to foster an inclusive and welcoming community on campus for all including their Home Away from Home programme and the Festival of Languages and Culture.

• Email: internationaladvice@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about the International Advice team
• International Student Advice Hub

 

Supporting you with your faith & spirituality

Our Chaplaincy team aim to support students and staff in building supportive communities of faith, where fundamental questions can be explored and a deep personal search for meaning is encouraged. They are here to offer support to the whole university community and for all faiths. Whatever you believe, whatever your background, whoever you love, whatever your struggles or doubts, and wherever in the world you are, the Chaplains are here to offer you support. Our Chaplains represent Christian (Anglican and Catholic),  Muslim, Hindu and Jewish faiths, and we are able to access strong support from representatives from other faiths including Sikh and Quaker faith communities.

• Email: chaplaincy@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about the chaplaincy

 

Supporting you living in the local community 

For students who have chosen to live in the local area of Egham or Englefield Green the Community Wellbeing team work to support students so that we are all working together to maintain a harmonious and happy community. In addition, the SU Advice Centre team can provide you with guidance around private housing landlord and contract matters for students at both the Egham and London campuses.

• Email: community@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more

 

Supporting you living in halls of residence

For students who are living in university halls of residence the Hall Life team work to promote and lead a happy experience for you whilst living on campus. The team help you feel part of the Royal Holloway community through events, campaigns, and services to foster student engagement and positive experiences. Events run by the Hall Life team are also open to students living locally or those who are commuting to the Egham campus.

• Email: hall.life@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about living in halls of residence

 

Supporting commuter students

For students who are commuting into campus or living further away we recognise your needs can be very different. Across campus we have Student Lounges (Windsor, Shilling and Wettons buildings) where you can relax, take a break, and prepare your food during the day. There is also an active commuter student community which we encourage you to be a part of.

 

Supporting you with an active lifestyle

Studies have shown that students who work-out work better and being physically active can help with your mental wellbeing too. Physical activity is for everyone, and experience is not a requirement. Whether you are looking to pick up a new sporting hobby, or you are always in the gym, there is something for everyone of all abilities and our teams will be happy to help you. You can also engage with the Royal Holloway community from elsewhere by joining our Archon league online.

• Email:   sportscentre@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about active lifestyle and sport opportunities

We as a University want to ensure all postgraduate researchers feel safe and respected. As such, the University takes bullying and harassment seriously. Please view our dedicated page to find information on the processes and support available when dealing with this issue. Find out more

We're committed to protecting students from harassment and sexual misconduct, and you can find related policies, processes and reporting mechanisms on a dedicated section of our website.

The Students’ Union Advice Centre is an independent, free and impartial service open to all students at Royal Holloway. The service holds drop-ins both in person and online every Tuesday. See here for more details. While specialising in academic and housing advice, they can offer guidance on just about everything.

Specifically for PGRs, the Advice Centre can provide help with appeals, complaints, misconduct and interrupting your studies. If you need support from an advisor, get in touch with the Advice Centre at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk.

• Phone: 01784 27 6700
• Email: advice@su.rhul.ac.uk

 Find out more about the SU's advice centre

The IT Service Desk is here to support you with issues such as email access, connecting to CampusNet Wi-Fi, and making use of University printing facilities. The IT Service Desk is also available to provide advice and guidance on a range of more specific IT issues, should you experience any problems. They also offer access to free software, including Microsoft Office 365, NVivo and SPSS.

• Online chat: rhul.ac.uk/it
• Phone: +44 (0)1784 414321
• Email: itservicedesk@royalholloway.ac.uk
• LiveHelp: Start a live chat session

The IT Service Desk is open for phone calls, emails, LiveHelp chat and in person Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm.

Find out more on the IT Services webpages

The Library, which is housed in the Emily Wilding Davison Building, provides access to a wide range of digital resources for your research, most of which can be viewed both on and off campus, alongside an extensive collection of print resources.

• Email: library@royalholloway.ac.uk 
• Find out more about the library, including opening hours

 

Research Support 

The Research Support team in the library provides support on research information including copyright, Open Access publishing, Research Data Management and developing your researcher profile. The team can also provide advice for meeting research funders’ requirements regarding Open Access.     

The Doctoral School Liaison Librarian is Eva Garcia Grau. She is a member of the Teaching and Engagement Team, a team of expert librarians who provide support throughout the research information cycle, from searching and accessing information for articles, books and other outputs through to submission of your PhD thesis. Your Teaching and Engagement Librarian can help you develop your research and referencing skills. The team also provides guidance on ethical, responsible and effective use of generative AI in academic work, including issues around transparency, attribution, critical evaluation and academic integrity.

You can also access the Postgraduate Researchers subject guide, where you can find details of resources and further support available to you through the Library. 

 

Cultural Services

Archives

Research visits to Royal Holloway’s archives and art collections can be booked by appointment. 

The archives contain institutional records of Bedford and Royal Holloway Colleges from the 19th century to the present day, alongside personal papers of prominent individuals with links to both institutions as well as special collections, many of which relate to theatre history. The rare book collections can be searched via the LibrarySearch website.  

You can check opening times, search the archives and special collections catalogue or contact archives@rhul.ac.uk to book an appointment.

Art collection

There is a rich collection of artworks including oil paintings, works on paper and sculpture from the Royal Holloway and Bedford College collections. By booking an appointment you can study the artworks and access the information in the curatorial files and the growing art reference book collection. During term-time there are open days in our Grade-1 listed Picture Gallery which houses Thomas Holloway's collection of paintings. 

Check out the opening times, search the art collection on ArtUK, or contact artcollections@rhul.ac.uk to book an appointment.

The Culture Team are happy to support students seeking to use the collections in creative or cross-disciplinary projects. If you have an idea, you are welcome to get in touch.

 

Access to other libraries 

If you cannot find the specific items that you require in the University library, you also have access to the following major research libraries.

Senate House Library

Senate House Library is the central library of the University of London providing access to a range of online resources, print collections, and study space. Membership is free for Royal Holloway students and staff.

You can find out more about accessing Senate House Library on the library’s website.

The British Library

The British Library is the national collection and holds print copies of all books published in the UK and Ireland, alongside an extensive collection from other countries. Find out more about how the British Library can help with your research.

SCONUL access scheme

Royal Holloway participates in this national university access scheme which allows students to use other university libraries in the UK.

Find out more about the SCONUL access scheme on the library’s website.

Inter-Library Loans

The Inter-Library Loans service allows you to borrow print books, and online journal articles from other libraries. Details on how the scheme works and how you can submit an Inter-Library Loan request is available on the library’s website.

• Most Faculties offer some dedicated study space for their postgraduate researchers. Please view your discipline appendix for more details or contact your Department Postgraduate Lead for more details. 
• The Library within the Davison Building contains study space available to students and researchers, with a dedicated PGR area, on the 2^nd floor to the rear of the silent study space directly opposite the stairs. For the latest information on study space in the Library and how to access it, you can consult the Library’s intranet. 

Further details about study space for postgraduate researchers

The University’s Careers Service runs a number of industry-themed weeks and a range of career development and employer-focused events during the academic year, including a careers and placements fair in the Autumn term. Further information can be found here.

One-to-one appointments with the Employability Team are available throughout the year. You can book thirty-minute appointments to explore career ideas or receive feedback on your CV, cover letter or job application, and forty-five-minute practice interviews to understand typical questions and reheearse effective answers. A wide range of additional support materials are also available on the Careers Moodle site.

Postgraduate students can drop into the Enterprise and Careers Hub in the Davison Building during term-time to speak to an Employability Consultant, as well as having year-round access to a suite of digital tools providing personalised progress tracking throughout your career development.

The Student Entrepreneurship Service is also available to support you with starting your own business or going freelance, through workshops and one-to-one appointments.

The Careers Service runs workshops over the academic year as part of the Researcher Development Programme. The workshops cover academic and non-academic career development topics as well professional pathways beyond academia.

The Careers Portal displays a large number of vacancies including placements and graduate jobs throughout the year, as well as careers event listings and additional resources.

• Email: careers@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about how the Careers Service supports postgraduate researchers
• Read the Careers Service Statement of Service

There are several open access PC Labs available on campus which you can use, and computers throughout the Library in the Emily Wilding Davison Building. For security reasons access to these PC Labs is restricted at night and at weekends by a door entry system operated via your Student ID Card.   

Find out more

Copier-printers (MFDs) for students are located in the Library, the Computer Centre and many PC labs, which will allow you to make copies in either black and white or in colour. 

Find out more

• If you live more than 1.5 miles away from campus, you will be eligible to apply for a Student Parking Permit which covers days, evenings and weekends.
• If you live within the 1.5 miles radius, you can apply for a Student Out of Hours Parking Permit which means you can park from 6pm till 4am (you can only use car parks 4 and 14).

Find out more about parking on campus and how to apply for a permit

The University provides an email address for all students and stores the address in a University email directory known as the Global Address List. Your account is easily accessed on and off campus using this link: mail.live.rhul.ac.uk.

Your University email address is used both for routine and urgent communications, including correspondence from your supervisors, so it is vital that you check your emails regularly - at least daily.  

Please do not ignore emails from the University. We will assume you have received an email within 48 hours (excluding Saturdays and Sundays). 

It is imperative that the University has the most up-to-date contact details for you. Please ensure that you update the following via the Campus Connect student portal as quickly as possible once they are changed:

• your telephone number (mobile and landline if available)
• postal address (term-time and forwarding)
• email address
• emergency contact details. 

You can find out about how the University processes your personal data by reading the Student Data Collection notice.

• The Doctoral School sends a Researcher Newsletter to your Royal Holloway email address once a fortnight. This provides details of events and opportunities for postgraduate researchers which are coming up in the following month, as well as updates on the research landscape. 
• Any email from the Doctoral School with important updates outside of the Researcher Newsletter will also be sent to your Royal Holloway email address so it is important that you check it regularly. 
• The Doctoral School microsite will keep you informed of news and events which may be of interest to you as a postgraduate researcher. It is also a key repository for information and advice on subjects such as funding, changes to your registration status and the examination process. It provides you with easy access to a variety of documentation and guides that you may need during your studies. 
• You can also follow the Doctoral School on LinkedIn.

Find out more about the Researcher Development Programme

•  Email: pgrtraining@royalholloway.ac.uk 

Read your discipline appendix for details of research skills training within your department or Faculty.

Your department may be in a position to offer you opportunities to undertake teaching and/or demonstrating activities. In the event that you are employed in a lead teaching role, you are required to register for the University’s inSTIL programme (Programme in Skills of Teaching to Inspire Learning). If you are teaching as part of a team, you may still choose to do this programme but are not required to do so.

You must be engaged in teaching at the same time as participating in inSTIL, as teaching observations are an intrinsic element of the programme. The inSTIL programme is worth 15 M level credits and counts as seven days towards your skills training objectives. Successful completion of inSTIL confers Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy: a valuable professional recognition.

• Email: EducationalDevelopment@royalholloway.ac.uk
• Find out more about the inSTIL programme

Royal Holloway's Community Research Hub is an initiative from the award-winning Royal Holloway Volunteering team. Community Research provides students with the opportunity to develop research-related skills and gain valuable real-world experience, by creating partnerships with charities and other non-profit organisations requiring pro bono research and data analysis.

"Volunteering through the Community Research Hub was honestly one of the best experiences in my PhD, I loved it and the charity I worked with. I am still volunteering even though I have finished my studies" - Yesha Bhagat, volunteer with Harry's Hydrocephalus Awareness Trust.

• Email: CommunityResearchHub@royalholloway.ac.uk
  

Find out what opportunities are currently available to develop your skills and experience

• In order to retain your registration status as a postgraduate research student at Royal Holloway, you should be aware of following timelines. Please note that all PhD students start on the MPhil and must successfully complete their upgrade review in order to be eligible to submit for the PhD: 
  • Upgrade deadlines
  • Thesis submission deadline

• As these deadlines are based on the start date on your student record, it is very important that this start date is recorded correctly. If your start date has been postponed, make sure you submit a Change of start date form within the first 6 months of your study. If you are sponsored on a Student Route visa, you are not permitted to change your start date in our records once you have used your CAS in a visa application. 
• These deadlines will be affected if you interrupt or change mode of attendance during your studies, e.g., if you formally interrupt for 6 months, your submission deadline will extend by 6 months. 
• If you would like confirmation of your official start date or any of your deadlines, please contact the Doctoral School. 
• You can see an overview of the key milestones in the PGR student journey here.
• If there are extenuating circumstances which make it unlikely that you will be able to meet these deadlines, it is essential that you raise this with your supervisor / supervisory team as soon as possible.

You must complete enrolment every academic year in order to remain registered as a research student at Royal Holloway.

• In your first year, you must complete the following stages of enrolment:
  • Online Sign-up.
  • Pay your fees (unless you are funded by a studentship).
  • Do your ID check.

• After that, you must complete the following each year:
  • Online Sign-up.
  • Pay your fees (see below).

Find out more about the enrolment process

• Please note the following regarding Online Sign-up:
  • You must complete Online Sign-up every September even if your anniversary of starting is at a different time of year, e.g., in January. 
  • You must complete Online Sign-up even if you have submitted your thesis / had your viva / are completing corrections. You remain a student at Royal Holloway up until you have been awarded and need to be signed up to the current academic year's Online Sign-up declaration in order to be awarded and be able to graduate.
• Please note the following regarding fee payment:
  • You are billed your fees one month before the anniversary of when you started, e.g., those of you who started in September will be billed in August every year.
  • If you are funded for 3 or 3.5 years, you are personally liable for 1 year's / half a year's writing-up fee respectively up until the moment that you submit your thesis, unless your funder stipulates an earlier submission.
  • Once you have submitted your thesis, you are no longer billed unless you are asked to resubmit.

Find out more about postgraduate research fees

• If you are registered as a full-time student (including in your writing-up year):
  • Any paid work you undertake to support your studies should not exceed 20 hours per week
  • Once you have submitted your thesis however, this limit no longer applies.
• If you are an international student:
  • You must also ensure that any working restrictions as stated on your visa are also adhered to.
• If you are a part-time student:
  • There is no limit to the number of paid hours you work.

Details taken from the Code of Practice for Research Degree students and supervisors 

 If you are in your writing-up year and were previously enrolled as full-time, you can get a letter exempting you from Council Tax. 

• This arrangement does not apply once you have submitted your thesis and does not apply if you were enrolled on a part-time basis prior to your writing-up year.
• To qualify for an exemption from Council Tax during your writing-up year, you are expected to be undertaking an average of 21 hours of work each week on your thesis, for at least 24 weeks, from the start of your 4th year and you must not be in full-time employment (in line with Section 7 of the University’s Research Degree Regulations).

Details taken from the Code of Practice for Research Degree students and supervisors 

• The Research Degree Regulations permit you to interrupt your studies for up to 24 months (whether consecutively or otherwise) on financial, medical or personal grounds on the recommendation of your supervisor.
• Any period of interruption will normally only be permitted with supporting evidence and must be approved by your Department PGR Lead.
• Students are also entitled to request an interruption of studies for reasons of maternity, paternity or adoption leave. 
• A period of interruption will not normally be granted during the writing-up period. Interruption requests at this stage will only be considered for long-term / serious extenuating circumstances which prevent you from undertaking any work at all and will be dealt with via the Suspension of Regulations route with requests being considered by your Faculty's Associate Dean (Research and Knowledge Exchange).
• It is essential that you contact your supervisor or the Doctoral School at the very earliest possibility should you find that you require a period of interruption to your studies. Please note, a backdated (or retrospective) interruption will only be considered on the most exceptional grounds.

Find out more about interrupting your studies

• Please note the additional considerations for students who are:
  • funded
  • sponsored on a Student Route visa

• The Research Degree Regulations permit you to change your mode of study from full-time to part-time within the first two years of your study and from part-time to full-time at any point.
• If you are sponsored on a Student Route visa, you will not be permitted to change to part-time, under the restrictions of our sponsorship. 

Find out more about changing your mode of attendance

• You are entitled to up to 8 weeks holiday (including public holidays and University closure days) within a 12-month period of registration.
• There are normally 8 statutory bank holidays and Royal Holloway's discretionary 6 additional days, shared between Christmas and Easter, when the University is closed. This leaves Postgraduate Research students with 26 days of holiday entitlement outside these closures. Weekends are not included here.
• You should notify your supervisor in writing of any holidays taken. You can find a template log here.
• If you are a Royal Holloway sponsored Student Route visa holder, please complete this MS Form to alert the Doctoral School of any holiday leave taken.Read the Holiday Leave / Annual Leave - Guidance for PGRs and supervisors here

Further details in the Code of Practice for Research Degree students and supervisors 

If you are undertaking research abroad:

• Non Student Route visa students:
  • Please ensure that you agree this with your supervisor and ensure that details of the location and dates have been approved prior to undertaking the research.
  • These details should also be emailed to the Doctoral School so that they can be logged on your student record.

• Student Route visa students:
  • Please ensure that you complete the relevant form below and return to Student Administration so that the University can update details of your study location with the UKVI, as stipulated by them:
    • Student visa - studying outside of the UK form
    • Student visa - writing up outside of the UK form
  • If you do not do this you will be risking the continuation of your Student Route visa sponsorship with the University. 
  • Postgraduate Research students are expected to be in the UK throughout their studies, unless notification of this form has been received.
  • For advice on the consequences to your visa of studying or writing up outside of the UK, please contact the International Advice team.

Researching aborad does not impact/extend your deadlines for Annual Review, Upgrade or Submission.

• According to the Research Degree Regulations, if your attendance, academic performance or progress is unsatisfactory, the discontinuation of your registration as a student may be requested following a formal warning process. 
• It is therefore essential that you alert your supervisor / supervisory team as soon as possible if you are experiencing difficulties with engaging with your studies so that the appropriate support and advice can be provided. 
• An academic formal warning provides an opportunity for your supervisor to raise any concerns they have about your engagement with your research, submission of work or standard of work and for you to raise any concerns of your own in relation to your studies.
• Any formal warning you receive is normally permanent and will remain active on your student record until the end of your degree programme and as a permanent part of your student record even after completion of your studies

Find out more about the formal warning process

What to do if you receive a formal warning

• The University has a statutory obligation to monitor the engagement of all students sponsored under the Student Route and report to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) instances where a student fails to meet our engagement expectations as detailed within section 5 of the Code of Practice for Research Degree students.

• Therefore, if you fail to meet the engagement requirements detailed within section 5 of the Code of Practice for Research Degree students and/or fail to respond to informal and formal warnings from the University with regards to your engagement, the university will discontinue your registration.

• If your registration is discontinued, the University is required, as part of its statutory duties as a UKVI Student sponsor, to withdraw sponsorship of your Student visa. Following notification from the University, UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) will normally curtail your permission to remain in the UK. You would therefore be required to leave the UK, or obtain alternative immigration permission if you wish to remain in the UK.

• A discontinuation of registration due to a breach in visa requirements is conducted independently of the University's formal warning process and the decision is not open to appeal.

• To help avoid this situation, if you start encountering difficulties with engaging with your studies, please speak with the International Advice team for advice.

Find out more about visas and immigration

• Although you will meet with your supervisor regularly during the academic year, your academic progress is formally reviewed at least once every twelve months, regardless of whether you are studying full time or part time. 

• The exception is if you have interrupted your studies for a whole twelve months from the anniversary of your start date, in which case the review will take place not more than two months after you have formally resumed your studies.

Find out more about annual reviews 

• All MPhil / PhD students start their programme on the MPhil and have to pass the upgrade review meeting in order to be eligible to submit for the PhD.
• If you started your studies before 1st August 2025, your first attempt at upgrade must be within 20 months of full-time study (40 months part-time). If you require a second attempt, this must be within 24 months of full-time study (48 months part-time). 
• If you started your studies after 1st August 2025, your first attempt at upgrade must be within 18 months of full-time study (36 months part-time). If you require a second attempt, this must be within 24 months of full-time study (48 months part-time).
• See here for the ISG CDT timeline.
• It is important to remember that the upgrade from MPhil to PhD is not an automatic right.
• In the majority of cases, a panel will indicate that they are satisfied with your progress. In some cases, however, the panel may feel that the work presented does not meet the required standard for doctoral research. In such cases, your panel may permit you to have a second and final attempt.  

Find out more about the upgrade review

It is recommended that you submit your exam entry form to the Doctoral School at least two months before you submit your thesis. Before your thesis can be sent to your examiners, your examiners and Independent Chair need to be approved by your Department PGR Lead, your examiners and Independent Chair need to be invited, and they all need to formally accept. This whole process can often take 4 - 8 weeks.

• Find out more about the research degree submission process and the requirements for the thesis
• Instructions and notes on submission 
• Alternative thesis format
• Practice-based theses

Click on the tabs below for further information.

 

If you are submitting for an MPhil or PhD you will be required to participate in a viva to defend your thesis. 

• The viva should be organised by your supervisor.
• You have the choice to have the viva face-to-face or online via MS Teams.

Find out more about the viva 

Click on the tabs below for further information.

 

Click on the tabs below for details.

 

• We want to hear your views on the way your Faculty operates and this is where the academic representation system comes in – which is a collaborative partnership between the Students’ Union and the University. The system relies on student volunteers from within your cohort who represent you to ensure you receive the highest quality educational experience possible.
• PGR Staff-Student Action Meetings are held at Faculty level. They meet once a term and play an important role as a forum for airing view and for ultimately driving change.
• Academic Reps attend and chair these meetings and you can volunteer to become and Academic rep for your Faculty when the annual recruitment opens in September. This will give you the chance to directly influence what happens on your course and give a voice to your peers.
• Please refer to the relevant discipline appendix for details of your Faculty’s PGR Staff-Student Action Meetings. You can view the current representatives on your Faculty’s PGR SSAM here and on the PGR Academic Rep Hub.

Keep an eye out for more information towards the start of term on the Students’ Union’s website

Our Student Communities are autonomous bodies that are responsible for working with the Union to secure the general interests and collective rights of the students that define into the relevant group. There are two categories of communities, one for postgraduate communities and one for academic-based communities.

They also coordinate activities, events, and campaigns relevant to their agenda, which may include supporting and working across different students groups.

The purpose of the PGR Community Officer is to:

• Build a sense of community and wellbeing with a focus on improving the inclusion of their group into student life.
• Plan and lead events and activities to promote, defend and extend the rights of their group.
• Actively seek feedback from students that identify within their group
• Act as main point of contact for students that identify within their group and signpost them as neeed.

Once in post, you can get it touch with them at PGR.Community@royalholloway.su.

The role is currently vacant. If you are interested in being the next PGR Community officer, email the Voice Team at voice@su.rhul.ac.uk for information on next steps.

The Doctoral School Open Meeting runs once a term and gives you the opportunity to:

• find out what is happening across the University and in your School to support postgraduate researchers.
• raise questions with the Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Postgraduate Research), the Doctoral School managers and the Department PGR Leads.
• feedback your suggestions and opinions on a range of topics affecting postgraduate researchers.

• The Postgraduate Research Experience Survey (PRES) is the only national survey for postgraduate research students' experience. It is run annually by Royal Holloway, working in partnership with Advance HE and Jisc.
• PRES has been developed in consultation with the sector and has been robustly tested to ensure it produces valid results. The survey focuses on students’ experiences of:
  • supervision
  • resources
  • research community
  • progress and assessment
  • skills and professional development
  • wellbeing
• This is your chance to tell Royal Holloway about your experience as a postgraduate researcher with us - in terms of both how the University is already supporting you on your research journey and what we can do to improve your experience here. Responses from you help the University improve both our current and future support provisions.  

Find out more

• An academic appeal is a request for reconsideration of a decision made by the University which relates to your academic progression. Appeals must be submitted within 15 working days of the date on which you were formally informed of the decision.  
• There are limited grounds of appeal and Sections 25 and 26 of the Research Degree Regulations set out these grounds and the process to be followed.
• If you have also submitted a complaint and your grounds for an academic appeal are effectively dependent on the outcome of the complaint, the University may determine that the complaint should be investigated first under the Student Complaints Procedure. If this is the case, the complaint investigation will be carried out first and your appeal investigation will be placed on hold until the complaint investigation is complete. The University will endeavour to complete these processes as quickly as possible. However, a thorough investigation takes time, so the University strongly advises that you continue to make plans on the basis of the decision as it currently stands.

Find out more about academic appeals

If you are dissatisfied with the provision of services or facilities by the University, or any aspect of your supervision or academic experience, please raise the issue with the relevant area of the University, your supervisor(s), advisor, Department PGR Lead, Head of Department or another member of staff in the department or faculty as soon as possible. In particular, please refer to paragraph 12(102) of the Code of Practice for Research Degree Students and Supervisors.

In the majority of cases complaints can be resolved through an informal route. If this approach does not lead to a satisfactory resolution of your concerns, you may wish to submit a formal complaint for investigation under the Student Complaints procedure. A formal complaint should be submitted within three months of the incident or action being complained about. 

Find out more about complaints

The Student Futures Manifesto outlines our 5 commitments to you, which the University and Student's Union created together.

Find out more about the Student Futures Manifesto

General health and safety policies  

 

Conduct on campus, in buildings and fire alarm response

The University welcomes the high standard of personal conduct of our PGR students and their continued diligence in maintaining good housekeeping across campus and appropriate behaviours, particularly during unsupervised periods of time. Please check with supervisors on what equipment they are happy for you to use unsupervised and whether any lone working arrangements need to be in place. If you hear an alarm, please ensure that you leave the work area immediately and make your way to an assembly point. Never assume it is a false alarm, with the exception of known fire alarm testing.

Please always take care across campus and be particularly mindful around moving vehicles and areas where construction is taking place. Please do not skateboard in roads and make sure you are using electric scooters lawfully. We do not permit the storage and charging of electric scooters within University buildings due to the fire risk.

 

Lone working policy and procedures 

The principles and guidance around lone working are often highly applicable to the nature of postgraduate research and the variety of activities this might involve. As such, awareness and planning around any lone working you may be required to undertake are essential.  

Any health and safety concerns should be brought to the attention of your local Health and Safety Co-ordinator or the University Health and Safety Office. It is likely that most activities will take place on University premises. However, the principles also apply to students undertaking duties off campus. 

Find out more about the University’s Lone working policy and procedure

 

Fieldwork and travel 

The University has a risk-based process for the risk assessment and approval of fieldwork and travel. For higher risk travel this approval process can take several months and so if postgraduates are planning to travel as part of their work they should speak to your local Health and Safety Co-ordinator or the University Health and Safety Office. 

Find out more about the University’s fieldwork and travel policy

 

Stress and mental health 

Stress is part of any job, and can improve performance, but excessive stress and poor mental health is detrimental to both the individual and their work. Postgraduates should be mindful of the effects that stress can have and manage this, including using provided support if and when it is needed. 

Your mental health is as important as your physical health and should be treated in the same way. There is a strong link between stress and mental health. 

Find out more about the University’s stress and mental health policy

 

Safeguarding 

Safeguarding is the protection of children (under 18s), vulnerable adults, and adults in a vulnerable situation – the latter definition can be particularly applicable to research participants. Any research involving people should consider safeguarding, particularly where the research occurs in developing nations. 

Find out more about the University’s safeguarding policy

 

Code of practice on harassment for students 

The University is committed to upholding the dignity of the individual and recognises that harassment can be a source of great stress to an individual. Personal harassment can seriously harm working, learning and social conditions and will be regarded and treated seriously. This could include grounds for disciplinary action, and possibly the termination of registration as a student. 

The University’s Code of Practice on personal harassment for students should be read in conjunction with the Student Disciplinary regulations and the Complaints procedure. 

Find out more about support available if you are feeling harassed

Royal Holloway recognises that societal inequalities shape the lives of individuals and groups. We are committed to creating a fair, inclusive community where barriers are removed, diversity is valued, and everyone feels supported to be themselves and reach their full potential. This commitment is championed by senior leaders and embedded in our strategic priorities, including our RH2030s strategy, our Education Strategy, and our EDI Framework 2023–2028.

Promoting equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) is central to our identity as a University of Social Purpose. We aim not just to meet our legal obligations under the Equality Act 2010 - which protects characteristics such as sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, and religion or belief - but to exceed them. We take proactive steps, including positive action where needed, to support underrepresented and marginalised groups. We are committed to upholding freedom of speech and academic freedom within the law and encouraging respectful dialogue across different perspectives. Freedom of expression does not extend to bullying, harassment, discrimination or victimisation, and we take robust action wherever such behaviours occur.

We strive to build a culture rooted in curiosity, care and generosity, encouraging open, thoughtful conversations and approaching differences with empathy and a willingness to listen. By fostering respectful dialogue and healthy disagreement, we aim to create genuine understanding and belonging for all.

Our approach includes tackling barriers to progression, increasing diversity across our community, and nurturing wellbeing and safety for students, colleagues, contractors and visitors. We take an ‘inclusion by design’ approach to ensure our policies, processes and environments are accessible and supportive - whether that’s around disability, gender identity, religion and belief, or any other aspect of who people are. We also provide guidance and resources to help us value difference, act as allies and active bystanders, and contribute to an inclusive culture.

We offer support hubs and resources covering a range of topics including around disability, anti-racism, bystander intervention, microaggressions, menopause awareness amongst others. We also have staff networks open to PhD students, including our LGBT+ Network, Disability and Mental Health Network, Neurodiversity Network, Menopause Network, and Parents and Carers Network. Throughout the year, we mark key diversity and inclusion events - from cultural and religious celebrations to awareness campaigns - and run initiatives like Listening Networks, creating space for honest, sometimes challenging discussions about lived experiences.

Ultimately, building an equitable and inclusive university is a shared responsibility and a reflection of who we are. Everyone at Royal Holloway - whether student, staff member, contractor or visitor - plays a vital role in contributing to this vision and helping to make our community welcoming, fair and inclusive for all.

Read more here.