Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible?
All PhD students in the 2nd year and above from any institution, discipline and age are eligible to attend a GRADschool.
How many times can I attend GRADschool?
You can only attend one GRADschool because of the limited places available.
Do I have to pay?
Currently, the University pays for the entire course and no student has to make any financial contribution.
How will I get to GRADschool?
All participants will be taken to the course by coach from Cambridge, free of charge.
Can I go home or back to the lab in the evening?
The course is residential and you are expected to stay on the course site for the whole time and not return home or to your normal place of work. This enables you to focus on the course fully and reflect on your work objectively.
Where will I sleep and eat?
The course venue will provide all meals and accommodation on site.
What if I have special dietary requriements?
All dietary requirements will be catered for but you must let the course organiser know if you have any special dietary requirements so the venue can prepare meals for you.
What if I have special needs?
The course will be fully accessible for participants with special needs and all applications for the course will be treated equally. You must let the course organiser know if you have any special needs so the course can be made fully accessible according to your needs.
I'm interested but I don't have the time
Attending a GRADschool is an investment in your time. The time you spend on a GRADschool should help you complete your PhD quicker with an ethos of focus and pro-activity.
I'm interested but my supervisor isn't keen to let me go
Many PhDs are funded by a research council that is part of RCUK (the strategic partnership of the UK's seven Research Councils). These are the AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC, ESRC, MRC, NERC and STFC. These research councils all actively endorse the GRADschool programme. For example:
The BBSRC (Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council) is very supportive of GRADschools. We regard them as an important way for PhD students to widen their professional skills as well as to find out more about the range of career opportunities available to them where their research training can make an impact. I would hope that all supervisors with BBSRC funded studentships will encourage their students to attend.
Kate Reading, RCUK Research Careers and Diversity Unit