after phd salary in uk

• PhD Salary in UK – Explained
• Funding a PhD

What Are PhD Salaries?

The average cost of undertaking a PhD in the UK is approximately £20,000 per academic year for UK students and £40,000 for international students. To help offset the cost of this, many students question whether undertaking a doctorate comes with a PhD salary.

The salary of a PhD student is governed by three factors: whether they’re assisting in undergraduate teaching, assisting in research, or have secured a PhD with a stipend. Depending on which of the three categories a student falls within, they will receive an income during their studies, however, the amount will differ by a substantial amount.

To help show you how you can fund your postgraduate degree and how much you can expect to earn whilst doing so, carry on reading below.

Types of PhD Salaries

There are three types of PhD degree salaries:

• Graduate Teaching Assistantships (GTAs) . In exchange for a salary, you’ll be required to assist in the delivery of one or more courses over a number of years. This includes, but is not limited to, marking student tutorials, supervising lab experiments and providing support to undergraduates during office hours. Besides this, you may have to teach a small section of the course itself. You can discover more about GTAs on King’s College London’s website.
• Research Assistantships (RAs) . In exchange for a salary, you assist a departmental professor with their research. In the ideal scenario, the professor you work with should also be your PhD supervisor and the research you’re asked to support with relates to your own doctoral project.
• Stipend via Studentship: A stipend is a non-repayable grant provided to doctoral students to help support their studies. A studentship covers a student’s tuition fees whilst a stipend covers a PhD student’s living costs. This includes outgoings such as rent, food, bills and basic travel. Unlike Graduate Teaching or Research Assistantships, stipends rarely have duties attached to them. The only expectation of receiving a stipend will be that you maintain continuous progress within your degree.

It’s worth noting these earning opportunities can be also be combined. For example, it’s possible to be a research assistant whilst also committing time to teach undergraduate students.

Average PhD Salary in UK

The average PhD student salary for teaching assistantships will vary depending on the level of responsibility you’re taking. However, to provide figures, past doctoral students have reported receiving approx. £10/hr for marking tutorials, £15/hr for leading laboratory sessions and up to £20/hr for leading undergraduate classes and tutorials.

The actual amount you can earn from teaching assistance will depend on the rate your department offers and the hours you can realistically take on. If you’re on a Graduate Teaching Assistantship programme, they will require you to dedicate a set number of hours per week. If you’re not on a GTA but would still like to earn an income through this scheme, you will likely need to commit several hours per week consistently. Although this can be a great way to earn whilst you study, you need to make sure you manage your time effectively as to not become overwhelmed by taking on an additional commitment.

The average salary for research assistantships will vary depending on the field of the doctoral degree you are enrolled in. Usually, these positions pay between £25,000 to £30,000 per year, however, it’s possible to come across positions which sit slightly outside of this. As a general rule of thumb, STEM assistors are paid more than non-STEM assistors.

In the UK, PhD students can receive a stipend which varies between £15,000 and £18,000 per annum. As part of the studentship your stipend is provided under, your tuition fees will also be paid for. UK tuition fees will vary between universities but are approximately £4,500 per year for doctoral courses starting in 2021/22 as per the UKRI recommendations .

Although £15,000 to £18,000 per year is the typical range for a stipend, some can be far greater than this. For example, Wellcome Trust , a research-charity based in London, offers an annual stipend of up to £23,300 and £26,000 for doctoral students located outside and within London, respectively.

Are PhD Salaries Taxed?

PhD stipends are tax free. Therefore, you don’t need to pay any income tax nor do you need to make any national insurance contributions. This means you’ll keep all the money you receive from an annual stipend. However, this is not the case for Research Assistants.

In the UK, Research Assistants are employed as university staff members and are paid a direct salary as opposed to a stipend. As a result, it will require you to pay tax on your earnings and make national insurance contributions.

To put this into perspective, for the 2019/20 UK tax year, you’re required to pay a 20% tax on any income above £12,500 but less than £50,000. You’re also required to make national insurance contributions of 12% of your weekly earnings over £166 but less than £962. This means that an annual Research Assistantship salary of £30,000 will equate to a take-home salary of £23,938 per year.

How to Get a PhD Stipend

To find research positions which offer stipends, we recommend you search our PhD database and filter by ‘funded’ positions.

Besides this, you can also secure a studentship from UK Research Councils or directly from your university as a scholarship. Independent organisations, such as charities and research trusts, and innovative firms within your industry also offer funding. You can read our PhD studentship guide to see how these work or our Where to find a PhD guide for further ideas.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

How to Get a Research Assistantship PhD

Unfortunately, research assistantships opportunities aren’t as common to come across compared to PhD stipends. Besides this, when they are available, they’re predominantly in STEM subjects such as computer science and engineering. The reason for this is these subjects usually have access to greater research grants and have a greater volume of practical work available.

To find a research assistantship, we recommend that you contact the university departments who host the courses you’re interested in directly. This is because research assistantships help professors with their research, and while they may require help, they may not be openly advertising for it. They may, therefore, be able to create a role for you within their department or put you into contact with one of their colleagues who already has an open position.

International Students

It’s worth noting that international students will have a harder time securing a funded PhD position than UK ‘home’ students will. This is largely because there are usually fewer funding opportunities available to international students, which as a result also attract significant competition.

Besides this, if you’re an international student studying in the UK you will most likely than not be on a Tier 4 visa. Although a Tier 4 visa will allow you to work to earn an additional income alongside any studentship you may have, there will be certain restrictions on what you can and can’t do. For example, during term-time, you won’t be allowed to work more than 20 hours per week. For a full list of restrictions, please refer to the government website.

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PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid Compared to Graduates?

Considering whether to stay in university as a PhD student or to leave and get a job? If so, you may be wondering “How much do PhD student get paid?” and “How does a UK PhD salary compare to a graduate salary?” .

In this post I delve into the details and reveal that the difference in take home pay between a UK PhD stipend and a grad position can actually be much lower than it first appears!

If you’re looking to know how much a PhD could boost your career and salary after finishing your doctoral degree I’d suggest checking out my post: Is a PhD Worth It ?

I also have a complementary post covering my monthly expenses as a PhD student. You may also wish to check out my guide to the application process , PhD FAQs and article on how I got a PhD scholarship .

February 2024 : This post has been updated to include figures for the 2023/24 academic year.

Do PhD students get paid in the UK? If so, how much do PhD students get paid?

Before we delve into the details let’s first cover whether PhD students get paid in the UK. Generally, yes, most PhD students get what is called a PhD stipend to support themselves during their PhD. Importantly, a PhD stipend (in the UK at least) is tax free .

It is worth noting though that not all PhD projects automatically include funding. Funding may also not be applicable for every applicant. For example sometimes it may only be available to home students i.e. those from the UK.

Therefore some students may resort to self funding their PhD. In STEM subjects self funding a PhD is pretty rare and often only happens because of limitations in funding eligibility. I’ve personally worked with a mix of funded and self-funded (often by parents) PhD students, though most are certainly funded by grants and scholarships.

If your project doesn’t already include funding, for most people I strongly advise trying to find funding rather than considering self funding. For more information on this check out my post on PhD Funding in the UK.

2023/24 UK PhD Salary

• PhD salary outside of London: In 2023/24 most new PhD students in the UK will receive a PhD stipend worth at least £18,622 per year .
• PhD salary in London : In 2023/24 most new PhD students in London will receive an increased stipend to account for cost of living , which is typically around £20,622 per year .

Notice that the PhD stipend for outside of London is at least £18,622 per year. I’ve seen several advertised at the London rate. There are also some available at an even higher rate. For example I know of CDTs in Bristol paying more like £24,000 tax-free.

Your PhD stipend will usually provide funding for 3.5 years, although it can occasionally be for 3 or 4 years.

These values are for most PhD studentships including those awarded by all UK research councils following the UKRI guidelines .

Certain scholarship schemes pay upwards of £25,000 per year, such as the £25,150 (2024/25 rate) President’s PhD Scholarships at Imperial. For details on how to get such a scholarship, check out this article where I go over how I got awarded my own PhD scholarship.

The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Network (ITN)  runs all across the EU. As well as nice training and exchange opportunities it pays a staggering stipend of approx £40,000 – £45,000 . The grant level is reviewed each year and increases if you have family dependents. I personally wish I’d known about it earlier and highly recommend anyone interested puts a reminder in their diary for when the next call opens!

Is a UK PhD stipend taxable?

Here is what PhD stipends look like compared to some fairly typical starting grad salaries in the UK:

At first glance a PhD stipend doesn’t stack up well against the higher wages of a graduate salary which can sometimes be twice this amount or more. But crucially PhD stipends for students are tax free !

There are a few other financial perks that come with being a student so I was intrigued to find out how the two salaries really compared. The results may surprise you!

Below is a high level overview and I’ll delve into each of the numbers in depth later in the post.

Grad salary vs PhD salary starting numbers

As mentioned earlier, in 2023/24 a typical PhD stipend outside of London is at least £18,622 . Within London this will typically increase slightly to account for cost of living to around £20,622 . These rates rise every year for new students, but do not rise for each year of the PhD. So for new students considering starting in 2024/25 a UK PhD salary will likely be around £19,100 outside of London. 

For the sake of simplifying the comparison I averaged the 2023/24 PhD stipend to £19,622 for all PhD students studying in the UK.

A fairly typical grad salary, for someone qualified enough to be considering a science PhD, is around £30,000 . Of course this is an average salary so needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. As the number can vary dramatically it may be considered too low by some, but I think it’s a good benchmark accounting for different regions of the UK.

I’ve included higher and lower graduate salaries too in the summary charts for this post.

Salary Gap: £10,378

On the face of it the PhD student would be earning £10,378 less per year: around 35% lower! This is enough of a difference to put off a lot of potential PhD candidates who’ve likely spent the last few years building up student loans.

But unlike normal wages, PhD stipends are tax free so maybe things aren’t as bleak for PhD students as it seems? Let’s explore how they really compare.

Income Tax & National Insurance Contributions

The 2023/24 Personal Income Allowance is £12,570. This means that you can earn up to this amount and not pay any income tax. Earnings from £12,571 up to £50,270 fall into the basic rate bracket of 20% tax.

PhD Student Salary: PhD stipends are tax free and incur no income tax or national insurance contributions. Remaining stipend: £19,622

Professional Salary: On £30,000 you’d pay £ 3486 in income tax and NI contributions of £2004 . Remaining wage:  £24,510

Salary Gap: £4888 Income tax and national insurance contributions have immediately almost halved the difference in take-home pay from £10,378 down to £4888!

Student Loan Repayment

PhD Student Salary: Even with a PhD stipend you are officially an unwaged student so you won’t make student loan repayments as a PhD student. Remaining stipend: £19,622 [see footnote 1]

Professional Salary: The amount you may have to pay for student loan repayments depends upon when you started your undergraduate course. If you started your undergraduate course since 2012 you pay student loan repayments on earnings above £27,295. Meaning on a salary of £30,000 you’d pay £243 a year on student loan repayments. If you began your undergraduate course before 2012, repayments start on salaries above £22,015 and would be £541 a year . Most of you likely completed your undergrad degree recently so we’ll go with the more recent, lower, repayments. Remaining wage:  £24,267

Salary Gap: £4645

Council Tax

PhD Student Salary: Another cost that students are exempt from is council tax. Though be careful if you share a house with non-students since council tax must then be paid on the property. [2] Remaining stipend:  £19,622

Professional Salary: Council tax varies greatly between council boroughs, and depends on the property you live in. For example in Cardiff I lived in a one bed flat and the annual council tax was £1050 per year. During my PhD in London council tax for a lovely three bed house  in Clapham it was £1000! Now that I live in Bristol it is over £2000 per year for a three bed house. I’ll go to the liberty of saying on average it would be £1150 per year and would be divided between two people: -£575 each. Total: £23,692

Salary Gap: £4070

Private Pension Contributions

PhD Student Salary: Although universities pay a PhD stipend to students, you are not a member of staff and hence do not make private pension contributions. Remaining stipend:  £19,622

Professional Salary: Legislation has been phasing in making contribution to private pensions mandatory. The upside is that employers match your contribution up to varying percentages: sometimes up to about 10% of your salary. Additionally there are tax benefits to contributing so overall you could see it as boosting your salary looking at the longer term view. [3]

I believe there are troubling times ahead for 20-somethings and personally am not relying on a state pension existing by the time we all reach retirement age. Therefore I wholeheartedly recommend making a decently sized contribution at least up to the same amount that your employer matches. For the purposes of this comparison I won’t deduct anything for private pension since it’s not really being deducted so I’ll call this one a draw.  Total: £23,692

Student Discount

Ah the obvious one! Student discount may have been the first thing you thought of when you saw this article, but I’m not going to include it in this analysis.

A student card does allow a significant amount to be saved, not only on luxuries such as entry to attractions and deals in shops but also travel. For example in London, an 18+ student oystercard gets you 30% off travelcards. For a monthly zones 1-3 ticket this would save about £50 a month: over £600 a year!

The reason I’ve not included it? How much you use student discount depends on your circumstances and lifestyle and I wanted to keep the analysis widely applicable. Also, there are ways around needing to pay for travel at all: I started cycling to university every day in London .

Curveball: the £12,570 Tax-Free Personal Income Allowance

So far the recent grad is still earning an additional £4842 per year: almost a third more than the PhD student. Owing to the fact that PhD students are exempt from income tax, national insurance contributions, council tax and student loan repayments the gap in earnings has shrunk considerably.

One last calculation I wanted to try was to consider the scenario of a student earning some additional money on the side. It is a common thing to make extra money with teaching assistant, tutoring and consultancy opportunities. In fact I think every PhD student I know does at least a little. There are of course non-academic routes to make additional money too.

I have written a post about some of the ways that I make extra money , many of which are in fact available to non-students. Do be careful to check that this is acceptable at your institution. My favourite way to make extra money is matched betting which is tax-free for everybody. You can find my complete guide to matched betting here .

Tax-free side-hustle

Currently you can earn £12,570 tax free in the UK . Given that the PhD stipend itself is tax free, unlike an equivalent worker you wouldn’t pay any tax on extra earnings up to this threshold. This might sound insignificant but it’s not.

Admittedly, unless you’re very entrepreneurial, it is unlikely that you would make use of the whole tax-free opportunity. But earning several thousand pounds per year on top of the stipend is certainly common.

As pointed out by a reader, John, in the comments below: a consideration should be that that some universities limit how much paid work you can do per month. Even so, there are lots of ways to make money and your time as a student could even be a great time to start your own business .

I’ve been paid more than £25 an hour doing pretty simple work for the university , so these earnings can mount up quickly.

To illustrate the extra earning potential afforded to PhD students, let’s consider the most extreme case where the tax-free earnings are maximised.

Since 2017 there has been a £1000 tax-free trading allowance for workers in the UK , meaning even those in a normal taxable job can earn £1000 on top of their salary from side-hustle jobs. Therefore the grad will pay additional taxes on £11,570 instead of £12,570.

PhD Student Salary: An enterprising student maxing out the tax-free allowance could earn £12,570 a year and pay no national insurance either, leaving additional take-home pay of  £12,570 . With a PhD stipend of £17,062 the student would in total earn £32,192 for the year. They’d keep 100% of those extra earnings.

Again, yes it is unlikely that someone would really earn this much on the side but it is common to make at least several thousand throughout the year.

Professional Salary: As a grad on £30,000 per year in your main job, to have an equivalent side-hustle earning £12,570, in total you’d pay tax on £41,570. Income tax would be £5800: £2314 higher than on their base salary of £30,000. NI contributions would be £3335: £1331 higher. Plus student loan repayments would be £1284: £1041 higher. Student loan repayments really start increasing considerably when you’re earning more. These additional taxes and costs total deductions of £4686,  leaving the professional with extra take-home pay of  £7884 . Including their day-job the total they’d be left with is £31,576 .

For this extra £12,570 of work, the student would pocket 100% of it and the professional would keep £7884 ( 63% ). Looking at the pre-tax difference in their earnings: at face value the student would be earning £32,192 and the grad £41,570: a difference of £9378. Yet once taxes are considered the final result is two people with remarkably similar take-home pays: a difference of £616 in favour of the student!

Check it out:

Under these circumstances the student would in fact take home £616 more per year than the professional! I used the maximum tax-free allowance to highlight the point and yes it’s unlikely that many students will fully utilise it. Yet the point stands that any additional earnings are much better retained by PhD students.

If someone was running a fully-fledged business on the side then the difference becomes even bigger as the grad salary approaches the next tax bracket for earnings of £50,271 and above, at which point the rate of income tax doubles.

There are very few legal ways of making money which are tax-exempt for everyone. One of these rare cases is also my favourite way to make money on the side: matched betting. Intrigued? I’ve written a huge guide to it here . In this rare instance none of the grad’s extra earnings get eroded by tax.

Grad salary vs PhD student salary conclusion

Starting from a difference of £10,378 in salary, taxes and other outgoings have knocked £6308 off the graduate’s wage. This brings the difference in earnings down to £4070. This equates to £339 per month. More than nothing, but not a huge difference. And this doesn’t include any extra earnings on the side which the student can do a much better job of retaining.

Surprised how small the difference is? I certainly was whilst I was writing this.

Here is a chart for comparing a wider range of salaries:

This analysis doesn’t take in to account the extra earning power that gaining a PhD could bring, nor the potential lifestyle benefits of being a student such as autonomy and flexible working hours which it could be argued level the playing field even further. Plus the opportunities afforded to PhD students, which everyone should seize. And yes, student discount if you use it.

Furthermore if you consider the opportunity to make an additional £12k+ per year before incurring tax  any difference in earnings can become close to negligible!

I hope that this post has helped explain that the wage gap between UK PhD stipends and grad salaries is not as dramatic it first seems. Perhaps it’s even encouraged you to consider a PhD. If so I’ve written posts to help with your application and an article on how to improve your chances of securing a PhD scholarship . Also if you’re curious you can read about life as a PhD student along with profiles of PhD students around the world .

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

What do you think about this comparison between a UK PhD stipend and grad salary? Do you think there are any additional factors that I have overlooked? Please share your thoughts in the comments below and if you’ve enjoyed this post you can subscribe to hear about more content:

[1] Some people might say that by continuing studying you’re simply delaying your student loan repayment.  Considering most people don’t pay it off in the 30 odd years until any outstanding balance is wiped I think it’s fair to say that this doesn’t ring true.

[2] No council tax is paid on a property if all occupants are students. If you live with one professional they can claim the single occupancy discount of 25% but with two or more professionals the full council tax amount must be paid. If you share in a mixed group it is up to you how you divide it within the group. Ironically given the spirit of this post, last year I voluntarily did pay an equal (third) share of council tax given that my partner was moving to London specifically to live with me…

[3] If you go on to work for a university after your PhD you’ll be enrolled in the USS pension scheme where you’ll usually pay in 9% of your salary and your employer pays in 19%: yes, nineteen! For comparison most often the best private companies may match contributions up to 10%. Pension contributions are often removed from your pay packet before taxes. This effectively leaves you with a smaller salary and hence pay less taxes and national insurance contributions. Between this and your employer’s contributions overall your salary could be “boosted” by quite a bit, around 20% in the USS example, if you consider the pension as part of your long-term salary.

All calculations were carried out using the tax calculator on Martin’s Money Saving Expert. A fantastic website for all things personal finance.

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17 Comments on “PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid Compared to Graduates?”

It’s probably worth factoring in that most HEIs limit PhD students to a maximum I’m of 10hours pw of external work. By my rough estimate, the student would have to earn £25 an hour to make the money you’ve described here. The side hustle, should probably be halved to reflect a more typical salary. Still a fair whack though.

Hi John, yes that’s a good point and I’ll update the post to reflect this. In my experience £25/hour is realistic, at least here at Imperial, though I appreciate it would rarely get fully utilised. Thanks again

Hello Jeff! I am a Sustainability Consultant from India, looking at PhD opportunities in UK. It would be great if we can connect and discuss a bit about your experience and journey. Looking forward!

Hey Akhyata! Great, yes let’s have a chat. I’ve emailed you to arrange it. Best wishes, Jeff

Hi Jeff! I love your article, I’m a pharmacist juggling the idea of a PhD. I would love to take up on your offer to connect.

Hey Kai! Great, I’ll email you now to arrange it.

Hi Jeff, I am a law grad very interested in further study and pursuing a PhD.

I would love the chance to chat to you further about this article and your experience!

Thanks in advance

Hey Clara, Yeah no worries. I’ll send you an email now to discuss.

Hi Jeff, I’m putting together a PhD proposal at the moment and would really appreciate your input on a few things about the process when you have some free time. Cheers, Ben

Hi Ben, sure no problem, I’m happy to try and help. Let’s discuss over email.

Hi Jeff, Thank you for taking the time to write the articles you do. On this particular article, you have saved us all quite a lot of time. With such a minimal difference even without an additional income, it makes a lot of sense, especially with an increase when you graduate.

Those from the UK can take a £24k loan from the Gov (as if they didn’t have enough debt already). Still, it could enable a student to focus more on academia, speeding up the process and increasing the quality of work.

Apologies Jeff, the stipend and student loan are not available at the same time.

Thanks very much for your comments Tyrone. I’m pleased you find the website useful!

If you can get funding, I agree that there isn’t much of a reason to not do a PhD.

I must admit I’ve never looked much at postgraduate loans, in part because I encourage everyone doing a PhD (in STEM at least) to pursue funding. We’re doing PhDs which can help wider society and it doesn’t make sense for people to have to sacrifice even more by adding extra debt if they can avoid it. Interesting to hear that you can’t take out a loan if you have a stipend, thanks for letting me know.

Perhaps of interest to you, there is a post going live tomorrow which should put the length of a PhD in context of someone’s whole career. In short it doesn’t sacrifice much of a career but of course but make a very useful addition!

If there are any other topics you want to see covered please do let me know.

Best wishes.

Tax Free is not a perk. If you are not paying tax in the UK you cannot contribute to your pension. This may not seem important now, but it will later. This is especially important for mature students who can really lose out if there is a break in their NI contributions.

Thanks for your comment Marie.

The point is that normal tax-paying jobs don’t actually pay quite as much more than PhD stipends once you consider tax. I agree that over the long term avoiding paying taxes is neither a good idea because of things like pensions, nor is it socially ethical. But I don’t think there is any harm in taking 3-4 years out for a PhD:

You have to pay NI for a minimum of only 10 years to qualify for some level of state pension in the UK. After this the pension received simply increases linearly with the number of years of contributions, up to a max of 35 years. With retirement age edging up to 70 that gives at least 45 years between undergrad and retirement so most people will comfortably qualify (for now) for the full state pension. I’d argue that there is ample time to earn some tax free money as a PhD student without having to worry about making enough NI contributions. You can even voluntarily pay NI to gain additional qualifying years on your record. More generally I’d suggest also to not rely on receiving the state pension, I’m not personally betting on there even being a state pension by my own retirement (nor do I want to retire at 70+) so it’s always a good idea to build up your own private pension and savings too!

Hi Jeff, I was looking for funded PhD projects in the Marie Curie network and found a few on the EURAXESS website, but they all require a Master’s degree to apply. I was wondering if there is something I am missing or if you know where to find PhD funding opportunities in the Marie Curie network with only a bachelor’s degree. Thank you.

Hi Alex, thanks for your comment. I must admit I’m not an expert on all of the different Marie Curie funding routes available. If you’ve already done an extensive search then it sounds like yes they all may require a Master’s. By the way, when I first wrote this post I believed that all PhDs funded by UK research councils (UKRI) were at the very specific levels as mentioned in the post. However, I now know that there are some exceptions. For example, the Interactive AI CDT here at Bristol pays a stipend of £22,106: quite a bit higher than the standard non-London rate. CDTs such as this one include a foundation year and not everyone has a Master’s, so it may be worth considering schemes such as this. Best wishes, Jeff.

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The employment of PhD graduates in the UK: what do we know?

• 17 February 2020
• By Sally Hancock

This blog was kindly contributed by Dr Sally Hancock, Lecturer in Education at the University of York. This blog features some of her research supported by a Society for Higher Education Newer Researcher Award (reference: NR201609). The dataset was prepared for analysis by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

In recent decades, the number of PhDs awarded by universities has steadily and in some countries rapidly increased. Across the world, governments have invested in PhD education as part of a broader strategy to develop knowledge-based economies. This agenda, supported by organisations such as the OECD and World Bank, states that future national prosperity requires both the creation, application and dissemination of knowledge, and a supply of highly skilled workers.

In the UK, PhD holders are similarly valued for their ‘ vital contribution to British industrial performance and improved economic productivity ’. There has been considerable investment both in skills training to prepare PhDs for employment outside of academia and more recently, through the introduction of loans to attract more individuals to doctoral study. If the government is to achieve its ambition of increasing expenditure on research and development to 2.4 per cent of GDP by 2027, it is estimated that a further 25,000 PhD students will need to be recruited.

The expansion in doctoral education has not been viewed positively by all. Some question whether there are already too many PhDs and ask whether there are sufficient employment opportunities outside of the academic sector. Several studies suggest that many PhD students continue to prefer academic employment , leading to harsh competition in the academic sector and frustrated ambitions. The mismatch between PhDs’ career expectations and realities has been cited as one of the factors underpinning the relatively poor mental health and wellbeing of this group.

The existing evidence on PhD employment is, however, relatively limited, as PhDs have historically received far less attention than undergraduates. Research suggests that PhD graduates enjoy both higher earnings and higher rates of skilled employment, but this varies significantly by field of study and national context. Developing a reliable evidence base for the UK context is therefore particularly important amid plans for further investment and growth. Over the last decade, reports by Vitae have demonstrated that a diminishing proportion of PhD graduates will secure academic employment. Nonetheless, there is a wealth of qualitative data which suggest the enduring preference of academic careers among PhDs, together with a reluctance to consider ‘alternative’ careers.

In an effort to better understand the outcomes of PhDs, and especially what happens to those who leave the academic sector, this new study made use of the best available data on PhD employment in the UK. These data are collected through the Destinations of Leavers of Higher Education Longitudinal Survey (Long DLHE) which records activity three-and-a-half years after graduation. While HESA does not regularly publish findings on PhD employment, DLHE data have been analysed for this purpose before, most notably by Vitae.

The dataset analysed for this study, however, was different in that it incorporated additional information on PhD holders’ academic and demographic characteristics, linked from the Student Record. Put simply, this allows PhD employment outcomes to be examined in relation to factors such as PhD subject and institution, prior qualifications, age, gender and ethnicity. In total, the dataset includes just under 5,000 UK PhD holders, who graduated in 2008/9 or 2010/11 (a response rate of 39.5 per cent)

Considering first the promises of the knowledge economy, the Long DLHE offers some optimistic indicators. PhD holders’ report higher average earnings than those with a first degree or Master’s only. However, there are notable variations in earnings by the subject, with Arts and Humanities PhD holders earning significantly less than all other subject areas. PhD graduates also report higher rates of skilled employment, though we should note that definitions of ‘skilled work’, and what counts as PhD-level skilled work in particular are highly contested.

Employment outcomes by sector

Turning to consider employment outcomes by sector, figure 1 demonstrates that the vast majority of UK PhD holders (70.1 per cent) have left the academic sector three-and-a-half years after graduation. Of those who remain in academia, one-third are undertaking research, while two-thirds occupy the role ‘higher education teaching professional’. This distinction is admittedly problematic in that it conflates those employed with teaching-only contracts with those in more conventional academic positions (combining teaching, research and administrative duties). Unfortunately, the Long DLHE data cannot generate a more detailed insight into the roles PhD holders are undertaking in academia.

Of those who have left academia, just over half (53.8 per cent) report that they are still engaged in research, with the rest (46.2 per cent) stating that they no longer undertake or work with research. Logistic regressions conducted to predict which PhD holders secure research roles outside academia suggest that PhDs from Russell Group institutions, scientific subject areas (biological sciences; biomedical sciences; physical sciences and engineering), and male PhD holders are significantly more likely to secure research employment. This suggests that while there is evidence of a science-focused knowledge economy in the UK, the recognition of Arts and Humanities and Social Science PhDs – and their research skills – across non-academic sectors is less clear. These findings also suggest that gender and institutional prestige are associated with forging a research career outside of the academy.

While the Long DLHE affords broad insights into the employment destinations of PhD holders, it ultimately provokes more questions than it can answer. Critically, the Long DLHE imparts very little on decision-making or other circumstantial factors that may explain why a particular career pathway unfolds as it does. Perhaps the observation that PhD graduates who are no longer employed in research, whether in academia or beyond, report significantly lower career satisfaction is evidence enough that withdrawing from research is not the intention for many.

If doctoral expansion and the policy promises underpinning this continues, it is vital for the UK to develop better methods to capture the contributions of PhD holders. Following the initiatives of other nations , stakeholders of the UK doctorate ought to prioritise longitudinal methods of data collection, which are rich on demographic and decision-making information.

Appreciate the initiative and the mental wellbeing of the researchers.

This seems to be valuable as well as interesting research.

Does it imply that fewer people doing PhD’s in Arts subjects would be a good thing?

To be honest, if you look at the UK, having a PhD – unless you have one in the hard sciences – does not lead to higher earning potential. Experience counts the most and to give an example, my friends who did not always have degrees own houses etc. What is not factored in is the loss of 5 years earning potential at Masters to PhD level when other people are gaining experience. You have to be in a fairly decent position to get a house or have a partner earning a good salary (which you didn’t have to have in the past). Young academics are in their 30s, yet degree holders have had a decade to get promoted by the same point.

Although I left the country for a few years, my PhD was respected abroad (Social Sciences) but if you look at the data, a hell of a lot go into teaching. I find the Social PhD is so specialised, that not enough of the skills acquired are transferable. Also, the cost has to be factored in and I would say unless you are funded, it is not worth undertaking a PhD for any kind of financial gain. But I went in knowing this to some extent.

Work is being done to make PhD holders employable but depending on where you live, the jobs market may not cope with higher qualifications. I feel that unlike other countries, we do not celebrate the PhD because if it is not matched by a higher salary, your family will not respect you anymore so for having one.

Having worked with doctoral level students for some years in enterprise, they have tremendous potential but are typically located in highly academic environments where this is often not recognised. Add to this the very nature of a PhD, they often miss the opportunities to build and grow a business, or contribute to the growth of a small business. Entrepreneurial people, for example, have to make pressured decisions with incomplete evidence.

Thus joining the dots of a researcher’s competencies and aligning them to the interdisciplinary environments where team working is essential, has thus far demonstrated significant interest.

Sadly, I can count on one hand the people I know who are capable of doing this well.

I’m about to finish my PhD in STEM. As an international student and not having a good reason to stay in the UK like family, the only reason to stay here would be to find a decent research job. Is there any in the UK? Not the traditional tenure track role, but only doing research. Looking at the research job market in Germany for example, MPI or other research institutes offer so much that the UK has nothing to offer compared to them. I like staying but it look like the UK doesn’t have much to offer!

I’m from a working-class background born in the North West of England. I joined the British Army aged 16 without any school qualifications. During my active service career in the Parachute Regiment [serving two intense tours of Northern Ireland], I started taking photographs and began working as a unit photographer. After six years of military service, I left the British army to further my education and enrolled at the University of Brighton getting a 2:1 in editorial photography. Since graduating in the mid-1990s, I worked continually as a freelance photographer, working for national newspapers and magazines, at home and abroad In 2015, I took on a Ph.D. scholarship to better my life and yes, I did expect to get work or at least get on the ladder within an academic institution. I’ve applied for many posts since obtaining my Doctorate and have not got a single interview. The more rejections I get, the more it impacts my mental health and wellbeing. Only recently I applied for an associate lecturers position, at a London university where I have exhibited my photographs, even given lectures on my “professional practice” as a photographer in the past, and know many of the staff working at this university [of which I have contributed my photographs for there book publications]. What is most peculiar, is that I was given a job back in 2018 [when I was finishing my Ph.D. with minor corrections] as an associate lecturer at this very London university. They informed me months later that I was to be placed in the “talent pool”. Although after what seemed like treading water in this imaginary London university “talent pool” for months on end, I was not even called in for a lecture to students. But having a mostly stoic attitude to life, I, therefore, applied again for the same job as an “associate lecture” position at the very same London university. The most recent time I have been rejected, which was less than a few weeks ago [3 November 2021] weeks ago, the person whom I know at the photography department at this very London university kindly emailed me back [as I was slightly disgruntled from not even being asked in for an interview (yet again), but also given any feedback as to why I was not even given an interview despite having my all-singing Doctorate. This was their response: “We had almost 100 applications, all of which go to each of the six Course Leaders to shortlist, and that shortlist is dependent upon applicant’s skills but also have to marry to the Course needs for that year. I am not involved at that stage as it is at Course Level. When they have selected their shortlist according to their needs I do a quick check to make sure there are no conflict of interest or any anomalies – there were not – and then the interview processes begin. As you can see, it isn’t wholly on best qualified in general, rather who on that list is appropriately qualified and who directly fits the Course need. We only feedback in detail to those that were shortlisted – I know that is tricky for all other applicants – but that is the norm and with nigh on 100 applicants, you can see why. In terms of your own trajectory, the Ph.D. when shortlisting for established, rather than hourly-paid staff, is the gold standard. So it is worthwhile and I am sure worthwhile beyond the wholly instrumental. But I get the pragmatics and the frustrations. I do think being hourly-paid brings its own frustrations too… there are no hours guarantee and that can also lead to people understandably feeling undervalued. Some of our hourly paid will do only 15-20 hours across an entire year – that can be tough.”

In all honesty, I have to ask myself tirelessly, was six years of my life working on a Ph.D. to better my life, really worth it? Obviously, it’s marvelous that you can use “Dr” before your name, although many ignorant people [and there are many in the world] who unless you are a clinical Doctor, being a Doctor of Philosophy means nada. Which is a great shame and is a reflection of British society [I work for a veterans charity in the UK, who are clearly confused by all Doctors of Philosophy, and indeed philosophy in general terms, dare I even put it before my name, is a general feeling here].

Therefore I conclude: was doing a Ph.D. really worth it? Fineanchly no. My “scholarship” was 15 K a year. I don’t know why I put my own family through such heartache and pain. I even had to leave my home in England and move to Northern Ireland for the first year, which really impacted my young family. And to think that after all this heartache and struggling, I am struggling even more. I have to be both mindful & truthful here: the Jury is still out…

As a former Merchant Navy Officer and 12 years as a Bomber Command Navigator. I then worked as a Professional Navigator for Irish, and South African Airways. I finally Matriculated as a mature student at Oxford University in September 1979 and obtained a PHD in Astrophysics from Oxford in 1984. I then worked at the University of London Observatory at Mill Hill where I wrote the software for the Tycho project carried on the Hipparchos satellite of the European Space Agency. I also spent some time in industry as Principal Engineer in the advanced system study group at Racal Avionics, returning to lecture in aeronautics at London Guildhall University. As a Professional Navigator both at sea and in the air I am now a Member of The Royal Institute of Navigation. Publications: D Phil Thesis. (Including various astronomical papers.)

‘Some Aspects of Extra-Galactic Astrophysics’ Oxford University. 1983. Brasenose College.

The Numinous Legacy. Modern Cosmology and Religion. 2002. (see Amazon Books.)

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Is PhD for me

What should I do after doing a PhD in the UK?

Table of contents, 1. search for an industry job, 2. apply for non-faculty jobs at the university, 2. demonstrate your specialties, 4. apply for post-doctoral opportunities (but consider again), 5. start a high tech business, faqs on what can you do after a phd in the uk.

In short, you can pursue many different paths after your PhD in the UK. As an international student, you are allowed to stay in the UK for a good period of time. You can use this work permit option to find employment opportunities in the UK. Data shows that international PhD graduates in the UK pursue a wide variety of industry jobs, start businesses, work in non-faculty positions on campus and pursue further research projects as post-docs.

In this post, I am going to explain in detail the various things you can do after completing a PhD in the UK. If you are planning to pursue a PhD and are willing to dedicate the next 3-4 years of your life to a PhD project in the UK then not only you should be concerned about funding options in the UK but also the post-PhD work opportunities. There are many benefits of doing a PhD in the UK and these benefits go beyond pursuing a PhD in highly recognized institutions around the world.

Although the end goal of a PhD is still considered a license to work in academia and PhD graduates feel less prepared for the industry . The reason is that you need at least a PhD diploma to be considered for a faculty position in a research university in the UK. However, times are changing and work options for UK PhD recipients are also changing.

As an aspirant who wants to pursue a PhD in the UK, you should seriously think twice about job prospects after graduation . The idea of only pursuing a faculty job after doing a PhD is no longer feasible due to fierce competition in most developed as well as developing countries. More and more PhD students are taking alternative career paths outside of academia.

In my opinion, it is difficult to predict future employment options after PhD in the UK, especially, when basing them on some previous data . However, we can observe the changing trends in post-PhD choices and job market opportunities for PhD graduates. It is quite obvious now that more and more PhD students are opting for an industry career or other paths and leaving their academic dream of tenure track positions.

Also Read: What’s next after a PhD? The new-age blend of research and industry

Industry jobs are becoming more and more lucrative these days for highly specialized workers. Traditionally, hiring managers were biased toward PhD holders. Yet, industry employers’ attitude toward this specialized workforce is changing with the increasing need for research and development in innovative companies. You only need to to prove them that you are someone who can multitask, inspire like a leader, and work under pressing deadlines. 

Also Read: Launch Your Non-Academic Job Search: 20 Things PhDs Can Do RIGHT NOW

The class of temporary scientists has escalated since the dawn of the 21st century and the challenges during early post-doctoral years are pushing PhD graduates to choose alternative career paths. You should note that a postdoc is not your only career option , even if you love working on campus.

If you want to stay close to the academic culture without bearing all the hardships of an academic career you can explore non-teaching positions after your PhD. These jobs are usually much more stable and have higher-paying salaries than postdocs and temporary lectureship contracts.

Although non-faculty positions are not easier to grab as presumed generally, they may require an equal amount of effort to get hired. However, pursuing non-faculty jobs does not mean you are closing the faculty option entirely. The benefits of securing non-faculty jobs on campus are many including a higher salary, more stable work contracts, and a recognition of work experience.

Any specialist that is able to offer unique services to the market and does not have an online portfolio is severely limiting his career options. PhD brings out a number of transferable skills to make your name in the consulting arena. However, also note that transferring skills is not easy when transitioning to the corporate environment .

There are two main options you can work on if you intend to demonstrate yourself as an expert in your domain.

• A website/blog demonstrating your specialization: A blog provides the opportunity to show your authority on a specific area of study. In fact, it is now common advice for PhD students to establish a website or blog to connect to their intended audience. However, make sure you are adding some value to your readers through your blog. Blogging as a personal hobby and without any effective plan (a) may distract you from your PhD and (b) other important works you can do to polish your profile. You can provide a link to the potential employer to demonstrate your specialization.
• A LinkedIn profile: For PhD graduates, LinkedIn networking is the best way to get hired in the industry. A polished LinkedIn profile on this platform can really help you in your job search post-PhD in the UK. You can be active on this platform to connect with prospective hiring managers and other specialists in your field. A good network simply increases your chances of getting hired.

Also Read: The benefits of blogging for PhD students

Although many PhD graduates show that they want to pursue their careers in academia. However, circumstances are already showing a decline in interest in an academic career . Data is showing again and again that most doctoral recipients leave academia after three or four years .

The reasons can be many from precarious employment contracts in academia to low compensation when compared to the workload. Therefore, you should clearly think about the PhD path you want to take. You should be aware of the well-being and mental health issues a research degree and career may place on you.

Having said that, if you are really interested in pursuing a career in research you can still look for postdoctoral opportunities. As a postdoc contract is usually considered normal for any PhD graduate in the UK to pursue a career in academia. Postdocs are intended to provide further research training to young PhD graduates.

Despite the low compensation, a postdoctoral fellowship has marginally higher compensation when compared to a funded PhD stipend in the UK . In addition to this, a postdoc provides you the opportunity to further refine your research skills under the supervision of a senior researcher.

Many PhD students while working on their PhD projects come up with innovative ideas. You may like to turn your idea into an entrepreneurial endeavor. In such a case, you can start your own business after your PhD. The good news is that the UK graduate work visa is valid for 3 years post-PhD and allows you to start your own business .

Starting a Business after your PhD can help you a lot if your business requires extensive R& D and innovation in products and services. Next, securing funds for a startup is much like securing grants. Having said that, you will also find obvious differences between lab meetings and pitching to investors.

Also Read: How Getting A Ph.D. Prepared Me To Run A Startup

Many say that doing a PhD is like running a startup , however, there are arguments against this too. Just like a startup, you may face a high level of uncertainty or pressure during your PhD. A business, on the other hand, may need much more than a PhD project.

• First, A PhD project prioritizes precision and provides ample time for you to overcome any inaccuracies but a business is built on mistakes and rewards the best guesses.
• Second, a PhD research is focused on finding the solution to the problem or uncovering a truth, however, a startup is oriented toward providing a product/service that has a breadth of implications and practical uses.
• Third, there are differences between managing funds for an academic project and starting a business. Unlike PhD, your funds in a startup are closely related to the initial progress of your idea.

Also Read: Deep tech: is PhD the new MBA as a gateway to entrepreneurship?

How can I get a job after PhD in the UK?

If you intend to work in the industry after your PhD in the UK, you can increase your chances of getting hired by (a) first, applying for a graduate work visa after your PhD (valid for 3 years), (b) second, developing your online portfolio and presence to increase your network (c) third, applying for non-faculty jobs on campus, research roles in industry and other diverse opportunities available for PhD graduates in the UK.

Is a PhD useful in the UK?

A PhD is certainly useful if you know what you are trying to accomplish with it. The usefulness of a PhD degree diminishes greatly if you are not clear about where you want to go after graduation. UK job market is in great need of highly specialized workers and researchers. The reason is that employers in the UK want to stay ahead of the competition and a lot of time that happen due to the specialized workforce and ability to do research and development, both crucial for innovation.

How much do you earn after a PhD in the UK?

The average post-PhD salary in the UK industry is £28,000  per year. That said, a post-PhD industry salary may vary depending on the kind of skill set you are bringing to the UK job market. In short, the more demanding the skillset the higher the compensation will be.

Does a PhD guarantee a job in the UK?

PhD is just like any other advanced degree when it comes to industry hiring. An advanced degree in a demanding area of expertise is certainly helpful in convincing the hiring managers that you are the best person for the vacant position. However, you can increase your chances of getting a job after PhD in the UK by (a) getting some industry internship experience and exposure during your PhD years, (b) increasing your network and professional online presence, and (c) contacting related specialists for mentorship opportunities.

Can I settle in the UK after my PhD?

Yes, one among other benefits of doing a PhD in the UK is that you can settle thereafter your PhD. A PhD allows you to stay and look for work opportunities for as long as 3 years. Next, you can find an employer who can sponsor your work visa for 5 more years. After this, you become eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain in the UK (a permanent residency option).

How do I get a non-academic job with a PhD?

The most effective way to get hired for a non-academic job after PhD is to develop a skill set that is required for such a position. you can significantly increase your chances of getting hired if (a) you do non-academic internships during your PhD, (b) learn to be active on LinkedIn-a go-to platform for non-academic jobs, (c) and have the ability to convince hiring managers that you are the best person for the required position.

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Getting an academic job

A PhD is often used as a stepping-stone into the world of academia - here's how you can get started with landing your first academic job

What does an academic job involve?

Tasks vary according to job title, but may include:

• administrative work
• analysing data and preparing reports
• applying for Research Council funding
• marking and assessing work
• presenting work at conferences and seminars
• teaching in lectures and seminars
• writing up research and publishing the findings.

As detailed in our comparing UK universities article, the Research Excellence Framework (REF) assesses the quality of research in UK higher education institutions. Universities therefore work in a competitive environment and are under pressure to recruit the best possible staff. In turn, this increases the burden on academic staff, with many expected to hit performance targets.

How much do academics earn?

Typical salaries for academic positions include:

• research assistant - £29,000
• postdoctoral researcher - £27,000 to £39,000
• higher education lecturer - £34,000 to £50,000
• senior higher education lecturer - £39,000 to £59,000.

More than half (57%) of full-time academics had an annual salary greater than £46,718 in 2020/21, while just over a fifth (21%) were in the highest salary band of £62,727 or over (Higher Education Statistics Agency).

How do I get an academic job in the UK?

It's difficult to gain a permanent academic job immediately after graduation. The traditional entry point for PhD graduates is as a research assistant or research fellow. However, these roles aren't renowned for their job security. Short-term contracts are usually offered, lasting from three months to three years. It's not uncommon for a research assistant or fellow to spend years working on a temporary contract before being offered a permanent role.

Universities typically advertise academic positions on their websites. If you have a clear idea about where you want to work, try contacting the institution directly. You'll also find academic jobs online at Jobs.ac.uk - Research assistant jobs .

Having previous teaching experience will help your application, and universities often make teaching opportunities available to PhD students. Getting your work and name well-known is an excellent step into an academic career, so try to get articles published in high-quality journals and actively engage with other academics through collaborations and conferences.

The University of Manchester notes that successful academics must possess skills in leadership, management, networking, presentation, resilience and time management.

What about academic jobs abroad?

By taking a quick look at the QS World University Rankings 2022 , you'll find that the world's highest rated universities are spread far and wide - with the United States, Switzerland, Singapore, China and Japan all featuring in the top 25.

Therefore, if you're interested in working for one of these leading institutions, see our work abroad and study abroad pages to discover what it's like to get a job in a specific country and its higher education provision.

You'll then be able to make a more informed choice when considering the range of academic jobs abroad.

How do I apply for an academic job?

When applying for jobs in academia, it's important that your CV showcases your academic experience.

You must also provide clear evidence of your research and a plan of how you wish to develop this in future. As with most jobs, it's important to get your application in as early as possible.

An academic CV is essential when looking to apply for roles such as a higher education lecturer or anything that's research based.

You'll therefore need to ensure that your academic achievements plus research interests and any specialist skills are featured on the first page.

While there may be no page limit, keep your CV concise and targeted to the specific requirements of the role. Each section should be in reverse chronological order.

In terms of your writing style, it should be scholarly but still easily comprehensible for those unfamiliar with your field of interest.

Be sure to include information about the outcomes of your research, potential future developments, and any funding you've received, events you've attended, professional memberships you hold and publications you've been in.

Please note, if you're a postgraduate but not looking for an academic career, your CV should follow an alternative layout. You can find out more about this at CVs and cover letters .

Find out more

• Discover what others with a Doctorate go on to do at your PhD, what next?
• Consider a career in teaching .
• Explore PhD study .

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Master, PhD and Postdoc Scholarships

• PhD Salary in UK

The United Kingdom boasts some of the world’s most prestigious universities and research institutions, including Oxford University, Cambridge University, and Imperial College London. However, it’s essential to recognize that PhD salaries in the UK can vary significantly based on the institution and funding source. In this post, we provide an in-depth exploration of PhD salaries in the United Kingdom, encompassing stipends and scholarships. Towards the end of this article, you’ll find a comprehensive list of UK PhD scholarships.

• Increasing PhD Stipend 2023-2024 in UK
• Professors’ Salaries in the UK

Average Salary for PhD and Postdoc Positions in the UK

When discussing salaries, we focus on fully-funded PhD positions. It’s crucial to note that self-funded PhD students typically do not receive a salary. An exception exists for students who secure funding from their home countries or other institutions. The salary information presented here pertains to PhD students remunerated by British institutes for their doctoral studies.

It’s important to highlight that the salary (stipend) is not a fixed value and varies based on the funding source and host university. According to the Research Council UK, the minimum Doctoral stipend is £15,285 per annum. Importantly, stipends are tax-free. However, international students requiring a visa to study in the UK must also account for health insurance, as mandated by the UK government. This requirement applies to individuals who:

• Are nationals of countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA)
• Are applying for a visa to work, study, or join family in the UK for more than six months (excluding permanent residence)

Healthcare Surcharge (Health Insurance) for PhD Students

The healthcare surcharge is a fixed annual fee. As per the UK government, this fee amounts to £400 per year. Consequently, for a 3.5-year PhD program, you’ll pay £1,400 as a lump sum when applying for your visa. Additionally, a £348 visa fee applies. Therefore, the total cost when applying for a visa and healthcare surcharge comes to £1,748. This payment ensures full coverage by the National Health System (NHS) during your study period in the UK.

After graduating, you can extend your visa for two years to seek employment in the UK. The UK government has introduced a new initiative enabling eligible students to work in any career or position for two years post-completion of their studies.

Salary of PhD Positions Funded by Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher

Returning to the topic of salaries, PhD positions funded by Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher (ITN PhD positions) offer significantly higher pay than other positions. A Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher in the UK can expect an annual salary ranging from £30,000 to £35,000. This is double the typical stipend in the UK. For further insights into the Marie-Curie Program, please refer to our dedicated post.

Average Salary for Graduates Holding a PhD in the UK

A PhD in the UK opens doors to higher salaries, enhanced opportunities, and increased employability. On average, graduates with a PhD in the UK earn annual salaries ranging from £33,000 to £55,000, based on data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

While pursuing a PhD in the UK can be a significant financial investment, the potential benefits are substantial, especially for those aspiring to work in academia or engage in research and development.

Fully Funded PhD and Postdoc Opportunities in the UK

Fastepo provides a dedicated section for Fully Funded PhD and Postdoc opportunities in the UK, featuring:

• Different Funded PhD Programs in UK
• Available Master and PhD Scholarships at King’s College London (KCL) in the UK
• Academic Jobs at King’s College London
• Undergraduate Scholarships at the University of East Anglia
• Available Fully funded PhD Positions at the University of Cambridge
• Available Fully Funded PhD and Research Positions at the University of East Anglia (UEA)
• Available PhD Scholarship and Academic Positions at De Montfort University
• Available fully funded PhD Positions at the Coventry University
• Vacancies at Trinity College Dublin
• Available Fully Funded PhD at University of Liverpool
• Fully Funded PhD Studentships at Imperial College of London
• Fully Funded University of Nottingham PhD
• Online Postgraduate (PhD and Master) courses in the UK
• University of Southampton PhD Studentships
• Teesside University PhD Studentships
• Funded PhD Projects at University of Strathclyde
• Swansea University Funded PhD Scholarships
• British Academy Postdoctoral Fellowship

Fully Funded PhD Positions with Salary

• Germany – Fully Funded PhD
• Switzerland – Fully Funded PhD
• Denmark – Fully Funded PhD
• UK – Fully Funded PhD
• Sweden – Fully Funded PhD
• Finland – Fully Funded PhD
• Netherlands – Fully Funded PhD
• Norway – Fully Funded PhD
• Belgium – Fully Funded PhD
• Austria – Fully Funded PhD
• Australia – Fully Funded PhD
• France – Fully Funded PhD
• New Zealand – Fully Funded PhD
• Canada – Fully Funded PhD
• USA – Fully Funded PhD
• Luxembourg – Fully Funded PhD
• Spain – Fully Funded PhD
• Italy – Fully Funded PhD
• Iceland -Fully Funded PhD

Fastepo Team will update all types of academic positions (the latest ones) when they become available. Moreover, be sure to follow our Facebook page to stay up-to-date on new positions. We have PhD and Postdoc related videos on our Youtube channel if you don’t like reading text.

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• How to find a Postdoc Position?
• Postdocs in Austria
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PhD Handbook

Jobs After PhD ...

Jobs After PhD in UK: Know About PhD Stipend in UK for International Students

UK as a study destination is one of the most prominent in the world due to the presence of research-intensive universities and quality education. UK universities offer an extensive ground for students to pursue their research in different fields of science, humanities, technology, etc. Some of the best PhD institutes in UK are University of Oxford, Imperial College London, University of Leeds, Coventry University.

Graduates from the PhD programs can go ahead and make wonderful careers for themselves in the future. On average, a PhD student salary UK is around 35000 – 48000 GBP per year. Apart from that, students are also provided with monthly stipends and maintenance fees during their PhD program. This article shares some insights about the stipend, jobs, and salary outcomes for PhD students in UK.

Benefits of Studying PhD in UK?

The UK PhD program has a lot of benefits to offer for PhD students. Home to more than 150 different PhD universities, UK is considered to be one of the most sought-after destinations for international students seeking a PhD. Here are some benefits of pursuing a PhD in UK.

• Research Structure : The entire research structure for PhD courses in UK is extremely beneficial for students. The PhD duration is shorter (typically taking about 3-4 years). Also, there is an excellent ground for stellar interdisciplinary research imitated by some dedicated research-intensive institutions.
• Industry Experience : Some of the most prestigious institutions offer academic research training along with industry experience. This can be profitable for international students who want to build a career in different fields of science, commerce, management, and arts after the completion of their PhD.
• Tax-Free Stipend : The average stipend for PhD in UK for international students is around 25,000-30,200 GBP. The PhD stipends and studentships are tax-free which means students are given the full amount that they earn as their monthly stipend.
• Financial Support : International students studying PhD in UK can have financial support from different government organisations, independent grant providers, university scholarships, and industry funding. Students can rely on financial support to get their tuition fees covered or some other expenses as well.

Know About PhD Fees in UK for Indian & International Students

Types of PhD Stipend in UK For International Students: Roles of a PhD Student

There are basically three different types of stipend PhD UK. The students can get their stipends or salaries if they are doing a teaching assistantship, a research assistantship, or via a studentship.

1.  Graduate Teaching Assistantships

The GTAs or Graduate Teaching Assistantship require the PhD students to assist in the delivery of different courses over their course duration. This can include marking some student tutorials, supervising different lab experiments, and also providing some support to different undergraduate students during their office hours. If you apply for a graduate student assistantship, you will also have to teach a particular section of the course on your own.

2.  Research Assistantships

The students who are pursuing a research assistantship in UK will assist the professor of their department with their research to earn UK PhD salary. In general, the professor that students are working for will also be their PhD supervisor. Also, the research that the students do will be related to the doctoral project of your own.

3.  Stipend/Studentship

A stipend is considered to be a non-repayable grant that is offered to doctoral students in order to support their studies. The studentship will cover a certain amount of the tuition fee for students. On the other hand, a stipend is meant to cover the living costs of the student. This can include the expenses for rent, bills, food, basic travelling, etc. Unlike Research and Graduate Teaching Assistantships, stipends don’t have any duties or taxes attached to them.

An important note to keep in mind is that one can actually combine these duties. For instance, students can be a part of the research assistantship program and still teach some undergraduate students at the university.

Know How to Apply for PhD in UK from India

Job Opportunities for PhD Students in UK

PhD graduates in UK can look forward to interesting and lucrative careers after the completion of their course. PhD graduates in UK are seen performing appreciable tasks in the commercial and research-based sectors such as education, technology, medicine, science, etc. For a better understanding of the average PhD student salary UK, we have tabulated the job roles for PhD graduates in UK and their respective average salaries.

Highest Paying Job Opportunities After PhD in UK

Here we are also providing a list of highest paying job roles after PhD in UK. Let us look at the career opportunities and salary scope in detail.

Find Most Paid Jobs In UK in 2022

Top Recruiters for PhD Graduates in UK

A lot of new opportunities for UK PhD jobs wait in line for qualified graduates from UK universities. Top recruiters are always on the lookout for expert professionals who can change the face of the industry with new research-based methodologies and concepts. Here we are mentioning the top recruiters that offer reputable jobs for PhD graduates UK and the salary packages they offer.

A Complete Guide to PhD in UK for International Students

How to Find a Job After PhD in UK

After completing the PhD in UK, students have a lot of opportunities in line. They can go for a teaching profession in the academic line or they can get a job in any particular field or industry that they want. It is important for students to find a job in a specific area that they are interested in.

They can work as historians, statisticians, professors, and much more. Also, many research-based companies are looking for graduates with professional experience. Finding a job after PhD requires a lot of research. Students can go ahead and join the field of science, arts, technology, management, business administration, etc. after their PhD.

With an average PhD salary UK being more than 45000 GBP, the country offers a bright future for graduates. This article provides a detailed account of the PhD stipend, job roles, and salary estimates in UK. For more information about jobs for PhD graduates UK connect with our Yocket Professionals and clear all your doubts easily. 

Frequently Asked Questions About PhD Stipend in UK

Can I earn money while pursuing a PhD in UK?

Yes, a monthly stipend is provided to PhD students in UK based on the role that they have in the project.

What are the different types of stipends offered to PhD students in UK?

Students can get stipend in the form of: Graduate Teaching Assistantship Research Assistantship Studentship

What career roles can I pursue after PhD in UK?

The best career roles that students can pursue after PhD in UK are: Research Associate Software Engineer Data Scientist Professor

Which institutions in UK offer PhD programs?

Some of the top universities offering PhD courses in UK are University of Cambridge University of Oxford Imperial College London University College London

How much does a PhD program cost in UK?

The average annual cost for PhD programs in UK is somewhere between 15000 GBP to 38000 GBP.

Rohan Deshmukh

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Studentships and doctoral training

Get a studentship to fund your doctorate.

UKRI studentships offer funding for doctoral research. They also offer you access to training, networking and development opportunities to help you build a research and innovation career.

Our expectations for research organisations, supervisors and students are set out in the statement of expectations for doctoral training .

You could get:

• a minimum stipend of £19,237 per year for your living costs, which is paid to you in regular instalments
• support for your tuition fees (minimum £4,786 per year)

The stipend is usually non-taxable and does not need to be paid back. Some research organisations may offer more if you study in London, or they or one of their collaborators might decide to top up the payment. This will be outlined in the studentship advert from the research organisation.

We normally pay the support for tuition fees directly to your research organisation.

The levels given here are for the academic year 2024 to 2025. UKRI’s approach to doctoral stipend and fee levels will be reviewed through the  new deal for postgraduate research .

Additional support for your doctoral studies

As a UKRI-funded doctoral student, you may be able to access additional funding to cover the cost of other related training and development opportunities.

This could include:

• conference attendance
• language training
• overseas research visits
• internships or placements with a non-academic partner

The availability of support will depend on the research organisation and the training grants they have on offer. You should contact the research organisation you are interested in applying to, to find out what you could get.

Extra support if you have a disability

If you have a disability, you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) on top of your studentship.

You should speak to your research organisation’s disability advisor to assess your needs. They can help put the right support in place, including a DSA application if necessary. You cannot claim DSA directly from UKRI.

DSA helps to cover the cost of any additional support that a person studying for a doctorate might need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty.

The allowance covers:

• non-medical personal assistance
• specialist equipment
• extra travel costs
• general expenses

Find out more about DSA in our framework .

If you are a research organisation you can download claim forms and guidance for DSA .

Who can apply

Any prospective doctoral student wishing to study at a UK research organisation, including prospective international students, can apply for a UKRI studentship.

All UKRI-funded doctoral students will be eligible for the full award, both the stipend to support living costs, and home-level fees at the UK research organisation rate.

How to find opportunities

Many UK research organisations offer some form of studentship funding from UKRI. These opportunities will depend on the subject you want to study and will normally be advertised by the research organisations.

Research organisations may have additional opportunities that do not involve UKRI. UKRI supports around 20% of all UK-based postgraduate researchers. You should speak to the research organisation you are interested in to find out what studentships are available.

You could also consider using a specialist website like   FindaPhD  to look for opportunities.

When to apply

Research organisations set their own deadlines for applications.

Many open for applications early in the academic year and close in January or February. This is not a hard and fast rule. It is important that you check the deadlines for the research organisation where you want to study.

How to apply

You cannot apply to UKRI for a studentship. You must contact the research organisation you are interested in studying with and use their application process.

For doctoral students who are already studying with a studentship, there are opportunities to get additional funding to support placements that are separate from your doctorate.  Find training and development opportunities .

Last updated: 14 February 2024

This is the website for UKRI: our seven research councils, Research England and Innovate UK. Let us know if you have feedback or would like to help improve our online products and services .

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What is the average salary for PhD jobs?

The average salary for PhD jobs is £50,000.

We have 94 jobs paying higher than the average PhD salary!

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Money blog: A third of people make this mistake when booking their holiday - and how to avoid it

A third of travellers are making the same mistake when going on holiday, figures show. Read about this and all the latest consumer and personal finance news in the Money blog - and leave a comment or your money problem in the box below.

Thursday 16 May 2024 09:43, UK

• Almost a third of travellers make this insurance mistake - here's what you need to know
• How much the price of packed lunches has soared - and the cheapest supermarkets to buy a healthy one
• Major firms release financial updates
• UK economy in safe hands 'whoever wins' election, top bank chief tells Sky News

Essential reads

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Ask a question or make a comment

By Ed Clowes, news reporter

The FTSE 100 has remained stable out of the gate this morning after hitting a record high on Wednesday as better-than-expected inflation data in the US raised hopes of an interest rate cut in September.

It's been a busy start to the day with financial updates from BT Group, Premier Foods, Sage Group, and easyJet.

We'll start with easyJet, after the airline announced that its chief executive officer, Johan Lundgren, would step down in January 2025.

Mr Lundgren, who has served as CEO since 2017, will be replaced by the carrier's finance boss Kenton Jarvis.

In a financial update on its performance throughout the first half of the year, easyJet reported slightly higher revenues than anticipated, while cutting its losses compared to the same period last year.

The airline's share price fell by 6% in early trading this morning.

Elsewhere, telecoms giant BT said it had completed a £3bn cost-cutting programme ahead of schedule, and announced a further £3bn in planned savings by 2029.

The company told Sky News that the planned reductions in spending would not lead to more job losses, after BT announced last year that it would eliminate 55,000 roles.

Incoming boss Allison Kirkby said she wanted the business to prioritise the UK, with some analysts expecting BT to look at the futures of its Italian, Irish, and American divisions.

And last but not least, one of Europe's largest sellers of Rolex watches has said that sales in the UK are still down because some tourists don't want to buy here "due to the lack of VAT free shopping".

Nice for some.

The price of a healthy packed lunch has soared by around 45%, according to new research.

A lunch of wholemeal bread and fruit is more expensive for parents to put together than less nutritious versions with chocolate spread and crisps, The Food Foundation charity has found.

Unhealthy lunches for the research were made up of white bread with chocolate spread instead of wholemeal with cheese, flavoured yoghurt rather than a plain, unsweetened version and snacks such as crisps as opposed to the four portions of fruit and vegetables incorporated into the healthy lunch.

And when it came to the cheapest supermarket to buy a healthy packed lunch, Tesco topped the list with a weekly cost of £8.56 as of this month.

Morrisons was the most expensive retailer, with the price of a healthy packed lunch per week coming in at £11.72, although this was down slightly from £11.80 in October.

The equivalent cost at Sainsbury's was £10.47, Aldi was £10.08 and Asda was £9.18.

Research also showed the largest price rise in recent months was at Sainsbury's, where customers have to spend 9% more than they did at the start of the academic year in September (£9.61) for the same packed lunch.

Shona Goudie, policy and advocacy manager at The Food Foundation, said, the government's stringent eligibility criteria to qualify for free school meals was "leaving hundreds of thousands of children" who are living in poverty "at risk of malnutrition".

"No one should be priced out of being able to provide healthy food for their children and retailers need to do more to support families to afford the food they need," she said.

By Bhvishya Patel , Money team

We spoke to three buskers to find out what it's like performing on the street in the UK.

Amir, 29, came to UK from Pakistan with passion for music

Amir Hashmi moved to the UK in 2022 to study, said he began busking in central London 10 months ago because "music was his passion".

"In Pakistan there are many problems so I decided to leave and move to London. I feel I can do better in London than my country," he said.

He said busking was now his primary income but at times he did jobs at warehouses to get by.

"I never started this for money, I started because it is my passion but now this is my main job as well," he said.

Amir, who often performs in the capital's Piccadilly Circus or along Oxford Street, said often he returned home with just £10-15 in his pocket after a day's busking.

He said: "Many times I sleep without food and sometimes I sleep on the floor of the road when I have no shelter.

"I don't have my own place to live but I have friends who often let me stay with them. They don't charge me any rent - they look after me.

"Sometimes I do private shows for income but it's very hard because the cost of living is increasing. If I go somewhere then most of the time I prefer to walk. I walk with my speakers and carry my gear."

Despite his financial struggles, Amir said he wanted to continue performing on the street as his "goal was to make people happy".

He said: "With busking, there is no stage and you can just start performing. Whenever I am performing, I connect with the people who have come to listen. If I feel people are not enjoying it, I change the song and try and make them happy."

Earlier this year, Amir recorded a song with Neha Nazneen Shakil, a Malayalam actress from India, who approached the singer three months ago in Oxford Street.

"I wrote that song 12 years ago and after all these years my song has been recorded now in London," he added.

Jade, 24, quit retail to busk

Jade Thornton, from Amersham, started busking in 2017 with a friend after leaving college at the age of 17 and quickly realised it was something she enjoyed doing and could make a living from.

She began doing it full-time at the end of 2018 but when the pandemic hit she described becoming "unemployed overnight" and having to take up retail jobs to support herself.

"I chose not to go to university - I just thought it wasn't for me so I went straight into some part-time retail jobs," she said.

"I take my cap off to anyone who does retail - it is one of the most gruelling jobs. People who do retail don't get nearly as much respect as they deserve. 

"Some of the customers I was facing were not that kind and I thought this is making me miserable, so I just thought 'if I don't leave now then when?'"

As the global economy slowly began to recover, she decided to leave retail and pursue music full-time in 2022.

"It is hard to switch off - I do busking but I am constantly messaging clients, writing set lists and learning songs," she said.

When it came to finances, Jade said there was no average to how much she could earn but it could fluctuate from £15-100 day-to-day depending on a number of factors.

"It relies on the time of month, whether the sun is out, if people have been paid, if Christmas is on the way or if Christmas has just passed," she explained.

The musician said she did struggle initially when she began busking but her parents were always supportive.

She said: "You obviously get a few questions from people asking 'are you sure you want to quit your job and sing on the street?'

"I lived at home for a long time and I'm grateful my parents could support me in that way because I know not everyone has that opportunity."

While performing outdoors is now Jade's full-time job, she said some months were more difficult to make money than others.

"If I'm being brutally honest in months like January and February it would be super difficult. This year I had enough gigs in December to cover me for January," she said.

"Last year from June-July and December I did not have to go busking because I got so many gigs through busking. I'm part of a lot of online agencies and I also do lots of pub gigs, weddings, birthdays and other events."

Jade noted though that the cost of living crisis had made things harder.

She said: "A few pub gigs I've had have been cancelled because they've had to rethink their strategies but if somebody cancels then I can just go out busking. There has been a slight dent when it comes to finances but that's from COVID as well - with COVID I was unemployed overnight."

The young musician went on to say she was "very grateful" when somebody did tip her and even small gestures like sitting, listening or just a smile were "currencies in themselves".

"It's escapism for me as a singer and then it's escapism for the audience as well," she added.

"Children also have such a great time listening to buskers and some may not have an opportunity for many reasons to go and see live music so if they can come across it in the street and that can spark something that's a wonderful thing to think I'm a little part of that."

Charlotte, 34, long-time busker

Charlotte Campbell, 34, who usually busks along the Southbank or in the London Underground, said she started busking during the 2012 London Olympics and while "busking used to be enough", more recently she has had to take on more gigs in the evening.

"A typical day is usually busking until around 6pm and then a gig in the evening - 8pm onwards," she said.

"I could still probably make a living from busking but I've taken on more paid gigs since the pandemic because everything became so uncertain. I think that uncertainty has just carried through now - that seems to be the way of life now."

The musician said tips for her CDs, which she puts on display during her performances, ranged between £5-10 and in the current cashless climate a card reader was "essential".

She said she pre-sets her card reader to £3 when playing on the Southbank and £2 when busking inside the London Underground "because people are rushing".

While she described her earnings as a "trade secret", she said the busker income had "definitely gone down" but this was due to a few factors - the pandemic, people carrying less cash and the cost of living crisis.

"Also, a lots of pitches have closed which means there are a lot more buskers trying to compete for one spot so all of those things have impacted my living as a busker," she said.

"I would say even though my income is primarily from busking I have had to subsidise it with more paid gigs than before. I just haven't felt as secure in my living from busking in the last couple of years.

"Most of the gigs I have are booked by people who have seen me busking so indirectly busking is my entire career- if I don't busk I wouldn't get the gigs I play in the evening. So directly and indirectly busking is my entire income."

In spite of uncertainty, she said it was freeing to be able to go out and perform for people in an intimate way.

"You are not up on a stage and there is no separation between you and them.  It's a really great connection you can make - I want to be able to hold onto that," she added.

Every Thursday  Savings Champion founder Anna Bowes  gives us an insight into the savings market and how to make the most of your money. Today she's focusing on children's accounts...

While the rates on adult savings accounts have risen and fallen over the course of 2024, the top rates on accounts for children have remained stable - but are pretty competitive once again, as other account rates have started to fall. 

And there are plenty of different types of savings accounts to choose from, from the tax free Junior ISA, to children's regular savings accounts, fixed term bonds and easy access accounts.

Those who are able to start saving for their children early, could significantly improve their financial health in the future – especially when taking compounding interest into consideration.

If you were to save £50 a month from birth, you could give them a gift of more than £17,250 at age 18, assuming a tax-free interest rate of 4.95% - which is currently the top Junior ISA rate available.

If you, your friends and family were able to gift a total of £9,000 a year to a child (the current Junior ISA allowance), at the same rate, you could give them almost £265,000 when they reach 18. 

Now that's a gift worth having!

Children have their own personal allowance, so for the majority there will be no tax to pay on their savings interest. 

However, parents should be aware that there may be a tax liability to themselves on the interest earned on any money they gift to their children, until they reach the age of 18. 

If the gross interest earned is less than £100 for each parent's gift, it will be treated as the child’s under a 'de minimis' rule. 

This means that provided the interest earned does not make the child a taxpayer, they will be able to offset this against their personal tax allowance, so it will often be free of tax. 

But if the interest is more than £100 for each parent's gift, then it will be treated as that parent’s interest for tax purposes and therefore they may need to pay tax at their marginal rate - if it takes them above their Personal Allowance and/or Personal Savings Allowance.

Gifts from any other family members or friends will not be viewed in the same way. Instead, any interest earned will be treated as belonging to the child themselves and therefore can be earned tax free if they are non-taxpayers.

The exception to this rule is on funds deposited into a JISA, Child Trust Fund or NS&I Premium Bonds.  The returns from these are tax free for all.

Almost a third of people are making the mistake of buying their travel insurance on the day of their trip, data from Go Compare has shown.

The figures found that just 17% of people took out their policy within six months of their holiday.

While you can buy travel insurance right up until the moment you leave the UK, doing so risks some key areas being missed off your cover.

Go Compare's Rhys Jones says it can result in cancellation cover not being included, and this is one of the main reasons people claim on their insurance policy. 

Pre-existing conditions might be missed off as well. 

"If you have a pre-existing condition that could flare up and cause complications, a last-minute travel insurance policy may not cover it," he said. 

"So while you can buy insurance right up until the moment you travel, it's often best to get it earlier so that you have more options and more cover available." 

If you are looking to buy travel insurance while you're already abroad, you may have to purchase a specialist post-departure travel insurance policy instead. 

This type of cover is only available from a few companies, so there are fewer options available, and they are generally more expensive. 

It's also worth noting that if you do buy this policy, you may have to wait 24, 48 or 72 hours before it begins. 

Rhys recommends organising your insurance as soon as you have booked your trip, saying it "could save you considerable money and stress". 

A record 3.1 million emergency food parcels have been handed out in just a year, according to a charity.

The Trussell Trust says 3,121,404 were distributed by its network of 1,300 food banks in the year to the end of March.

Some 1,144,096 were for children and nearly two million for adults. The total is nearly double that of five years ago.

The number of parcels given out during the 12 months to March 2023 was just under three million.

You can read more here...

Nearly 40% of money laundering around the world is flowing through London, overseas territories and crown dependencies, the deputy foreign minister has said.

In a speech at the Bright Blue thinktank, Andrew Mitchell said the dirty money was passing through the capital and that "crown dependencies and the overseas territories have not yet done as much as they must do", The Guardian reports.

"If these overseas territories and crown dependencies want to have our king and our flag, then they must also accept our values, which is why we are so intent on ensuring dirty money cannot flow in and from there," he said.

The comments come a month after Mr Mitchell promised to work with the international community to tackle illicit flows of money "through increased transparency of company ownership".   

Feel like you've been on hold to the taxman for hours? You're not alone.

Customers spent around seven million hours collectively waiting to speak to HMRC in 2022/23, the spending watchdog has revealed.

That's more than double the time spent waiting in 2019/20, which was around 3.2 million hours.

It's the equivalent of 798 years.

Once answered, calls more than doubled to over 23 minutes in 20022/23, up from just over 11 minutes.

Advisers also answered 22% fewer calls.

HMRC's strategy is to encourage customers to turn to its digital services first - but it is not clear how far and fast digital services will reduce demand for telephone and correspondence services, the National Audit Office said.

And the move to digital services has not eased pressure on traditional services as much as HMRC expected.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said: "HMRC's telephone and correspondence services have been below its target service levels for too long.

"While many of its digital services work well, they have not made enough of a difference to customers, some of whom have been caught in a declining spiral of service pressures and cuts. HMRC has also not achieved planned efficiencies.

"HMRC must allow more time for these services to bed in and understand the difference they make before adjusting staffing levels."

New York has topped the list when it comes to the world's wealthiest cities, with 349,500 millionaires and 60 billionaires. 

In its latest report,  Henley & Partners  found the Big Apple's millionaire population has surged by 48% in the past decade.

And San Francisco came in second place, with 305,700 millionaires and 68 billionaires.

Meanwhile, Tokyo has seen its millionaire population declining by 5% to 298,300 people.

Joe Biden has confirmed he is going to raise the special tariff on electric vehicles coming from China. 

The standard US tariff (the amount you have to pay to get goods into a given country) on cars used to stand at 2.5% but then Donald Trump levied an extra 25% tariff on China in 2018. 

Now, Mr Biden has gone further and is quadrupling the tariff to 102.5%.

Why is the US doing this?

Our economics and date editor Ed Conway  describes the latest move as "one of the biggest issues in economics right now".

He says the move "is partly because the US is worried about competition from China".

China in the past few years has become dominant when it comes to electric cars and their manufacture of the components that go into the vehicles.

But they are not dominant when it comes to electric car imports into the US.

"The US is trying to increase its share but it is going to be difficult," Conway says

"It's only the beginning of a very big saga here and the next question is what about the EU and UK?"

Will it have an impact?

Conway says the new electric vehicle rate "won't affect many goods at all" because the "vast majority of Chinese electric vehicles are going not to America but to Europe and elsewhere", including the UK.

"We're buying loads," he says.

You can watch Conway's analysis here...

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Paul Sackey: I’m hurt rugby has tried to keep up with others – it needs to rein spending in

Salary cap for Premiership teams will rise to £6.4 million next season, but former London Irish and Wasps wing says clubs must be cautious

Paul Sackey, the former England wing, has urged the club game to “rein in” spending and consolidate after a period that has seen two of his old clubs, London Irish and Wasps, go to the wall .

Sackey, who has become the inaugural inductee into Premiership Rugby’s Hall of Fame, presented by Gallagher, is now commercial director at York City FC.

The 44-year-old scored a total of 69 tries in the top flight, putting him 10th on the all-time Premiership list, and won the competition twice with Wasps in 2005 and 2008.

Over the course of last season, Wasps and London Irish were two of three Premiership clubs to fold. Sackey, who holds both of those sides dear, suggested that overambition had been a key factor in those two “horror stories”.

With the salary cap set to rise again next season from a base of £5 million to £6.4 million, he hopes that clubs still cut their cloth according to the resources at their disposal and resist any temptation to overreach.

“I know that Premiership Rugby are trying their hardest to make the product more exciting but, originally, it felt like we had a salary cap for a reason,” he said. “That was to keep everything running at a certain level and everyone was on the same playing field.

“I think that the salary cap going higher and higher, with the way other sports are paying people, means we’ve had to jump on that bandwagon and pay people certain money because that’s the way things were going. Originally, we had the salary cap because we knew we weren’t as popular as other sports, so we had to rein it in a little bit.

“As a product, I thought we were doing really, really well. The Heineken Cup was really good. But everything evolved and the money that came in was so much that it was half-killing teams. It’s like we have to have billionaire owners now, which is hard work because a lot of them want to be in football because there’s more exposure. I just love the sport so much and I’m hurt because two of my teams are not with us at the moment.

“I’m hurt and there needs to be some sort of a change, or a stance that says: ‘We’re not there yet, so we need to rein it in so teams can survive and strive’. It upsets me. I’ve transitioned over to football and I’ve seen the same things, teams striving to be Premier League teams when they can’t and [they] have to understand their level. I think that’s where rugby is at the moment.”

Despite acknowledging that rugby union has been “lagging behind a bit” on the commercial front, Sackey does enjoy the prominence that wings are afforded in the modern game.

“I’m not going to be sitting here bitter and going: ‘In my day it was harder,’” he said. “Everything evolves, for better or for worse. I’m not bitter about how they’re making more money, that’s just the way it is. We were making more money than the generation before us.

“I believe that wingers are now more involved. Back in the day, the game was a bit more safe and everyone was all about territory. Now, I think they are trying to make it more exciting because they have to. The product has to be more exciting, otherwise there won’t be any eyes on it.”

“I wasn’t a winger that shied away,” Sackey added. “I liked to get involved, so I think I’d like to play in this era. I think I’d have fun, I think I’d enjoy it. I think I’d score more tries as well.”

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Ill Nigerian PhD student who complained faces losing UK visa

Home office notification of sue agazie highlights ‘weaponisation of immigration status’ by universities when students complain, say critics.

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Supporters of a Nigerian PhD student facing potential deportation after her doctoral studies were halted by illness and a breakdown in relations with her supervisor have claimed her plight highlights the precarity of international students who complain about their course.

Sue Agazie, a copywriter from Lagos, moved to the UK in January 2023 to begin a PhD in marketing at Newcastle University Business School on the understanding, she claimed, that she was likely to receive a full scholarship for her studies or would gain enough part-time academic work to cover her living costs.

However, funding and paid work did not materialise in the way suggested, said Ms Agazie, who added that she has run up huge debts to finance her PhD.

Amid a breakdown in relations with her primary supervisor over her money troubles, Ms Agazie was then diagnosed with kidney failure in September 2023.

With a formal complaint launched against Newcastle and her supervisor over allegedly misleading her over funding, Ms Agazie has now been informed that Newcastle has contacted the Home Office over her absence from supervisions – a move that could see her visa revoked.

That would mean her husband and young child, who travelled with Ms Agazie to north-east England, would also be forced to leave the country.

Her case is now being championed by Unis Resist Border Controls, a campaign group that raises awareness of how migrant university staff have  been affected by the UK’s hostile environment policies.  More than 250 people – including many PhD students and scholars – have signed a  petition  urging the Home Office to stop any visa curtailment.

Its spokeswoman Sanaz Raji, a visiting researcher at Northumbria University , said the notification of the Home Office was an example of the “weaponisation of her immigration status” in a disputes process.

In a statement, Newcastle said “complaints are investigated following the university’s standard procedures”. “Where a complaint has been made by a postgraduate student about their supervisor, our normal practice would be to investigate the matter and explore arrangements for an alternative supervisor if that becomes necessary,” it continued.

“We can’t discuss individual cases, but we offer a range of support to postgraduate students including advice on visa issues, hardship funding, and support to have a break in study where there is an illness or other circumstances.”

Under Home Office rules, higher education institutions must notify authorities if students fail to attend class or discontinue their course, although Ms Agazie said she intends to finish her studies.

The lack of support for a “critically ill” student  also indicated how “universities instrumentalise migrant students from the Global South as sources of income that they can afterwards dispose of”, said Ms Raji in a reference to the multimillion-pound revenues received by universities from international postgraduates.

According to official statistics, Nigeria is the UK’s third largest source of international students behind China and India with about  44,000 studying in 2021-22,  mostly at postgraduate level.

According to Ms Raji, Ms Agazie was led to believe that many PhD students in her situation had found plentiful paid work and obtained scholarships, but these apparent success stories did not stand up once they were investigated.

With the threat of visa revocation looming, students would, however, be reluctant to complain if things go wrong, said Ms Agazie. “Forcing an international student into immigration problems while a complaint is under way…is basically telling international students not to complain,” she said.

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