Main menu
Staff & students
In this section

Essential Information

Student page

Find links to information you need to know and documents that will assist your research.

Code of Practice

The Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research and Training (PDF) contains essential information you will need to navigate your doctorate.

Remote Research

For 2022/23, the Graduate School will oversee a formal process for individual doctoral researchers wishing to apply for extended periods of research and study outside of the UK. Please see Remote research application process (doctoral researchers) (PDF) for more information.

Where a doctoral researcher is approved for a period of Remote Research, it is expected that arrangements will be in place to ensure that the core aspects of the doctoral experience, such as contact time with supervisors, opportunities to engage with training and with the academic community and the means to access other support will be at an equivalent level to those studying on or near campus.

Tuition fee rates will therefore be the same regardless of location and there are no fee reductions associated with Remote Research status.

Applications should be made via the Remote Research application form. A copy of the form’s questions is available in the Remote research application process (doctoral researchers) (PDF).

Extensions to Completion Period

The PGR Board has also approved temporary amendments to the policy governing the Completion period, as set out in the Code of Practice for Postgraduate Research and Training (PDF), to the effect that: 

  • From 1 April 2021, eligible students are permitted to opt-in to an extension to their Completion period of 6 months FT/ 12 months PT 
  • The following students are eligible for extensions to their Completion periods:
  • Students who started their MPhil/PhD programme prior to 1 March 2021 
  • Students who have been approved for Completion status  
  • Students who have not yet submitted their thesis for examination  
  • Students who been granted  funding extensions who wish to avail themselves of this adjustment should contact graduateschool (@gold.ac.uk) to check their eligibility. PGR students in receipt of UKRI funding will not be eligible for this Completion extension if the period will violate their expected Completion date.

For more information about this amendment, please refer to Covid-19 Completion Extensions Policy (PDF) or email graduateschool (@gold.ac.uk)

UK and international travel

Any international travel for face-to-face research is subject to approval by Head of Department and the university’s insurance team.  

PGR students looking to undertake research-related international travel are encouraged at the earliest possible opportunity to liaise with the University’s insurance team in order to check eligibility and likely cost of insurance cover in order to avoid disappointment at a later stage of the process.  

In all cases, PGR students looking to undertake research-related travel must, in advance, have:  

  • Sought and received the support of their supervisors 
  • Received the specific approval of their departmental PG committee or Head of Department  
  • Submitted all relevant ethics, risk and safety applications to, and received approval from, their Departmental Research Ethics and Integrity Committee 
  • Completed an insurance risk assessment in consultation with the University insurance team. 

 Once all of the above have been completed and the insurance team have confirmed eligibility, they must secure final authorisation and sign off for travel from SMT and confirm insurance cover.  

Only subsequent to these steps should students make travel arrangements. UKRI funded students whose travel is supported by UKRI grant must arrange travel through University approved travel agents.

Further general guidance is available at Travel insurance and assessment | Goldsmiths, University of London.

Useful resources