Tuition fees and course costs

Tuition fees

Tuition fees cover the cost of your registration, supervision, assessment and operating University facilities such as the library, IT equipment and other support services.

When you accept the offer of a place on a postgraduate research degree you are accepting responsibility for the payment of your tuition fees. This applies even if you are being sponsored and your sponsor fails to pay.

When will I be charged?

Tuition fees will be charged shortly after registration and will subsequently be charged every 365 days of study. They are not linked to progression. If you take a break in your studies, your tuition fee will be recalculated to cover the period up to the last day of study. On your return, a new fee will be charged to cover the remaining days up to a 365-day period. You should be aware that if you return in a subsequent academic year, the new fee rate will apply.  

Bench fees

Bench fees will only apply to a small number of students where the proposed research project is expected to incur larger than average costs e.g. specialist laboratory supplies, access to facilities or fieldwork. The bench fee will be made clear on any offer letter issued by the University.   

Extension fees

Tuition fees will be due until your expected submission deadline. If you are full-time, this will be after three, three and half, or four years, depending on your programme. If you do not submit your thesis on or before your expected submission deadline, you may be eligible to enter a period of extension. No additional research may be conducted during this period, but you will maintain access to the University in order for you to write your thesis.  If you enter into an extension period, extension fees will be charged.  

Extension periods will extend up to your final submission deadline.   

Registration before 1 October 2025 

For all doctoral researchers who began their research before the 1 October 2025, the current extension fee is £260.  

The extension fee for the academic year 2025/26 is set at £272. This will come into effect from 1 October 2025.  

Registration on or after 1 October 2025 

For doctoral researchers who begin their degree on or after 1 October 2025, the extension fee will be set at 20% of the UK tuition fee (to the nearest £) for that year. For example, if a doctoral researcher with a 1 October 2025 start date entered their extension period on 1 October 2028, they would be charged an extension fee of 20% of the UK tuition fee for the academic year 2028/2029. 

Extension fees at this time will be charged on a pro rata basis – meaning that if you submit your thesis within one month of the start of your extension period, you will be refunded 11 months of the extension fee.   

Additional extension fees

If you fail to submit your thesis by your final submission deadline, under exceptional circumstances, your deadline may be extended, and you will be permitted to continue to write up your thesis. This period is known as additional extension and additional extension fees will be charged. 

Registration before 1 October 2025 

If you require an additional extension a further fee of £260 will be charged.  
The additional extension fee for the academic year 2025/26 is set at £272. This will come into effect from 1 October 2025.  

Registration on and after 1 October 2025 

For doctoral researchers who begin their degree on or after 1 October 2025, the additional extension fee will be set at 20% (to the nearest £) of the UK tuition fee for that year. The additional extension fee will also be refunded on a pro rata basis.  

Additional course costs

There are a number of extra costs inherent in studying on certain courses. These typically relate to the cost of personal safety equipment (for lab work), field trip costs, materials required for art/design assignments and sports kits. These will be in addition to general study costs such as books, stationery, photocopying, etc. 

Students on courses with significant laboratory content are likely to need to purchase a laboratory coat (approximately £35), safety shoes (approximately £50) and pay a locker deposit (around £45). Some additional travel costs may also be involved.