PGR sick pay entitlements

1. Eligible students may receive stipend payments at their current payment rate for a period of absence covered by a medical certificate, up to a maximum of 13 weeks (91 calendar days) in any rolling 12 month period.
2. Eligibility applies from the point of initial matriculation on the relevant programme, until the end of the approved funding period.
3. Students must be fully matriculated at the point of submitting their request.
4. In addition to receiving stipend payments during a period of sickness absence, an extension to the current funding period matching the duration of the absence covered by medical certification will be applied. Sickness absences that are not covered by a medical certificate are not eligible for paid sick leave or a subsequent funded extension.
5. The 12-month period is from the first day of the first absence during the studentship, and on the anniversary thereafter e.g. if the student is absent for four weeks from 1st November 2022, the next 12-month period starts on 1st November 2023. However, if more than 12 months have elapsed between the student’s current and last sickness absence, the new anniversary date will be taken as 12 months from the start of the current absence.

1. Students who are registered on one of the CDT programmes below and whose stipends are funded by UKRI or EPSRC are entitled to receive sick pay in accordance with the UKRI terms and conditions of research training grants.  
2. Students who are registered on one of the CDT programmes below and whose stipends are funded by the School of Informatics (or other School or University funded scholarship), are entitled to receive sick pay in accordance with the UKRI terms and conditions of research training grants. 
3. Students who are registered on one of the CDT programmes below and whose stipends are funded by an industry sponsor (e.g. Huawei, ARM, IBM etc.) and administered by the School of Informatics’ are eligible to receive paid sick leave, however, they must follow the terms and conditions as stated in the contractual agreements of their external / industry funder. In the first instance, the Portfolio Manager responsible for the external / industry sponsor budget must determine whether the costs of the paid sick leave can be provided by the external / industry funder; paid sick leave will only be provided by the School where the external / industry funder has confirmed that are unable or unwilling to do so. 

4. Part-time or part-funded students should expect to receive any payments to which they are entitled on a pro-rata basis and in the case of part-funded students, they will only be entitled to funding for the part of the studentship provided or administered by the University.

5. Students are only eligible to receive one type of paid leave at a time, e.g. a student who is in receipt of paid maternity leave is not eligible to also receive paid sick leave during that same period.

1. Students who are registered on one of the Research Institute led PGR programmes (listed below) are eligible to receive sick pay where they are in receipt of a School-, College- or University-funded studentship, or an EPSRC funded PhD studentship.  In all cases, paid sick leave will be managed under the UKRI terms and conditions of research training grants.  Examples include: Informatics Graduate School funded studentships (including IGPS), School of Informatics Pump Priming Scholarships, Research Institute funded studentships, Edinburgh Doctoral College Scholarships (EDCS), EPSRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP) awards, EPSRC Industrial Case (iCASE) awards, EPSRC CASE Conversion awards. 
2. Students who are registered on one of the Research Institute led PGR programmes (listed below) and whose stipends are funded by an external / industry sponsor (e.g. Huawei, ARM, IBM etc.) but those stipends are administered by the School of Informatics’ are also entitled to paid sick leave, however, they must follow the terms and conditions as stated in the contractual agreements of their external / industry funder. In the first instance, the Portfolio Manager responsible for the external / industry sponsor budget must determine whether the costs of the paid sick leave can be provided by the external / industry funder; paid sick leave will only be provided by the School where the external / industry funder has confirmed that are unable or unwilling to do so. ​​​​​​

3. Part-time or part-funded students should expect to receive any payments to which they are entitled on a pro-rata basis and in the case of part-funded students, they will only be entitled to funding for the part of the studentship provided or administered by the University.

4. Students are only eligible to receive one type of paid leave at a time, e.g. a student who is in receipt of paid maternity leave is not eligible to also receive paid sick leave during that same period.

1. Students who are not fully matriculated at the point of submitting their request are not eligible to receive paid sick leave.
2. Students who remain fully matriculated but are beyond their funded periods of study are not eligible to receive paid sick leave.
3. Students who are on an Authorised Interruption of Study (AIS) and whose stipends have been temporarily suspended during the period of AIS, are not eligible to receive paid sick leave during this period.
4. Students who do not provide the required medical certificate/documentation are not be eligible to receive paid sick leave; any approved AIS period would be unfunded and the funded period would not be extended. 
5. Students whose stipends are self-funded are not eligible to receive paid sick leave.
6. Students who are funded by an external scholarship (i.e. not administered by the University) are not eligible to receive paid sick leave; students should contact their external funder with any enquiries about the provision of paid leave. 
7. Students who are paid their studentship as a salary, e.g. those with a Marie Curie Fellowship are only eligible for paid leave through the relevant staff policy. They are not eligible for paid leave under the Research Student Sick Leave Policy. Students with a staff contract should contact their relevant School HR team to discuss their entitlement under HR policies. 

8. Visiting Research Students in receipt of funding contributions from the School which were paid to help support living costs are not eligible to receive paid sick leave.

1. Eligible students who wish to continue to receive stipend payments during a period of sick leave must follow the process as described in Section 6: Paid Sick Leave Process.
2. In the case of minor ailments and short-term, infrequent self-limiting illnesses that are not covered by a medical certificate (for example; colds, coughs, flu, headaches, stomach bugs, sore throats, short term periods of fatigue etc.) the stipend will continue to be paid as normal but no funded extension or programme extension will be provided. 
3. Medical certification must be signed (electronic signatures are accepted), in English, cover the entire duration of the period of sick leave (less the first week, where self-certification will be accepted). Accepted medical certification can be:

• A fully completed and signed NHS Fit Note Med 3 form; or
• A signed and dated letter on letter headed paper from a relevant certified medical professional.

In either case, the evidence submitted must explicitly state that:

• the student, in the opinion of the medical profession, is not medically fit to study, and
• the start date and end date of the sickness absence being medically certified. 

Where this information is not stated, or the wording of the supporting letter is unclear or ambiguous, it will not be accepted.  

It is the responsibility of the student to submit the correct supporting evidence; the IGS will not communicate with GP practices / medical professionals on a student's behalf. Please take a copy of this support letter with you to your GP / medical professional appointment so that they can provide you with the necessary information to support your sick pay request.  Any costs charged for the provision of medical certification are the responsibility of the student. 

Supporting Letter for GPs (316.57 KB PDF)

4. If an eligible student on a current period of sick leave requires that period of sick leave to be extended, additional medical certification covering the additional period of sickness absence is required. 
5. Where a sickness absence specifically relates to a disability that is formally disclosed to the University via a Schedule of Adjustment, additional medical certification is not required to be provided. Requests for paid sick leave that relate to a disclosed disability will be considered in conjunction with any Reasonable Adjustments already in place through Disability Services. Absences that are unrelated to a disclosed disability will require medical certification as described.
6. Sickness payments will be made up to a maximum of 13 weeks (91 calendar days) in a rolling 12 month period.  Day 1 of the 12 month period starts on the first date of the first reported sickness absence.
7. The period of sick pay may be approved to include a retrospective period of up to maximum of 7 calendar days, which covers a permitted period of self-certified sickness absence.   
8. Periods of sick leave beyond 13 weeks (91 days) in the 12 month period will be unfunded and students studies are expected to remain interrupted during this period.

1. Single occurrences of sick leave that last less than 28 calendar days (four weeks) do not require a formal Authorised Interruption to Study (AIS).
2. If a period of sick leave is 29 calendar days (four weeks) or longer, students must also apply for an AIS.  This is in addition to submitting the Sick Pay Form and the supporting medical evidence covering the entire absence period (less the first 7 days, where self-certification will be accepted).
3. If an AIS is not submitted, the funded extension period will be capped at 28 days (4 weeks) and subsequent stipend payments may cease or be recalled.
4. Students who request an AIS without submitting a completed Sick Pay Form and who do not provide the required medical evidence, will have stipend payments stopped during the period of AIS. 

1. In all cases, students who are sponsored on a UKVI student visa and who are in need of a period of sickness absence, should seek advice from the University’s Student Immigration Service as early as possible to ensure compliance with the student visa is maintained.
2. Where a PGR student sponsored on a UKVI student visa requires a period of sick leave and an AIS, the University may need to withdraw sponsorship.  In this instance, the student may return to their home country for the duration of the AIS. In such cases, the student will thereafter need to apply to the University for a new CAS number in order to apply for a new visa to resume their studies.
3. The request for the AIS must be made at the earliest opportunity to permit time for approval of the request and to ensure travel home can be made following the report of the suspension of the visa to the UKVI.
4. Following a period of AIS and suspension of a student visa, students who require ATAS clearance to support their new visa application will also need to reapply for ATAS clearance before resuming study.

The IGS Sick Pay form is here: 

IGS PAID SICK LEAVE FORM (37.5 KB Word)

A student who is in receipt of both a salary from the University and a studentship stipend is entitled to paid sick leave pay through both routes. This includes where a student is employed on a guaranteed hours contract. 

The relevant section of the current HR absence management policy should be referred to: https://www.ed.ac.uk/human-resources/policiesguidance/leave-absence/absence 

Students should contact the School HR office for advice on claiming sick pay via a staff contract. 

Submission of signed medical evidence to support a sick pay request due to COVID-19, as described in the above sections, continues to be preferable.  However, we understand that guidance may advise not to visit the GP if you have COVID, and so it may not be possible to obtain a Fit Note. In these circumstances, we will not require you to provide a Fit Note for the period of self-isolation but we will request to see the confirmation of isolation note, as offered by NHS following a positive test result.  

You can get the confirmation of isolation note from https://111.nhs.uk/isolation-note/

As there is the potential that you may not feel well enough to return to your studies immediately after the period of self-isolation ends, we will treat the period beyond 10 days and up to 28 days as a continuous COVID sickness absence.  As per the process in Section 6 (8-28 days) you will need to submit the Sick Pay form and the Confirmation of Isolation note as soon as you can (and no later than the end of noted isolation period). 

You must get in touch with the IGS on the date you return to study (e.g. day 14 since the first day of isolation) OR on the 28th day of absence, whichever is sooner.  

Thereafter, your absence from study beyond 28 days will be treated as normal sick leave and you will be required to follow the process as described in Section 6 (29 days - 91 Days), which includes providing the IGS with the sick pay form, the AIS request and the required medical evidence (i.e. a fully completed and signed NHS Fit Note Med 3 form; or a signed letter on headed paper from a relevant certified medical professional, which meets the necessary requirements).

NOTE: As it is possible to test positive with COVID but be asymptomatic, if you are able to work from home during the period of self isolation, then you should do so and you should not claim sick pay.  Sick pay should only be claimed where COVID is causing illness and this illness is preventing full engagement and progress with studies. 

Other than these specific COVID related exceptions, all other terms as listed in the information above apply.