A Glossary of PhD Terms to Know

Studentships, DTPs, upgrade reviews and vivas all come with their own vocabulary. This glossary explains what the words on PhD adverts and funding pages actually mean.

PhD adverts and funding pages come with a vocabulary of their own. Studentships, upgrade reviews and vivas are all introduced as if everyone already knows what they mean. This glossary gives plain-English definitions of the terms you will meet when applying for and starting a doctorate in the UK.

Funded Places: Studentships, Stipends and DTPs

Studentship. A funded PhD place. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) does not award doctoral funding to individuals. It gives money to universities and other eligible research organisations, which use it to cover fees and living costs, and each place offered this way is a studentship. Full-time funding usually runs for three to four years.

Stipend. The regular living-cost payment made to a funded research student. UKRI sets minimum stipend levels for the students it funds, and the research organisation handles the payments.

Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP). A broad funding model in which a lead university or consortium receives an allocation of funded studentships and spreads them across many separately supervised projects. Most UKRI-funded doctoral research runs this way. Since UKRI’s doctoral funding framework took effect in January 2024, new competitions no longer carry the DTP badge, though the term remains in wide use.

Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT). A themed version of a DTP that delivers specialist training in a focused interdisciplinary area, often developed with a non-academic partner. ESRC expects at least 20% of CDT funding to come from external partners.

Home fee rate. The lower tuition fee charged to students with home fee status. UKRI will not cover fees above this rate, so international students may have to pay the difference. For 2026 to 2027 the minimum fee figure is £5,238, which the provider draws down from its grant.

Supervisors and Examiners

Supervisor (principal supervisor). Your main point of contact throughout the doctorate. You and your supervisor agree how often you will meet and how much support and independence you each have, and they guide you through the rules on registration, upgrading and submission.

External examiner. An examiner from another university. UK vivas require at least two examiners; the other is usually an internal examiner, an expert in your topic who may come from your own institution.

Proposals, Probationary Status and the First-Year Review

Research proposal. A written plan of the project you want to carry out. Many DTP and CDT studentships advertise pre-defined projects where supervisors set the question; others, especially in the social sciences and arts and humanities, invite you to propose your own project within their themes.

Probationary status. Newly admitted PhD students start as probationary rather than fully registered. You stay probationary until you have passed a review, usually at the end of your first year full-time or second year part-time.

First-year review (registration review). The assessment that confirms your registration, usually involving written work and a discussion with staff. Requirements vary widely; one chemistry department, for example, caps its first-year report at 12,000 words. Your supervisor should show you examples and explain the local rules.

Transfer or upgrade. The formal process of moving from probationary registration onto full PhD registration, which usually happens alongside the first-year review.

Thesis, Viva Voce and What Comes After

Thesis. The book-length written account of your research that you submit for examination at the end of the doctorate.

Viva voce (viva). Latin for “living voice”. The oral examination in which you defend your thesis before your examiners. In the UK it takes place in a non-public setting, unlike some countries where candidates give a public lecture first. Your supervisor does not take part, though they may observe.

Mock viva. A practice run for the real thing. Some supervisors and graduate schools arrange them, and they can surface weak spots while there is still time to fix them.

Corrections. Revisions the examiners ask for before the degree can be awarded. They range from small fixes to more substantial rewrites, and the time allowed varies by university.

Strong writing underpins both the first-year report and the final thesis. Our guide to referencing and avoiding plagiarism covers the academic practice examiners expect.

Route Names: MRes and DPhil

MRes. A Master of Research, a master’s built mainly around research training rather than taught modules. Some people take one to prepare for a doctorate. If you need to fund a standalone master’s first, our guide to ways to fund a master’s degree sets out the main options.

DPhil. An alternative title for a doctorate used by some universities. It sits at the same level as a PhD.

Status Terms on Funding Pages

Mode of study. Whether you are full-time or part-time. UKRI-funded students can request a change of mode more than once, but the provider does not have to agree, and changes can affect your stipend.

Medical leave. Time off for illness or medical reasons. UKRI-funded students can take up to 28 weeks of medical leave in any 12-month window, calculated pro rata for part-time students, with a maximum of 52 weeks over the whole studentship. The stipend continues during leave.

Paid work. UKRI-funded students may take on limited paid work alongside full-time study. It is always treated separately from the studentship itself.

Disabled students’ allowances. UKRI-funded doctoral students sit outside the national disabled students’ allowances scheme open to UK undergraduates. Instead, providers can claim support costs from UKRI under its own framework.

Where to Check What Terms Actually Mean

Definitions shift between funders and universities, so verify the terms that matter for your application:

• Read the studentship advert and the provider’s postgraduate research pages, which set out eligibility, stipend and conditions for that specific place.
• Read the funder’s own guidance. UKRI publishes training grant terms and conditions and separate guidance for funded students.
• Ask the graduate school or admissions office when a role title or review requirement is unclear.
• Search advertised opportunities on sites such as FindAPhD, which UKRI points to for the latest funded PhD vacancies.

Before you commit years to a programme, it also makes sense to confirm the institution itself is properly accredited. Our guide to checking a university or course is recognised explains how.

Related guides

• Mistakes to Avoid When Applying for a Master’s: many people take a master’s before a doctorate, and this guide helps you get that application right.
• Studying Part-Time With the Open University: Is It Right for You?: flexible study is worth weighing up if a full-time doctorate does not fit your circumstances.
• Student Finance in England: Loans, Repayment and the 2027 Changes: how borrowing and repayment work if you fund a master’s stage yourself before applying for funded doctoral places.

Questions students ask

Can I apply directly to UKRI for PhD funding?

No. UKRI gives funding to universities and other research organisations, which recruit students themselves. You apply for an advertised studentship through the provider offering it.

What does probationary status mean for a PhD student?

It means you are registered provisionally rather than fully on the PhD. You move to full registration after passing a review, usually at the end of your first year full-time or second year part-time.

What happens in a PhD viva?

You defend your thesis in discussion with at least two examiners, at least one of them from another institution. In the UK it takes place in a non-public setting.

Does UKRI studentship funding cover visas?

No. UKRI funding does not pay for visas or the immigration health surcharge, so check the requirements with your provider and budget for these costs.

This guide is general information for students in the UK. Dates, fees and rules change, so always check the latest details with UCAS, GOV.UK, Student Finance England or your university or college before making decisions.