Terminating IRCSET Funding (reimbursement? :-/ )

timothyomahony

I have IRCSET funding (am in year 3) and I need to go off-books with my research - I will be unable to be in the lab and just need time to write up.

Now the guidelines say the following:

51. Where a Scholar intends to prematurely terminate his/her Scholarship the Council will require evidence of academic progress to the date of departure. In the event of that progress being inadequate, the Council may pursue the Scholar and / or the Research Body for reimbursement of amounts expended.

Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of whether IRCSET actually goes looking for reimbursement? It's a lot of money, and sounds a bit terrifying. This condition doesn't cover medical reasons, but that doesn't apply in my case.

I have submitted the annual reports on time, and I think that my supervisors accompanying report has been pretty good every year. Does anyone here know what happens when you apply to have funding stopped?

littlecat

Hi,

Do you mean that you've finished your lab work and are using the rest of your time for write-up? In which case this is all part of your PhD and does not mean you're leaving your research.

The reimbursement thing is if you're abandoning your research completely - generally the funding, is paid to your research institute in advance, and therefore needs to be refunded if you leave.

If you're writing up your PhD you're still entitled to receive IRCSET funding to the end of the 36 month period, plus extensions if they're still giving them. I was still in the lab at the end of my 36 months, then got a 6 month and further 3 month extension while writing - that was pre-recession though :rolleyes:.

Good luck with it!