UK PhD stipends have not been increasing in line with the national minimum wage, and since the generous COVID increase haven’t even bothered to be anchored against an inflation metric. I’m lucky enough to have a spouse to support me but in what world is this not a barrier to entry for others? - ThreadSky

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oshuwilson.bsky.social • 84 days ago

UK PhD stipends have not been increasing in line with the national minimum wage, and since the generous COVID increase haven’t even bothered to be anchored against an inflation metric. I’m lucky enough to have a spouse to support me but in what world is this not a barrier to entry for others?

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pintofangrybees.bsky.social•84 days ago

For this very reason I've spent much of my undergrad degree building up part time online jobs I can do while working a PhD for some extra cash. I've accepted that study/full time work plus part time jobs is what it's going to take for me to achieve a life in academia, but it shouldn't be this way.

oshuwilson.bsky.social•84 days ago

The biggest shame of all. I wonder how many good scientists we lose because they just want the financial security of other careers - and I wouldn’t blame them

pintofangrybees.bsky.social•84 days ago

I'd guess most of them! I've seen friends graduate and struggle or fail to get a career in marine science because they had to spend more time working retail jobs than studying, and getting experience is out of the question when it costs so much.

oshuwilson.bsky.social•84 days ago

Great article where I got this graph from - https://wonkhe.com/wonk-corner/phd-stipends-on-the-search-for-an-anchor/#:~:text=The%20standard%20amount%20for%20UKRI,rate%20of%20the%20previous%20September.

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