Funding provided to ACCE+ DLA students comprises three parts:
- tuition fees
- a stipend
- a Research Support Training Grant (RTSG)
Tuition Fees
UKRI funding covers fees at the UK fee rate. To be classed as a home student for the UK fee rate, candidates must either be a UK National (meeting residency requirements), have settled or pre-settled status (meeting residency requirements), or have indefinite leave to remain in or enter the UK.
The DLA partners have various schemes which allow international students to join the DLA (if successful following interview) but only be required to pay home fees (e.g. University has a waiver, bursary scheme etc). Home fees are already covered in the UKRI funding, meaning that successful international candidates do not need to find any additional funding for fees. Please contact us if you have any questions about this, as we can advise about the situation at your institution of interest.
Visa, health surcharge and relocation costs for international candidates are not covered by ACCE+.
If you are unclear about your fee status or need further information, please get in touch with us at acce.dtp@liverpool.ac.uk
Stipend
All ACCE+ DLA students receive a stipend to provide for living costs. This is paid monthly, is non-taxable, and does not need to be paid back. Stipends are paid at the UKRI National Minimum Doctoral Stipend rate, which increases each year, typically with inflation. For 2025/256 the stipend rate is £20,780.
For students who are based in London for at least 12 months continuously there is an additional London weighting.
Research Support Training Grant (RTSG)
Your RTSG is designated for any research-related costs which may arise during your project, such as training, specific equipment you may need, research consumables to be used during your project, or travelling for fieldwork or to attend a conference. The RTSG for your project will be between £6,000 and £9,500, depending on the type of project you are undertaking. An amount separate to this is retained by the DLA for cohort training costs.
Disability Support Allowance (DSA)
If you have a disability you may be entitled to a Disabled Students’ Allowance from UKRI, which is paid on top of your studentship stipend. This helps to cover the cost of any additional support that you may need as a result of a disability, mental health problem or specific learning difficulty, including non-medical personal assistance, specialist equipment, extra travel costs, and general expenses.