Additional funds and extensions to support research training

Additional funds

LAHP-funded students may request funds to support their core research and development needs. There are are two funds available:

• Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)
• Engagement Provision (EP) – Incorporating the previous Impact, Engagement and Entrepreneurship (IEE) and Language Funds (LF)

Details of both are available below. Students should read the updated LAHP expenses guidance carefully before applying for funds. Requests must be made in advance of expenditure.

See the LAHP fund application process flowchart for the application process.

LAHP Expenses guidance (October 2025 update)

All expenditure must be in line with the LAHP guidance and the AHRC Training Funding Guide.

Please note that applications for activities taking place or for expenditure incurred outside of the funded period cannot be accepted, even if submitted prior to your funding end date.

Students and supervisors should be aware that we no longer approve requests for funding under the Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) or Engagement Provision (EP) from students who have not completed and submitted a Training Needs Analysis within the same academic year as the fund application.

Approval of spending from these funds depends upon an assessment of the significance of the activity for the student’s research and/or wider professional development, and the Training Needs Analysis should be used annually by students and supervisors to determine that significance and prioritise particular activities or forms of training.

Payment of expenses claims

There is a different process for claiming expenses for funds approved before 30 Sep 2025 and for ones approved from 1 Oct 2025 onwards. Please refer to the above LAHP expenses guidance for details.

• LAHP Research Training Support Grant (RTSG)

  This fund supports LAHP AHRC-funded students engaging in activities related to their primary research. This covers:

  • • expenses for UK or overseas study visits to archives, libraries, museums, or to carry out other fieldwork, as part of primary research;

  • • attending or presenting students’ research at conferences in the UK or overseas.

  • • Additional materials (e.g. art materials) that students are unable to access elsewhere and that are essential for their research. Students will need to demonstrate in their application that these books and/or other materials are essential for their research, and that they have had no other means but to buy them in order to proceed with their core research.

  This fund is a pooled fund i.e. not a specific amount per student, and is allocated based on research needs. LAHP expects that the total expenditure for any one student will not go over £3,000 during their studentship.

  To apply for funding, please read the LAHP expenses guidelines carefully and complete the application form, linked below. We consider applications on a rolling basis and you can expect an outcome within 15 working days.

  Students with disabilities who need adjustments to the application process should contact us on lahp@ucl.ac.uk and we can advise on alternative methods of applying.

  As part of the application, you will need to invite your supervisor as collaborator, so they can submit their supporting statement. You will be given the option to do this within the application form. Your supervisor will be able to view the full contents of your application form.

  LAHP Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) application form (SurveyMonkey)

  Please note, the RTSG and Engagement Provision (see below) now use the same application form and you will be asked to select which fund you are applying for at the start of your application.

• LAHP Engagement Provision

  The Engagement Provision incorporates the former LAHP Language Fund and LAHP Impact, Engagement, Entrepreneurship Fund.

  The Engagement Provision may support the additional costs associated with students taking up engagement and development activities. These additional costs could be travel and subsistence costs associated with undertaking a placement or engaging with an external collaborator (excluding CDA). It could also include fees charged for training courses (including language) that are associated with student development and are not available via the consortium’s provisions.

  Students can apply for a maximum of £600 from this fund.

  To apply for funding, please read the LAHP expenses guidelines carefully and complete the application form, linked below. We consider applications on a rolling basis and you can expect an outcome within 15 working days.

  Students with disabilities who need adjustments to the application process should contact us on lahp@ucl.ac.uk and we can advise on alternative methods of applying.

  As part of the application, you will need to invite your supervisor as collaborator, so they can submit their supporting statement. You will be given the option to do this within the application form. Your supervisor will be able to view the full contents of your application form.

  LAHP Engagement Provision application form (SurveyMonkey)

  Please note, the Engagement Provision and RTSG (see above) now use the same application form and you will be asked to select which fund you are applying for at the start of your application.

Extensions

• LAHP Research Extension Fund

  UKRI expects projects to be designed and supervised in a way that enables students to submit their thesis within their funded period i.e. by their funding end date.

  Students may be eligible to apply for a planned extension of up to six months full-time or equivalent per type of activity to their funded period based on research needs. Students must demonstrate in their application that they require further time due to skills acquisition, complex methodology, a significant change to their project or taking up a placement.

  We may be able to consider applications in circumstances not listed here. Please contact us to discuss this but note that LAHP can only grant extensions on the basis of research need, not illness or personal circumstances, which are managed via different processes.

  We require students to submit their requests for planned extensions at least 6 months prior to their current funding end date. Any requests submitted after the current funding end date will not be considered. The maximum total funding we may offer is 4 years full time, or equivalent (excluding any paid leave), or up to the end of year 4 of registration (excluding any leave), whichever is earlier.

  We consider extension applications on a rolling basis, and you can expect a decision within 15 working days of submission.

  To apply for funding, please read the following guidelines carefully and complete the application form:

  LAHP Research Extension Fund Guidelines (updated February 2026)

  LAHP Research Extension Fund application form (SurveyMonkey)

  Please note that as per the rules of the AHRC IPS award (International fellowships for doctoral and early career researchers), you will not be eligible to apply for an extension for the purpose of this fellowship.

• Extensions related to personal leave (LAHP Leave-related extensions process)

  Following the October 2025 update to the UKRI terms and conditions for training funding, extensions to studentships may now be granted for shorter periods of leave not taken as interruption (i.e. blocks of less than 28 days), if they had a significant impact on research progress. This applies for leave taken on or after 1 October 2025 only.

  If you took one or more periods of leave since 1 October 2025 and the time away significantly impacted your research progress, you may apply for an extension to your studentship to mitigate for the time lost. You can do this via the LAHP leave-related extensions application form, available below. Students who require adjustments to the way they apply should contact us on lahp@ucl.ac.uk to discuss alternatives to the web-based form.

  Applications close at 5pm on Tuesday, 30 June and students will receive an outcome within 4 weeks, by 28 July.

  A few key points to note:

  • The leave you took must have been recorded via your university’s local processes at the time it happened.
  • Appropriate evidence has been provided to your university when you logged the leave (where applicable) or, in case of long-term conditions, appropriate documentation was provided to your university in the past.
  • Minor illnesses e.g. cold, flu are not normally grounds for an extension and are expected to be accommodated within the duration of the studentship (similarly to annual leave)
  • If you took a formal break in studies (i.e. interruption) it does not come under this policy as it would have resulted in an automatic extension.
  • The application for an extension must be submitted before your current funding end date. If this is before the 30 June deadline, please contact us on lahp@ucl.ac.uk as soon as possible. Regrettably, we cannot consider requests from students whose funding end date has passed.

  Please carefully read the full LAHP Leave-related extensions policy before applying.

  A preview of the application form is available below.

  Drop-ins for leave-related extension application support run from Monday, 8 June to Tuesday, 30 June and can be booked via the below link. 

  LAHP Leave-related extension application form (SurveyMonkey)

  • LAHP Leave-related extension form preview
  • LAHP Leave-related extensions policy
  • Drop-in bookings