Budgets

Project Consuambles

This budget is entiely under your control, it must last for all 4 years. Your supervisor will give you the RTSG budget code at your univeristy. It should be at least £9,000. You are responsible for managing your planning and expenditure of your budget. We suggest that you include this data in your supervision meetings. How you have managed your Consumables budget is suitable evidence that you should include in your competencies in your C.Eng portfolio.

Placement

Your placement proposal (submitted in Year 2 - see link below) should set out how the £5,000 budget will be used to maximum impact and benefit for your research and thesis - you will receive confirmation if your placement proposal is successful. You can spend up to £3,500 on your placement via your RTSG budget at your university. You may also include an addtional £1,500 funding from the CDT which can either be arranged by the CDT team or by your university (and included in their expenditure statements to the University of Manchester). The placement can be at an industrial or academic location, and can be arranged as one longer period, or split across several events, as suits your needs. It’s timing is decided by you and your supervisor, to get maximum benefit to you. It might be arranged so that you can use facilities at another university or national lab, or to work alongside an international research group, or to spend time with your industrial supervisor. You may spend the budget on travel, accommodation or facilities fees. Subsistence expenses are not allowed, unless during a travelling day (usual CDT expense claim rules apply).

Placement Proposal Form *please email the CDT to let us know you have submitted a proposal - we do not recieve automatic notifications*

Note for international students - the ‘placement’ is in effect ‘off-site research’ - it is within the 4-year programme, related to your doctoral project, funded wholly by the CDT, and you will continue to have regular academic supervision meetings throughout - therefore it does not require any revision to the project description in your student visa or approval by/notification to UKVI.

Conferences & Summer Schools

This budget is managed by the CDT. Proposals (see link below) should set out how the £5,500 budget will be used to maximum impact and benefit for your research and thesis. It will support your attendance at the annual CDT conference, and other conferences or summer school that you wish to attend. Once approved by your supervisor and the CDT, the booking arrangements will be agreed by email - this will likely require CDT Admin to make bookings and reservations on your behalf.

Conference & Summer School proposal form

CDT training

This £5,500 budget is managed by the CDT and is held at the University of Manchester. It is used for your technical and professional skills CDT training programme across years 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Computer Equipment

Your supervisor should arrange for you to be provided witha laptop at the start of your programme. The CDT may be able to lend you a laptop for the first 3 months, if you need it. It is your responsibility to look after the equipment that has been loaned to you, it is for your exclusive use. You must bring the laptop to any training for which it is required.

Travelling by car

For sustainability and budget reasons the CDT supports train travel and has budgeted for this. If you wish to travel by car, you must first make sure you have permission from your University (some use an authorised drivers system) and have suitable business insurance. Fuel / mileage can be expensed, but only up to the cost of a standard class off peak return rail ticket from your home university. PLEASE NOTE: If you do not already hold a rail card you cannot buy one and expense the cost.

Expense Claims

Please note the following general expense rules:

• Under no circumstances can any alcohol be expensed.

• Itemised receipts are essential for all expense claims. Claims will be rejected without an itemised and dated receipt. We recommend that you take a photo of all receipts immediately.

• Taxi fares cannot be claimed where there is a public transport option available.

• Subsistence limits for meals are as follows;

  • Breakfast: £10 - note that this can be claimed when travel starts before 7am

  • Lunch: £15

  • Dinner: £30 - note that this can be claimed when travel ends after 7pm

  • no ad hoc snacks or drinks can be claimed

  • rail cards cannot be claimed

Expenses during CDT training should be submitted to Fran at the University of Manchester in a monthly form, as expenses are processed on the 1st of each month, for the expenses accrued for the previous month, using the claim form below. Expenses cannot be accepted for receipts dated >3 months ago.

Expenses during project-related activities should be submitted to your academic supervisor at your host university, and will be charged to your project conumables budget. Expenses cannot be accepted if receipts are dated >3 months ago.

Please note, when subsistence is claimed, be very careful to make sure that what you are claiming for covers the cost of a meal for yourself only and is suitably appropriate and within budget. These rules will apply to everyone in order to maintain a fair and balanced system. Under no circumstances can alcohol be claimed under expenses.

Expense Claim form (University of Manchester)