Parental leave for PGRs

Information and guidance for PGRs on parental leave entitlements.

On

Parental leave

As a result of the Equality Act 2010, the University has developed a Student Pregnancy and Maternity Policy, along with pregnancy support pages aimed at both students and staff.

Students who are pregnant, or whose partners are pregnant, can apply for a period of leave of absence on parental grounds. Students who are pregnant are required to take a minimum of two weeks of compulsory maternity leave following the birth of their child. Please note that the four-week minimum leave of absence rule does not apply to students taking a leave of absence on parental grounds.

Students are required to submit supporting evidence such as a birth certificate or MATB1 form when applying for a LOA on parental grounds.

International students who are studying in the UK on a Student or Tier 4 visa should refer to the guidance on leave of absence. The immigration rules outlined in this section also apply to those who require maternity leave.

Shared parental leave

The University permits students to share their parental leave with their partner provided they are in receipt of a university-funded stipend at the time of the expected birth of the child and provided they and their partner meet the eligibility criteria. Full details of the eligibility for shared parental leave are available to download from this page.

Financial support

Most postgraduate research scholarship holders will be entitled to a payment during a period of maternity leave if they are within their tuition fee-paying period and still receiving a stipend. Students should refer to their funder's terms and conditions for information on what financial support they are entitled to. Students who are funded by either the University of Sheffield or UKRI can find information on terms and conditions from our scholarships webpages.

PGR students who do not have access to sponsor or statutory maternity pay may be eligible for a one-off support payment from the University, provided they are still within their tuition fee-paying period. This is also available to support students who are adopting a child and do not receive any support from their sponsor.

Apply for maternity support payment