Family Leave

A Student is eligible for Maternity Leave if:

1. the maternity leave is planned to commence (or does commence) before the end of the Student’s funded period and
2. they are the birth parent of the child.

Eligible students can take:

• 26 weeks (6 monthly instalments) full stipend capped at UKRI rates, followed by
• 13 weeks (3 monthly instalments) at reduced SMP rate, and
• 13 weeks (3 months) unpaid.

Please note a partner is eligible for leave on the same basis as the mother or main adopter if the mother or main adopter dies during or shortly before the period of maternity or adoption leave.

A Student is eligible for Partner’s or paternity leave if: 

(1) the leave is planned to commence (or does commence) before the end of the Student’s funded period and the leave commences within 52 weeks of the birth of a child AND 

(2) the Student is either (i) the father or non-birth parent of the child or (ii) partner of the child’s birth parent AND 

(3) the Student must also have or expect to have the main for the upbringing of the child. 

Eligible students can take:

• 2 weeks full stipend capped at UKRI rates

A Student is eligible for Adoption Leave if:

(1) the Student has been newly matched with a child through an adoption agency or if the Student has used a surrogate during their Studentship. 

The support available for the main adopter is the same as Maternity Leave (see above for details). The support available for a Student who is the partner of the main adopter of the child or is the coadopter, is the same as Paternity Leave (see above for details).

Please note, a partner is eligible for leave on the same basis as the mother or main adopter if the mother or main adopter dies during or shortly before the period of maternity or adoption leave.

A Student is eligible for Neonatal Care Leave if: 

(1) the birth of the child is within the funded period of the Studentship or a planned period of Maternity Leave and the child is receiving neonatal care in a hospital and (2) they are either (i) the mother/birth parent of the child or (ii) a father/non birth parent or partner of the mother/birth parent.

Eligible students can take: 

One week of Neonatal Care Leave for each week or part-week in which the child is in neonatal care, up to a maximum of 12 weeks. This is additional to Maternity or Paternity Leave

Eligible students can take leave in order to provide care to a child for to whom they are a parent/carer of up to 1 month each year.  Please note this is unpaid.