Placement
Things to consider before you get started
- International students, studying on a visa, are subject to visa rules which impact on placements. All students who require immigration sponsorship from their university [a visa] to study in the UK are limited to only undertake placements which are assessed and integral to the course/research. Placements which do not contribute directly to the PhD research as an integral part of the PhD study (i.e. those that are supplementary) cannot be supported under the UK immigration rules. Please contact placements@midlands4cities.ac.uk to discuss before applying.
- You cannot undertake a placement until you have passed your first mid-year review (beginning of April). You cannot start a placement in the final six-months of your funded period, which can include the additional months provided by the placement funding extension.
- Your placement must be fully set up 12 months in advance of the end of your funded period. Placements must be completed before the final six months of your funding.
- Placements can be done in a single block of time (full-time) or spread over a longer period for a few days a week (part-time) - whatever works best for you and your host.
- PLAN AHEAD! On average, it takes 3 months from when you submit your Part I Placement Application and Project Brief form to final approval. Please plan accordingly and get in touch as early as possible to discuss your plans.
M4C Application process
1. Contacting a potential host
2. Completing Part 1 Placement Application and Project Brief form
3. Completing Part 2 Placement Funding Application form to extend your funded period for the duration of the placement.
4. Complete the UoW paperwork to support your application
5. After your placement: Completing placement feedback forms
1. Make contact with a potential host
The first step is to make contact with a potential host this can be one of the partner organisations listed on the VPP, but you are also free to explore your own ideas and find the most suitable host for you, your research or your future career aspirations.
You and your supervisors will likely be the experts on who you should work with. Do your research and get in contact with them, explaining who you are, what you are interested in doing and clarify that you are a funded Midlands4Cities AHRC DTP student (direct them to your profile on the VPP) to see if they are interested in hosting you.
If you would like to work with one of our partner organisations, email placements@midlands4cities.ac.uk for the appropriate contacts, which we will happily pass on to you. Once you have made contact, hopefully, they will want to meet with you and discuss designing a project that would be mutually beneficial.
2. Part 1 - Placement Application and Project Brief
Detail what you will be doing, when you will be doing it and where you will doing at the placement. The Form acts as a proposal that you then submit to the M4C DTP Placements Manager (at M4C) The placement manager has to approve before any further paperwork is sent.Part 1 needs to be submitted alongside with the following UoW documents (see next slide). You need to work with your placement provider to get the forms completed. In the meantime, M4C Warwick will draft the Placement Agreement to be signed between the
provider, UoW and the student.
3. Part 2 - Extension to funding application
Complete this form ensuring you have appropriate budgeting information (in line with UoW financial rules and regulations) to enable Site Directors to review the extension. You are able to apply to extend your funded period for the duration of the placement (Funding Extension). If you are already hold a 48-month award (e.g. CDAS, extensions) then you cannot request a funding extension due to placement. You can also apply for up to £1680 to support travel and/or accommodation expenses. You will continue to receive your stipend as normal during the period of a placement and, for eligible students, a successful application will result in the length of your funding being extended by the length of time spent on placement. Please note that this does not extend your submission date.
4. UoW Paperwork
The below documents need downloading, completing and returning to the M4C Placements Manager as part of the application process. You will be supported on this throughout. In addition a Placement Agreement will be drafted by M4C Warwick for you, the placement provider and your department to sign. You will be contacted separately about this.
5. Whilst you're on placement....top tips!***
Congratulations you've successfully set up, been approved and started your placement! Enjoy!
Whilst you're undertaking your placement, be mindful of the support and help available to you, both from Warwick and M4C. Don't be a stranger (you're still our VIP - Very Important PGR!) and make sure you reach out to us if you have any questions or things aren't going as you hoped/planned/expected!
Don't forget:
- If you are an International Student, you are still under the university's sponsorship therefore the same rules and procedures still apply. Ensure you have completed your Change of Study Location process prior to your placement starting!
- Supervisory meetings still need to take place at the same regularity - it may be the case that the content of these are more check ins but we need to make sure you are receiving the same level of support, albeit in the context of your placement, rather than the nuts and bolts of your PhD. If you are an International Student, you need to evidence supervisory meetings as you did before, so please ensure this happens. (If you are registered as on TWD during your placement period, which will not apply to most PGRs, then technically you are away from your PhD and your registration with us, you don't need to check in with us however we're here if you need anything).
- You can still access the university's Wellbeing ServicesLink opens in a new window so please do utilise this if you need to. M4C Warwick are also happy to point you in the right direction if you're not sure who to talk to, so please get in touch.
- Expenses can be claimed as you go along - you don't need to wait until the very end of your placement, it might be more helpful to submit your Concur claims on a weekly/monthly basis so you can keep track of what you've spent. On that note, please make sure you are organised when it comes to expenses and monitor this yourself too.
6. Placement Feedback!
M4C Placement Feedback Form - As your placement comes to an end (in the final few weeks), you must complete the M4C placement feedback forms. There is one for you and one for your host. Please download from below, complete and return to placements@midlands4cities.ac.ukThis feedback is important in enabling you to capture and reflect upon what you have gained from taking part in your placement activity. It also help us report on the outputs of the funding provided and offer the best experience for students going forward so please complete the form as fully as possible.
Warwick Placement Feedback Form - we would be really grateful if you could complete this short feedback form. This will only be viewed by M4C Warwick and the Site Directors, unless you are happy for us to share this with your department/supervisor etc (we will check with you). We want to make sure you've enjoyed your placement and that it has been relevant and a valuable part of your PhD journey - if this isn't the case, we need to know, so your feedback is very important to us!
M4C Placements Information Session May 2025
Our M4C Placements Manager (Dr Jade Jenkinson) and the M4C Warwick team ran a M4C Placement Information Session on 9th May 2025. We covered all aspects of why choose a placement; how to find a placement; the paperwork involved; insights and reflections on completing a placement; and top tips for managing the placement and the PhD Project.
Download and read the slides below!