Sep 21

Sep 21 Suspending Studies – Dispelling The Fear

Beginning my PGR journey in October 2021, I came into the process determined to be as organised as possible and aware of all options to ready myself for the next 3-4 years to come.

I attended as many events as I could during induction week (this was a blur, the schedule is extremely full!), but it provided a wide array of information and a great foundation to get started and meet other PGRs.

One workshop I distinctly remember attending during this week was: “Useful (if slightly dull) Things You Need to Know”. Part of this workshop discussed what you need to do to suspend your studies, describing it as a way of “stopping the clock” on your research.

I remember thinking at the time that this would be the last option I would ever take – and that I would avoid it at all costs. This was my knee-jerk reaction to something I found quite intimidating. It sounds scary and big. It also sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare which would be the last thing I would choose to engage with.

Fast-forward to summer of 2023 and I got Covid. I was hopeful that it would be a case of feeling trashy for a few days and then returning to work as usual. But this time it totally took me off my feet – I had a month of migraines, I couldn’t open the blinds, never mind work. Long-covid was on the cards and I needed to take a step back and prioritise my health.

This meant revisiting something I had previously had quite a strong “NO” reaction to – suspending my studies.

But to my surprise, it wasn’t a bureaucratic nightmare at all. Neither did anyone make me feel guilty for taking this time, and I was actively encouraged to take this step to support myself whilst also stopping the clock and extending my deadline. It was not the big scary step I had envisaged. It was exactly what it said on the tin. Suspending your studies is a vital strategy which you can implement if you need to step away from your research (for whatever reason). Being able to fully step back, without trying to work through sickness or unexpected life events and make things worse, was the best thing I could have done for myself this summer.

I am sharing some information to hopefully demystify this process for fellow PGRs. Being able to utilise a suspension of studies application can be vital to your continued progression as a doctoral researcher. Rather than be an intimidating step, it really is there to support your continuation of your doctoral journey

Is It A Bureaucratic Nightmare?

In short, the answer was a resounding NO in my case. The process itself was quite simple which was a huge relief. The last thing you need to be doing in a time of crisis is drowning in administration, which thankfully, did not happen.

The Process:

·Check suspension requirements with your funding body.
Speak to your supervisors. With their approval, you can then submit the suspension of studies application to your Grad School.
In my case, this was approved and returned amazingly quickly (less than 2 working days).
The form itself is short and succinct – not a 10-page ethics-style application which I had originally worried about.

The Relief

I suspended my studies for a month to give myself the time away I needed. The relief I felt knowing that the clock had stopped was enormous and was exactly what I needed at the time.

Suspending studies can get tricker than this in relation to different funding bodies rules and regulations. But, if this is an option which is available to you, I would strongly recommend utilising this process if you feel that stepping back would give you that breathing space.

The build-up I had in my head about this process did not stand up in the light – suspending my studies provided the time I needed to fully take a step back. It stopped a lot of the guilt of feeling like my research was dangling by a thread while I recovered and gave me that mental space to focus on prioritising my health.

Suspending studies has been a vital part of my doctoral journey so far. Rather than pushing through, it gave me the time I needed to return to my PhD at the right time. “Stopping the clock” on my research was exactly the thing I needed – and not the scary intimidating beast I had conjured previously. If this is something that you feel would be useful to you, please reach out to your supervisory team or Grad School. There are many people who can support you through this process – which is potentially much easier than you may think.

Karen Gordon is a 2nd-year PhD Candidate in Psychology based in the School of Education. Her work explores types of stress expression within the PGR community. She is the PGR Events Intern 22/23.