Research away
Research Away is the process for enabling students to undertake their research at a location other than one of our campuses, whether that’s to access specialist archives, undertaking fieldwork, collaborate with external partners, or immerse yourself in a community or environment central to your project. Approval must be sought for a period pf research away, and its important that this is done well in advance to the period away commencing.
How the process works
You should begin by discussing your plans with your supervisors; what you want to do, why it’s essential for your project, how long you’ll be away, and what support or resources you’ll need. Once you’ve agreed the academic rationale, you complete a Research Away request form via your MyEssex student portal, outlining your proposed location, timeline, risk considerations, and arrangements for supervision and progress monitoring while you’re away from campus. This form is reviewed by your department and the Postgraduate Research Education Team, followed by the Faculty Dean (PG) to ensure everything is in place for a safe, academically sound period away.
Once approved, you remain a fully registered Essex student throughout your time away. You continue to meet with your supervisors (usually online), progress with your milestones, and stay engaged with your research community as appropriate. The University’s support structures, including wellbeing, skills training and library access remain available to you. When your period away ends, you resume your on campus research as normal.
Student Visa holders
If you are a Student visa holder, you must apply for your period of Research Away, and had it approved, prior to the planned start date. As a Student Sponsor, the University has an obligation to report the change in your study location for your period of Research Away to the Home Office within 10 working days of the start date. Requests with a retrospective start date will not be approved. Our report to the Home Office must include the location of your research, start and end dates. Any changes to this information must be confirmed to the International Services Team as soon as they become known to allow us to amend our report to the Home Office. During a period of Research Away the University will continue with your immigration sponsorship providing you meet with your academic supervisor online at least once a month.
If you are concerned about whether a period of study outside of the UK could affect your eligibility to apply to the Graduate Route at the end of your studies, you should contact the UKCISA student advice line.
Travel and fieldwork overseas
The University has a duty of care to all staff and students who wish to travel overseas and needs to be assured that those travelling have fully considered the risks and put appropriate precautions into place.
Resources
A range of guidance and risk assessments have been created to support and enable you to undertake research activities, including travel within the UK and outside of the UK, and face-to-face research. You should work with your supervisor to review your work plans and consult the travel health and safety advice provided by the Workplace Health, Safety and wellbeing Team.
PGR students follow the same guidance and advice as staff undertaking travel for research or conferences. The travel health and safety advice covers a range of essential topics, including; planning your trip; travel insurance; travel health; booking your travel; and University requirements (such as risk assessments) for travel to high and extreme risk locations.
Travel advice
If you are planning fieldwork, please check the leaflet for essential information on safe travel (.pdf) and the Foreign travel checklist (Gov.uk) before making any bookings
PGR students undertaking fieldwork can continue to make use of all University support services.
For technical questions regarding travel, risk assessment and insurance, please contact the University’s insurance team on insurance@essex.ac.uk
