Physics Graduate School 
Information for New Postgraduate StudentsAll new students should receive a pack from the Science Faculty Office telling you when and where the formal registration process is to take place. These packs are sent out in August/September - if you do not receive a pack - please see the University web pages for new students at http://www.bristol.ac.uk/newstudents/ as much of the information is listed here with downloads of the various documents you may need to download, complete and bring with you.
Physics students on registration (or shortly after if you are arriving at a date other than usual) will collect a welcome pack which we put together which contains the Departmental Safety Handbook and the Postgraduate Student Handbook along with some other useful information.
The department will also hold a short Induction on the Tuesday afternoon. You should also find some time to introduce yourself to your supervisor(s) during this first week.
Postgraduate Induction, Safety & Demonstrating/Teaching Duties The Schedule for Induction, Safety and for Teaching and Learning in Higher Education as well as other meetings for Laboratory Demonstrators and Tutorials and for Teaching Assistances is now ready (this also includes the induction schedule for new students this is included for the attention of those who started after October last year, you are encouraged to come along).
The Demonstrating Duties list is now ready and is published here as a pdf file - the duties are listed by duty and then by student. The list by duty has also had the names of the students colour coded by Group. Last up-dated 22 Sept 2009.
Postgraduate Handbook September 2009 The can be found here in pdf format.
Postgraduate ConferenceAll first year students are expected to submit a poster to the Postgraduate Conference near the end of their first year.
All second year students are expected to give a talk at the Postgraduate Conference near the end of their second year.
Postgraduate Conference 2009 - Schedule and Posters2009 Postgraudate Conference will be held on Friday 19 June. See links above for schedule.
Annual Assessment of PhD StudentsAll students are required each year to submit a report on their research work to date. The student is then interviewed by his/her Convener and Panel Member who write a short report. This is then passed on to the student's supervisor for any comments he/she may like to add and then back to the student for any other comments. In the first and second year of the PhD study the student is also required to complete a skills training questionnaire ( or ) - this paperwork is essential as the Faculty Office keeps track of students' progress in this way.
You can use this database driven list to see who has been assigned to be your Convenor and Panel Member.
Postgraduate TrainingThe Department and the University recognise the need for both formal and informal training in transferable skills for postgraduates. Funding is available to cover some of the costs of external training (Roberts Money). Guidance on the use of these funds is available from RCUK. Research council funds (RTSG) may be also be used to support attendance at conferences. Funds will normally be provided only where the applicant has a paper accepted for oral or poster presentation.
Application by form ( or ). Note you will also need to complete a normal expenses claim form, available from the departmental .
Places to look into transferable skills:
Safety TrainingAll Postgraduates are required to undertake a safety course in the department prior to being allowed to undertake any research. If you have not been trained in a particular aspect (eg cryogenic fluids) you will not be allowed to use it. Details of those trained in various aspects of Safety can be found on our Safety Pages.
Information for STFC Funded Students STFC Funded Students - Travel Insurance Information: .
Application for Reclaiming Long Term Attachment forms and other STFC forms can be found here .
Submitting Your Thesis Information on Higher Degrees Exams can be found on the web pages.
Your supervisor will need to refer to the Science Faculty Office Policy Document ( 28KB) before completing the Appointment of Research Degree Examiners form (the old 'Intension to Submit' forms) at least 28 days before your intended submission date. Download the Appointment of Research Degree Examiners form (2 pages or (47.5 KB)). Once completed it should be passed to the for processing. When you hand in your thesis to the exams office you also need to submit an 'Intention to Graduate form' see below for details and a link.
Examiners Report Forms Examiners report forms and all exam related forms can be found on the Exams Office web page at .
Regulations and Code of Practice for Research Degree Programmes.
Oral Examination via video link.
FAO Students about to Graduate If you are expecting to graduate in February 2009 you must complete an Intention to Graduate Form when submitting your thesis and return it to the Student Degrees Office, Senate House. You will then be sent degree congregation information (see above). The Intention to Graduate Form is available for . Please ensure that your contact details are correct on or contact the Science Faculty Office.
Student Support Services, Health and DevelopmentSome useful links:
Student Support Services: www.bristol.ac.uk/studenthelp/
International Office: www.bristol.ac.uk/internationalcentre/
Accommodation Office: www.bristol.ac.uk/accommodation/
Student Funding Office: www.bristol.ac.uk/studentfunding/
Student Counselling Service: www.bristol.ac.uk/student-counselling/
Students' Health Service: www.bristol.ac.uk/Depts/StudentHealthService/
Student Development Unit: www.ubu.org.uk/training
Students' Union Student Advice Unit: www.ubu.org.uk/support/welfare/ubu-welfare-contacts
Other Useful InformationYou should retain all letters sent to you from the Faculty of Science, however, should you lose these and subsequently require a letter or copies of any certificates to confirm your student status for any purpose (Council Tax, Student Loans Company, Banks etc), can be requested from the Faculty of Science Office, Royal Fort Annex. The Department of Physics is not permitted to provide confirmation of your student status.