Skip to main content University of Leeds homepage
Students home page

PGR-supervisor agreement

The PGR-supervisor agreement helps you and your supervisors talk about how you will work together, including your responsibilities, meeting plans, and any specific needs you may have.

This agreement makes sure everyone knows what to expect and helps you build a good relationship with your supervisors.

Download the PGR-Supervisor agreement form (DOCX)

When you need to complete the agreement

Year 1

Complete the agreement with your supervisors during your first month and upload it to GRAD as a training event. Then update and upload the agreement during your first formal progress review, and as part of transfer.

Year 2 and beyond

Review the agreement during your annual progress review and make changes if needed. Then upload it with your report files.

If your supervisors change: in most cases, your supervisory team will stay the same throughout your research degree. However, if one of your supervisors leaves the university or is away for an extended period, your team may change. If you get a new supervisor, you should review your agreement with the team and make any changes.

If your circumstances change, you may wish to review the agreement to ensure it still meets your needs.

If you have any questions, contact your Graduate School for help.

How to upload your agreement to GRAD

In GRAD, complete the following steps:

  • Select ‘My Project’
  • Select ‘Events’ from the Development menu
  • Select ‘Add Other’
  • Complete the ‘Add a new development activity’ form as follows: 
    • Title: ‘Supervisor Agreement YEAR’ (Where YEAR is the year it was completed).
    • Date: Date completed.
    • End date: leave blank.
    • Duration: leave blank.
    • Details: leave blank.
    • Relevant Files: upload your Supervisor Agreement here.
  • When complete select ‘Add’ to add this to your record.

Your Supervision Agreement will now be visible in the Events list on your GRAD record. You can select ‘Details’ at any time to view this.

When you review your PGR-Supervision agreement with your supervisory team, you can follow the steps above to add an updated version of the agreement to your GRAD record. 

PGR-Supervisor agreement guide

The following guidance is designed to support Postgraduate Researchers (PGRs) to complete the PGR-Supervisor agreement. It explains what each section is aiming to achieve and how to approach the discussion with your supervisors. It also explains where you can access more information in relevant sections.

You should:

  • prepare in advance: think about what matters to you
  • be honest and proactive in discussions
  • use the agreement to raise questions early
  • revisit the agreement if things stop working – it’s there to support you.

PGR details

This section is to confirm how you would like to be addressed.

Read Stonewall’s Beginner’s guide to pronouns and using pronouns in the workplace.

Find out how to change or update your personal details at any time.

Project and funding

It is important to understand the financial side of your work.

If you have a scholarship or studentship, you should ensure that you are clear about what it covers. Think about:

  • The duration of your funding and whether it covers the full duration of your studies.
  • Whether there is any provision for research costs, fieldwork or conferences.
  • Any terms and conditions that you should be aware of.

If you do not hold a scholarship or studentship, make sure you and your supervisors understand how costs will be covered through your research degree. Consider whether you may need to apply for additional funding during your research degree.

Make sure you understand the process for booking travel and arranging research supplies.

Further information

Supervisory team

This section helps you understand how your supervision will work. All PGRs should have more than one supervisor, but how teams operate in practice will vary.

From September 2026, at least four supervision meetings per academic year must involve a minimum of two University of Leeds-based supervisors.

Further information

Working arrangements

This section is about setting realistic and supportive ways of working.

Working patterns

Think about any elements of your life that may affect your working patterns, such as caring responsibilities, religious commitments, or reasonable adjustments. Consider the typical working patterns within your research team and research area, and if reasonable adjustments or alternative arrangements should be discussed.

Equally, consider the working patterns of your supervisory team.

You may wish to agree on what your “core hours” will be, in line with Athena Swan principles, and ensure you are aware of the Lone work policy.

The PGR-Supervisor agreement is normally reviewed as part of your transfer process and annual progress review and therefore may be seen by members of staff outside your supervision team (e.g. independent assessors).

If there are details of a sensitive or personal nature which you would prefer to discuss outside of this process, highlight this with your supervision team, Director of Postgraduate Studies or the Graduate School.

Workload and wellbeing

The Code of Practice indicates that PGRs are expected to work on their research for a similar amount of time as a full-time academic role (around 37 hours per week). For PGRs on a part-time programme this expectation is pro-rated (19 hours for 0.5 PT, 20 hours for 0.6 PT and 28 hours for 0.75 PT). This excludes any paid work. Extra time may be needed around key deadlines. Ensure expectations do not compromise your wellbeing or safety.

You may want to undertake some teaching, demonstrating, or other paid work during your research degree. It is important to discuss with your supervisors how you plan to manage any paid work alongside your academic commitments.

If you are studying full-time, there are restrictions on the amount of paid work you can undertake alongside your studies:

Leave

You are entitled to annual leave:

  • 26 days for full time PGRs
  • 19.5 days pro-rata for 0.75 PT PGRs
  • 15.5 days pro-rata for 0.6 PT PGRs
  • 13 days pro-rata for 0.5 PT PGRs
  • plus days when the University is closed. You can check when the University is closed on the Almanac.

Leave is formally booked and recorded via GRAD. You should agree whether leave requests should be discussed with your supervisor before being recorded in GRAD, and how much notice should normally be given when requesting leave.

Read more about taking time out of your research.

Support and adjustments

This is a space to raise anything that may affect your ability to work effectively.

If you already have a Support Summary Sheet, your recommended adjustments should have been discussed, considered, and implemented. Review whether your current adjustments remain effective and if further assessment or support may be needed.

If you have not yet received a formal diagnosis and/or Support Summary Sheet but feel you would benefit from reasonable adjustments, discuss this with your supervisors and/Graduate School. Local adjustments should still be considered and put in place.

The PGR-Supervisor agreement is normally reviewed as part of your transfer process and annual progress review and therefore may be seen by members of staff outside your supervision team (e.g. independent assessors).

If there are details of a sensitive or personal nature which you would prefer to discuss outside of this process, highlight this with your supervision team, Director of Postgraduate Studies or the Graduate School.

Further information

Communication

Clear communication is essential.

You should agree:

  • Preferred contact methods (e.g. University email, Microsoft Teams)
  • Expected response times
  • Boundaries (e.g. evenings, weekends, messaging outside of university systems such as texts)
  • Any accessibility needs related to communication.

The University expects PGRs to regularly check their university email account as well as the Doctoral College PGR Teams space.

Please note:

  • GRAD notifications will be sent to your University email.
  • News and opportunities will be shared via Microsoft Teams.

We will only use your personal email address in exceptional cases. It’s not possible to forward emails from your University account to a personal one. For more details, read Removal of e-mail automatic forwarding to external accounts.

Supervision meetings

You are expected to have regular supervision meetings throughout your research degree.

Supervision meeting requirements:

  • Full-time PGRs: Minimum of 10 meetings per academic year with no more than 8 weeks between meetings
  • 0.75 Part-time PGRs: Minimum of 8 meetings per academic year with no more than 10 weeks between meetings
  • 0.6 Part-time PGRs: Minimum of 6 meetings per academic year with no more than12 weeks between meetings
  • 0.5 Part-time PGRs: Minimum of 5 meetings per academic year with no more than 12 weeks between meetings
  • Meetings should take place in person. However, if you're away from Leeds (eg on placement, fieldwork, or enrolled in a distance-learning programme), or have an agreed reasonable adjustment, meetings may be held via MS Teams.
  • All supervision meetings must be recorded in the GRAD system.
  • From September 2026, at least four supervision meetings per academic year must involve a minimum of two University of Leeds-based supervisors.

When discussing the submission of your work for feedback, it is important to agree on a reasonable timeframe that works for both you and your supervisors. If timelines need to change, this should be discussed as early as possible. Similarly, if feedback or a piece of work is particularly time-sensitive, this should be clearly communicated to ensure expectations are understood and managed appropriately.

Further information

Read more about Supervision meetings guidance.

Read the Attendance Monitoring Policy for Postgraduate Researchers.

Training, research practice and development

Use this section to plan your development. PGRs are entitled to ten days of training each year.

Discuss:

  • Training you need over the next year
  • Key opportunities (e.g. conferences, fieldwork)
  • Your career aspirations and how to support them.

Think beyond your thesis. This is also about your future career.

Research practice

Make sure you are up to date with all required training relating to good research practice.

Compulsory online training which should be completed within the first six months of study:

  • PGR academic integrity – Essentials
  • PGR academic integrity – Advanced
  • Research integrity
  • Research ethics
  • Using GenAI at Leeds

Details of how to access the courses is on our Research practice training and tests page.

This is also a good opportunity to discuss if you plan to use artificial intelligence in your research. As a general principle, you can use Gen AI to help your research process but cannot use AI to generate, write, or falsify work. You may use Gen AI in ways that support your research process, enhance your ability to achieve your programme learning outcomes and to prepare you to succeed in your future careers.

Read more about the University’s approach to AI tools in PGR assessment.

Further information

Positive working relationship

This section focuses on maintaining a healthy environment.

Discuss:

  • Where to access support (academic, wellbeing, peer groups).
  • Expectations around confidentiality. Bear in mind that confidentiality can never be promised; if there is a serious risk of harm to self or others or where a safeguarding risk may be identified, duty of care will override confidentiality.
  • Working preferences or learning styles.

Being open about how you work best can improve your supervision experience.

Further information

Studies