I've heard that being married can have a negative effect on the chances of getting UK PhD funding.. is this true?

I can imagine a partners wage may be factored in, but the way I heard it was that just being married fullstop can be an issue.

M

I don't know but I have never heard of it (surely would would fall under discrimination?). I am married myseld and I have a full scholarship (and to be honest my husbands income is none of their business). And I know some other people who have funding and are married. But it might be dependend on the University.
Good luck

No.
Funding scholarships are based on merit, not means tested. Partners' funding doesn't even come into the equation.

It can affect benefits (if you want try and claim them). My husband was about to finish his MA while I was doing my PhD, and he enquired about Job seekers allowance in case he didn't find work straight away. When they heard he was married and that I received a studenthip they said I was expected to support him and he couldn't claim. (Quite how they believed this would happen on a 12k studentship is anyone's guess.) Double standards all round really as (according to another thread) mortgage lenders conveniently exclude stipends from their applications, yet with the Benefits Agency studenships suddenly count it as a legitimate income. Funny, that!

yes I was very surprised when someone mentioned it to me... frankly I'm only getting away with doing a PhD (which could make me pretty unemployable) by marrying my partner ;)

I was in a very similar position with job seekers allowance last year, I had just finished my MA and my partner was training to be a secondary school teacher. They wouldn't give me any money because she was getting £6k a year!

It does make a difference to your tuiton fees, if you pay them. If you are from outside the EU, but married to an EU citizen, then I think your fees are calcuated as those of an EU citizen (i.e. much lower).

Monobass, as kronkodile said, the scholarships aren't means tested so your partner's income won't affect your bursary. However the government benefits are. Therefore they are not comparable; not same situation.

I don't understand why you think being married makes you unemployable. And why do you think you are getting away with PhD? Please correct me if I misunderstood. I have a feeling like someone with bad intentions gave you horrible ideas. You have every right to work and undertake research just like anyone else, as long as you are qualified and good at it. There are other married PhD students on this forum. I remember talking to some (and marriage was never an issue).

Sorry to be so non-literal 404. Chill

I am! I was just trying to be supportive, that's all.

Studentships are not affected by being married, but it will matter if you apply for bursaries that are means tested as they will take your partners' income into account (but this may also apply if you live with your partner at the same address, regardless of whether you are married or not). You can't easily apply for hardship funds (for example) if your partner earns X amount - a with the dole

Being married will not affect employment - you could probably sue the pants off anyone who didn't give you a studentship purely for that reason on the grounds of discrimination!