Increase the PhD stipend to minimum wage
Increase the PhD stipend to minimum wage
The Issue
Tēnā koutou,
This is an open letter to New Zealand’s universities calling for PhD stipends around Aotearoa to be increased to at least minimum wage.
PhD candidates are vital to New Zealand’s research sector, producing cutting edge research and carrying out much of the scientific grunt work that brings grant money, citations, and academic status to universities. Research suggests that about a third of university publications are contributed to by PhD candidates. Those carrying out a PhD are also highly qualified, with a minimum of a masters or honours degree.
PhD candidates go on to form the bulk of our research workforce. They are the ones developing sustainable agriculture techniques, fighting to save our endangered species, and searching for vaccines and cures. PhD candidates also go on to work in industry and government. They become entrepreneurs, tech developers, and pioneer social reform. Having a highly trained academic workforce is key to future-proofing New Zealand’s wellbeing and economy.
However, currently PhD candidates are paid at least 20% less than minimum wage. While minimum wage after tax is around $35,000 per year, the highest university PhD stipend is $28,500 (University of Auckland). Other universities are as low as $21,000 per year (University of Canterbury). This gap becomes starker when the PhD stipend is compared to the living wage, which is now around $40,000 per year after tax. The PhD stipend does not reflect the contribution of PhD candidate’s work or their worth.
PhD stipends have plateaued considerably over the past 15 years, failing to keep up with both inflation and increased living costs. In 2003 the PhD stipend was $40,000 in today’s dollars, almost double what many PhD candidates receive today. On top of this, in 2013 the government removed student allowance for post-graduate students further impacting their financial security. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson stated that “Thousands of students, mostly from low-income backgrounds, will no longer have support to do postgraduate qualification.” While at the time the Labour party pledged to amend this, it was later retracted.
The low PhD stipend poses a financial barrier to undertaking this academic pathway. This disproportionately impacts those who do not have external financial support such as from their whānau, or who have children or other dependents. Māori and Pasifika students are significantly more likely to fall into this category, creating a clear equity issue. This socio-economic bottleneck at such a crucial and early scientific career stage impacts diversity at higher academic career levels. The severe under-representation of Māori in science and academia has been widely acknowledged. Māori and Pasifika make up less than five percent of the total of full-time employees in New Zealand’s universities and Crown Research Institutes. Increasing the PhD stipend to minimum wage will ensure Aotearoa has a thriving and diverse scientific community fit to meet the challenges our country faces.
Inadequate financial compensation also means many students must work second and third jobs, limiting their ability to produce the high-quality work a PhD requires, and negatively impacting both their mental and physical health. This problem is well recognised within the industry. A recent open letter was sent to the board of New Zealand’s largest science funding body, the Marsden Fund, calling for PhD stipends to be increased. This letter was signed by nearly 700 scientists and academics.
The current stipend levels present severe equity, wellbeing, and quality issues for PhD candidates in New Zealand. Our universities must increase the PhD stipend to the equivalent of minimum wage after tax (currently $35,242) and ensure future stipend amounts are increased accordingly.
Ngā mihi
Chrystal O’Connor, PhD Candidate, Lincoln University
Caitlin Hyde, PhD Candidate, Lincoln University
Further References:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236327
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11192-011-0495-6
University of Waikato stipend: https://www.waikato.ac.nz/scholarships/s/university-of-waikato-doctoral-scholarship
Massey University Stipend: https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/admission/scholarships-bursaries-awards/scholarship-bursary-award_home.cfm?id=83B45FEA-2E17-48C0-B717-CA5F15B27B6E
Lincoln University stipend: https://www.lincoln.ac.nz/study/scholarships/search-scholarships/lincoln-university-doctoral-scholarships/
The University of Auckland PhD Stipend overtime: https://fyi.org.nz/request/15920-university-of-auckland-doctoral-scholarships
PAYE Calculator used for after tax rates (not including KiwiSaver or Student Loan): https://jobnow.nz/income-tax-calculator
The Issue
Tēnā koutou,
This is an open letter to New Zealand’s universities calling for PhD stipends around Aotearoa to be increased to at least minimum wage.
PhD candidates are vital to New Zealand’s research sector, producing cutting edge research and carrying out much of the scientific grunt work that brings grant money, citations, and academic status to universities. Research suggests that about a third of university publications are contributed to by PhD candidates. Those carrying out a PhD are also highly qualified, with a minimum of a masters or honours degree.
PhD candidates go on to form the bulk of our research workforce. They are the ones developing sustainable agriculture techniques, fighting to save our endangered species, and searching for vaccines and cures. PhD candidates also go on to work in industry and government. They become entrepreneurs, tech developers, and pioneer social reform. Having a highly trained academic workforce is key to future-proofing New Zealand’s wellbeing and economy.
However, currently PhD candidates are paid at least 20% less than minimum wage. While minimum wage after tax is around $35,000 per year, the highest university PhD stipend is $28,500 (University of Auckland). Other universities are as low as $21,000 per year (University of Canterbury). This gap becomes starker when the PhD stipend is compared to the living wage, which is now around $40,000 per year after tax. The PhD stipend does not reflect the contribution of PhD candidate’s work or their worth.
PhD stipends have plateaued considerably over the past 15 years, failing to keep up with both inflation and increased living costs. In 2003 the PhD stipend was $40,000 in today’s dollars, almost double what many PhD candidates receive today. On top of this, in 2013 the government removed student allowance for post-graduate students further impacting their financial security. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson stated that “Thousands of students, mostly from low-income backgrounds, will no longer have support to do postgraduate qualification.” While at the time the Labour party pledged to amend this, it was later retracted.
The low PhD stipend poses a financial barrier to undertaking this academic pathway. This disproportionately impacts those who do not have external financial support such as from their whānau, or who have children or other dependents. Māori and Pasifika students are significantly more likely to fall into this category, creating a clear equity issue. This socio-economic bottleneck at such a crucial and early scientific career stage impacts diversity at higher academic career levels. The severe under-representation of Māori in science and academia has been widely acknowledged. Māori and Pasifika make up less than five percent of the total of full-time employees in New Zealand’s universities and Crown Research Institutes. Increasing the PhD stipend to minimum wage will ensure Aotearoa has a thriving and diverse scientific community fit to meet the challenges our country faces.
Inadequate financial compensation also means many students must work second and third jobs, limiting their ability to produce the high-quality work a PhD requires, and negatively impacting both their mental and physical health. This problem is well recognised within the industry. A recent open letter was sent to the board of New Zealand’s largest science funding body, the Marsden Fund, calling for PhD stipends to be increased. This letter was signed by nearly 700 scientists and academics.
The current stipend levels present severe equity, wellbeing, and quality issues for PhD candidates in New Zealand. Our universities must increase the PhD stipend to the equivalent of minimum wage after tax (currently $35,242) and ensure future stipend amounts are increased accordingly.
Ngā mihi
Chrystal O’Connor, PhD Candidate, Lincoln University
Caitlin Hyde, PhD Candidate, Lincoln University
Further References:
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0236327
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11192-011-0495-6
University of Waikato stipend: https://www.waikato.ac.nz/scholarships/s/university-of-waikato-doctoral-scholarship
Massey University Stipend: https://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/admission/scholarships-bursaries-awards/scholarship-bursary-award_home.cfm?id=83B45FEA-2E17-48C0-B717-CA5F15B27B6E
Lincoln University stipend: https://www.lincoln.ac.nz/study/scholarships/search-scholarships/lincoln-university-doctoral-scholarships/
The University of Auckland PhD Stipend overtime: https://fyi.org.nz/request/15920-university-of-auckland-doctoral-scholarships
PAYE Calculator used for after tax rates (not including KiwiSaver or Student Loan): https://jobnow.nz/income-tax-calculator
Petition Closed
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Petition created on 13 October 2021