Sheffield University is to follow the research councils' lead by raising funding for the 350 PhD students it supports. The increase will cost the university Pounds 350,000 a year. Earlier this year the government increased the minimum stipend research councils paid PhD students by Pounds 1,000 to Pounds 6,455. The extra money, amounting to more than Pounds 12 million a year, was provided for in the comprehensive spending review. Sir Gareth Roberts, Sheffield vice-chancellor, said the move was to ensure that all research students were treated equally.