Honestly, I think most institutions would be accommodating to your requests - particularly for mature students who have lives outside the university. Most place

Honestly, I think most institutions would be accommodating to your requests - particularly for mature students who have lives outside the university. Most places aren't going to kick you out if you don't turn up to the weekly seminar, but some people might frown upon it because it would be seen as not integrating. We also encourage PhD students to both give talks and to ask questions at seminars. Ultimately your PhD is not granted on the basis of your attendance to some talks. I think the deciding factor is probably where your money is coming from. In the UK if you're paying for your tuition, you can usually demand whatever conditions you like. If you're being funded by a specific grant, that might confer some additional requirements defined by the department. This may not be the case in your particular sub-field, but we have plenty of fully remote students and staff. I know several academics who work half the year in one institution and half in another - though usually that's due to family, not being unhappy about the weather!