The Official Funding questions/moans/possible joy Thread

How long after you found out you had got the studentship did they send you this form? I had an email forwarded to me by my supervisor which came from the DTC board saying that they were approving the recommendations, but I haven't heard anything else yet.

With regards to ESRC/Political science funding, can you send your PhD thesis proposal to as many universities as you like?

I'm planning on doing a CDL funded masters at Aberystwyth this year. However, I'd like to keep my PhD placement/funding opportunities as broad as possible. (albeit, the field is intelligence studies, with few specialist departments).

Hi, you can apply to do a PhD at as many universities as you like. But as far as applying for ESRC funding goes, you can only apply for funding to one university per Doctoral Training Center: for example if you had offers from Manchester, and Lancaster (both universities in the Northwest DTC, you could only apply to one of them for ESRC funding). You would automatically disqualify yourself from funding if you put in a funding to more than one. But you could apply for ESRC funding at multiple universities in multiple DTC: i.e. Manchester (Northwest DTC) and Edinburgh (Scottish DTC). So you would really need to think about which department would best suit your project (not necessarily the 'better' university) and which supervisor would be most able to write you a strong statement of support for your project, before putting in a funding application.

Hi, you can apply to do a PhD at as many universities as you like. But as far as applying for ESRC funding goes, you can only apply for funding to one university per Doctoral Training Center: for example if you had offers from Manchester, and Lancaster (both universities in the Northwest DTC, you could only apply to one of them for ESRC funding). You would automatically disqualify yourself from funding if you put in a funding to more than one. But you could apply for ESRC funding at multiple universities in multiple DTC: i.e. Manchester (Northwest DTC) and Edinburgh (Scottish DTC). So you would really need to think about which department would best suit your project (not necessarily the 'better' university) and which supervisor would be most able to write you a strong statement of support for your project, before putting in a funding application.

It is a great answer - would you be willing to update the wiki guide to that effect? (in my signature - I would do it but it would feel a little like plagiarism...)

Sure thing. I'll update it tonight when I'm done at work

Thanks bunches

PS - congrats to all the offer recipients in this thread, really awesome!

How have I never seen that? I have been looking, honest! I kept only finding other sources of funding for overseas students. They do offer AHRC funding, but I've been trying to find other schemes and suchlike to apply for as I guess it's pretty limited ...

Thanks so much, VERY helpful

Done!

can anyone give me advice on how to fund an Open University postgrad course?

I'm aware of the OUSBA but not 100 % clear how I can get funding from it. Also I emailed the OU direct asking for advice and they weren't helpful at all, in fact they didn't even mention the OUSBA

Anyone used a CDL and when do you have to start paying back?

can anyone give me advice on how to fund an Open University postgrad course?

I'm aware of the OUSBA but not 100 % clear how I can get funding from it. Also I emailed the OU direct asking for advice and they weren't helpful at all, in fact they didn't even mention the OUSBA

Anyone used a CDL and when do you have to start paying back?

hello folks. Firstly, my apologies if this has been addressed before -- I did a forum search but didn't come up with the info I wanted.

I'll be applying for PhDs beginning 2012, in English literature, and getting funding is crucial for me to continue. I was wondering if anyone who has secured funding could give me any advice on how to improve my chances of getting it. I'm currently in a master's programme, with high distinctions on all essays, a first at undergrad, three graduate conference presentations, and a paper being prepared for publication in a major journal. I feel like I've covered all my bases, and I'm not sure what more I can do -- except, obviously, that killer research proposal and finding departments that are a good fit. But I know that getting the funding extremely difficult. So my question is: what else can I do to be seriously competitive when I submit my applications later this year??!

huge congratulations to the recipients of funding this year, and best of luck to all other hopefuls out there! Roll on autumn 2012...