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Advice needed on financing PHD studies

Hello everyone,
I am a latin-american postgraduate student in philosophy and cognitive science. I am willing to start my phd studies this year and I have been admitted into Cambridge and Bristol PHD programs (Philosophy departments) .
I will probably receive a scholarship (of 43000 pounds) from my country for my PHD studies but I have not been successful in obtaining scholarships from Cambridge or Bristol.
This 43000 pounds will cover 100% of the 3 years fees of Bristol´s PHD and 80% of the 3 years fees of Cambridge´s PHD.

My problem is that I wont have a scholarship for living expenses. I really need advice or opinions on what to do. It is possible to get some funding (or teaching jobs) from UK universities during the phd? is it possible to cover the living expenses with a part time job? Is it common for PHD students in the UK to finance their studies with part time jobs?
I would really appreciate any advice or opinion on what to do.

Thank you very much!
If you do manage to get any teaching work it certainly will not cover all your living expenses. The same goes for any other part-time work you might manage to get.

And as an International student, you will not be granted a visa unless you can show that you have enough money to support yourself in the UK without employment.
(edited 8 years ago)
Here is the information you need for Cambridge:

http://www.cambridgestudents.cam.ac.uk/your-course/graduate-study/your-student-status/working-while-you-study

Ten hours work per week isn't nearly enough to cover living expenses (and even getting that work is competitive)

I suspect it's too late in the year to apply to other funding sources now - sounds pessimistic but, if your country will let you transfer the scholarship to next year, it might be worth trying again then, and casting your net a bit wider.
Original post by menalque
Hello everyone,
I am a latin-american postgraduate student in philosophy and cognitive science. I am willing to start my phd studies this year and I have been admitted into Cambridge and Bristol PHD programs (Philosophy departments) .
I will probably receive a scholarship (of 43000 pounds) from my country for my PHD studies but I have not been successful in obtaining scholarships from Cambridge or Bristol.
This 43000 pounds will cover 100% of the 3 years fees of Bristol´s PHD and 80% of the 3 years fees of Cambridge´s PHD.

My problem is that I wont have a scholarship for living expenses. I really need advice or opinions on what to do. It is possible to get some funding (or teaching jobs) from UK universities during the phd? is it possible to cover the living expenses with a part time job? Is it common for PHD students in the UK to finance their studies with part time jobs?
I would really appreciate any advice or opinion on what to do.

Thank you very much!


For Cambridge, I very much doubt you will pick up enough teaching to cover your living expenses. Typically it takes a year or two at least to 'break in' to the teaching system, before you start picking up a regular number of hours, and that's if you're lucky. I'm a 4th year PhD at Cam, and I only started really picking up some teaching from my third year onwards. Of course you may be lucky and your supervisor might be able to provide you with some teaching, but I really doubt it would be sufficient. Plus, teaching is usually paid at the end of each term, meaning you have to survive during termtime before getting your salary after eight weeks' work.

The University's policy is that no full-time student may work for more than 10 hours per week, and it must be an academic activity (so teaching, demonstrating, invigilating etc.). I imagine there are some students who do, unofficially, work more than that and in non-academic settings, but you would likely be compromising your academic work, plus technically in breach of the university's regulations. Even getting the full 10 hours of 'academic' work would be tricky I think.

Do also bear in mind that you will likely need at least part of a fourth year to complete the PhD, and so you need to factor in that too - very few people submit in exactly three years, so there will likely be additional expenses associated with a fourth year.

I don't know about Bristol & their regulations, but from the Cambridge perspective, I would advise against beginning a PhD here without having secured full funding from somewhere.
Original post by returnmigrant
If you do manage to get any teaching work it certainly will not cover all your living expenses. The same goes for any other part-time work you might manage to get.


That's strange, I must be living in a dream world or a parallel universe where it is possible. Hmm.

Yes you can fund your living expenses with a part-time job if you have a fee scholarship - I am currently doing just that (fellow philosopher too). Cambridge will be out the question due to its high living costs and only 80% fee funding but Bristol will be perfect (and it is a far better city anyway). Do not worry about university regulations regarding weekly hours of work; they have no way of knowing and it's a pathetic rule to be ignored by any autonomous adult with even a shred of self-respect.

I wouldn't recommend teaching. You will get insufficient hours and will also end up doing more in your own time, unpaid. Not to mention, a part time job is an excellent opportunity to have a break from academia, develop different skills, and make new friends. The possibility of being temporarily unemployed after graduating is a real one so having continual work experience and networking in your city is important.

Now, the condition. If you are the type of person who enjoys luxury en-suite accommodation, buying clothes, going to restaurants, and academia is nothing more than a job to pay the bills then this won't work for you. It is best suited to those who enjoy minimalist living, are preferably single, and whose research is the be all and end all of their lives. In other words - the optimal PhD candidate.
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Original post by macromicro
That's strange, I must be living in a dream world or a parallel universe where it is possible. Hmm.

Yes you can fund your living expenses with a part-time job if you have a fee scholarship - I am currently doing just that (fellow philosopher too). Cambridge will be out the question due to its high living costs and only 80% fee funding but Bristol will be perfect (and it is a far better city anyway). Do not worry about university regulations regarding weekly hours of work; they have no way of knowing and it's a pathetic rule to be ignored by any autonomous adult with even a shred of self-respect.

I wouldn't recommend teaching. You will get insufficient hours and will also end up doing more in your own time, unpaid. Not to mention, a part time job is an excellent opportunity to have a break from academia, develop different skills, and make new friends. The possibility of being temporarily unemployed after graduating is a real one so having continual work experience and networking in your city is important.

Now, the condition. If you are the type of person who enjoys luxury en-suite accommodation, buying clothes, going to restaurants, and academia is nothing more than a job to pay the bills then this won't work for you. It is best suited to those who enjoy minimalist living, are preferably single, and whose research is the be all and end all of their lives. In other words - the optimal PhD candidate.



Thanks for the advice!

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