The Official Funding questions/moans/possible joy Thread

Hi! Another (sort of) Medievalist hopeful here - eventually, anyway. I'm interested in High and Late Medieval literature and culture in general, textual history in particular, and medievalism (esp. literary antiquarianism) in the long eighteenth-century.

Best of luck with your application. : ) I've applied for MA Medieval literatures at York (I have course offers from York and UCL, still waiting on Oxford and Bristol), and am on the reserve list for AHRC MA funding, although in reality I have very little hope that I will actually get it. I wish I could ask where I am on the list, or at least when I should realistically assume for certain that I don't have it... I'm not sure it would be okay to ask that, though.

I haven't heard anything at all about funding from UCL yet - they usually interview, I think - and I'm going to have to reply to their offer in the next week or so (they only give you four weeks to decide...).

Hi! Sorry about the delay in my reply - having some technical issues.

You've definitely done the right thing by casting a wide net and the fact that you are on the reserve list for one of your choices (which one? Oxford? Bristol?) is a sign that your ideas and qualifications are good.

Its just a shame... No, its not a shame. Completely the wrong way to think about it.

Its a f**king travesty that postgraduate funding is so hard to come by, and its only going to get harder. I heard, when at York for an interview, that the History department there currently has about 60 PhD students. Next year, as the University scrapes together slightly more funding from nowhere, it will go up slightly to 75. From then on, they will only be taking on 4 or 5 PhDs a year - and these will be taken from Yorks own graduates. And York is a good, high ranked and fairly opulent University. Universities NEED PhD students in order to survive. The governments cuts will kill smaller Unis.

Sorry. Ranting again.

Keep your chin up and keep plugging way. If by the end of the year you are not studying an MA, don't panic and don't give up. I didn't get a scholarship after my first round of applications. Remember to use the connections you've made as an undergraduate, don't be afraid to ask for help and adapt your proposal in order to make it more appealing to certain Unis (only if necessary).

I'm certain you'll be okay.

Yes. UCL usually do interview. I did it myself a few years ago. Worst interview I've ever had - I was very ill with a fairly serious condition at the time and I hadn't yet had the op that would fix it. I was only about 7 or 8 stone in weight - very ill. To make matters worse, I arrived there over half an hour late and I fell over (I was dizzy) as soon as I entered the interview room.

You won't have these problems (I hope), and I know that our subjects are slightly different. Nonetheless, my advice to you is:
Get there with time to spare.
Be polite. (I was dizzy, fell over and after I stood back up, I managed to insult them all. Don't ask!)
KNOW your proposal and the techniques you propose to use. Try to find a way to describe what you intend to do and how you intend to do it that is eloquent, fairly succinct and intelligent.
Why is your proposed thesis important?
What do you intend to do with it?
Stay loose and roll with the punches.

I hope that is in some way helpful.

I real shame you aren't going to York. Your area of expertise sounds very interesting.

Wow - thank you, that is very kind, and it made me feel a lot better about all of this. I'm on the reserve list for AHRC funding at York (sorry, I should have explained), I have a basic offer from UCL but haven't heard anything re: funding yet, and I'm still waiting to hear whether I have an offer at all (let alone funding) from Oxford and Bristol. I might still be able to go to York this year - I very much want to, and there is always a slim chance that I might be moved up. Or I could look into a Career Development loan.

It's really interesting, and more than a little worrying to hear about the PhD situation at York, too. I wonder whether there will be a similar situation within the Department of English and Related Literatures? If so, I suppose that if I don't manage to make it there for my MA, then my chances of PhD funding at York will also be out. Which would be horrible, as there are academics there who I would be specifically interested in being supervised by, and both the Centres for Eighteenth-Century and Medieval Studies are amazing. I know that my intended research interests would be a really good fit, and just, generally, York has an academic community which I would love to be a part of. So I completely understand your rant about postgraduate funding opportunities, and I agree - something needs to change. I just can't see where the money could come from.

God - I'm sorry to hear about your horrible interview at UCL. I've never been for a professional interview before (I'm not counting Sainsbury's or my other part time jobs!), so if I do somehow get asked, I will definitely bear your advice in mind. I think I can talk about my subject reasonably well, once I get started: my problem is definitely going to be managing my nerves and actually saying something in the first place.

Again - thank you, and good luck with your application, too. What are you intending to write on for your PhD, if I may ask? : )

x

x

I sent a creepy email to senior academic at my university because she will leave to take up a prestigious position at a foreign university.

I congratulated her, but also wrote that I will miss her because I admire her and wish to become like her!


When I re-read it sounds soo childish.

Plus, she never replied to me (and I sent it a couple of days ago). Usually, she replies immediately.


Maybe she thought I was sucking up to her or something because she is also the phd recruiter? (BUT, I already got my offer ages ago, before the dept told us she was going to leave). Maybe she thinks I am acting all nice for ulterior motives? (perhaps she thinks I want to influence her to offer me a studentship, but then I have no idea how the process works or who allocates it, no one told us!)


I had her as a lecturer during my undergrad studies and I really meant it when I said I would miss her. The only problem is that I never had a proper 'chit chat' with her, our conversations were always limited to the classroom and only concerned the modules and post grad applicaiton.



I regret having sent that email!

Hi everyone,

I have a question about the ESRC DTC funding
I'm wondering when does the ESRC pay your fees to the uni? I'm totally new to the whole funding thing, and apparently I'm an exception because I'm an international student... So it would give me some comfort to know...
(and yes, I should ask the DTC about this and I will! It's just too soon for this and I don't want to bother them when they are probably still going over their waiting list ;P)

Thanks!

Have they awarded you funding, or are you on the list of potential recipients? I'm ESRC funded through a DTC and while I don't know the exact date that the fees are paid, they've always been paid before I register each year. I haven't heard of anyone's fees not being paid on time. If you need a specific date then only the DTC can tell you.

Also, it appears the ESRC, even if awarded to a non-UK student, does not offer any stipend. How likely would I be to receive a specialised package on top (something for Irish students, a college/Dept package etc)?

Hi guys. Apologies if this is the wrong thread for this (I already said this elsewhere a minute ago, but this actually seems like an appropriate place where I could get some advice.), otherwise just let me know where to go!

Hi Folks,

My situation is as follows. I am a EU (non-UK) student who currently holds a mediocre BA from an unknown university (low 2.1) and a good MA from a decent university (1.1), both in the social sciences.

I am currently looking at PhD options in the UK, and would really appreciate some advice. The likes of Oxford/LSE interest me for a PhD/DPhil in my field (PolSci), and I have two central queries, one in relation to admission and the other in relation to funding.

As far as I can see, funding opportunities seem poor (I really need the full ride to undertake a PhD) for non-UK students. Also, I'm a bit worried my mediocre undergrad would hold me back from admission to the likes of the Oxford DPhil, and even if I got in, I may not get any funding because my application will be flawed.

So I was thinking perhaps going for the MPhil, with a view to the Dphil. The rationale behind this is that I would be more likely to gain admission this way, and I would be more competitive for a ESRC 2+2 or 1+3 than vying against people straight into the DPhil for a +3.

What do you think of this?

Also, it appears the ESRC, even if awarded to a non-UK student, does not offer any stipend. How likely would I be to receive a specialised package on top (something for Irish students, a college/Dept package etc)?

Any comments would be appreciated, as the whole system seems a bit complex

Hi there!
I'd say just relax, it's probably not a big deal. I think there are many students who like their professors and have told them so
Again, not responding is not the most polite thing to do, but what do you expect from her? Writing you back and saying "I don't wanna go either!" with a crying face? hahah just kiding
So just relax and go ahead and become someone just like her! Then you two can joke about your "childish" email one day, perhaps!

Hi!
Just about this, I thought even if you are an EU student, you can still get full award?
It's from the ESRC:
To be eligible for a full award (stipend and fees), you must have:

Settled status in the UK, meaning there are no restrictions on how long you can stay.
Been 'ordinarily resident' in the UK for three years prior to the start of the studentship grant. This means you must have been normally residing in the UK (apart from temporary or occasional absences).
Not been residing in the UK wholly or mainly for the purpose of full-time education. This does not apply to UK and EU nationals.

So it is possible if you work 3 years before applying? I know it's too much to ask... though
And I agree, it's super complicated...

I don't know about the ESRC specifically, but I can give you my experience as an Irish student studying in the UK. I received an AHRC studentship for my PhD, and as an EU student it is a fees-only award: they have residency rules surrounding 'Home' status which you won't have met if you've done your BA/MA in Ireland, and I would imagine that the ESRC is similar. On top of my AHRC award, I also receive a combination of scholarships which together make up my maintenance stipend. This includes a university scholarship, a scholarship for Irish graduates at my university, and a contribution from my college (I'm at Cambridge). This was a package I had to assemble myself, by applying for two of the awards, while one I was automatically considered for once I applied for admission. The whole process of assembling the various scholarships was exhausting, and so frustrating because you know that, if you were a Home student, you'd be fully funded twice over, as both the AHRC & the university scholarship were full awards for UK students. So you will have to be prepared to be patient and piece together an award from several sources, is my experience, and frankly I think that Oxbridge would probably be your best shot of doing that, simply because of the many sources of funding available: many other universities wouldn't have the resources for multiple scholarships. However, the universities you're interested in may have a mechanism whereby if you receive a Research Council fees award, they automatically step in to contribute a maintenance award. If that is so, then great, if not you're left with the assembling strategy. You'll just have to make enquiries to see how, if at all, universities cater for their EU students on RC awards.

As regards your 'chances', I think it's always difficult to say. While having a good Master's result will definitely help, I do wonder whether your undergrad result will hold you back a little: everyone I know who has an RC award has a first at undergrad, but of course this is far from the only factor. If you have a solid research proposal that fits well with the department you're applying to, and good references and so on, then you're in with a shot. Funding is so tight now, and there will always be an element of luck I think. Feel free to ask any more questions you have

Hi, thanks for youre reply

Yes, unfortunately moving there for 3 years with my eye on a 4 year programme down the line, where I may or may not win the award, isn't really an option

The funding system seems so complex at the likes of Oxford, it's difficult to get a handle on it and come up with a definite strategy.

Simultaneous wonderful news and frustrating dilemma over here - got offered AHRC Masters funding by my undergrad university (obviously wonderful!); however, I kind of had my heart set on another university (partly because the course looks great, but also because I'm a bit wary of getting stuck in an academic rut in the one place), and they don't release AHRC results until May. My university wants an answer by next week. What are the chances I can get 1st choice uni to give me an early decision?! Even a rejection would leave me free to be unequivocally overjoyed at getting any funding at all - it's just the frustration of not yet knowing all my options, but I'd imagine that the odds are generally much better with your undergrad university anyway, right? And it feels vaguely ungrateful to even be having such a dilemma when I should mainly just be elated at getting the absolute gold dust of an AHRC studentship...

Simultaneous wonderful news and frustrating dilemma over here - got offered AHRC Masters funding by my undergrad university (obviously wonderful!); however, I kind of had my heart set on another university (partly because the course looks great, but also because I'm a bit wary of getting stuck in an academic rut in the one place), and they don't release AHRC results until May. My university wants an answer by next week. What are the chances I can get 1st choice uni to give me an early decision?! Even a rejection would leave me free to be unequivocally overjoyed at getting any funding at all - it's just the frustration of not yet knowing all my options, but I'd imagine that the odds are generally much better with your undergrad university anyway, right? And it feels vaguely ungrateful to even be having such a dilemma when I should mainly just be elated at getting the absolute gold dust of an AHRC studentship...