The Official Funding questions/moans/possible joy Thread

Just a reminder that for anyone missing out on the main Research Council funding, there are still plenty of funding opportunities open both at UK Universities and in Europe/Australia. Many have closing dates as far ahead as July and August so still lots of time to apply.

Check out the list here - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2551148
Others here - www.jobs.ac.uk (Studentships - bottom of initial page)

Reply 986

Funding rant needed.
I have an offer of a place at Cambridge for a PhD and I really, really want to take this place. I believe so much in the value of the research I want to do, but despite trying absolutely everything I can think of, I have only managed to find £8000 per year of funding. That means I need at least another £10000 per year to get by. Cambridge aren't keen on you working during PhD, which I can understand, but this means putting all the pressure on my lovely wife to support us financially. She is looking for a new job in the area, but her career is also incredibly competitive, not many of the right opportunities, and incredibly important to her - she has already had to geographically focus her search around my needs (AGAIN!) and now she has to be looking at something that pays really at the top of her earning potential - super stressful for her to try and find something and get it, without going into jobs she really wont enjoy.
I know you are all in similar positions with lives and with research that feels like it means the world to you so the last thing you probably want to do is read my rant. But this is just horrifically stressful right now. I feel so out of control of things that matter to me so much. ARG.

Reply 987

redferry

19

Original post by rosiejm

Funding rant needed.
I have an offer of a place at Cambridge for a PhD and I really, really want to take this place. I believe so much in the value of the research I want to do, but despite trying absolutely everything I can think of, I have only managed to find £8000 per year of funding. That means I need at least another £10000 per year to get by. Cambridge aren't keen on you working during PhD, which I can understand, but this means putting all the pressure on my lovely wife to support us financially. She is looking for a new job in the area, but her career is also incredibly competitive, not many of the right opportunities, and incredibly important to her - she has already had to geographically focus her search around my needs (AGAIN!) and now she has to be looking at something that pays really at the top of her earning potential - super stressful for her to try and find something and get it, without going into jobs she really wont enjoy.
I know you are all in similar positions with lives and with research that feels like it means the world to you so the last thing you probably want to do is read my rant. But this is just horrifically stressful right now. I feel so out of control of things that matter to me so much. ARG.

If it helps I was in a similar position, I couldn't find funding at Leeds York or Sheffield. The only place I could get funding was UCL so now I have to move to London, something I never wanted to do, and suffer a severe decrease in living standards. Luckily my partner has been able to find a job down there but its only a 12 month contract and god knows what will happen after that. We essentially have to live in Lewisham which is apparently not all that nice and the rent is a total joke. On top of that I have to sell my car :frown:

Bloody lack of funding.

Reply 988

As above, often you can't go to 'that' Uni and you have to go to wherever there is funding. I waited 8 years for the right AHRC to come up by chance - the University was irrelevant. Its frustrating but sometimes you do have to let go of the 'dream' place and go where the money is.

Quite why Oxbridge can't offer more funding is beyond me. They are both very wealthy institutions with a massive income from property and investments. You do have to wonder if they deliberately use the 'funding' thing to keep out those who can't rely on Daddy's money. If they really were intent on 'widening participation' they would try to overcome the money issue that keeps most people out - so we can only assume they don't actually want lesser mortals in their rarefied corridors no matter how bright they are.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 989

Josb

6

Original post by returnmigrant

As above, often you can't go to 'that' Uni and you have to go to wherever there is funding. I waited 8 years for the right AHRC to come up by chance - the University was irrelevant. Its frustrating but sometimes you do have to let go of the 'dream' place and go where the money is.

Quite why Oxbridge can't offer more funding is beyond me. They are both very wealthy institutions with a massive income from property and investments. You do have to wonder if they deliberately use the 'funding' thing to keep out those who can't rely on Daddy's money. If they really were intent on 'widening participation' they would try to overcome the money issue that keeps most people out - so we can only assume they don't actually want lesser mortals in their rarefied corridors no matter how bright they are.

By contrast, top US unis offer funding to everyone who is accepted (and therefore don't accept self-funded students). It's an all-in-one selection, whereas in the UK the real selection is done by the funding bodies (ESRC, AHRC, etc.).

Reply 990

I know I am hardly one to be giving tips given the above rant - but for anyone still on the funding-search, it might be useful for you to know how I got the £8k that I have sourced so far...I thought about who might benefit from the research - charities, businesses, membership bodies, press organisations - everything I could think of. I wrote each an individualised email with info about the study, asking for support or for a registered interest. Some were able to support a little financially, but loads and loads were happy for me to add them to a list of interested parties who see a value in the research, and asked to be kept informed. This list has grown to quite an impressive list of local, national and international organisations - on the list I have the number of people affected by each name (e.g. xxxxxx with membership of 50,000, xxxxx with readership of 80,000) Then I have been using this list to support each subsequent application/fishing email.
I wish I had thought of this and started sooner - maybe it would have helped with my earlier funding applications with the research councils etc. Anyway, it cant do any harm and at least it means if I can fund this research, I know who to approach to see it utilised in the future.

But I totally agree that it is such a shame more funding isn't available. I guess the thing is we all believe in our projects as though they are THE most important ones! Fingers crossed for everyone. Keep trying, it's not over till the fat lady sings.

Reply 991

evantej

18

Original post by rosiejm

I know I am hardly one to be giving tips given the above rant - but for anyone still on the funding-search, it might be useful for you to know how I got the £8k that I have sourced so far...I thought about who might benefit from the research - charities, businesses, membership bodies, press organisations - everything I could think of. I wrote each an individualised email with info about the study, asking for support or for a registered interest. Some were able to support a little financially, but loads and loads were happy for me to add them to a list of interested parties who see a value in the research, and asked to be kept informed. This list has grown to quite an impressive list of local, national and international organisations - on the list I have the number of people affected by each name (e.g. xxxxxx with membership of 50,000, xxxxx with readership of 80,000) Then I have been using this list to support each subsequent application/fishing email.
I wish I had thought of this and started sooner - maybe it would have helped with my earlier funding applications with the research councils etc. Anyway, it cant do any harm and at least it means if I can fund this research, I know who to approach to see it utilised in the future.

But I totally agree that it is such a shame more funding isn't available. I guess the thing is we all believe in our projects as though they are THE most important ones! Fingers crossed for everyone. Keep trying, it's not over till the fat lady sings.

What is your research on? What you describe is how lots of charities actually apply for funding and make contacts.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 992

Original post by evantej

What is your research on? What you describe is how lots of charities actually apply for funding and make contacts.

Posted from TSR Mobile

My research is within Social Anthropology and studies horse-human interaction - I know it sounds a bit odd, but actually has great potential to improve equine welfare and human safety. So I contacted every equine business, charity and educational organisation/membership body I could think of. The well of ideas has run dry now though - two organisations are still considering my request and both would be welathy enough to fund the whole thing easily I think so fingers crossed one of them takes the plunge!!

Good luck everyone else too
xx

Reply 993

apotoftea

OP

19

Original post by rosiejm

My research is within Social Anthropology and studies horse-human interaction - I know it sounds a bit odd, but actually has great potential to improve equine welfare and human safety. So I contacted every equine business, charity and educational organisation/membership body I could think of. The well of ideas has run dry now though - two organisations are still considering my request and both would be welathy enough to fund the whole thing easily I think so fingers crossed one of them takes the plunge!!

Good luck everyone else too
xx

I can think of a number of bodies who may be interested in that research - drop me a PM given I volunteer for one of them and welfare/safety are two BIG issues we have!

Reply 994

arguendo

14

I have a departmental scholarship from my second choice university, and I am still waiting for the results of a scholarship competition at my first choice university. Unfortunately, the second choice wants me to accept / reject their scholarship by the end of this week.

If I don't get a scholarship from my first choice I would definitely take the second; if I got a scholarship from my first choice, it would be a close and difficult decision (both are partial scholarships, and both courses have pros and cons).

In this situation, can I accept the first scholarship and wait for the results of the other one, then withdraw if needs be? I realise that's a particularly individual q - what I'm really asking is if that's standard practice, or if it's an absolute no no. I'm loathe to ask them to extend the deadline as it makes clear it's my second choice, and I'd worry that would be an instant no...

Thoughts? I don't want to hold onto funding unnecessarily, but I don't want to put myself in a position where I can't accept my first choice if awarded their scholarship.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 995

Kitty Pimms

17

Original post by arguendo

I have a departmental scholarship from my second choice university, and I am still waiting for the results of a scholarship competition at my first choice university. Unfortunately, the second choice wants me to accept / reject their scholarship by the end of this week.

If I don't get a scholarship from my first choice I would definitely take the second; if I got a scholarship from my first choice, it would be a close and difficult decision (both are partial scholarships, and both courses have pros and cons).

In this situation, can I accept the first scholarship and wait for the results of the other one, then withdraw if needs be? I realise that's a particularly individual q - what I'm really asking is if that's standard practice, or if it's an absolute no no. I'm loathe to ask them to extend the deadline as it makes clear it's my second choice, and I'd worry that would be an instant no...

Thoughts? I don't want to hold onto funding unnecessarily, but I don't want to put myself in a position where I can't accept my first choice if awarded their scholarship.

Posted from TSR Mobile

If it was me, I would tell the second choice university that they are your first choice academically, but that you are still in the running for a more generous funding package from another university that, should you get it, you would be forced to accept. Since it's a partial scholarship you can get away with this to some extent. You don't need to tell them the whole truth, but saying that you really want to accept straight away but need to eliminate the possibility of having a more stable income elsewhere isn't an unreasonable way to approach it I don't think. Essentially what you want is to accept, but buy yourself the space to pull out later if you need to do so.

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Reply 996

If 'accepting' doesn't involve serious finance then accept - and drop them if the better one comes through?

Reply 997

Any more 'joy' anyone?

Reply 998