PhD application question

Hi all,

I'm a final year UG looking to do a PhD in September time.

In an ideal world I would love to get a general physical geography studentship at my current Uni (Exeter) ... but they haven't released any of the research funding available yet.

However, I've found a fab one at Southampton with a full studentship in an area that my UG dissertation is based on. Deadline is in November.

Question is, if I apply to Southampton and by some miracle get accepted, how long would they hold it open? I would much prefer Exeter as I know the area, staff, and have everything set up here ... but I can't do a PhD without a studentship and don't want to risk not getting one at all. I asked the department here when studentships would be made available but they couldn't give me an answer.

I know this is the sort of thing you ask a personal tutor for, but I do a combined honours course and don't have a geography tutor ... and my dissertation supervisor said don't worry about applying yet for anything and that I had months to decide ... but deadlines in November mean less than a month!

Any advice would be really helpful!

Reply 1

cjc3676

If they are advertising it now then they will probably want someone to start in the next few months. Its unlikely they will want to hold it open until you graduate in June/July and in any case its unlikely that they would offer it to someone with only an u/grad degree - almost all studentships now require a Masters qualification.

Best idea is to phone them and explain your position and ask if its worth applying. If it isnt, ask about other funding opportunities ie. anything for a Masters course starting 2013?

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 2

GooglyEyedMonster

Its for start in September 2013, I did check this as thought maybe they hadn't stopped recruiting for this year!

All the studentships I've looked at for the current years rotation require a minimum of 2:1 at UG, or a 2:2 with a masters on top. I'm on track for at least a 2:1.

The southampton one is a for 3yr Phd with NERC equivalent funding , but many of the Exeter ones are a 1+3 NERC, meaning I could do an MRes or MPhil before the actual PhD (thats how it works at Exeter anyway, I know some institutions only allow the +1 to be used for a MPhil)

Again, Exeter is much more appealing ... but also more competitive as its not tied to a specific question, would be based on my proposal, whereas Southampton is for a specific research question.

Reply 3

cjc3676

Golly - I'm amazed they are advertising this early. Go for it!

Be aware that you could be competing against folk who have got both a '2.1 or above' and a Masters, but is your tutors are prepared to back you with strong references then stick your application in.

The usual procedure is for you to be accepted for an MPhil and then formally upgrade your status after the first year to PhD depending on your progress. Some programs put a preliminary year of formal research training in front of all this, hence the 1+3.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 4

GooglyEyedMonster

Its only Southampton I've seen advertise already! Exeter and Bristol haven't started advertising for next year yet, Bristol is advertising for Jan/Feb starts but obviously thats a no-go!

That's why I worry I won't get it because of the people who have done the masters. I've got brilliant tutors so I'm sure they would give me a good reference, especially with all the extra-curricular I do for my course.

Ideal world, Exeter 1+3 MPhil progression to PhD studentship! Reality, probably not.

I did look into doing a masters and then applying but I just couldn't afford it so only leaves me this one option if I want to do a PhD - hence the worrying and wanting to submit 6 million applications!

Reply 5

cjc3676

Advice - leave lots of time for this. Dont attempt to apply at the last minute as it takes much longer than you think to get all the paperwork together. Something seemingly simple like getting a piece of paper to confirm your current student status or show your existing grades, or a reference from an academic who is at a conference etc can be painfully slow and hold ups can mean you miss the deadline.