Self fund at Oxford, or accept full-funding at lower-ranked uni?

I very much agree with this, and I'm surprised no one else has raised the issue of the ability to attract funding. Oxford and Cambridge are fine yes; but in a sense they're also a bit "out there". They're not really mainstream universities with mainstream educational processes. Aber certainly is.

Oxford is happy to let you come – if you can pay for it. As somebody else said, if you're not independently wealthy, it's a polite rejection.

I've been accepted into a DPhil course at Oxford, but as it's now the later half of April and I've not heard about funding I'm assuming I won't be offered any. I have recently been offered full funding with maintenance at a lower-ranking university, which has excellent research facilities for my field of study but it's quite isolated...literally at least 4 hours away from the nearest cities by public transport. Although I live in the UK I'm an international student so fees are high and access to funding is very limited. I've always dreamed of going to Oxford, and having an 'Oxon' attached to a credential seems professionally advantageous, but it seems foolish to turn down full funding and pay over 100K for a doctorate. I'm dreading the thought of turning down an offer to Oxford and living in the middle of nowhere for three years, but funding is funding. I wondered what other's would do in a similar situation? When it's all said and done how much does the institution matter when it comes to future career prospects?

Would you absolutely have to live in Aber? Possibly you could arrange to live in a slightly larger town/city and just come to university every so often to see your supervisor etc. it may not be feasible as Aber is quite isolated, but may be worth thinking about; the problem though could be not getting to meet other postgrads, attend as many academic events etc.

I would have to disagree with your point about "not getting to meet other postgrads". Aberystwyth has a strong and very active postgraduate community, especially within the International Politics Department (If memory serves me correct I believe this is what Gitterhuf is hoping to study).

In fact, although you say Aberystwyth is isolated, it's very nature of being on the edge means that the student and staff population are that much more active in both the curricular and non-curricular activities... besides Aberystwyth isn't THAT isolated - but compared to Oxford I would have to say it was - If in doubt I would suggest coming to visit and seeing it

James

I think it's also really rather important to remember that you won't suddenly become a superior academic by virtue of having the post-nominal (Oxon) after your name. You'll succeed if you're a good researcher, regardless of where you attained your doctorate.

Nope, but I might be able to get a loan for the full amount. It's a massive amount of debt, but it is Oxford.

I've been accepted into a DPhil course at Oxford, but as it's now the later half of April and I've not heard about funding I'm assuming I won't be offered any. I have recently been offered full funding with maintenance at a lower-ranking university, which has excellent research facilities for my field of study but it's quite isolated...literally at least 4 hours away from the nearest cities by public transport. Although I live in the UK I'm an international student so fees are high and access to funding is very limited. I've always dreamed of going to Oxford, and having an 'Oxon' attached to a credential seems professionally advantageous, but it seems foolish to turn down full funding and pay over 100K for a doctorate. I'm dreading the thought of turning down an offer to Oxford and living in the middle of nowhere for three years, but funding is funding. I wondered what other's would do in a similar situation? When it's all said and done how much does the institution matter when it comes to future career prospects?

Good guess! It is Aberystwyth, and it would be in history...it seems so gutting to turn down an offer from Oxford, but I know lots of other people will be in a similar situation.

Would you absolutely have to live in Aber? Possibly you could arrange to live in a slightly larger town/city and just come to university every so often to see your supervisor etc. it may not be feasible as Aber is quite isolated, but may be worth thinking about; the problem though could be not getting to meet other postgrads, attend as many academic events etc.

I would have to disagree with your point about "not getting to meet other postgrads". Aberystwyth has a strong and very active postgraduate community, especially within the International Politics Department (If memory serves me correct I believe this is what Gitterhuf is hoping to study).

You'll probably also find that doing your doctorate through a funded programme means you get much more tailored support and access to resources that otherwise you'd have to fend for yourself.

With a full-time PhD, quite a few universities have something in their terms, I know of at least two that only accept full-time students that live within 50 miles.

You'll probably also find that doing your doctorate through a funded programme means you get much more tailored support and access to resources that otherwise you'd have to fend for yourself.

not true, or anyway not true in the arts and social sciences (it is perhaps true in the hard sciences, where funding often means a junior involvement in some particular and structured project for which larger external funding has been won by the department). But in History a student will be provided with exactly the same help and resources whether funded or self-funding, and it is likely that most of the academics he meets anyway won't know which he is.

To the limited (I think,non-existent) extent that this might make a difference, it could perhaps be argued that a student who is self-funding is the more the customer.

That may be so but the key tie that will bind him to Aber is the library facilities. Aberystwyth, the town, has a copyright library.

Anyway, as I said, the university would probably not allow him to live further away than 50 miles anyway, and there isn't much within 50 miles of Aber, not even Swansea or Bangor is within that radius.