Funding PHD?

DW1994

Hi, I'm planning to do a PHD in September full time, however, my major concern is money, and having to finance it myself, for 3 years of study, I'll need about 13-14000 pound to fund it, but will get not financial support, what can I do to fund this course?

Reply 1

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Isn't there a new postgraduate PhD loan? You could take that out, or study part-time and work.

Reply 2

DW1994

I live in Wales, so we don't have a scheme here for PhD loans.

Reply 3

jelly1000

Original post by DW1994

If the Phd loan scheme doesn't extend to Wales you have two options
1) Apply for a funded position
2) Work and save up

Reply 4

M14B

Have you considered a gap year or two working solid and then do the PhD?

Reply 5

BlueSam3

If you don't get funding from the university, they don't actually want you. It's basically a polite version of a rejection.

Reply 6

Changing Skies

Original post by BlueSam3

If you don't get funding from the university, they don't actually want you. It's basically a polite version of a rejection.

Not necessarily true. A university could desperately want a certain applicant but the organisation funding the position may not.

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Reply 7

BlueSam3

Original post by Changing Skies

Not necessarily true. A university could desperately want a certain applicant but the organisation funding the position may not.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Universities control a sizeable percentage of funding for their PhD students, and have a lot of influence over most of the rest. If they want you, they will offer you funding.

Reply 8

DW1994

Original post by BlueSam3

If you don't get funding from the university, they don't actually want you. It's basically a polite version of a rejection.

They want me, the lecturer has said he wants to work with me, and knows others who want to work with me. They've said about filling in the application form, and have also asked me to apply for a lecturing position too, but the lecturing position will fund things like travel, and basic living, but I don't think i'll get enough to pay the fees.

Reply 9

Snufkin

Universities Forum Helper

Original post by DW1994

Part-time fees are less, aren't they? Why don't you just do it part-time and then finish it in the minimum allowed time, thus saving you money.

Reply 10

finance_fan

To add to the suggestions of doing the PhD part-time and also getting University funding, you could look for specific scholarships that suit what you're intending to research. You might find something on the University website itself or private sites like Scholarshiportal.com which list hundreds of scholarships.

There are also a couple of other options for loans that you should be able to apply for. The Personal Career Development loan is offered by Barclays and Co-Op and you can borrow up to £10,000. You get subsidised interest during study with these loans.

Another option for loans are Future Finance or Prodigy, both of whom offer loans for higher education students to go alongside / on-top of government funding.

Reply 11

jelly1000

Original post by finance_fan

Career Development Loans are for courses of no more than 2 years in length. Companies like future finance are to be treated with caution as interest rates are high and you have to make repayments while studying.