PhD funding reserve list

I'm also on a reserve list, but I don't know where, and I don't really care to know 😆 Although it's not the ideal outcome, I'm pretty pleased to be on the list at all, so I'm happy to peacefully wait and get my work done in the meantime, particularly as I've also got internal funding to hear about yet.

Re: success, it's obviously totally circumstantial and will depend on how many people take up their place. Through a look at posts from previous years in the funding thread (and the Edinburgh PG 2022 thread) it does seem like a nice number of reserve candidates got offers in the end, from the Scotland's AHRC DTP that is. There's also posts from people on other reserve lists who were successful. I don't think 3 is impossible, but I'd say it's probably on the edge of what's possible. It's also totally possible that someone above you on the reserve list was successful elsewhere, but obviously you can't know. Keeping my fingers crossed for you!

Congratulations! What DTP have you applied for? I envy your mindset - you are absolutely right that just getting on the reserve list is an achievement in itself!

Having applied initially in January, I thought I would be used to the feeling of limbo by now, but it’s driving me insane😂 I think successful applicants have to conform their place by the 20th so if I don’t hear anything this week I’ll make peace with a ‘polite no’!

Best of luck with your reserve list and the department funding!!

Thank you, and to you! It's with SGSAH, which includes 10 of Scotland's unis. I'm honestly not sure how I've consistently retained this attitude towards it, it's surprised me 😂 but in a weird way it's made me realise how invested I am in my project, and that there's such brutal competition doesn't devalue it that. If just a few people ranked above both of us hadn't applied, we'd have been through, and that's pretty cool.

Have looked into any other options for funding? There's dozens of trusts and various funds that you can apply for depending on your subject area and background. If you Google alternative guide to postgraduate funding, you can search. Would advise looking at this on your phone rather than desktop though, as desktop doesn't seem to show the search options. It's a bit of an archaic website.

Yes it’s definitely made me realise how much I want to do my project…I think I’m frustrated to be sooo close, I kind of wish I didn’t know I was even on the reserve list! But I’ll be grateful in time I know.

I haven’t thought about other funding no, I was advised that my subject area (linguistics) has very limited opportunities. My plan B is to move back with my lovely parents and start the PhD part-time whilst working. But I will definitely have a look at that website, thanks so much for mentioning it! What subject are you out of interest?

All humanities seems to be. I'm in philosophy. Nobody in my department got SGSAH funding last year, but one got an internal scholarship. Usually there's at least one or two SGSAH. I imagine they probably only put perhaps 3 through to SGSAH this year -- me, I know one other who didn't get it, and I'm guessing there was at least one more than us, but it's possible not. Do post if you hear!