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PhD The Early Process, Application and Interview advice

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Reply 560

Original post
by Annie~
Hi Anna,
Just an update/query - your last message was really helpful in moving the process along. As of last week I've now been offered a place on the PhD starting this October - but I still haven't had my official acceptance from Admissions and am worried as I need to be sorting my student finance out. Is there anybody I should be contacting from my end?

Hi :smile:

I've just sent you a private message :smile:
Anna

Reply 561

Hello,
thank you so much for your advice. I did everything and was ready for submission but I couldn't log in to the university website (Queens university). I don,t know whether it was a problem from their side. After that I went through many online sites seeking help I found the educational portal relevant but even after following this, I was not able to log in. Due to lockdown I'm far and couldn't reach out to college? what can I do?

Reply 562

Original post
by Chiran_000
Hello,
thank you so much for your advice. I did everything and was ready for submission but I couldn't log in to the university website (Queens university). I don,t know whether it was a problem from their side. After that I went through many online sites seeking help I found the educational portal relevant but even after following this, I was not able to log in. Due to lockdown I'm far and couldn't reach out to college? what can I do?

Have you contacted Queens university's admissions team via email to see if there is a website error?

Reply 563

Hello everyone, I have a case. I am an international student due to start an MSc in January 2022 and to end by December 2022. However I wish to begin another by September next year 2022 because the course runs only from September. How do I manage this. The second MSc is my dream course of study. it will be a case of my first masters running into the new masters for a lag of 3 months (September to December) please how do I manage this as an international student. Please all your inputs are welcome.

Reply 564

Original post
by kingnoah.
Hello everyone, I have a case. I am an international student due to start an MSc in January 2022 and to end by December 2022. However I wish to begin another by September next year 2022 because the course runs only from September. How do I manage this. The second MSc is my dream course of study. it will be a case of my first masters running into the new masters for a lag of 3 months (September to December) please how do I manage this as an international student. Please all your inputs are welcome.

Do you really need two masters? Why not just drop out of the one you haven't started yet and wait till your dream course starts in September? This is also the thread for PhD applications so perhaps consider making this its own thread or posting in a taught postgraduate thread.

Reply 565

Original post
by kingnoah.
Hello everyone, I have a case. I am an international student due to start an MSc in January 2022 and to end by December 2022. However I wish to begin another by September next year 2022 because the course runs only from September. How do I manage this. The second MSc is my dream course of study. it will be a case of my first masters running into the new masters for a lag of 3 months (September to December) please how do I manage this as an international student. Please all your inputs are welcome.

Hi KingNoah,

I would suggest contacting both of the universities involved in the MSc programs, as most have rules and requirements for attendance (as this can also be required for some visas). If they have conflicting schedules, you could possibly ask to do both part-time, or to defer some modules.
It is a complex situation that will depend on the individual rules of your universities, the requirements of each course, and can't be answered without speaking in detail with your course directors.
If these two courses are in different universities, you would also need to think about which one you could attend in-person (if that option is available for both).
Best of luck with all of your studies!

Ciara
2nd year Agrifood PhD student
Cranfield Student Ambassador

Reply 566

Hey everyone,

I have been offered a fully funded CDT studentship at the University of Manchester, which I accepted. I am an international student and was wondering if someone could guide me on how the process works from here onwards and what can I expect in the following months.

Also, is the stipend amount enough to support your living costs or do I have to work part time to make ends meet.

Reply 567

Original post
by Mxr312
Hey everyone,

I have been offered a fully funded CDT studentship at the University of Manchester, which I accepted. I am an international student and was wondering if someone could guide me on how the process works from here onwards and what can I expect in the following months.

Also, is the stipend amount enough to support your living costs or do I have to work part time to make ends meet.

Hello, just curious: is your tuition waived or did the CDT cover the overseas fees? I heard that research councils typically only cover the home rate.

Reply 568

Original post
by chile1234
Hello, just curious: is your tuition waived or did the CDT cover the overseas fees? I heard that research councils typically only cover the home rate.


Hi,

So what they have offered me is a fully-funded studentship and I am assuming it'll waive off the tution fee.
However, now I am curious myself and will get back to you when I learn more. I have yet to receive an email by the university. The CDT personnel who were responsible for my interview are the ones who informed me that I got the position.

Reply 569

Original post
by Mxr312
Hey everyone,

I have been offered a fully funded CDT studentship at the University of Manchester, which I accepted. I am an international student and was wondering if someone could guide me on how the process works from here onwards and what can I expect in the following months.

Also, is the stipend amount enough to support your living costs or do I have to work part time to make ends meet.


The stipend will support you a basic life but will be ample without any other income although many PhDs will be lab assistants/teaching support/etc. To boost income.

you should coordinate with your supervisor until you start. But mostly not a lot - unless your supervisor has specifically asked you to do something before arriving. You just need to get yourself accomodation etc.

Reply 570

Original post
by mnot
The stipend will support you a basic life but will be ample without any other income although many PhDs will be lab assistants/teaching support/etc. To boost income.

you should coordinate with your supervisor until you start. But mostly not a lot - unless your supervisor has specifically asked you to do something before arriving. You just need to get yourself accomodation etc.


Thanks Mate. I am in contact with the supervisor and have been told to expect some news after Easter holidays so just keeping my fingers crossed.
Really appreciate the information 👍

Reply 571

Original post
by Mxr312
Thanks Mate. I am in contact with the supervisor and have been told to expect some news after Easter holidays so just keeping my fingers crossed.
Really appreciate the information 👍


PhDs can be very intense (albeit first year tends to be a slightly lighter load) but id really recommend not overloading yourself before hand and try to enjoy some time off before you start.

best of luck

Reply 572

Hey, I received yet another rejection letter for a PhD program. I’m quite sad and feel really uneasy as my referees sent out recommendation letters on my behalf. Yet, I again failed to secure a place at a university. I don’t know even how I should notify them about my unsuccesful application and whether I should. Don’t know what I should do next. I just lost count of my unsuccessful applications. Argh

Reply 573

Original post
by Exulted
Hey, I received yet another rejection letter for a PhD program. I’m quite sad and feel really uneasy as my referees sent out recommendation letters on my behalf. Yet, I again failed to secure a place at a university. I don’t know even how I should notify them about my unsuccesful application and whether I should. Don’t know what I should do next. I just lost count of my unsuccessful applications. Argh

How did your conversations go with supervisor before applying?

Reply 574

Original post
by mnot
How did your conversations go with supervisor before applying?


At that university they didn’t require to contact potential supervisors

Reply 575

Original post
by Exulted
At that university they didn’t require to contact potential supervisors


Not required, but it is generally the best method (id say it’s really the done thing), and is part of the process in building a rapport and an interest on there end of working with you - also ensures the supervisor is seeking new students, and that your application and research proposal is highly suitable to there current work and longer term research ambition.

Reply 576

Original post
by mnot
Not required, but it is generally the best method (id say it’s really the done thing), and is part of the process in building a rapport and an interest on there end of working with you - also ensures the supervisor is seeking new students, and that your application and research proposal is highly suitable to there current work and longer term research ambition.

Yes, but I applied to a US university. Initially, they sounded really encouraging and inviting when I contacted them. Then in their rejection letter, they stated that they would deny admission to the majority of applicants. And they sounded way too arrogant in their rejection letter.
(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 577

Original post
by Exulted
Yes, but I applied to a US university. Initially, they sounded really encouraging and inviting when I contacted them. Then in their rejection letter, they stated that they would deny admission to the majority of applicants. And they sounded way too arrogant in their rejection letter.

Oh fair, US graduate school is different to the UK.

It’s pretty standard to encourage all applications who seem qualified enough to be considered. Id request feedback, then see if you can improve your application and reapply elsewhere.

Reply 578

Original post
by mnot
Oh fair, US graduate school is different to the UK.

It’s pretty standard to encourage all applications who seem qualified enough to be considered. Id request feedback, then see if you can improve your application and reapply elsewhere.


The main problem is that I’m tired of constantly bothering my referees to write a recommendation letter on my behalf. I feel really uncomfortable doing that again

Reply 579

Original post
by Exulted
The main problem is that I’m tired of constantly bothering my referees to write a recommendation letter on my behalf. I feel really uncomfortable doing that again


It’s part of the process, you could always reach out to knew ones although presumably they are just sending the same letter out to new institutions so now it is written it isn’t too much effort.

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