ugh, am in the exact situation. and as you, cannot plan my life or think about anything else! so annoying. had the interview in may, got it, but the funding is not certain... every week they say 'next week' and the latest is that i have to wait till next weds for an update - i.e., day after budget day. not getting my hopes too high, but still feeling very much in limbo!
good luck to all. fingers x'ed we all hear soon!

:(
So annoying, it's driving me crazy. I applied for a PhD I really wanted - as outlined previously - performed what I thought was a terrible interview... got feedback on it to say that I was one of the strongest candidates, but in fact third in line for the PhD.
There were two definite PhDs up for grabs and one possible extra, to be funded by the NHS. The guy said he's get back to me two weeks ago to let me know the outome, when by a week and a half ago I still hadn't heard, I emailed him - he said things were unclear but he would call me in a few days. he did - last Tues... said that I had got the third PhD slot but lots of funding has been pulled recently so the funding is precarious at the moment. Said he'd let me know by the latest of tomorrow - then emailed just now to say he still didn't know if we'd got the funding and was about to go away for two weeks so now I won't hear till the end of June. Meanwhile I am sooo on edge! Really want this! I can't concentrate on much else at the moment! Strategies to help me get on with the rest of my life till I know??

Thanks!

======= Date Modified 07 Jun 2010 14:49:34 =======
double post

I lived alone for the latter part of my first masters and i would say - go for it.. that is, give it a try. it is a much better way round to first start alone and see how you like it (if you get lonely after six months or something by that time you will have more friends and safe avenues to move in with people you kind of know or know a friend of rather than someone totally random). IME - and is the reason why i moved out of a flat share to go alone half way through my last masters - living with nightmare people who you don't get on with when you are trying to study hard is a completely nightmare, and it is worse to be trapped in a rental contract with someone you hate than on your own - believe me.

try it alone first and see how you like it. there is always the library and department open if you get lonely studying at home alone.

good luck! exciting times.

i was told for my full-time masters that to do really well you must do 30 hours of studying per week if you are doing it full-time. not sure i ever did that much though, except during coursework and exams times. for my part-time masters i was told we should be doing 10 hours per week, but again i am not sure i did this regularly, and during coursework times i probably did 25 hours per week. i would set aside an hour or two per day if you can, and just put in as much time as you have free from all the other stuff.

======= Date Modified 07 Jun 2010 15:04:29 =======
still no word. he said to call him back tomorrow (Tues) to see if he knew whether i had the funding or not. argh - waiting is so hard! just want to know one way or the other!

======= Date Modified 07 Jun 2010 15:01:59 =======
the supervisor just called me to say i was one of the strongest candidates - and that i was 'actually well ahead of the field', but i was third in line overall... and so i have been allocated the exact phd i wanted, but it is the one that they were only 'likely' to get funding for and not 'definitely' getting. they are still fighting for the funding and should hear by next tuesday. fingers bloody crossed!!

So Friday I plucked up the courage to write to him to find out and here is his reply:
Dear Blair
I have not written because I have needed to know the funding situation with regard to the outcome for your application in particular, and unfortunately it is still not yet fully clear. Is there a time later today or tomorrow when we could talk about this (over the phone)? What time is good for you? And what number?
Kind regards,
Thingy

So all hope is not completely lost. I will call him Monday. There were three studentships going but the third was not definite.. I suspect this is still the case & for whatever reason I would have been reserved the third. will find out. Thanks for replies!

heheh. Thanks! :-)

======= Date Modified 25 May 2010 17:10:23 =======
very odd - i wrote a big reply and then lost it!
but thanks guys - the above is of great comfort! :-)))
still no word but they are soo unreliable at that place, admin wise. which is one thing to focus on if i do not get it i guess ;)

This is very true, yes. Thanks. There were eight people in total on the list I think, including me, and two potentially three PhDs going. so five others would need to have screwed up worse than me - which I find very unlikely! I just hope they get back to me soon, as whilst I am convinced that i did not get it, i still feel a bit on limbo land until they let me know. I really wanted this one, but I am sure there will be others so will just conclude it as good experience until the next one comes along. Ta!

so did you hear back?

has anyone ever had one of these and still got the PhD? I had one last Tues so by rights they should have got in touch with me by today, like they said they would. I messed it up so bad.... some of their Qs I couldn't even answer - had to say I don't know. Brain went in to melt down and I couldn't answer the most basic of stuff. Really freaked out cos of nerves and brain went blank, BUT before I got in the room I think I was a really strong candidate. I have two masters degress, both relevant to the PhD - well one subject wise and one in rsrch methods & have also worked in the field of the PhD for the last four years.
I just wonder what the chances were of them realising that I was nervous and my brain going blank and if it had happened to others at all? First time for me to have such a bad interview - I got a studentship for my first masters from the same people who will fund the PhD I went for and that was completely fine!