ok, wind your neck back in. I don't doubt Natassia's commitment or ability, nor that a supervisor would relish the opportunity to mentor such a student. I was merely making the point that, since most PhD candidates are hard working and determined individuals (why apply for a PhD if you are not?), most supervisors would not turn her down. So, why not find somewhere with funding? it feels like exploitation to me... that said, if a student is happy to self fund, then why not.... but not everyone is in a position to self fund a PhD - and I would argue that gaining funding is the hardest part.

What's the exploitation here, if the topic is the student's own choosing and the student wants to do it, and the student makes a choice to go for a partially or unfunded place? Nobody ties anyone to a pole, holds a gun to their heads and forces them to take up an unfunded place, especially if the student is brilliant and has many other options.

So, if a good student wants to do something, and do it at a particular uni, with a specific person, and finds it worthwhile to not go for the funded places, advertised studentships or much else for purely intellectual reasons, but instead work twice as hard to fund themselves and do what they want, where on earth is the exploitation coming in????

As for your comment on "wind your neck back in" - a forum with threads are for people to participate. Normally, I'd say "shut up" to this, but of course I wont.

Sorry Natassia for this, no more from me.

So What is the moral of the story? Nat! Just imagine yourself as a professor/lecturer in an average ranking UK university. You have a doctorate in '----'. What would be your motivations? You have 2 funded places but want 6/7 PhD students each year. "To get plenty of PhD students, get a lot of work done. Publish papers in abundance (don't forget 90% effort would be from the student side) write this all on your CV and move over to a more prestigious university with salary bonuses". Who gains most in this? (14K)x(3)+(3350)x(3)+stationery+travel costs seems a lot of money a self funded student would have to find. It is true that it is kind of a free labor.

Goodboy if you had read Natassia's previous thread on her PhD application you would know that the PhD she is accepted for is the exact one she wanted, in the univeristy she wanted, with the supervisor she wanted.  There is little funding available but she is able to apply for some later in the year and has thought through the implications of doing a self funded PhD thoroughly. I have no doubt Natassia would be accepted for funding were it available, but I don't see why she should have to go elsewhere to a PhD that is not her first choice solely for having it be funded when she has already weighed up her options and decided she can self fund for now.  Surely it is more likely a PhD candidate will drop out in a self funded position, due to running out of money or the extra stresses of having to work to fund the PhD, and are therefore a less reliable candidate to a supervisor than a funded student. The issue is not whether this is a self funded PhD or not here but whether Natassia has been accepted, which I think she has, so again Natassia, congrats and good luck.

Whoa Goodboy!!

First the supportive post, then the prayer to mothers and heavens and whispers, and then the jab at this being an exploitation...

if only things could be 'dispatched' off as easily we think they can... (ahem)

Firstly, I haven't been on the forum since I posted yesterday afternoon. Thank you to everyone for the congratulations, and for all the wonderful advice you have given me in the past few weeks and months - you all know who you are. :-). This is the biggest relief for me, I am SO pleased that I can do exactly what I had planned to after my MSc, in such a fantastic department.

Thank you very much to those who have explained my situation as far as you can to those who have suggested that my decision to self-fund could have affected my chances of being accepted, it means a lot to see that people on the forum know me to the extent that they can comment accurately. I just think I should respond now, so that they are fully aware of my situation and the fact that I am not, under any circumstances, being exploited. Like others have said, this is a decision that I have agonized over, and have even posted on here about.

I study Psychosocial Studies, an emerging discipline that is not really covered beyond an interdisciplinary, health psychology focus in many university departments, however it is at the forefront of sociology and psychology. Therefore, I don't have a lot of choice over where I can go to do PhD research. Due to the government cuts in higher education, there is also very limited funding available, I cannot go to the ESRC as I have not yet completed my MSc. I was going to apply to a London university that has a psychosocial department, and had studentships available; I spoke to a potential supervisor and started my application, but after speaking to my present tutors I decided that department was not suitable for the project I wanted to do. I then decided to stay where I am, despite the lack of funding.

I spoke to my MSc supervisor and he said that I could have any funding that became available, although it looked bleak. My other tutors, who are now my supervisors said that they wanted me to stay but that I should go where the money is. I didn't want funding to be the reason for going to a department where I wouldn't be happy and that I wouldn't have the best supervisors, and so I considered self-funding. My parents said that they could help me out - I really don't like the idea of taking money from them but I have decided to, and hopefully it will only be for this year. Additionally, this money is the kind of money we'd rather not have as a family, the best thing I can spend it on is my future. When I spoke to the director she said that if I had applied last year, when they had studentships, I would have got one. I am well-respected in the department and my supervisors are all very enthusiastic and pleased that I have decided to stay, yes they will get something out of it, but so will I. I am confident that my supervisors are considerate enough not to use me as 'cheap labour' - the department definitely has a quality over quantity approach when it comes to their research students.

Thanks again to those who have supported me, Natassia xx

... maybe I am just bitter! but in the biological/medical sciences, unless you are a millionaire, you cannot self fund a PhD!! Good luck Natassia, You will be great! and I hope you enjoy your exciting new adventure!

I know someone who tried to self fund in an ecology phd, no chance, she ended up having to leave with an MPhil as she couldn't afford to stay any longer. In sciences the expense is much greater due to the cos of fieldwork and experiments, I know for my own project running one set of samples costs nearly £1000 in total when sampling, preparation and running costs (reagents etc) are combined! For 50uL of standard its about £300 so I'd have no hope! Living costs are dear enough to contend with when self funding, us lab people are greatly reliant on our supervisors lab budget to see us through, my own PhD stipend would only cover my 1st years work!

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Hey Natassia, you don't have to justify yourself or your position to anyone else! All that matters is that you are in, that you are where your want to be, donig what you want to do, and that that is half the battle.

I'm self funded, and like you, passed up an opportunity for a funded place elsewhere because I knew exactly what I wanted to study, and who with. And yes, it's tough, but I don't feel exploited, I am getting brilliant supervision, contacts, kudos, and I'm researching a topic that will pave the way for where I really want to be professionally. And you've made a similar choice, I think; so you celebrate! Well done XX8-)

Eska - that is totally the choice that I have made, but put much more concisely, thanks!

I hope I will enjoy my new adventure, it will be difficult of course, but at the moment I am still getting there, in the sense that I am still completing my MSc. I will not be paying out much for materials etc. so should be ok for as long as I have to self-fund for, hopefully not longer than the first year.

Regards Natasha iam just happy for you just trust God he has already made it for you. Just settle and continue seriously. Thats all no other big deal please do your best.Otherwise I have just joined this forum actually looking for a phd scholarship. I have both my masters and first degree in library and information science.
Clement Claire.