There seems to be a lot of confusion RE: quite what everyone means here and I think I'm going to be adding to it!
Chrisrolinksi, if I understand you correctly you're suggesting applying for a part job starting before your scholarship runs out?
If so I'd be very careful, strictly speaking I think you're supposed to ask for permission to do so with the AHRC -- though I don't know how strict they are in enforcing this.....

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Ack - yes, I have been a bit unclear. I meant applying trying to get a part-time job that wouldn't infract the 7 paid hours a week AHRC rule until September. And then after that a part-time job, like 15/20 hours a week or so to finance the writing up period (if I can't possibly save before then)


I don't want to take on any more than the 7 hours before September as I want to get as much as the PhD done as possible, and don't want negative attention from the AHRC!

Ah, sorry I was just checking you were aware (sorry if I sounded patronising!).... good luck on the part-time jobs front. I've just started worrying about what happens when the money runs out and I'm not done!! It seems somewhat ludicrous that you're given up to a year for writing up but expectd to fund it yourelf!

Thanks pamplemousse. It wasn't patronising at all. I did make it sound like I was intending to work too many hours before the end.

Yeah, it kills me that 3 year PhD's are mythological creatures like the Phoenix or Unicorn - with most people taking somewhere between 3 and 4. Yet funding bodies only seem to fund for three years and university instituions expect the fourth year cash to come from somewhere.

My uni does a nominal writing up fee of £200, but students who take up this option don't have access to internal funding for conferences or other events which you can apply for as a regular student.

You sound like you're trying to do an awful lot at the moment though. Is it worth putting your various professional development ideas onto the back burner for now, and concentrating on getting the PhD finished? There are likely to be other career opportunities in the future, but it would look good if you could finish your PhD within your AHRC funding period. Not sure exactly how it works with funding bodies, but it might help your case if you ever apply for funding from them in the future as it shows you can deliver on time. Once the PhD is done, you can apply for jobs galore with less background stress.

I'm not sure this applies for the AHRC.
Anything under four years is classed as being 'on time'!

Oh, ok! I just mentioned it as one of our AHRC funded students was commended by our res committee for submitting within his studentship period. Maybe it looks good for the uni too, I don't really know.

A student funded by the AHRC is ideally supposed to finish within the three year category. But as long as they submit within the 4 year period then the department in which they take their doctorate does not receive any penalty. Beyond this and trouble brews...

I expect to have a complete draft (some chapter will be on their second or third draft by this point) of the thesis by the end of August. I expect to go over the funding period/3 year mark simply because I expect my supervisors to suggest revisions (perhaps structural or to think more about conclusion etc). My supervisors think I am generally on track to hand-in at some point in the autumn/early winter. They have commented on work as I have written it so I trust their asessment (and my own feeling here!). I would like to have it in before Christmas this year. And then face any corrections and the viva in the New Year.