What will be will be!
I suspect he would have been top of the grade three pile as well given his grades...
just hope my letter comes really soon either way so we can make plans.
From potentially two PhD students to two unemployed doesn't sound great!!
Sx

I didn't actually get my postcard returned to me this year, so I'm starting to get paranoid that my university didn't even send my application on, and didn't tell me

Really interesting reading all the posts and comforting to think that I'm not the only one waiting! I got grade 3 for the Masters scheme 2 years ago, but very fortunately my uni funded me instead. Now all PhD applicants have been told that there is no money in reserve, so all hopes are pinned on this app.

Last year I suffered the panic of wondering if I was the last person who hadn't received their letter - it was finding the forums that put my mind at rest within about 30 seconds seeing that nobody else had either! I haven't seen a single FLoJ yet on any of the forums or on facebook - maybe they haven't sent them yet? As you say though, we are a very small group and there are over 3K applicants - maybe somewhere out there somebody is hugging their postman!
Last year they would say nothing over the phone until mid september. It was only then that the word got around that they were allowing phone calls - normally simply stating whether or not a letter had been generated, but in one instance I remember telling the decision - what might be referred to as a phone call of doom - they also mentioned that they'd seen the upset on the forum....

I've heard of one.
To an American Literature student who has just completed their 1st year.
That makes it a one in 30 chance?!!!
Hmmm.
Not sure I'll be opening a letter if it plops onto my doorstep tomorrow.

I didn't realise they started telling people in later Sept. over the phone. Strange, because most people will be starting their course by then.

New to the AHRC game and didn't have myself down as a postie stalker, but... Even my birthday cards last weekend were a disappointment as they were not the envelope that would at least put me out of my misery. Finishing MA with Exeter, panel 3 - can't afford to give up job to carry on with PhD (3 sprogs and mortgage) but at least I enjoy my job - really tough for those who don't even know where they will be living etc.

I think it would be easier to become an astronaut than an academic, but what can you do..?

Well, if they are promising that this year the results will be out by the end of August then hopefully it won't be such a big issue - it still makes decision making very hard! I'm not sure about north of the border but most courses start the first week in Oct, and the first installment is paid then also - they don't issue funds until that time.
Woohooo for one FLoJ! It must be so hard for you though pamplemoose At least the AHRC make it nice and easy to know whether or not to open - a FLoJ is a stonking great thick A4 envelope that lands with a resounding crash on the doormat - the TLoD - well, you've seen one of them

I certainly didn't just spend the last half an hour making these instead of doing my dissertation....

TLoD: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soarous/2738100221/
FLoJ: http://www.flickr.com/photos/soarous/2738100153/

Hello Dervish - another possessor of 3 sprogs here Its just brightens up their summer holiday no end having a parent screeching that it is impossible to write with them continually bickering and also who has developed a twitch (I'm sure) and an unhealthy preoccupation with the postman!

Love them soarus!!! as I always say, a break should be taken every 100 words Ok, with a 20K work dissertation in progress it may take a while, but hey, wouldn't want burn out
Speaking of which - 13K down, 7K to go, better push on, my supervisor goes on holiday on the 18th and he wants to see the entire draft for comment before he goes - NOOOOOOO pressure!!

soarus - genius.

Hi there, I have been lurking on this forum for a few weeks now! I am new to the AHRC process this year and if the initial form wasn't bad enough (slack referees) I think this wait will actually kill me! My whole family is in on the TLoD and FLoJ references and I think my mother is probably more of a nervous wreck than I am! I am a PPM panel 7 applicant. I'd really rather not receive the letter yet, if that makes sense, I am dreading receiving a text telling me it's arrived. So I am an obsessive 'phone checker' rather than 'postman chaser' as I am always at work when the postman arrives!

Hi All -

Hurrah for google ... Im so glad I found this forum. I am the only literature PhD student in my department and find the whole process really isolating so its great to read that other people are also waiting for their AHRC outcomes and are feeling as nervous as I am ...

I have just applied for another job to cover my fees and living expenses for next academic year and I don't want to accept it and mess them around if I have got funding (which we all know is really slim BUT someone has to get it!)... at this stage because the process takes so long I just want putting out my misery either way ... lol

Hi everyone, The TLoD is no longer the TLoD!!!!

I came home after work just now and there was a thin letter for me from AHRC, my heart sank as I prepared for the rejection. So I've opened the letter and started to look for what grade I've received, but it was an offer of an award!!!!! I'm in shock...I can't believe it. After all that time waiting for a fat letter, it's a thin letter this time!!!! I'm so so happy!!!!

So be warned, the thin letter is not bad after all!!!!