Hi, I only know about the ESRC, but in the guidance notes it stated that there's no age restriction and that they monitor awards to ensure there isn't any discrimination on the basis of age. I'm not sure if that goes across the board for other Research Councils (or even for other awards through the ESRC) but it would seem likely.

Much celebrating will be done I can assure you! The application was for political research concerning the European Union - there are a number of approaches which academics use in the U.S. to study political institutions and the research is aiming to see whether these approaches would be suitable in the European context. My qualifications are a first in politics from Glasgow University, I applied for a different topic last year and I wasn't successful, so I've been rather aimlessly working in an office for the last year not really knowing where I'd end up until now!

I'm sure that in real terms my proposal was much less deserving than many of the unsuccessful applications and I hope both of you (and the others who weren't successful) have better luck either with the ESRC next year or from another source. You all seem like genuinely nice people, with a huge amount of enthusiasm for what you study, so I wish you all the best in the future.

Thank you very much, I'm very excited, but I know there are more deserving people than me who didn't get funding. I just hope everyone who wasn't successful perseveres because this time last year I was in the same position and ready to give up.

I found out this morning that I received a 1+3 award, so if anyone is still waiting for results it's still possible that you'll get one (I had all but given up hope, so I'm in shock). I assume it's just down to the university and not the ESRC as to when they get in contact with you. It is a complete lottery I feel and I'm in no doubt that there's a quota for different countries and the fact that I'm Scottish had something to do with it - look at the distribution of awards by country on the ESRC's website and you'll see what I mean - so I hope everyone who wasn't successful has luck getting funding from another source.