One question we have a lot is from international students seeking sources of funding.

Do you think we could have a sticky thread for this, so that when anybody else asks can just point to a single thread instead of having to answer the same question over and over?

Thanks, with love, DanB :-x

Have you asked the departments whether they have specific bursaries or a list of university scholarships you can apply for?

Actually, that's probably true - my female friends often ask me to go shopping with them because I will tell them exactly what I think. If I don't like it, I say so. If I do like it, I say so and will mean it. So maybe that was the benefit!

Well, we went today. Got a nice dress. Have decided on colour for the rest of it, but she wants shoes, some kind of little cardigan or throw and we saw a nice fascinator as well - not too big but not too small.

Quite impressed that she saw nothing when with her two girlfriends yet I go along and we found a dress within twenty minutes, and it was in the sale!

I used to have a supervisor (not for my PhD) who used to sit very close to me when we were discussing work. He would tell me allsorts of interesting facts about his personal life, like the time he told me he went a nightclub and fell down the stairs. Why I needed to know, I'm not sure.

Moral of my story: some supervisors are weird. Most aren't. Just accept them for the strange academics that they are, and all will be well.

Hey Zipidee, I think it's easy for everyone to sound off on here when things aren't so great so sometimes it can seem like it's all negative!

For me, one of the best things was having a lot of freedom, although that will depend on institution/subject/supervisor etc. I was able to work from home most of the time and loved it, I really loved being able to work when I wanted. So some weeks I might only do 20 hours, others I might do 80 - it wasn't rigid. PLus it was nice to go shopping in town during the week when it was quiet and being able to take time off whenever I wanted to.

I also liked the academic freedom, I was lucky to be able to take my own path and ended up researching something really unique and I found interesting. I was ready to quit at the end of my first year, had my resignation letter written and gave it to my supervisor, so glad he didn't accept it! It's nice looking back to think, yes, I have made an original contribution. It may only be a little bit in the grand scheme of things, but it's still unique and I still did it.

I also like the fact I learned a lot of skills I now take into the workplace - I work in the private sector and they all like that I can write and give presentations confidently, that I really criticise well the work I'm doing (and that of others), someone even the other day said how "professional" my emails were, even just short ones!

Conferences as well were great, went to some really good ones and met loads and loads of very interesting people. Definitely get to as many as you can, it's such a great experience. And you might win a prize if you do a good poster or talk - I won £100 of amazon vouchers for a poster once which went nicely towards an ipod!

And, dare I say it, this is a pretty good place too if you're ever feeling down about things and want someone to chat to or advice. I used to be on here quite a few years ago when I was doing my PhD and it was great for both banter and advice. It feels weird now that I'm the one giving the advice (having just about made it through the other end!). And I have made some nice real life friends from here too, which is great!

They're about equal. That's all I'm going to say.

We should form a group from people on here, the PGFs!

Oh to be fair I didn't see any of the performances tonight I only got home about half hour ago.

I was quite impressed with the winning act I must admit.

Yes, Jepsonclough, of course you would ;-)

I've just been out for dinner with my friend and just got back and put the results on. Not sure who I want to win to be honest, I quite like that old lady and twist and pulse.

Hi Scared. Firstly, you need to clarify exactly why your supervisor is saying this. Do you not have enough results? Have you made an "original contribution to knowledge" or not? How long is your write up period, is it a year or longer? Do you still have time to finish the results before you go into write up phase?

Is it a case that your supervisor genuinely thinks you don't have enough or is just being demanding and wants you to have some super results? DOn't forget a PhD isn't about being a groundbreaking genius!

Hi Leaf.

You sound as if you've done absolutely the right thing by drawing up a pro and con list of each place. From what you've written, at least the way it comes across to me, is you're trying your hardest to justify taking your top choice!

It might be worth asking roughly how many teaeching hours you are. From this do a "cost analysis", so work out how much you would earn and how much it would cost to live without the bursary at the first uni, then do the same with a bursary but with less hours at the second uni. In other words, you may find out that financially you get to a break even point.

And if you do choose the one with a bursary, make sure you aren't going to look back going "what if..." That's a tough one, believe me!

I was with someone for quite a good chunk of my PhD (when I was doing it fulltime). We split up and things stayed amicable for a while, but disintegrated and I haven't spoken to him for over a year now. He doesn't figure anywhere in my acknowledgements. That doesn't mean I shalln't look back in future and he'll be forgotten, I just don't find it relevant. Having said that, there are friends I have acknowledged and who knows where they will go - will I still be friends in ten years time with them? I don't know. It's hard to say.

I guess what I'm trying to say is go with whatever you think is right at the time of writing it. Just because someone has touched the time that you were doing your PhD doesn't necessarily mean you will wish to keep their memory in what is an intensely personal piece of work over a fixed period. Plus what if you wanted to show a future partner? I would find that a bit strange trying to explain!

Eska, I saw those the other day!

Not as bizarre as the three thousand (may be exaggerating) world cup crisp flavours from walkers.