There are, basically, two ways to approach this:

Firstly, if you are looking for a funded place, then you'll need to see what's advertised in different institutions these days in the UK anyhow, either check the websites of places you wish to study with, or check TES or a similar. You should apply in the manner requested in the advertisements.

Secondly, if you are prepared to go self funded, then you need to identify your research area yourself, and then approach suitable supervisors, taking care that they have a good reputation as academics and as educators, and that they are open to supervising in your area if this information is available- many state this on their webpage. Personaly, I wouldn't do a self funded PhD unless it was a topic I was completely passionate about, so I wouldn't want one foisted on me.


Do not harass people who have turned you down - if you are open to other areas of research, then just say this in your initial emai, and they can respond however they wish.

Weeeeehhhhhhhhhaaaaaaayyyyyyyeeeeeeeee! SO, so, SO, WELL DONE. Chrisolinski: the cool dudette of the forum. 8-)

Hi Youngsta, I'm self-funded, and it is hard, but if you are confident you can do this comfortably, then you'll be in a completely different position to me.

IMO, it depends on what you will gain from the world-class intitution, ie what your supervisor is like, and what kind of reputation they have - can they, and will they, open doors for you, and are they commited to their students? You could check their record for that, or seek out what their past students are doing now. Mine has an excellent record for this and publicises their successes on his website alongside his own publications.


If not, or if the funded place can do the same for you, then I'd go funded - no point turning away brass.

You have my sympathy Mabel, these people would give anyone a breakdown, they never know anything, or have any real rules, so they just make life as difficult as possible for people at all points. Lord only knows how 'benefit cheats' if they do exist at all manage it: they must be geniuses.

All I can do is echo the advice to contact CAB, but often the benefits agency have small print in their policies that, effectively, give them carte-blanche to do what they want. But CAB will help you navigate that and make the most of it - if you can get an appointment.


Also, I think the people at the top of benefits who write the small print etc are very clever indeed, and have managed to give themselves an all powerful and unnaccountable position, hence they chaos and nonesense, in which the 'customer' will always lose.


Good luck!

Hi Folks, thanks for the supportive comments. I spoke to someone else, with a better memory and social skills, who was on the panel today and they said my presentation was really good, the only one of the day to have fulfilled the brief, that my visuals were particularly good, and that my questions were excellent, so that's encouraging - one of the panel was 'thrilled' with my suggestion for a Masters course. Apparently, I needed to have been much more explicit about how my research would support the department - they asked me if I had a 'grand plan for my research' and I should have worked the department stuff into my answer - v. useful feedback I though it worth sharing here. He also said my application form was really impressive and was second only to the succesful candidates, so that's encouraging. Am feeling much better - the original comments were from the head of school, sometimes I really think the rubbish people in academia get promoted up.

Hi Jepson, how rubbish! Here, there's some cyber booze in this parcel. Enjoy. (gift)

Thanks Slizor!

Hey Bug, that's wonderful news! Well done indeed. Perhaps you will have a bit more time to chill in future.

BTW, any advice to pass on when applying for funding, you seem to be a miracle worker?;-)

======= Date Modified 30 07 2010 10:07:47 =======
Hi folks, I didn't get the job I've been so stressed about.

I reckon it was all planned out befre I got there: a memeber of staff who has worked for the department for over five years, and who is a friend and business partner of the head of department - who was on the interview panel - got it. That's all understandable, and since I heard she was going for it I've accepted that it was probably her job, but what really p'd me off was the feedback I got afterwards yesterday. Basically saying that I hadn't done enough research into the university and HE futures, and that they were 'concerned' about my research, that I wasn't going to include it in my teaching.

I spent the 20 minute rpresentation talking about my research and practice, and how I would use that in my teaching, I worked so hard to get that message across, but when I pointed that out to the feedback lady she said 'yes, but the presentation doesn't really count'. When I reminded her that I'd addressed HE futures and university stratedgiessubstantially in the two questions I asked at the end, and during the subsequent discussions she says 'the questions don't count towards you meeting the criteria, they are ust questions you want to ask at the end', and told me that the only part of the interview that really counts is my answers to their questions, and they didn't blooming ask me about those things. What utter B*******T, how patronising, really, you don't get on a PhD programme if you're dim enough to fall for that rubbish. I appreciate that she needs to play the game and make things look ok, but giving me misleading advice that, if I were to take notice of it, could damage my future performance is just beyond it, especially when I worked so hard!

I gave them an idea for a postgrad course (which takes into account the things she said I missed out), and they love it and are looking into putting it into action GGGGGGRRRRRRRRRrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

P.s. Thanks so much for the support you gave...

Well, Sliozor, perhaps I should have said: try not to be annoyed by us women being ourselves - and yes, if you look carefully at the posts, there is a great gender divide. I didn't want to leave because of your comments btw, more ejc's and the 'I'm, allright jack' atttitde that was coming from several posters who, as people who have experienced prejudice, must know better. I think you are just going to have to accept that using the worh 'slag' will hurt some people, deeply, that's just life, and make your decsion from there, and that that has nought to do with theory, and much more with personal experieneces and tragic prejudice, that all women, and many men, have expeienced.

As we (Engalnd) are out, I am favouring Argentina, my maternal, ancestoral home. Up the Argies!!!

======= Date Modified 28 Jun 2010 02:47:46 =======
AAAaaa hhhh, the wonderful, admirable, KeanBean, I wish I could meet this person, you work so hard and champion a cause that is so peritnent to our age, and with such integrety and conviction, and with such an open and honest heart: I want you to fly. And you will, but you need to recognise how valuable and amazing you are, and that, as such, you deserve a break to look after yourself. We all stall in our own unique ways, mine is days in front of Fraisier and Gok Wan, yours is Bipolar, But blimey the world needs people just like you doing what you do, and giving your wisdom, so make this a better place and look ater yourself, and I'm certain you'll be the keanest bean in the block again as soon as you can. Yo are gold dust KB, ahead of your game, and bejesus you are worth waiting for. So just give yourself time and space to get alright, and let us know when you need us, because you are a star that needs, and deserves, to shine. xxxxx

======= Date Modified 26 Jun 2010 11:58:23 =======
======= Date Modified 26 Jun 2010 11:56:19 =======
Hi again, Slizor, this is not aimed at you in any way, so please don't be offended. This whole thing has really got me thinking about a girl I was at school with and this whole thing about sexual policing - she was really nice, and still is; she had a high sex drive, and still has, but it's only now, 25 years after leaving school, that I've discovered how nice she is, because at school she was on the margins, because people knew she was into sex, and I was keeping my head down for various reasons I don't really want to discuss here. I mean big fat deal, really - she used get 'slaggy s***' balled at her every available and possible minute of her day, and it was a warning to all of us girls and boys, a loud warning about sexuality and expression by women. But still she carried on, being herself and enjoying life, even though she mus have hurt, and I really admire her for that. She's still the same, which is wonderful... I saw her a few months ago, and her weekend plans were a few tinnies and the boyfriend round for a weekend in. Marvellous. I often wonder about my own sexuality, if I'd been different throughout the years without the desperate need to fit in and be a nice girl when I was younger, and now even, maybe, I don't know. I mean, I've had a bloke dump me on the spot after declaring love and devotion after knowing me for two years because I'd taken him seriously enough to be honest about how many sexual partnets I've had _ which is not that many, see my words above. Most women I know lie about that at the start of a relationsip, and thereafter, or they evade the issue completely. One of my close friends had a very promiscuous phase during which she slept with a lot of men in her locale, where she still lives with her husband who still thinks, after 15 years, that she's only had 2 other sexual partners! Ha, ha, ha. Sad because he's so lovely otherwise, but he'd have freaked if he'd know the truth. I've decide my next one won't ask me.

Well, Slizor, if that's the way you feel, then I think you're just going to have too accept that some people will be hurt by sme f the things yousay and learn to live with it. And stop being so offended by it.

======= Date Modified 25 Jun 2010 23:31:00 =======
it's frightening slowmo, very frightening indeed.

This is so unbelievably depressing, I'm going to have to bow out of the forum until this blows over before I start to dislike people, I feel my illusions are being shattered in the most unpleasant manner... oh dear