Hm that sounds interesting... I like the bit about pretending to think XD

Yep, it's that dreaded question. I've got a PhD interview coming up in the next couple of weeks, and I'm sorry to start another Interview topic after some of the excellent ones already made... But this question scares the Bejeezus out of me!

What kind of things should you focus on? My social interests? My academic interests? I'd wager I should talk about my academic interests, what got me into what I'm interested in and why I want to continue studying it... But I'm not sure :s

Well good luck, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it gets sorted out 8)

Great news! I bet that's a weight off your shoulder ^_^

English is your third language?! You come across on these boards as being better at English than most English people!

Getting a Masters shouldn't be much of a problem. As long as you show a good degree of aptitude (and that'll most likely come from your marks and references), you'll be fine. I don't think they're anywhere nearly as competitive as PhDs.

Ok guys thanks a lot for your help - and an interesting discussion on economics!

That does sound incredibly harsh. I've heard a couple of other people have that happen to them, as well...

I totally agree. I'm itching to get out of this country. Payment for research/academic careers in the life sciences are low, taxes are sky high, and everything else costs a bomb. Almost everywhere else, even if the salary is the same other things are cheaper. Particularly houses - the housing situation in this ocuntry is a joke. If you've got no money and can't be bothered to get a job or you have a baby and no partner, you're given one. But if you're working for between £10-25K (i.e. the majority of people in England) getting a house is tough.

Thanks for all the answers though, it appears as though you can pretty much make of that stipend what you will. I was just concerned how much of it was intended for the running of the PhD - and apparently, you get a different fund for that. Is that true?

Incidentally, when I earned £5K off £800/month, I was paying £20 rent at home :s I could save a lot!

I was priveleged enough to live in areas that were pretty cheap - in Swansea and Bangor I only paid £40-50 a week rent, bills weren't much, plus £20 pw on food.

And to be more precise, it was closer to 3.5K... But still, a far cry from £12K!

When I was working a while ago I was getting £800 a month, and i managed to save £5K over most of a year, which I used to help fund my Masters. I get I'm just used to being thrifty :s

You don't know the situation, though. That's the whole point. For all you know, Gene's realised that the subject he's working on really isn't for him. I've forked on a subject I don't like for 2 weeks, and that was hell - I would hate to think I would have to live like that for 3 years, just for letters after my name. His situation may not be that, but may be something equally bad. Why does Gene have to stick with his first choice? Everyone makes mistakes. He's realised that early and is doing something about it.

And he didn't waste your time. You did.

However, I think a frank opinion such as you give DOES help. Sometimes, though, you may be a little ~too~ frank :s

Ok, I've pretty much been living off £3K a year at uni, so when I think I'd get about £12K if I'm funded for a PhD, I think that that's going to be plenty of money.

Yet, I've seen at least two people on here complaining that they simply don't have enough money...

So how much do you guys estimate are the living costs of a PhD student? Does yoru 12K really get stretched, or are some people very loose with their wallets and purses!

lol! I wish I was! Some people were taking home some rather nifty looking motor bikes O_o

Roopa - Feeling a need to please your supervisor is pretty natural I think, particularly if they are charismatic. My supervisor was one of the best in his field, and it's a field which I love, so I was eager to please, too!

Don't worry though - as long as you work reasonably hard you'll do fine. Nobody expects you to work 120 hours a week. All they expect you to do is take your work seriously. Even if you don't get a distinction, but in your research project you come up with some good ideas, then I think you'll be fine. And if you've got three supervisors, you've got a good chance of pleasing at least one of them!

I agree with Kitten, Coastman and Kronk. It depends on what subject you're doing, too. I got a distinction in a marine biological subject - there weren't any exams. It was split in a similar way to Kronk's.

I put in a lot of work, particularly when I was doing my thesis - towards the end of that I might have been doing 7 or 8 hour days. But I never worked too hard... I think that can be counter productive.

On the other hand, some people DO work all hours in the day, and feel that they need to to get a good mark. Maybe that's true, or maybe that extra three or four hours a day only earns them an extra 1 percent or less. Who knows?

Just work at your own pace, take each piece of work as it comes. Work hard, but don't wear yourself out.