Come on guys! You don't have to publish but it is highly recommended before your viva. In practice, in my department (biology, toxicology field) it is almost impossible to have a successful viva without any publication. Secondly it depends from your supervisor, department, topic etc etc as usual. I am not from UK but this is a fantastic place to do a Ph.D.! Just one experience is not enough to assert anything.

I think It's better to choose the best project, in particular if it is a multi partners project. My personal rank is Supervisor, Project, University. I'm a marine biologist too but I'm doing a Ph.D. in ecotoxicology. The important things during your Ph.D. are networking and publications. both important for your future.

I am going back to Italy from 22nd December to 5th January. Enjoy your holidays....your supevisor will do the same!

The truth is that private companies use an hole in the low, so that they amply you for a training period of generally 6 month with a very low salary, but they are not forced to employ you at the end, so they throw you and take another desperate and so on, having for years workers with a very low cost. At the end of my story...I applied in two Univ in UK and both offered me a Ph.D position! End of suffering!!! the same happen with a lot of friend looking for post-doc or jobs in the private companies. So, don't complain so much about UK, it's a great Country!

After my master's degree I worked for 1 year for free in an Italian University, waiting for "something" and looking for jobs in all the country.......NOTHING!!! the only proposals were stage done for free or with a ridicolous salary or training period, bu the problem that I was too much qualified. During an interview in a private lab of biological analysis, the guy told me..."you are too much qualified,I can't employ you because i should give you a too high salary, I prefer a fresher unexperienced graduate"

on the other side, in the public sector we have the so colled "concorso" that means an exam. It should be a meritocratic system but in the reality the concorsi are made ad hoc, I mean winners are known before of the exame date. This is true in particular for universities and public research center. having a Ph.D. don't help you at all, because the difference between you and a guy without Ph.D. are not enough to influence the exam result.

it's a quite complicate matter. In Italy 95% of people doesn't know what is a Ph.D. and there is a strong devaluation of the appellative "Doctor" because of a social situation that I explained in another discussion. Example, in Italy after a Bachelor you are a Doctor!!!!! So the situation is that companies don't want to employ a Ph.D. because they should pay an higher salary (managerial level)and because 90% of companies in Italy are small medium companies, not interested in research and development. The result is that they employ bachelor's owner so they can pay them less.

Ehi guys, if in the UK the situation is so bad, in other Country like Italy.........??? As usual a relativistic point of view helps, for an Italian the UK is a paradise......

It is really funny!!! Consider that in Italy you are a DOCTOR after your Bachelor's Degree, after your Master Degree you are called MAGISTRAL DOCTOR or SPECIALISTIC DOCTOR!!!!!! If you are able to finish your Ph.D. project you do a backstep, you are again a DOCTOR!!!!!!!!! It seems taht in Italy everybody is a Doctor!!! i think this is a cheat towards the other European and the rest of the World! The problem is that the word Doctor, in Italy, was used with a strong courtesy meaning (in particular in the past) by poor people toward everyone was richer than you (ex. your boss)with the intent to obtain a favour,ex. a job... In this way the term Doctor continue to be used in the modern society without caring about the real meaning!!!

Have you never thought that someone want to do Ph.D. just for the interest in his-her field? for that excited state that catch you after a discover or at the end of a good experiment? for the love of science? if you don't like what you will do in your Ph.D. my advice is - give up!

The most difficult thing is obtaining funding!!! as usual. money is the key of success. Start to send e-mails to all the professsors you'd like as supervisors, attaching your cv and a brief letter about your previuos work and future interests. If they are interested in you they will invite you to apply for a position. If they want you they will pay you.
However consider that thousands of people apply each year for a Ph.D. in the USA, from all over the world. On the other hand you should start to search for funding on internet (ex. look for bilatheral agreement between your country and usa). If you apply with full or partial funding is more easy to be accepted.
For Europeans is more easy to find funding in Europe! Consider that this year has been released the FP7 from the european union and the first projects will be approved in september, may be.
Anyway, if you want one thing try and try!
Good luck.

I am from Italy!! but I'm doing a Ph.D. in UK

Great!! Congratulations!!!

Hello,
I am marine biologist (ecotoxicologist), I obtained my master degree in Italy (ancona) and now I am a Ph.D. student in uk.
I give you this link. It is the website of the Marine science departement of my ex university in italy. If you click on link on the left of the website you will find a lot of links related to marine research centers all over the world. (there is also the english version)

bye http://www.dismar.univpm.it

I am working too.