Hi FinnicketyKick,

I used to be in a very similar situation and it took me quite a while to get my head around the PhD applications in the UK. After emailing my research proposal to a research fellow, he told me that it is really good (bla bla...). He asked me to apply and I was rejected. I emailed him again and he told me his research group does not work with that kind of topic.

I finally got more success by really targeting my proposals to the research interests of potential supervisors, even with one or two articles from them or their research group. I sent the proposals with an email stating briefly why I think my ideas match him his or hers. I ended up getting a very nice email back from a researcher, with whom I then had a two-hour conversation. The application was just paperwork and accepted right away.

In the mean time I read a lot and worked really hard with improving my proposals. In sum I can say that the more effort I put into writing and contacting in a targeted way, the better the response and the more help I got. The exception I described above may not be a good supervisor anyway ;)

Filled it out!

I just did not know if I should rate the leader's extraversion or friendliness. Luckily, with him I can rate both the same, but if I had chosen the team admin for example, I would have rated extraversion as very high and friendliness and low.

Am I glad my two supervisors are women and the co-supervisor is not my type ;)

Anyway, I have worked a lot in IT before and I know how it is... It got better with the years, as I guess I used to be similarly 'innocent' like you. What I did was to 'ask' my boyfriend for a ring and worked on this relationship. Later I put on a very nerved ("Oh please!") facial expression every time there was a friendly and not surely professional comment from someone at work.

I noticed that there are differences between boundaries and walls - setting good boundaries can mean things are getting a lot easier with people, while I don't have to be agressive or avoid them.

I understand you as someone who studied in the US without any Spanish ;)

I can speak from the experience of a native German speaker in Germany who sometimes had non-German speakers around. Although everyone is able to speak some amount of English, it sometimes does not seem good enough or generall embarassing. Once I start speaking a language with someone I find it quite strange to switch to another language. This was never meant to exclude the non-German speakers. So, please don't take it personally :)

I made the experience that an effort often leads to a reciprocal effort. Are you interested in studying German at all? I knew a colleague who bought a German dictionary for tourists - with a hilarious flirt-and-sex chapter. This book alone lead to a LOT of conversation with Germans, in English and broken German. My advice would be: buy a cheap book-and-CD set (Langenscheidt is my favourite), then learn a few basics and try to use your few words from time to time, picking up more as you go.

Hi Emma,

I started my PhD in November and I am asking myself these questions as well. I basically tried to do everything at once when I started - reading as much as I can, writing everything down in different places and beginning some volunteering. I ended up being quite anxious and overwhelmed, while other seem to have all the time in the world ("I am going on a one month travel next week, don't think I am doing much then...") My supervisor told me that I don't have to write my PhD within the first weeks, and others are starting off being rather relaxed, since they say they have enough to do in later years anyway.

I think we need to find our way and our balance - every PhD is individual. In contrast to my previous work life no-one seems to look at the time I spend doing work. You might use some time to reset your mind and work on broad ideas. Anyway, I am going to go home early today - no need to stress out at this stage ;)

All the best.

In my institute there is someone around your age and he seems to be in the absolutely right place. I agree with HaloChanter that it is crucial to be very interested in a subject and very dedicated. This is more important than intelligence.

Let me ask you the same question without the 'even'.

I would look for funding and PhD places in the same time, as you need to find the right match with supervisors and research groups. Sometimes it is the same application. You might even get extra funding for your kids, but I am not an expert there.

Hi mhmd,

This sounds really interesting. What is the basis for your model - experience or previous research for example?

Of course you can create a new model in a PhD, I just emailed back and forth with a scientist who had done it in my field.

Why not write a proposal about it? Have you read some articles of others developing management models? To be honest, I don't know what and how much is expected in a proposal. I would learn about other models, so I can compare mine with these, and then back-up the links in my model with research. Then I'd come up with one or more ideas to validate the model.

Good luck

That is great news, espresso! Congrats

Congrats, David! It is so motivating to read your story.

Whooooow! Congrats! I love to read your story :)

Hi lcamoir,

I have the impression you gave yourself the answer already ;)

I am doing a PhD right now and love it so far. You know, I am determined to be honest with my supervisors, including my plans, my problems and my fears. I don't see the problem of mentioning your thoughts. You might get useful feedback for a decision you can still take later on.

Good luck.

In Germany you often have the model part-time PhD + part-time research assistant. Scholarships are not very common and so it takes a few more years to complete. Maybe you contact staff and professors who are working in relevant fields?

I heard the University of Hanover is not too bad (Leibniz Universitaet). I don't think you find any Oxbridge equivalents there.