adding to that... yes, but even if it is a ESRC quota studentship in question, the money and the place to study are technically two different things. the department might decide to give you a place but not the funding. then it would be up to you to either go somewhere else or try to find other funding. still, the place and the money is linked in that you won't get the money without the place
I think it is different with other research councils, but at least in the ESRC the open competition is also bound to departments (that's what we've been told anyway) - it is departments who put forward applications for the open competition and the number of such applications they can put forward is limited, so there's no avoiding the department.

hmm I'm not certain since I've lost touch with the new Endnote versions. But I would suppose that
- you need only one entry
- you get it to show what you want it to show by fiddling with the output style, rather than the database entry. (you can use predefined styles, build your own, or adapt existing ones)

Hope that helps.

hey there Elrisa,
I'm not in the exact same situation but have constant problems with my fee status and eligibility for funding mainly due to many bodies just simply not having adapted their regulations and guidelines to the existing laws.
I would say, do talk to UKCOSA - if you are going to believe anybody's answer, then their's! But I would advise you to first ask if that "mainly for education" thing does actually matter for EU citizens or not. Only if they say it does matter, add your other question!
I can't help more than that... I have thus far been unable to determine my own eligibility status for ESRC since the only people who can really answer this - the ESRC themselves - are not answering me. So I just applied and we'll see what happens.

hey there,
do you mean, your university determines your eligibility according to your fee status? if yes, then you should have a good look at the UKCOSA website. they have expert understanding of the complex situation and will advise you on the phone if necessary. in my case my uni wanted to make me pay overseas fees because they didn't know the law... they gave me a big fight but after i made them talk to UKCOSA (they do that) they admitted I was right. the thing is, the universities can't just determine it anyway they want, they have to stick to the law, even if they haven't adapted their own guidelines to new legal regulations yet.

It depends how different the field is. I know several people who did a Master's in Gender Studies and are now doing a PhD in Sociology, and similar such shifts within, broadly said, the social sciences. I also know that there are some programs that will accept scientists into social science programs which are aimed at social science aspects of science.
If the fields are radically different however, you might have to go for the diploma. Before you do that, though, do talk to the people of where you want to go ultimately and see what they think. You might have some extracurricular expertise or something that will make them accept you directly into their PhD program.

I think most PhD programs have very specific ways in which they want applications to reach them. Probably sending CVs and cover letters out to everybody won't help - they might just land in the dustbin.
Rather, you should check the websites of the places you are interested in individually. Some specifically want you to fill in an online application form, and applying will cost a certain fee. Some give you application guidelines which will usually involve a description of your proposed research project. I really do think that if your application does not match what is stated on the department's or university's website they might very well just ignore it. Hope that helps.

Hi Tabea,
I don't thing wrong reasons, but perhaps wrong expectations. Many PhD students waste their talent on doing a PhD. Many don't really get the education they want. But you do get the degree and if that is what you need for your career plans then go ahead and get it! It might actually be easier to get a PhD if you don't invest a lot of personal interest (though some will help) and emotions into it but just see it as a ritual and necessary next step. Being funded helps a lot with this! Unfunded students will have to invest much more personal interest and everything because otherwise it gets real hard to explain to yourself why you are going through all this hardship. You on the other hand can just relax and say, ok this is not as fun as I thought, but I AM getting paid for it and in a couple of years I can go ahead to where the real music plays.
Hope that helps.

Another thought: I honestly believe that if you know exactly why you quit, you will always be able to explain this convincingly to prospective future employers. And quite some might just see that while you do not have a PhD degree, you have a heck of a lot of reflexive knowledge about yourself, your weaknesses and strengths, your motivations, you know what makes you tick and what doesn't and you are able to make hard decisions. This is of high value to employers and might actually give you a competitive advantage if you manage to 'sell' yourself this way!

Hi there again, Angie
thanks for filling out the picture. I guess it's just going to be a really tough decision, but you are just going to have to make one. I find that sometimes the most wearing, energy-consuming and distracting thing about doing a PhD is the constant thinking about if you should quit or stick with it. Once you have made that decision, either way, things will look up!
One thing I sometimes find useful is this: I make a 'provisional' decision. I seriously make up my mind and go about life as if this was definite. But it comes with a time limit and after the time I set myself (a week or so) is over I sit down and ask myself how I felt this week. In a emotional and bodily sense. It's then only after this that I make the final decision. You might want to try this!

Adding to what everyone has already said: If it is not a funded PhD position, you should get in contact with the department you are aiming at immediately. At the same time as you apply for a place as PhD student you should get in touch by phone or mail and ask what you need to do to secure funding. They might ask you to submit something (in addition to what you submit to get the place) and then they will decide on the two independent issues of a) admitting you as a PhD student and b) providing you with funding. Hope that helps.

"I think I owe you and that French bloke a pint. :)"
I'll be glad to take you up on that if you do indeed manage to get some funding!

"And was there something in particular that made you stop when you did?"
I would add to that, was there something particular that made you start originally, that you might just have lost out of sight, or it might also not be there anymore? If what made you decide to do a PhD isn't there anymore, I would seriously think about quitting. If it's just out of sight due to all the stress, it might help getting your focus back on it, reminding yourself why you are going through all this trouble.
Mostly, do try to talk to somebody about this! Posting on this forum was a good start. But a personal conversation is much better! You will find that most if not all other PhD students have similar struggles in one way or another and won't find it awkward at all if you approach them with this!

I insist I do think you are eligible. Because the "for purpose of education" clause does NOT apply for EU citizens. EU citizens who have been resident in the UK, regardless for what reason, for the last three years, are eligible for the full award. EU citizens who have been resident in another EU country for the last three years, regardless for what reason, are eligible for a fees only award. This is the case since June 2005 when there was a EU ruling after a French student took the case to court.
The qualifications "not for educational reasons" and "must have indefinite leave of stay" count only for non-EU citizens.

Well, first, thanks for your comments.

I am finding it a little (or rather, very) odd that
- EU citizens who haven't been resident in the UK get to apply for fees only awards,
- but British citizens (who are after all also EU citizens) who have not been resident in the UK are excluded from this. At least that's what the eligibility guidelines state.

So, as a British citizen, if you have been resident in the UK, you can apply for the full award, if not, you get nothing. As EU citizen other than British, if you have been resident in the UK, you can apply for the full award, if not, you can apply for the fees only award. Weird, huh? Anybody know anything more about these things?

you might be interested to know that the residency qualification that says residency doesn't count if it has been for educational purposes - is not valid any more for EU citizens. three years residency in the EU with EU citizenship qualifies you for fees only awards. three years residency in the UK with EU citizenship qualifies you for full scholarship. "for educational reasons" etc. doesn't matter.