Yes, and also because they tend to be deluged with applications so they won't reply to everyone. If you can't get any joy with feedback from them, find somebody in your existing university who you trust (probably one of your referees) who is involved in PhD recruitment and ask them to appraise your application. I got my referees to appraise mine before I sent them. Just a thought...

Yes, I'm leaving consultancy. However, I'm doing a science PHD following a part time degree which I do in evenings - quite different from the nature of work I do.

That said, as you say, it has a number of transferable skills - e.g. project management, report writing skills and I did milk these for all they were worth. I was also able to show that the fact that I was prepared to leave my job to do this showed my commitment.

As most people say, it's a package of things. I'm borderline first/2:1 on my undergraduate degree and have a first on my dissertation.

I got my referees to review my applications and proposals. I even got the supervisor to review it and comment before I submitted it. At some places, this is quite acceptable.

I guess it depends where you are applying to, but I have spoken to every supervisor I have applied to so you know what you're getting into and also that they are looking for your application when they sift through the big pile.

I would err on the side of caution and go for a suit and tie. You can't worry about not looking the part. Better that than follow or be followed by a better dressed candidate! That's me anyway.

Enthusiasm (if you get opportunity to show it) goes a long way - particularly in the early telephone conversations with the supervisor. I certainly went for it, but then I genuinely meant it.

Get in there fellow aspirants!

Thank Golfpro, may be I should. As you can imagine, I'm ecstatic!

To those competing using undergraduate degrees, it can be done!

I just won full funding yesterday to start mine in October. I was also in contact with my supervisor over a number of weeks and built up a good rapport with him.

I think it is useful to ask what sorts of qualifications the competition has. I ceratinly did. I didn't ask for specifics but I wanted a feel for what I was up against.

Turns out I was up against Masters graduates with distinctions so I was well-chuffed that I had succeeded with just an undergarduate degree (in fact, I'm on Cloud 9 at the moment!!).

I would definitely ask how you measure up. You can safely do this without breaking any confidentiality. Besides, it is useful to know for future reference what you need to be successful. Forewarned is forearmed they say. Good luck!

This worked for me:

Buy laptop WITHOUT internet access, go work in library.

Why? You can't procrastinate doing things like, er, this on the internet and also because you can't leave your laptop, so you're chained to it. It's amazing how much work you get through.

Don't forget to add:

lack of sleep
screwed up body clock (the 'living dead' feeling)

I'd leave it be until next month then contact them. There's really nothing you can do now but wait. In the meantime, you might want to consider covering your bases by applying to other places so you have a fallback in case this application doesn't come good.

In most cases there are two funding streams - the department may have one or two internal studentships every year and then there are the research council "blue sky" studentships as well. My experience is that you often apply to the university for both together in the hope of getting one of them.

It's getting a bit late now for an Autumn start though, many of the deadlines have passed already. Other than that, if you're prepared to compromise you can compete for sponsored PhDs which will come up over the summer.

This is an opportunity for you to show that you have read around the topic and are able to articulate the issues/research needs. I guess that if you have a decent grasp of the state of the knowledge it will be quite easy for you to say why the studentship interests you.

Above all, they are looking for someone who is genuinely interested in the topic because the last thing they need is for the student to drop out when the going gets tough. You having a certain amount of knowledge of what you are likely to be in for will reassure the supervisor that you intend to stay the course.

I actually think it's a good idea because people would have a proper way in which to express their displeasure with the political parties and political system in general. Surely better than simply staying at home!

I will be campaigning for a "None of the above" category to added to the voting form. I feel really let down by all of them.

Mia, to me is doesn't matter that much, but to my parents definitely yes.

As I mentioned earlier, I'm hoping to start in september but it is very, very competitive to try and secure funding. It seems there are plenty out there who want this way of life (or in some cases, maybe just the title that goes with it!).

both my parents grew up in poor families on council estates. However, they worked really hard to get nice jobs and buy their first house. When I came along they owned a nice three bed semi and gave me all the assistance I needed to be the first member of my family (and my wider family) to ever go to university as an undergraduate. Having crossed that bridge, I feel I have a duty to them and to myself to push myself to the to the limits of my ability and essentially escape my very working class background.

My parents are both getting old now and I'd really like to make them proud whilst achieving my own long term ambition. I don't think it's snobbish to work hard to realise your potential. Surely better than wasting away in a dead end job. Plenty of time for that later!