I really don't think you are likely to fail on a few typos, so I wouldn't worry too much! You have done the vast majority of them correctly.

You should be able to take a break from studies for a while if you want to, so I would approach your supervisor and advise them of the situation and see what they suggest

Congrats Ellebelle! I also submitted a week ago so here's to a more relaxing summer!

People do tend to take a year to write up and submit. I think if I wasn't working and still doing lab work, the earliest I would have finished would be within 6 months. As it is, it has taken me 9 months. I think 70,000 words over 270 pages in 9 months, plus one paper and finding a postdoc whilst working 10 hours a week and 1 day of lab work a week is pretty good going to be honest.

Of course it would be nice to be funded and stroll through my 4th year, and of course then I would have taken 12 months to submit, but on the other hand, I have had to do a lot of work in my department and hence now have a load of teaching experience on my CV so it's not all bad. Plus, it's been hard, so I feel it's more of an achievement.

I believe students in Germany and the Netherlands are paid less than students in the UK. but I may be wrong. Obviously that evens out if we are not paid for our 4th year though.

I think they are moving away from it by funding the 4 year DTP programmes that are quite common now

Need more details about your research area. To be honest, we can't really provide much help. All you can do if you want to submit an application for your own project is to know your literature inside and out and find the gap that you want to address, think of the methods you need to use and then find a suitable lab to do it and apply.

They do come up all year, but yes you are right, the majority seem to have passed now as many start in Oct. You can leave any time as far as I know. Many of the Oct posts are advertised from March.

It's very hard to get funding in your 4th year. Try looking at a version of this: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/for/prospective/postgraduate/funding/alternative-funding-guide.html

Also, you've probably left it too late, most funding apps needed to be in by March 2015 for funding in the 2015/2016 academic year.

I didn't get any 4th year funding and I've self funded with savings and working in my department. Very hard, but I managed it.

1. yes
2. chances of being a lecturer after a PhD are about 5% in the UK I think. Takes 8-10 years in science
3. Postdoc, research, unemployed: yes. Lecturer, see above
4. You can get a job straight away after finishing PhD or it might take years
5. Postdoc salary in UK is about £25-33k, lecturer is £30-40k entry level

yeah weird post, and certainly not true of all cases.

Me too, I asked to buy an old book, and the author just sent it to me for free!

That kind of feedback is not useful and just sounds like something to say because they have to think of something. Far better to say, 'funding is limited, we had to pick someone, and we picked them over you. but try again next year'.

So from your post 2 weeks ago you still haven't started your dissertation? Are you sure you are actually going to do it?