Funding looks like it may well be a problem.
My intention is to start part-time and self-fund and then to transfer to full-time once I can secure funding. Most, not all, of the Universities I have contacted have said this is possible, but finding funding isn't easy once you have started a PhD.

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Supervisors are happy to have someone else fund the project. It's free cash. Most people can't so when someone can they're very likely to take them. I would always make sure I have the funding beforehand otherwise getting an offer would be meaningless to me.

Yeah...erm...what if all the candidates did that? Also the whole point of the interview is to prove how interested you are, there's no point contacting the supvisior before hand and then repeating yourself at the interview. What's the point of the thread? To show off? In sceince is very common for people get accepted onto PhDs without a masters anyway.

If you don't like lab work i don't advice you do a PhD.

This site. I typed virology into search and loads of hits appeared. The link is on the left hand side.

Oh you lucky thing you! I wish I was in your position! Good luck!

bewildered has a point about academia not being less competitive, in fact it's certainly much more than average workplace. Everyone is very academic and some let it go to their heads to the point they are unbearable! Not trying to put you off, just wanted to point that out.

As for being rusty, just read a load of books/articles.

Cardiff is better ranged.

I just realised I wrote expenives instead of expenses...that doesn't make me look stupid at all...

Thanks for the advise SuzanneWilliams, I do shop at aldi sometimes. As for cooking from scratch, I hate cooking and rarely have the time for it but I have got to the point where I'll have to cut down on the amount of money I spend on food. So I've decided to live on really cheap basic doesn't taste as good stuff.

Congratulations!

Someone make me go out!

What on earth do you mean by B? Masters aren't graded but instead have pass and distinction (and possibly merit). I would think for most PhDs pass would be fine (if funded, if self-paid, you may not need an MSc) but at my department they ask for merit.

Oh I assumed you are because you said "none of what I wrote". I wasn't referring to your posts, but to that of the OP's. If I would have referred to yours I would have written your name.

LOL!

I have the logo Indiana Jones game but no joypad....oh the frustration...