My experience with my supervisor was a beautiful one and he has been supportive throughout my PhD journey. However, in the beginning he was negative and just commenting on the weaknesses which made me think I was just a bad student. I thought I would ask him to meet, tell him about how I feel and explain to him that I am an emotional person and it would be helpful that he tells me both the good and the bad about my work. He laughed and told me he will try. After this meeting, he really changed. Every time he commented on my work, he would tell me what was good and direct me to improve what he thought was worth improving. Our relationship has been wonderful ever since.

A friend of mine had a horrible experience with his supervisor (in his words) for two years. I told him about how I solved my problem with my supervisor and he followed the same steps and it worked. Now, although they are not like me and my supervisor, at least his situation has improved a lot.

In many cases, the problem is that we come from different backgrounds and have different experiences in life. Not all people are emotionally intelligent and unless you tell them about how you feel, they won't know. We should always have a dialogue and try to solve it first this way. If it doesn't work, then go to the head of your department or whoever is responsible to request a change of supervisor (which I did not use because my supervisor understood me well when I discussed the issue with him).

I wish you all the best.

Hello everyone,

Glad to share the news that today I received the examiners' approval. I am now officially a Dr :)

I wish every PhD student a beautiful journey.

.

It is neither easy nor difficult. Your grades are fine and you bachelor 2:2 won't affect your chances. You need a strong research proposal and to contact potential supervisors (after reading their profiles and understanding that they are suitable for your research interests). If they like your research proposal, they will set an interview for you to ask you further questions about your proposal, interests and test your knowledge. If they find you suitable, they will offer you a place.

I am a very unorganised person, I take my children to school in the morning, sleep during the day, spend time with my family from afternoon to their sleeping time and then I start working on my research. I stay up all night and sleep just around 4 am. I lost motivation many times but kept going. It's my way of life and I did not force my self to change it, instead I adapted with it.

I never stick to my timetables and plans and I lately stoped making ones. Just one goal and it was my PhD thesis.

I work on my research almost everyday with no weekend breaks but I take breaks when I feel I need to.

In January I passed the viva and my examiners were really happy with my work and defence skills and I got very very minor corrections.

So my advice is that you don't need to copy others, because everyone is different. You only need to understand your brain, sleeping and work patterns work... and just get going.

Good luck.

Hello everyone

I passed my viva and was awarded PhD subject to minor changes back in January. The viva was beautiful and I and my work received much praises and very little criticisms (only one).

I was given 3 months to submit the corrections. I took a break after the viva then addressed the required changes which did not take a long time. I submitted the corrected thesis to the internal examiner 30 days ago but still haven't received his approval.

In the letter I received from the head of doctoral studies confirming the outcomes of the viva, it stated that the internal examiner will have 30 days to respond to the corrections but they still have not sent anything.

I consulted my supervisor and he said to me that I should keep waiting and not to hassle the examiners but I have things to do. My supervisor is a wonderful person and care much about my work and I would never go against his advice but I am an international student and need my completion letter so I can progress with my life (prepare to leave the UK and return to my home country to resume my work).

What should I do?
Should I directly contact the internal examiner and ask him nicely to try to respond to the corrections? Or should I contact the head of doctoral studies and ask his help?

My future is still at the hand of the examiner and I don't want to annoy him.

I am lost. Your advice is appreciated.

Thank you

Thank you @rewt

Thank you @bob86. I am relieved now.

Hello everyone,

Background:
I have recently submitted my thesis for examination, the thesis has been sent to the examiners and I am currently awaiting the date for the viva.

The problem:
Last night, I contacted an organiser from a conference that I participated in 2 years ago to get some documents that I lost. Unfortunately, it turned out that the chair of that version of the conference was my external examiner who is supposedly currently reading my thesis. I didn't know that the external examiner was the Chair and don't really have good memory of the conference. The person I contacted copied in the Chair of the conference (my external examiner) in their reply to me to help with my request. As I am currently awaiting the viva, I am not allowed to contact my external examiners in anyways, so I informed the organiser that I am currently not allowed to communicate with the chair of the conference and that I will contact them later. The chair of the conference (external examiner) did not reply to me but seems to have replied to the person I contacted and told him that a copy of the documents I requested will be sent to me after Xmas. I did not add the email of the external examiner in any of my emails with the organiser.

I informed my supervisor of the situation but he has not replied to me and I am really worried that this unintended contact with the external examiner could be a breach of the viva rules.

I would appreciate your answers here.

Thanks in advance.