Can anyone advise on the considerations that need to be taken when selecting to study a PhD full or part time? Have people found that the decision is made for them by the University or is it purely based on an individual’s financial position?

In my case I fully intended to study part-time: I pregistered part-time and paid fees. At the last minute, I was offered a fees only full time studentship. I had to take this opportunity. So now I have a lot on my plate- I have to work for all my living expenses. It is hard to balance full time study and a lot of hours, and I will probably struggle later on, but maybe by then I will have been succesful in an AHRC app. Until then, I can't see any other option: I wasn't going to turn down full time tuition fees paid for three years! That would have been madness!

I'm not sure what to advise- some people can take on more than others, but it is worth a try. Sometimes I'm not realistic but I seem to be getting the work done.

Hi there. I think the decision to study for a PhD part-time should not be taken lightly. Although this does depend in your area of research. A friend of mine doing a lab-based PhD PT took over 10 years to submit a thesis. However, i know people doing more social-science PhD PT and they handle it fine. I did an MSc PT and that was bad enough!!!But i think it depends on the finance, if you can do it FT then definately do it that way rather than PT. Good-luck. At the end of the day if your heart is in your work you will do great no matter how long it takes

Sometimes the decission to study part-time comes from the financial situation of the student: i.e. if you don't have a scholarship which pays your fees and living expenses, you will probably find part-time fees (which in some universities are not one half, but 1/3 or even less of FT fees) more affordable and you will have more spare time for working and thus covering your living expenses. Plus some universities allow you to submit your thesis after only 4 years (not 6) of PT studies, so in this regard you cand end up finishing only slightly slowlier than a FT student (theoretically 3 years, but frequently 3,5 or more) and saving a lot of money in tuition fees.

I think that some students (mostly mature students) do their PhD part-time because they have good jobs they don't want to quit (even if they have a scholarship, they would probably have to accommodate to a worse living standard) or they have a family, which is of course very demanding.

I am doing mine full time as I am on a studentship, and it suits my circumstances.

I did my MA part time by distance learning, as I was working in research. That was influenced by the fact I couldn't afford another year straight after my first degree and wanted to get on the career ladder. I'm really glad I did it that way as it got me the benefit of experience whilst at the same time doing a degree.

I had given up on the idea of doing a PhD as didn't want to do it by distance, but the threat of redundancy gave me the push I needed as I saw the ad for my PhD and it has worked out great for me. I think you just need to do what suits you best.

I think you would be mad to do Phd without being paid!! Just wait until you get a phd studentship that pays your living expenses (~13k pa). There is not rush work as a technician for a few years gaining experience and money. Do not fund yourself unless you are a millionaire / idiot.

We have two part time PhD students/lab technicians in our building. One is doing a normal PhD - she's not doing any work other that her PhD work (which happens to be the same as her technician's job). She gets paid more and is paying into her pention. For it she has less holidays. She has finished in the lab after 3,5 years and is now writing up- also on the technician salary full time.
The other is doing two jobs at once- her PhD and tissue culture work, and is struggeling and always seems tired. Because there is so much to do for her techie job she's struggeling to get enough done for the PhD. For our supervisor her technician work is more important- as she has six years to complete the PhD.

SO- if you do a part time PhD make sure you discuss with your supervisor exactly how the work/work balance will be.

Reason 342 why not to study a PhD (Morrisons, 2006)