Sorry to barge into your forum. I need some genuine advice. I am almost 32 and almost through with my MSc in the social sciences. (I am expecting a merit). I am in the process of applying for a PhD, have had 1 regret with no explanations. However, I have a potential supervisor (Birmingham) who has shown great interest in my proposal. I am yet to hand in my application and don't want to mess it up. My work experience is not relevant to what I want to study. Does this matter and will it spoil my chances of getting a place? Moreover, I took time out to raise my 2 children and haven't been active academically and in the workplace for the 3 years prior to my masters. I really want this PhD place, I have a very supportive spouse and given my age I really know what I want and what I am going for. Do you think I am at a disadvantage? Your help will be greatly appreciated.

I would think you'll be judged above all else on your academic ability and you're currently studying and not returning after years of being away from study which is a bonus. It really depends on your potential supervisor and admissions I would have thought. I'm not really sure if you are talking about a funded place or self-funded but it's much easier to get a place if you self-fund.

Good luck!

Thanks Delta. This is not a funded place I am applying for. I am looking at self funding and what I need for now is just a PhD place.

If the supervisor has a keen interest in the project, you think you'll get a merit at masters level and are prepared to self-fund I'd say the odds are very much stacked in your favour.

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Destiny, you're not at any more of a 'disadvantage' compared to the vast majority of people applying for a PhD - ie. most having just completed a Masters at Merit or Distinction, and no relevant work experience. This should be enough to get you in a very good university for a PhD, and given that you are willing to self-fund (and let them know that), then I'm sure many department will be very happy to have you.

Your success will boil down to the quality of your research proposal.

I wouldn't recommend referring to yourself as a 'mature' student; in uni terms, anyone over the age of 21 is a 'mature student'.

Hi Destiny
I looked at 4 different uni's for my PhD, 3 of them based on having good professor's or great dept's relevant to my research topic and one that was just conveniently close, because I was self-funding they all seemed more than happy to have me - in the end I choose the one the closest.  I have 3 children, taken career breaks, did my masters 14 yrs ago and am probably a geriatric student rather than mature (over 40), none of this appeared to hinder my progress - although if I'd been trying to get into the top uni's perhaps it would of; but I did have relevant work and academic experience. You have a prof that has already shown interest, you are self-funding, you are are progressing from a masters with a merit -so I would say you have a very strong chance of getting a place.  Good luck :-)

I don't see that you have any reason to worry, especially if you're self-funding. I worked for 10 years between my BA and MA (in a thoroughly irrelevant job) and no-one seems to have held it against me! In fact, on one studentship application form I deliberately drew attention to the fact that I'd given up a successful career to go back to uni & implied that this was evidence of a high level of commitment to my studies. I also suggested that general 'transferrable skills' gained in my professional career - e.g. giving presentations, project management, contributing to training of colleagues, interpersonal skills - might be relevant to my PhD studies and subsequent academic career.

Of course, I've got no way of knowing if anyone was impressed by any of this - at the end of the day I think applicants must be judged mainly on their MA performance and research proposal - but I did get the studentship, so it can't have hurt!

Best of luck!

Thanks everyone for your support, I am much more confident now and hopefully I will have a place soon.