I'm currently a second year student studying Microbiology with Virology, I am doing a year in industry and already have relevant work experience. I have already made the decision to travel to Latin America upon finishing my degree in 2015, but I'm worried this will jeopardize my chance of going into post graduate study. I'm very interested in research and I can't really see myself doing anything but research, but to do so I'd need to get a doctorate. Is it possible to travel before PhD and still be considered, and is it possible to apply and travel at the same time? I would be back in time for January 2016 in case I'm lucky enough to get any interviews. I know it's a little premature to be worrying about such things as it's still two years away before I'd have to confront these problems. If the answer to the above questions is that I would not have a hope in hell of getting into research if I were to pursue my plans to go to Latin America, is it too late to do so after completing a PhD? Has any one done this?

Hi!

I think that I applied for my PhD studentship around Christmas, and got a positive reply around April to start in a September. So generally, it is a long process and the waiting is not fun. I did a publication in between, I did some paid work, but to be honest most of the time I was just paranoid worried about the scholarship. Just like you, I couldn't see myself doing anything else but research.

I think that you would enjoy travelling more after you have secured a place, I can easily imagine myself in the top of the Himalayas during a storm looking for internet connection to check my e mail for funding news... :)

I know of people who decided to travel for a year before doing a PhD and they've managed to get a funded place no problems whatsoever.

However, I found that when I made my application, my supervisor-to-be called me in a number of times before deciding he wanted me for his funded place. I was in competition with another candidate and my availability to pop in when he wanted may have been partially what gave me an advantage over the other candidate.

If you take the view that you treat a PhD like a normal job, then a potential supervisor may obtan the funding and then interview for the position to begin at a given time (give or take a few weeks). Deferring a PhD as you would for an undergrad degree may mean loss of that funding and because of this the potential supervisor may chose a candidate that can or is willing to start when they want. If there is an industrial client as with a CASE award, this will be more the case.

If I was in your position and had a project in mind with funding already allocated, I'm afraid I'd be looking to start the PhD when the potential supervisor and funding body wanted. My own feelings in such a case would be to delay travel plans until after the PhD. However, if you don't have anything lined up and if you're willing to see what's on offer after you come back, then fair enough and that worked for the person I knew above.

Other's will have a different take here, I admit.


Ian (Mackem_Beefy)