Hazy that's an absolutely excellent point about how you are perceived from winning funding.

N-bria (hehe) is fine overall, which department is it?

English Language/linguistics

All things being equal, just maybe. Others have voiced that the issue hardly, if ever comes up post viva or in academic job interviews. Sure it can be a consideration, however quality peer reviewed publications, teaching experience, citations, administrative experience and many other variables will tilt the scales much more heavily in your favor over a fully funded candidate without these accomplishments.

I had a mentor who was very much of the view that "funding begets funding" (his words). Perhaps not so relevant for PhD level funding, but in biomedical sciences I've heard research councils freely admit that if a candidate is funded by them for, say, a junior fellowship, they are considerably more likely to be successful if applying for an intermediate or senior one subsequently.

It may vary from field to field. You rightly point out other features that may take priority. But it probably does come into play if all the other factors are fairly equal between two candidates.

Agreed, and I can certainly imagine that being more the case in the biomedical field as you cited, where results are absolute and speak for themselves and "poorly conceived proposals" are more likely to result in "useless results" that add no value to the field. That being said I always leave room for the rare unfunded genius :P

Ah, the ex-poly that nearly became the City University of Newcastle upon Tyne? :-)

Check the initials of the 'alternative' name - there were a couple of other places that nearly came a cropper too. The below link tells the story, but suffice to say they were well and truely set up by a student from Newcastle University (the other place over the road). I was a Masters student at Newcastle at the time so know the tale quite well.

I cannot speak for the department you're going into, though I can speak for Northumbria as a whole (let's dispense with the code). Northumbria is where I did my PhD sometime after the above events and is the ex-poly I chose over Dur..., er, the very established Russell Group Uni. some 10 miles to the south.

I refer to my earlier posts in saying that I got the support I needed off an exceptional supervisor with a very good PhD pass rate. I had structure, goals and knew what I wanted to achieve (though my own drive was partially responsible for that). My supervisor strongly discouraged submission unless he was 99% sure the thesis and candidate would pass viva with at most minor corrections. The level of preparation I was encouraged to take for viva was also clear - "what I was expected to know" in terms of periphery subjects as well as my thesis itself.

I've not heard anything bad about any research conducted at Northumbria and very few candidates making it to viva fail. So it's one ex-Poly I'd not have too many concerns about. They are quite good at ensuring funding is in place for the projects they undertake before a student is taken on. But do visit the department first to make sure as you should before accepting any offer.
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Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

*snort* Love it!

I've just found out about this one too. Newcastle Uni. itself nearly shot itself in the foot - they tried to to register the names 'Civic University of Newcastle upon Tyne' and 'Research University of Newcastle upon Tyne' on 5th July last year.

Ian (Mackem_Beefy)

:-)

What?! Wow (and a jolly good chuckle)..thanks, Ian.

Thanks for the laugh, advice and comments everybody - very helpful indeed if I do end up having to make the choice. I imagine the decision will be made for me...Happy Thursday everybody!

All the best in your decision!!!

Ian