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Hi all,

I'm devastated. I just found out that I'm 2nd reserve for the ESRC funding I had applied for, to study my dream PhD at my prefered university. I was really hoping for better news than that :-(

My question is - do I really stand any chance at getting the funding? It just seems so unlikely to me, knowing how difficult it is to get funding in the first place, that 2 people will turn down their offers.

Has anyone else had experience of being on the reserve list & what was the outcome?

I'm so tired of this waiting game... just to be disappointed each time :-(

This is obviously disappointing but I think you still have a chance. You don't know how many people were making multiple applications to hedge their bets under the new ESRC system - the two chosen ahead of you might have offers elsewhere they prefer. With it being a new system, it's going to be really hard for anyone to give you reliable advice but do you know your prospective supervisor well enough to ask what they think the chance is? Also your application was clearly good -if you were applying for some sort of 1+3 funding, is it worth asking the dept if they have any funding available for the research methods MA / MSc year as they know you'd be a strong candidate for +3 the year after?

Thanks for your response. I've literally just found out the news this morning and I'm feeling incredibly low right now. I know I should be grateful that I'm a reserve (and I am, because at least I have a small chance rather than none) but it's so disheartening as I feel like I've been trying to get a PhD for ages and keep getting knocked back. This is the closest I've come to getting one and it was my ultimate dream PhD so, as much as I tried not to, I really got my heart set on it.

Thanks for your suggestion, but I've already done an ESRC accredited masters course so I was only applying for +3 funding. I guess the waiting game continues...

I wonder how long people usually take to accept/decline their offers? I'm assuming I could be in for a long wait yet...

P.S... I will try emailing my proposed supervisor for some advice.

Hi, gosh, I know how you feel. I was 1st reserve for a scholarship and I was pretty disappointed. But after about a week of the initial email I was told that someone turned the scholarship down, so now I have it. Good luck! Hopefully someone will change their mind! :-)

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Someone has just mentioned to me that '2nd reserve' status may not mean I am 2nd in line, but rather than I am in a '2nd reserve' category and there may be a whole list of '1st reserve' people ahead of me, not just 1 person. This sounds like it could be right - although I really hope not :(

Can anyone advise whether that is how the ESRC works?

ETA - I've enquired I AM second reserve, i.e. 3rd in line for the funding if you count the person who's orginally been offered it, so that's something. Now just got to keep my fingers crossed that 2 people turn down their offers...

Don't lose heart - I was on the reserve list for funding this year too (AHRC), but also got it eventually after a week or so of waiting (and being pretty gutted in the meantime!)

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======= Date Modified 01 Jun 2011 14:34:46 =======
I just wanted to update this post by saying a huge.................................

WHOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!

*and breathe*

Okay, incase it wasn't obvious. I GOT THE FUNDING!! :-)

It's my dream PhD at my preferred university and it was all I wanted more than anything. Very very very pleased (and that's an understatement!!).

Thank you all for the support :-)

======= Date Modified 01 Jun 2011 14:36:28 =======
Congratulations - it just goes to show that nothing is settled until it is settled. Well done :-)

Well done! Really pleased for you! KB

nice one!

yay!!!!(up)

======= Date Modified 01 Jun 2011 15:53:30 =======
Excellent - congrats! (up)8-)

P.S. So what did you do with the other two applicants? ;-)

Brilliant! I hope it all goes swimmingly from here on in.