Hi,

I'm a plant-biotechnology student from the Netherlands, but currently doing an MSc in Lancaster, and looking for a PhD in the UK.
However, I found that the main funding body's in the UK (biotechnology councel, BBSRC and the environment councel, NERC) will only pay for the research, but no maintenance fees for EU students. (You must've lived in the UK for longer than 3 years in the past 5 years, but full-time studying doesn't count)

Why do they discriminate this way agianst non-UK applicants, is this legal?
I am quite upset about it, as it shouldn't be too hard to find a place, as everyone tells me there are more places than good students, but this makes it nearly impossible for me to find a place!!

Now after this rant a slightly more constructive question:
Are there funding body's who would be happy to 'top up' the funding of a project?

Cheers,

Arjen

Muvi, I'm sure you're right that it is harder for you, but here the UK is just screwing over EU students.

In my country, EU students DO get full funding if they get a PhD position, in compliance with the European law that government organisations are not allowed to discriminate between home and EU students.

I don't have much hope for funding from my home country as a PhD is seen there as a job, not as being a student (you need to pay tax, etcetc).
Funding is allocated from funding body's to researchers, who put out an application.

You good luck with finding an position! It must be possible to find one here as int. student, I've seen (in plant-biotechnology) a few places that were especially for people from developing country's!!

I agree, the funding is a privilege, not a right. EU students can't just EXPECT to come to the UK and take the tax payers money.

So the message to you overseas students wanting funding- if you get it, be very grateful, if you don't, then don't complain, either pay it yourself or stay the hell out of our country

At this point I'm very tempted to enquire as to whether anyone will be voting locally for the BNP today [oh I just did]. Apparently they are getting a quite sizable foothold in my neck of the woods [the north-west].

No, I vote for UK independence party, although I have recently moved and was too late to register to vote, so I've missed the locals

You should definately go for a Marie Curie Studentship. They are available to EU students studying outside their home country i.e. only available in Britain to student from EU but not the UK. You are a salaried member of university staff (about £24000 per year taxed) with good research funding.

You're completely missing the point here. Of course its not a right to get a stipend, but I am talking about sneaky ways to go pass EU laws.

Can you Explain why a British student can apply for a PhD in The Netherlands or Germany without any problems (I don't know about other country's. I expect France to be difficult as well), and here an EU student can't? That is at least unfair in my humble opinion.

Besides, I have lived here now for 1,5 year, pumped money into this country by doing a masters' degree... and then they say that time spend here while doing full-time research doesn't count as 'living in Britain' - that is just plain b*llocks!

Besised, I am as likely to stay here as any other UK national, I really like the country... that's why I want to stay! And you don't force a British scientist to stay in the UK after he finished his PhD, do you? Most scientists I know have travelled/lived at differend places around the world, so this argument is not very strong...

Ow, and botanybod, I am not eligeble (sp?) for a Marie Curie studendship as you need to have lived in the uk SHORTER than 12 months in the past 36 months. And after my MSc I have lived here for about 1,5 year...

'I have lived here now for 1,5 year, pumped money into this country by doing a masters' degree'.

Wow. That long.

'Most scientists I know have travelled/lived at differend places around the world, so this argument is not very strong'...

That how many, out of how many in the UK?

Sorry, I can appreciate you're position but [and thats a big but], why is it the responsibilty of the British taxpayer to house/clothe/feed etc. you? Thats what it comes down to.

Like i said, if you can't find funding, then support yourself, or go back to the netherlands. Don't start a massive rant over our country

I wouldn't move over to the netherlands and expect to be kept there by government funding.

By the way, a year and a half meant that you pumped in the tuition fees?? and what else? nothing i suppose.

so why should a PhD be any different?

Ok, thats a fair point. But still no explaination why other country's don't do difficult about EU PhD students, and the UK does. If this wasn't the case, it wouldn't piss me off so much.

Anyway, I've just found a site with PhDs in my field all over the rest of Europe, so will probably apply to Germany or Switserland.

I didn't think UK was difficult in comparison, I see loads of EU funded projects, and worldwide funded projects here in the UK. And at the uni I'm at, nearly half the student population is european (mostly french and italian)

Hi, I'd like to pick up this discussion from last year. I have British citizenship and have been having trouble with one of the Research Councils concerning funding eligibility. I was wondering if there are people in similar situations out there who would like to share thoughts and experiences.

My own situation is that I have British citizenship but have been living in Switzerland. I am wondering if I can argue that I have full eligibility or fees only eligibility or if I am not eligible at all. Would welcome all comments.

It's nice to hear such lovely views especially since this is suppose to be a multi-cultural society!