Hi everyone,

I am glad to have found this forum. Here is my story.
I had my viva this past Tuesday and it went horribly wrong. To be fair I did not prepare that well, maybe I was overconfident as I am told i am good and my work is very promising.

Anyhow, it took me 4 years to finish and i have the supervisor from hell. Also, i wasn't part of the EU when got enrolled so i had 3 scholarships to cover my overseas tuition fees... For the rest I had to work on weekends + my dad died from Parkinson's in October of 2013. No one knows I work cuz my supervisor would kill me. Well i just explain this to leave clear all the effort put to wrap things up on time. I analysed my data and wrote the thesis in 2 months with virtually no help from my supervisor.

He said the worse case scenario would be major corrections cuz is very rough but good enough and to don't worry. Well the day came and to Prof from 2 Ivy universities were my examiners... 1 an expert in a particular technique used and the second one the one who elucidated the structure for my particular protein. They were not kind and hit me with everything to the point they told my supervisor they were surprised I did not collapsed (no joke). One was an old school Prof and she was the worse asking me in the end to resubmit and asked me to do an experiment I never performed cuz I do not have such resources at my uni and cuz of being such important my supervisor never mention its need. I was also asked to half the thesis and to quantify some gels, etc.

At first i was even asked if i copied the main design of my work, which i did not and bluntly left clear I am no cheat.
Passed that they asked about techniques that are in the field of my work but not needed for the work. Afterwards they asked lots of basic questions and to be honest 50% i should have known and the other 50% i was just too stressed to elaborate and speak properly. The torture was of 2 hours with major corrections and as far as i remember 3 or 4 experiments to be done. I have 18 months to do this. They said i am not being failed cu they believe in me and my work. They also asked several times if i was alone in the lab-which is the case and everything was learnt and done from scratch. Ah! I was forgetting, i am also to have another viva "to see if i have learnt something" and offered to take classes at their uni hence mine didnt train me at all for the sort of project i have.

One more thing, when they told me the news i said i accept it and said its actually an opportunity to get my job ready for publication and this is how i see it. After this they told my supervisor i wasn't as weak as they thought.

I am determined to proof i am able to achieve a top level with the right guidance (which they have)

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say thanks for the responses and different opinions...and thought to update you in what I am up to.
I applied for a PhD at my university and got and interview...so I am happy :).

I have 3 years work experience in a company not exactly research related, but chemistry related and I think this has counted and made my application strong.

Now I am getting ready for the interview which will be done by 4 people. Apparently as everyone mentions, it will be impossible to get a fully funded grant that covers my overseas fees plus room and board and a the moment I am competing for a stipend (which perhaps would be enough for an EU national but not for me)..... but let's see how the interview goes as if I am offered a place I will know how much they would cover/how much I would need to cover.

Ayway, will keep everyone updated!
Andie

Hi,

I have a BSc (Hons) Biochemistry 2:2 from RHUL.
I am doing a masters by research (at RHUL as well) and I am hoping/aiming for a merit.

Does anyone know how difficult would be to get funding for a PhD?
I have seen is very difficult to get some sort of funding for international students and I am assuming any scholarship would be very competitive. Does anyone know where where I stand/or what are my chances?

By the way, I am not a UK resident or part of the EU.