Hi. My 3-year funding is going to end at the end of August. I wanted to write up and submit within the funded period, but it seems less and less realistic every other day. My supervisor says my funding from HEFCE cannot be extended or re-applied for. But he's not clear about other options. Can anyone give me suggestions?

My main questions are:
- Which bodies I can apply to for funding for 6 months to 1 year max.
- What happens to IP
- Is anyone in a similar situation, looking for further funding?
- Has anyone finished within 3 years (including the 1st year and the writing-up)

Hi - I'm currently writing my developmental biology thesis - my funding ran out in October 2006. My PhD supervisor agreed to pay me half of the monthly rate of my BBSRC studentship if I were to do lab tech type jobs which I did and to be honest totally regret b/c the amount of work vs the amount of money just wasn't worth it. I looked around for additional sources of funding and couldn't find anything. Not a massively positive reply, but I think very many PhD students face this situation - I have never known anyone in my subject finish in 3 years - more common is 4 years. A lot of people I know have generous supervisors who agree to continue the rate of studentship until the end of the PhD. Mine wasn't one of them!

You could try your university department, they might have hardship funding, or you may be eligible, depending on your nationality/situation for funding for overseas students or welfare charities etc. I couldn't find anything that I would be eligible for however.If things get desperate, you could apply for a career development loan from the bank I suppose. Good luck!

Thank you very much for your reply lr261. It is very useful for me to read your experience and suggestions. I am a UK/home student. My supervisor said he could consider using what's left in my research budget to pay for my fees for the 4th year. Hardship fund is a good idea.

The reality is that funding for a 4th writing up year is very hard to come by. Most people (myself included) work part-time (I was a locum medical secretary, LOL!). Hope you can find someway to keep yourself solvent, good luck!

Thanks Ann. I guess I could go back to teaching, or designing websites etc. But I was hoping to hear some great news here, so I could dedicate myself to writing-up full time. A bit silly I guess

I spoke to someone yesterday, who said if you dont secure funding for the 4th year and have to pay, there are ways of reducing the amount, such as registiring as part time, which would cut the tuition fees in half.

Do some unis really charge tuition fees for 4th yr? here, the 4th yr is 'registration only' rather than 'period of study', so as you are not 'studying' you do not pay fees. There is a 'continuation fee' but this is only charged if you don't submit by end of yr 4 - it is more like a fine for not submitting.

or are people still doing lab work and getting bench fees?

aliby, I got confused with that one too. My supervisor reckons I will need to enrol again if I can't finish by the end of my funded period, and pay fees as full-time student. However I remember reading about a small fee for write-up year only, which was about £200, nothing more than that. Now I can't find that paragraph on our research regulations booklet. I wonder if I remember a different university's regulations (I was offered studentship at another institution before, changed my mind just before enrolment).

My university allows you to register as "continuation status" or something like that in your 4th year if it's assumed you are merely writing up, and that costs about 300£ I think.

The British Federation of Women Graduates offers grants to women in their last year of a research degree -don't know if that applies to an eventual 4th year though. I can't remember the website address but it should be easy to find by googling it. Bad news is, you have to be a girl.

There will almost certainly be a reduced 'writing up' fee for your 4th year. I paid about £110 per semester. The fees are so little (although I've rather have spent the money on something fun, obviously!) because 1) you are registered part-time and 2) you are considered to need minimal supervision at this stage - apart from the small matter of forcing your supervisors to read numerous drafts...

Wow, I didn't realise how lucky I was - at my Uni (Cambridge), we don't have to pay tuition fees in the 4th year.