Hello - I left applications to PhDs a little late, well at least too late to take the requisite GRE test for the London universities I was interested in. By some fluke of networking and chance, I got a CASE studentship at one of these universities, but on the condition that I found a sponsor. (If you're wondering I have come across at least one other studentship where no UK / EU person applied and so they just rolled it into next year). By a contact from an old job, I found somebody interested. However they are a dead end. Interested but not enough to actually even get into contract negotiations. I know that technically the professor should be sorting out this sponsor, but he's a rising star so I am keen on making this happen even if I have to sort this out myself. Has anyone been in this situation before? Perhaps someone where the CASE or employer sponsor dropped out? What did you do? I've missed most of the first term already...but I saw what some of the other new students were up to i.e. just reading around, and am not too worried about falling behind. More just that I am missing out on making friends and on training that I could be taking. I have been accepted but not yet registered so cannot use the university PCs or library.

Anyone help?