I've been offered a place on the drama PhD programme I've spent the last 4 years working towards. The problem is I'm only the funding reserve ...which I presume means someone needs to not take up their place (unlikely, I'd guess).

The university has offered me the opportunity to defer and apply for funding next year

or

Start part time and apply for AHRC funding (starting means I cannot apply for school scholarships)

I have an interview with my possible supervisor to discuss the options tomorrow - but wanted to get a feel for what other people thought/any questions I should ask the department/funding suggestions/ anything really. I assumed I'd get a yes or a no- not be left in this situation!

P.s. I'm still waiting to hear from another university I'm keen on, who has funding, but in the event that doesn't work out...this is what I'm dealing with.

I was put on the funding reserve for Cambridge when I originally applied for a PhD, and wrote it off like yourself.

Low and behold, within a month they wrote to me offering me funding. So don't despair - not everyone accepts their funding offers!

Hi HaloChanter,

Exciting news - Queen Mary have offered me a full scholarship! I found out a week after receiving a scholarship offer for Royal Holloway!

I am super excited. Thanks for your advice, I kept a little hope alight but had almost given up the day before I got the offer.

Ha! Excellent news, well done! I was exactly like you, I had by then already been offered funding elsewhere, at a less prestigious university but one I was familiar with and felt comfortable with, so ended up turning Cambridge down 8-)

Congratulations again!