I have a full tuition fee waiver on my PhD. I really need a living expenses cover stipend. I am an international student and my uni doesn't provide stipend at the moment.

what are my options?
thanks!

Excuse me.

Jobs distract you?

You have your entire international tuition waived and you don't want to work for your living?

Pl forgive me, but I do not quite know what to say.

I am an international student with NO money. I decided to come study here in July when all the limited international funding deadlines had run out. My uni supported me as much as they could with a couple of scholarships, but I still have a fees deficit in my 2nd yr and of course my third.

They gave me all possible jobs they could.

I work 3 days a week on teaching and 2 research project jobs which squeezeall my energy out of me. (this is just during term). DUring breaks, the 2 days on RA jobs become 3 days a week on RA jobs.

Yes, and I must complete under 3 yrs, and of course I will. I canot express how tied I get to organise the international fees, rent in London, food, and I earn so much momney that I need to pay taxes on it, and my folk think I am doing so well.

Of that money about £200 are 'extra' per year. the rest is tuition fees of £12000 a year, rent and basic food. And I am earning it all.


ANd here you are, with £12000 a year waived,. and you dont want to work for your living because jobs distract you?

I just cannot be sympathetic.

If I had teaching and research jobs I would not mind working 3 days and doing the PhD.

Phdbug - I think you are being a bit harsh on Mrrox - the point of the forum is to help. I don't want to start a slagging match because trust me, after the week I had I would go ape (was told that despite 10 years experience saying otherwise, I could not teach, and I need money as down to €40 in the bank!). But yeah, it is a right pain in the hol€ when you hear who is funded and who is not.

It is all relative to where you have come from - some have come straight from under-grad, others from well paid jobs, so the notion of having little cash now could come as a shock to the system (went from £2k a month to £400 when I did the Msc). Besides, did Mrrox divulge his personal situation - no, so for all we know is that he could have a family to support. Money matters is like s€x in (insert despised region of choice) ... it is all relative!

That said, you do in a roundabout way, hit the nail on the head - no two ways about it Mrrox, you are gonna have to sort out some notion of part-time work if you want to supplement the wages. It is best you know now rather than later. My advice is basically get your CV together and aim it towards teaching of some sort - you are going to have to do some teaching (as most PhD students are obligated to do). Ask your supervisor is there any notion of part-time work, but in a diplomatic manner as technically we are meant to be chained to the desks/labs :p

One other bit of advice - be prepared for people attempting to f**k you over. Sorry for the crudeness, but academia is cut-throat and funding can go in a flash. Make sure you have all the terms of your contract understood and that they are adhered to. And just because it is not a corporation, don't think that HR willl automatically extend your funding. You, to them, are a number.

Don't get me wrong - Phd life has its benefits, but steady cashflow is not one of them. At least knowing that at the start allows you to prepare. If my assumption is correct, that you are in your first year of study, use this time to make your name known in the part-time circuit i.e. private colleges, grinds classes etc. Then, when this issue becomes more relevant, you will have contacts and that is where work is generated.

Hi Mrrox, I feel exactly the same way. I am self funded and haven't worked on my PhD for about 2 months now, partly due to Christmas and illness, but also, largely due to a mountain of marking and lecture preparation. I find it very difficult to switch to the PhD after marking 8 - 10 essays in a day (and doing the students justice). All I can say is, get your CV out there and take the best options available. If you are extremely lucky your department may have some research work for you, or you may find some teaching, you could tryy registering with supply agencies (schools) and sending your CV to lots of different unis/departments in your area. Good luck.

Bug, if you can't be sympathetic, then very often it is best not to respond. There are plenty of people out there who would love to be in your position re research posts, especially, even those who already have PhDs, but they find no problem helping you out when you hit your difficulties.

======= Date Modified 23 Jan 2010 16:16:20 =======
Thank you Eska.

Sorry Mrrox for being unsympathetic to your position. As Bonzo said maybe you need to support not just yourself but a family. Also, maybe the jobs that distract you aren't jobs that go in the CV or have other benefits which can 'balance' the distraction that any jobs bring. I responded without taking those possibilities into account and without giving you the benefit of the doubt.

Of course, I responded from the position of wanting to be a fully funded international student (people whose position I want to be in) - a direct expression of my own wants.

In all, sorry, and I hope you find a useful solution to your problem.

Bonzo - I agree with you entirely, as do I with Eska.

Eska - perhaps you and I are now clashing quite a few times, perhaps entirely my fault. I shall be careful in responding (on this forum generally) in the future.

Best, Bug

======= Date Modified 23 Jan 2010 22:19:20 =======
Thanks a ton for taking your time and replying to my posts. The truth is, I have a few student job offers, however, I would rather work in academia, may be at the uni this is not possible at the moment. The problem is my time spent on reading and doing research. I have had financial support from my parents until today, now this support will fade out. My supervisor is demanding speedy progress. With my jobs, It is impossible. I feel I can finish the phd within 3 years but with some distractions (jobs) in the first year, at least. I was thinking about extra (uni or other) funding for my living. I have a family, my wife does not work as my daughter is only 8 months old.

I do not have problem with my cv, it is neat and out circulating almost everyday. The job offers are also from firms in the city but with "student" rates of pay. With these rates, I will have to work longer hours and end up researching less for my PhD. I would not mind working longer hours if the offer were from an academia or a research organisation as it is more relevant to what I am doing.

anyway, thank you very much to you all and good luck with your research!
mrrox

I think you need to decide on your priorities - not working and having a wife and child is a luxury that few can afford.  Why can't your wife work - yes I know you have a child but can't she work while you look after the child and vice versa? (and before anyone says I don't know what it is like with children - I sat my MA finals 5 months pregnant, waddled round the Capital Region 6 month pregnant collecting data, started my maternity leave with 12,000 words of a 15,000 word dissertation to finish and handed in my dissertation 3 weeks before my son was born - oh and I was working full time in a full on job in accountancy and was doing my MA part time. For most of my children's lives I have been studying)  She could have the child during the day if that is when you are studying and then she could work evenings while you look after the child - OK so you might not see each other much but something has to give.
Yes in an ideal world you would get a nice well paid job in the university which you could fit around you family and your PhD but life isn't ideal. You have to decide what is important and that might mean you spend less time than you would like with your wife and child or it might mean you spend less time on your PhD or you might run up debts.  I currently work full time an hour and half commute away from home, bring marking home and spend evenings and weekends on PhD - my husband is self employed so can do the school run etc. At the moment he is supervising the children's homework while I am preparing a lecture for 9am.  I am very focussed in my PhD - I can't afford the luxury of going off in interesting tangents which ultimately might lead no where; I just juggle what is the priority at a point in time - so at the moment it is PhD and a conference paper. At easter vacation it will be family and so on; a few weeks ago it was my health as I had an operation.