After 1 exact year of hard search, I still don't have a PhD... what to do now? Keep searching for it or change one for all my life plans?
I'm feeling really bad, and I'm facing economical troubles too.

Well if you give up, you'll possibly be left with the 'what if' state of affairs. Have you applied everywhere possible that offers what you want to do ? Have you considered doing part time and work at the same time ? What about doing some other qualification (masters etc) as a step up ?

Firstly if you want it (you obviously do) then giving up is not an option. If your grades are poor a masters might be best. If not have you tried interviewing techniques. Are your references good? Could you apply to a lower ranked university (but still a good project that interests you with a good supervisor) Ask places that rejected you for hints on what went wrong. Anyway do not give up, Ph.D's are for people who want them not just people with the top grades. Any enthusiastic student will be of value to his/her field.

And you are definitely not a looser. If you have continued to look for a whole year it shows perseverance, determination. Both vital for any Ph.D student.

Thank you for the kind replies. The fact that makes me mad is that I have top grades (if top grades in Italy can count something). I was second in a selection last week (arrgh), and few times in this year (I can recall 5 now)I had email contacts with professors which seemed to go well, then suddenly they stopped to reply to me for apparently no reason. I've searched for "ready" projects only, never tried (except once) to prepare a project by myself and submit it... maybe that's the trick.

Don't Give Up. Try phoning the professors/prospective supervisors - making appointments - carry on researching your field. Find out from your unsuccessful places why they said no to you. Go to conferences and meet people, maybe put in your own proposal. Contacts and perserverance are they key. I am sure you will be fine and then you will be on here talking about how lonely phd life is!

You're definately not a loser. Keep on persisting...if you do not get funded entry for 2006, try for 2007. In the meantime, if you can get any experience relevant to your intended area of research, it will stand you in better stead for obtaining funding.

Keep going! You will get there and there will be a project for you! New projects come up all the time so don't worry about how long it takes to get one! One year is not a very long time! Just believe that you'll get one!

Try to get some work experience in your field as that'll definitely help. If you can't get paid work try volunteering as that'll show you're keen! Just apply for everything and get your application/name circulating and you never know what you might end up and who might be interested! Good references are very important! Good luck. :)

I had a BA in Psych, and wanted to do a Neuroscience phd which is a bit of a stretch when you don't have a science background. So, after undergrad I found a "research assistant" low-paying position in a behavioral neuroscience (sort of an in-between lab) and busted my ass to learn everything.

That got me a serious reference, money to live on, and eventually several Ph.D. program interviews!

One last thing- If you don't feel it's too much of an imposition, phone a couple of the profs who have turned you down and ask how you could have made yourself a better candidate.

Agree with Mel - check the university sites (e.g. Imperial, UCL) for research assistant posts somtimes they even "require" you to study for a PhD!