Ok so I am new on here and this is my first question to those more experienced.

First let me explain my situation.

I started my full time PhD study the beginning of this academic year after having written up my proposal whilst finishing the final year of my undergrad BSc. Leading up to application (and continuing to this date) we have come up dry on external funding. So at the moment I am self funded, working 3 part time jobs, and trying to fit in 35 hours a week of full time PhD study. Needless to say time is a stressful factor. But more than that my major concern is money, namely fee's. The University is charging me £3500 an academic year which I can't really afford. Luckily for me a family member has agreed to loan me this years fee's until we can get some funding. However there will always be the possibility that no funding whatsoever comes in and come the end of this academic year I can no longer continue and will not be able to pay back the money borrowed.

I had an interview today at another local University for a part time Research Technician position assisting with a vaguely related area of study to my PhD. An interesting point brought up by the interviewing professor was to do with course fee's for my PhD. He claimed that he had previously had many PhD students in his time and that in all cases where there was no funding whatsoever the university had waived the fee's. He commented that in most institutions and depending on the research being done, it was often far more in their interest to support the research output then getting a few thousand pound each year. He thought it was outrageous that they were making me pay.

This got me thinking about my situation and what to do. Coming home to a letter threatening to withdraw me from my study unless I paid soon (I had been holding out as long as possible for funding to avoid borrowing a large sum from the family member) spurred me even more. Now I may be being arrogant here, but at the institution I am currently studying at, my research output would be all manner of degree's more valuable than my course fee's for the next few years. Needless to say that the vast majority of departments within the university are not very research active and it seems that the department that I work within is 'propping' up their reputation (or we are being dragged down may be another way of looking at it).

So my question is this. What are everyone's thoughts on approaching the university and making the case that I am in financial difficulty, and in effect it is far more in their interest to waiver my fee's and get a research output than the possibility of me not continuing come the end of the year? Obviously I won't quite word it as such an ultimatum buy you get the picture.

Many Thanks

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You could try, but I wouldn't be optimistic of your chances. I've been a PhD student twice. Neither university waives self-funding fees in the way you describe. I self-funded the start of my second go at a PhD, before winning AHRC funding for the remainder. But I started expecting to have to pay the fees for the duration.

Going part-time can ease the self-funding fee burden. I was a part-timer the second time. You still usually have to pay the same fees total, but it's split over a longer period, so can be more manageable.

Good luck though.

I agree in that I've never heard of the fees being waived - one of the big things about getting funding of any type is that the fees are covered - some scholarships are fee only, others offer a maintainance grant also. Is there no internal funding within your department? All of our departments have 2 or 3 scholarships a year, they pay nothing like the living allowance paid by the external funding organisations, but do pay fees. If anyone it would be them you'd make your case to. Would they be prepared to fund your fees as self funding is turning out to be a no-go for you. Everything I've ever heard though is that unless you receive funding you pay fees, end of story. Sorry to be negative and I sincerely hope that in your case it is different - I would speak to your department though and your supervisor, but whatever you do don't come across as arrogant and doing them a favour :-S

I am self-funded for my PhD (part-time) and I have never had my fees waived.  My yearly fee is much lower but over the time duration about the same as per a full time student. This may be an option as previously suggested which will also allow you more time for part-time or full-time working.  Is it possible that when you applied for the part-time research technician at that uni that the fees are waived as you are considered a member of staff? Maybe this was what the Professor was implying?

I would enquire about your financial difficulties and potential solutions but I would not appear arrogant as people are less likelty to help you.  Good luck

What about going part-time on your Ph.D.? I was registered part-time and, although I had my fees paid by an external sponser, it meant paying half of the annual full-time amount. The only stipulation was I wasn't allowed to submit within 4 years of first being registered. I worked full time on my Ph.D. but had to do some work for my sponser as well. Initially I was annoyed but it turned out I used that time (and more!). It works out cheaper in the long run.

The only fee waivers I have heard about are a type of bursary to get people in (but usually not for existing studnets) or (as has been previously suggested) for memebrs of staff.

Thanks for the replies guys. I admit I was a little surprised when the notion of fee's being waived was mentioned in the interview. Just to clarify I was being interviewed for a separate job at another university. I am completing my PhD somewhere else so he wasn't referring to fee's being covered there.

The option of going part time has been explored. I was originally encouraged by my supervisor to enroll full time, in fact he made it clear he wanted me full time and I wasn't really given the option of part time. By the time another member of staff highlighted the opportunity the chance had passed. I have been told I have to complete this year full time. In hindsight I am annoyed that I was pushed to enroll full time without any guarantee of funding and not initially given the option of part time as I am in an awkward position now. However I acknowledge that the decision was ultimately my own.

I will be meeting with my supervisor today to discuss my interview yesterday and will mention the interviewing professors comments. When I mentioned the job to him he was unhappy initially as at 20hours a week he thought it would interfere with my PhD, however at the moment I work almost 20 hours a week anyway across 3 crappy jobs which pay shit all. The research technician role I applied and interviewed for would pay me as much as a PhD studentship maintenance stipend (which would almost double my current income) for 20 flexible hours a week of work, involved in a research project in a similar area to my own. I have a feeling that my supervisor will be unhappy when I tell him that if offered I will take the job. But in my position the pros far outweigh the cons.

I'll let you all know how it goes.