Hey

I am applying for a PhD in English Literature in the UK.

I have a undergraduate MA English (Hons) 2:1 and am confident I will get a Merit for my MLitt.

How hard is it to get a place on a PhD programme in the Arts and Humanities in the UK for a self funded student?

I am semi-confident I can get someone in my current department to supervise my PhD.

Thanks

timmy

(I also have a PGDE Secondary)

If you're self-funded then it should be relatively easy to get a place. The key thing is you meet the minimum entrance requirements for your department, which are typically 2.1 for undergrad degree and a PG Masters as well.

The extremely hard thing with arts and humanities PhD students is getting a funded place. That is a little like winning the lottery - ok maybe not that bad, but it sort of feels it! This is because funding in this field is so extremely scarce, much more so than in sciences.

But if you are self-funding it should be much easier to get your foot in the door.

Good luck!

Timmy I think you are probably right and that you need a 1st or distinction at MA to get funding in such a competitive field, but would expect that a good proposal would secure a place at most universities. It's great that you have the money to self-fund, but just wanted to urge you to think what you want to get out of the PhD before you spend so much (not just in fees and maintenance but also lost earnings). It's just that doing a PhD often isn't fun - I enjoyed mine but several years of reading on here has persuaded me that I am a weird person - and the benefits other than personal achievement are not great. There are very few academic jobs out there, far too many PhDs chasing them, and the degree can be seen as over-qualification by other employers. I know several people who self-funded in my field, and who bitterly regret it, as they were naive about the reality of academia (definitely not a comfortable ivory tower these days) and getting jobs afterwards. You might be fully aware of how things are but as this forum makes obvious, many are not, and I thought it was at least worth flagging up as something to think about.

Yes this is true Timmy you must give it some thought.

I don't have a first for my Bachelors, but I did get distinction MA. I also have QTLS like you and years of teaching experience. I got a Scholarship at a Russell group. A fellow scholarship got theirs with a Merit at MA. Your experience might count for something if it is related to your PhD and you may have an excellent proposal in mind so don't write yourself off as not good enough for scholarship ;-p It may be you need to look outside of your uni though for one. Self funded yeah you'll probably get a place I'd say. Good luck.

Encouraging words wowzers, thank you! How did you apply for your scholarship was it through AHRC? Thanks!

It's a departmental scholarship direct through the uni that was advertised on their website:)

OK I will scan all the funding webpages of the Uni's affiliated with the Russell Group. Thanks.

I agree with comments about PhD life and the qualification's professional and financial implications.

However, it seems you've thought about such things; and I wouldn't discourage you if PhD research is your passion and goal.

I would add, however, that if you're considering an academic career, a fully funded PhD can help separate you from other candidates, along with an impressive publication record; stellar teaching credentials (it's good that you have experience already); conference presentations; careful positioning within the field (pick a trendy topic, as this will help you publish and stay attractive to employers); and administrative experience.

None of this guarantees employment. In fact, I've described most PhD graduates' CVs, and a fair proportion of "early career researchers" spend several years chasing a secure, full time academic post. Obviously not everyone succeeds, despite doing all the right things.

With all of the above in mind, I see no harm in applying for funding, as this will prove advantageous both during and after the PhD. It's an arduous road if you're funded, and a longer and more treacherous road if working part time to fund yourself.

To add a note of balance, a PhD can also be incredibly rewarding and enriching (though not in a financial sense), and if you enjoy research, and have a genuine passion for your subject, this can be reason alone to pursue one. Just be conscious of how much work is involved, and what studying for a PhD will mean professionally and financially, in both the short and long term. This way you can make an informed decision.

Oh, and have others have said, good luck! I'd say you chances of being accepted to study for a PhD are high. And to reiterate, apply for funding. What's the worst that can happen?

Thanks very much Nick for your very balanced and informative post. I will take everything you said into consideration. I am indeed pursuing an academic career, however am under no illusions that I will actually secure one. One advantage I have is I speak French and I could apply to French Universities for work as well as British. In fact last time I was in France I was offered a job at a university, not as a lecturer or research assistant but as a tutor. I love research and love seeking excellence. I am trying to get published at the moment and am presenting at an academic conference I helped organise in two weeks. As long as I get to keep learning/researching then I will be happy. However I am not limiting myself either. I'd rather die than not try, and I am enjoying it all at the moment so am very optimistic. I've already been through hell with the secondary teaching and really cannot see it ever getting worse than that, even if I did end up in a homeless shelter and begging on the streets.

The chance you have of getting a PhD offer is quite high. I think that you should apply for funding. Maybe you can get it. Who knows?

I have the same thoughts as yours. I want to be an academic in the future. I know it is not easy But i still want to try. You know! Life is short. We should do something that we will not regret when we grow older. It is good to hear that you do not need to worry too much about financial matters because you have enough savings for your PhD. But I don't. I cannot do my PhD without funding.

Yes I think you are right about applying for the funding. I know a guy who just secured full AHRC funding today for his PhD and he is going to help me with my application for funding. I am very happy about that and he offered no problem without me even asking him!

Good for you for having the ambition. Go for it. I firmly believe that if you try hard enough and for the right reasons then good things can happen. I am sorry to hear about your financial situation. What is your academic background? What did you do for your Undergrad? Have you completed a Master's? What are your plans?

It seems that we have similar academic backgrounds and experience. I have been working as a secondary school teacher for a few years since I graduated with my first degree in English Language Teaching. I also got an education diploma and 'taught' master's degree in English Studies. I did apply for PhD programs to different universities. But all my applications were rejected for the reason that I was not ready to do a PhD owing to my lack of substantial research experience. Finally I ended up obtaining an MPhil offer. The good thing is that a full stipend will be given to me so I do not need to worry too much about money stuff.

After finishing my MPhil, I will definitely apply for PhD programs again. To secure funding and an offer, I think I will have to get a distinction in my MPhil and prepare a good PhD research proposal.