Hi
In 2006 was an undergraduate student and about to finish my BSc. Suddenly, I got stomach ulcer, which afftected all aspects of my life. I pushed myself hard to finish my BSc and graduated with a decent grade. Although I was treated from H.pyroli infection in my stomach. I continued to suffer for several years from abdominal pains. About 6 years on continue diarrhea, stomach tenderness, abdominal, joints and back pain.

In 2009, went to UK I started MSc. It was a harsh experience but did very good in the taught modules. However, I was not lucky enough to handle my supervisor. I asked him to help me to upgrade my scholarship from MSc to PhD under his supervision by writing a letter. But instead of given it to me, he sent it to my sponsor directly and I believe that his request was rejected. Few days later, I found my samples discarded!! I did not accuse my professor but I think it was my bench supervisor (a phd student) who was told to explain things for me in English instead of his native langauge...

In parallel, my wife got sick and born of England ''always cold and raining and wanted to go back to middle east''. Beside my unknown health issue, It was hard to make the correct balance. Things got worse, my family, my health and my wife and shortage of time to finish my MSc. I was not aware of the available facilities provided by my university and kept under estimating them. Finally I droped out.

I took a break and reapply for a similar MSc in a different university and accepted. I noticed that I was not welcomed and treated stricktly. I kept it passive and easy. Capped some modules and started my 3 months project. Those 3 months was very rough, tough and bought. The fist day, even before enter the lab, my professor called me and insulted me and worned me not to be a trouble maker with not justified reasons!!

To contiue

To handle this suscpiciuos professor, I kept documenting every thing, from A to Z. Sometime, I felt shy to write certain points in our meeting record sheets but I ignored it and recorded evet silly and impotant problem. Beside, I booked for a date with a clinic to be tested mentally. Every thing was good!!! Unfortunatelly, igonted my diarrhia and other pains.

When asked, I told my Professor at the new university that I should get 55% in the taught modules to get my sponsor permission to upgrade my MSc to PhD but I want to upgrade due to my privated reasons. At that time, I got 58% in the taught modules. When I graduated, I got 54.61% in total. It makes me laugh ''NOW not before''. He manipulated and pushed my to the corner. I confronted him and he said indirectly that many people may got upset if he honored me with merit in my transcript. He meant my previous EX-university and my ex-professor. Later, I found that they had arrangements for grants... etc and he do not want to ruin it. BUT I MIGHT BE WRONG.

After my return from the UK, I looked for a job and I got my dream. A very good position but my supervisor refused to give a recommendation letter!! I kept it silent, and my new employer did not even ask for it. I worked hard, and had no clue behind my joints and abdominal abdominal disease. I thought it might be cancer and I might die soon and suffered all nights but no body knew about me. Nevertheless , my employer honoured me with a PhD scholarship to the university of me choice. I told my professor and guest what!!!

To be continue

I was worry, he might get heart attack !! Meanwhile, I saw several doctors, one of them told me that I have Celiac Disease and I should avoid gluten containing food like bread. I noticed a lot of improvement in my heath. I really feel the difference. Oh my god... Also, I got a very nice child and we love him.

After the many positive and improvement in my life. I decided to apply for a PhD. I developed a proposal on the cutting edge and many was surprised by it. few interviews and more asking for a referee letter? But my MSc professors refused!

Should I state in my CV that I dropped from Ex-university? Should I also omit it from my application?

What should I do if some Principle investigators asked for a recommendation letter from my Ex-professors?

Do you thank it worth? I am enjoying every aspect of my life, health, family, job. So why should I bother myself and apply for PhD?

Do you think that I should forget UK and look for PhD position some where else?

I am not keen, but I can appeal against the rejection decisions by providing evidence that I was a victim and my case was mismanaged in my MSc ex-universities? What is your advice

Do you think that my proposal will be used? in one interview, I was asked about companies, my skills,, and when I can publish?? But later rejected. I found a different approach to my proposal by on their website but I am not sure if they built it partially on my proposal?

Should I try to publish something in order to break the ring, and provide my co-authors as referees?? It is very hard but not impossible and I do not give up easily.

Do you think that I should seek industrial collaborations?

Should I publish my proposal review?? and where?

Thank you
Mesho

Sorry to hear of your troubles Mesho - does anyone have any advice?

Hi Mesho,

I am not sure whether my comments will help, because my experiences are very different from yours. However, I will try to add some feedback.

Because your story is very complex, I have summarised it here. I hope you don't mind. I think this is what has happened. (But say so if it is not correct).


1 Started MSc in UK and had lots of problems (allergies and bad health, wife hates UK, you wanted to upgrade to PhD but application wasn't successful)
2 Given all the issues, you decided to call it 'quits' for the time being dropped out of that Masters and took a break.
3 After a little bit of time, you applied for another Masters and had some success, although the professors were pretty tough on you
(possibly because of your previous Masters and dropping out).
4 You received the marks you wanted, but you had to really fight for them and you wanted to graduate with a Masters with Merit but because of your previous masters experience, your professor told you this was not really possible (create bad feeling from other university).
5 You went home, sorted out health problems, got a great job -even though your supervisors did not supply references- and you and your wife have a beautiful baby now.
6 You have done well in your job and your employers have offered you a scholarship based on an industrial proposal.
7 When you told your professor, (from the university where you got MSc) he was really surprised and you believe that you would not get support from him, or your previous university (the one where you dropped out of your Masters before finishing the new one).
8 You currently are very happy back at home, with your job, family, wife, etc. Is it worth changing all this (for better or for worse) for a PhD?

Now you want to know:

Should you go for PhD in UK? If you send your proposal out, will you be refused PhD on past experiences, but universities might take your idea anyway? Should you try to publish your idea in journals (giving professors second authorship) and then go for PhD? Should you look for industrial collaborators?

(I have put my comment to your problems in the post that follows)

Mesho,

I think if you apply for PhDs (in the UK at least), you have to put down all of your tertiary education. That includes unfinished Masters as well as the finished one. However, many people would have unfinished tertiary studies-it doesn't mean that you would not get PhD
as the university would also consider that you have since successfully completed a Masters.

It might be hard to get a scholarship in the UK without any supervisors recommendation. Is it possible to get a recommendation from your employers (who are offering the scholarship). And also to ask your other supervisors again, for a recommendation? If they are refusing, you have a right to know why they are refusing to do this. So make an appointment to see them, if you decide you wish to do a PhD in the UK. You may also be able to get some help with representing your case from the people who support international students (in your old university-there must be some support officers there, who might be able to help you talk to your professor).

Given all the issues, do you really want to do a PhD in the UK? Can you do one in your home country? You and your wife might be happier with this option in the long run.

I know that many people in industries and workplaces publish without having PhD's but publishing with or without a PhD is usually hard. It often takes a long time to get a journal article accepted, so while you could try this It would take a while to achieve success. In the meantime, you are worried about your idea being developed by someone else. Can you patent your idea? Is this a way out?

I think that if you want to take up your scholarship in the UK (for three years) because this will have more value in the long run for you and for your employer, then you will need to sort out the reference issue with the university where you got your masters. And you will need to put down your Masters from the university where you dropped out. BUT, you could do this and present your case, explaining why you dropped out of the first (extenuating circumstances) and also request a very good reference from your workplace and request a basic one from your professor.

If he won't give it, ask him to give you a reason in writing and use what support you can from international student support services. My feeling is if your idea is worth developing and you are coming with a fully paid scholarship from your employer, then there will be universities who take you up on your idea, provided they believe that you can complete and you can write your PhD-or get help from people who will support you to write your ideas to the standard the university requires.

I hope this is helpful and also hope that people with more experience in the area of industrial PhDs, etc, can offer their more experienced advice.

Hi Reenie and Pjlu

Thank you Pjlu very much. Your summary is accurate and would like to add few points.

I can not do my PhD at local Universities due to the quality and absence of PhD program in my subject. Therefore, I have to do it abroad.

Regarding the patent of Idea. I do not think it is applicable to my situation (Like James Watson, Francis Crickand and Rosalind Franklin, who stole from whoml). It is who could publish first and it will be easy to dissolve the ideas into several ongoing projects. One research group at a UK unversity rejected my application and adopted my idea into a different project about cancer..!!! They had not ever worked on cancer and I am waiting to see how far they will go and I hope I am wrong?

I do not know about the help that I can get from international office? But will approach them next week. Also, I have 2 recommendations from professors who are currently working with me but some researchers at the UK universities asked me a letter from my MSc prjects's supervisor and I could not say no...

It is really unfair if some one damage your reputation and the other reject your application but adopt your idea...

Sincerely
Mesho

Mesho, then you need to go back to the professor who supervised you in your Masters and explain the situation again to him.

It is unfair when the things you have explained happen. I think it must be easier for them to happen when there is a cultural or language difference as well.

Go and get the other references as well, and then go to this professor and explain that you just want a 'basic reference' or 'neutral reference' (as another OP said in another thread) to support the references that you will get from your workplace and other professors. If he won't, ask him why and put your case to him. All you want is for him to say that you completed your Masters at his university with him and you passed with the grades you outlined. It is simply to 'back up' the other references.

Most universities would have some support officers for international students. They might work in the language centres or in the student counselling centre or in the student support centre but there would be some people there who are experienced in the difficulties people face, as well as how to support students from a different country, language and culture. Even if they don't accompany you, they may help you with approaching this professor and with outlining your case in a positive way, so you can all move forward.

Best of luck...