Hi , Since you got a new job and enjoying it , why worry about the past (the main reason of doing a phD is to get a good job for the future) . I would let your supervisor worry about the situation and let him take care of the problem. He probably try to scare you by telling you that you have to pay back the funding (which is a joke, as you have been working hard there for 3 years ) .

I seen a few that have a deadline only 10 days after the project is advertise , and they expected you to complete the application form , a CV , a cover letter and requested two references by that time. O, I nearly forgot that they also wanted you to send the form by post only, not mentioning that it probably takes another 5 days for the application to arrive from the department to the supervisor .

I am not saying it happens everywhere, but I know from experiences that it does happen . The supervisor already had someone line up (His own Masters student, research techician /assistant etc ), long before the project is advertise , the purpose of this is to make their selection look fair .This doesnt only happen in phD posts , it is the same scenrio if you applying for jobs , work experience etc .

Knowing people does usually pay off .

I told her(my collegue) and she said it is definitely the same post and she already accepted the offer , but we decided not to ask him (supervisor) because we dont want to make a fuss .I feel sorry for the candidates who will be drag down here for the interview only to find out a few days later that all of them have been rejected.

''It may even be that they had someone in mind for the post, but they still have to advertise it anyway - in which case you'd have had no chance regardless of how well you performed ''

'' THAT IS SO TRUE AND IT HAPPENS OFTEN , I CANT UNDERSTAND WHY THEY WOULD THEY EVEN BOTHER INTERVIEWING THE OTHER CANDIDATES , TO WASTE THEIR TIME OR LOWER THEIR MORALE OR WHAT !''

I have no idea why they advertise the phD if they have decided to offer it to someone they know already . I only know this because one of my collegue secured a phD studentship with the supervisor already(she didnt even applied) , then the same project was advertised on here a few days later with the application deadline in June .

I would say reading a phD in Cambridge would give you the edge in that field as they are well known in that area. But I am not 100 %. So how was your potential supervisor at Cam ?

Actually I got a friend who did a PHD for two years , dropped out and now starting a Masters course (something that interested him) in Sep

What are you studying ? because some area of research does not matter into which university you went to !

If the research topic and the supervisor are both ok at Cambridge then you should read your phD at Cam. I rejected my offer there because I didnt like the supervisor and the project they offered me .

Whats your PhD about ! How can we help you if you are the only one who know what you have been doing , should you have more idea about your work than any of us . Soz!

Be nice !

I been offered a post as a research techician in London at £27K/year (rolling contract- minimum of 1 year ). And I thought that would not be enough to survive on just for myself after tax and NI , as the rent will cost about £8K and the travel expenses that goes with it as well , so I turned it down for a similar job with about same wage in Northern England.

Back to this article : I thought the reason to become a post-doc is to continue doing research which one love and not about the money earn. By the way , Bus drivers work harder and are more stress than the post-docs I know , so they rightly should be paid more.

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A reference doesnt have to be very good , it is not a letter of recommadation . It is just a piece of letter required by the rule and regulation of all universities , most of the time you dont need it until they make you an offer.
I think your co-ordinator is just being lazy !

Photosynthesis , what is that to do with anything !

I already got a place at Leeds , but I am applying for a place at UCL as well . QMUL is a very good university , I been told