======= Date Modified 07 Aug 2009 15:21:27 =======
======= Date Modified 07 Aug 2009 15:21:05 =======
Well, I got rejected for the open competition. The letter was dated the 5th and it arrived today.

Last year, with grading going from 1-7 with 1 the highest, I received a "Grade 3: Excellent application, high priority for an award". This year, with grades 1-6 with 6 being the highest, I received an overall grade 3 with grade 3 for Student and Study and grade 3 for Training and Environment. Apparently, it was a satisfactory proposal, not recommended for funding. Ouch... going backwards after 12 months of study.

Edited to correct terrible spelling of the word 'recommended'. 8-)

======= Date Modified 04 Aug 2009 16:01:47 =======
Mookie's maths seems fine, as long as the number of 70 is correct for RO's. All 5 applicants for my university were for the doctoral award too, so I would guesstimate the odds are around 1 in 4. Last year it was roughly 1 in 3 right? However, that takes into account all the established universities now assigned to block grants. I'd personally prefer 1 in 4 this year compared to 1 in 3 for last year, especially with all the highly regarded music-specific colleges/universities out of my way.

Ah, I forgot about the capping, so hopefully we do stand more chance this time around. I know that my little university had a cap of 5 across all subjects, and had not really had much success gaining awards previously, but I know no more than that.

Yes, just reword it without the apostrophe to something like "In Smith et al (2001), ..."

======= Date Modified 04 Aug 2009 12:24:39 =======
I've only just checked the estimated spread of the awards, and there are only 50 doctoral award grants available in the open competition combared to 589 for the block grants. Although I didn't research the balance fully, I thought there would be a higher amount in the open competition still.

Check out the spread for the open competition here if you haven't seen it... http://www.ahrc.ac.uk/FundingOpportunities/Documents/SC%20available%20awards.pdf

It's worrying for some subjects really. Luckily, I've applied in one of the performing arts areas (music) that they say the open competition favours, and there are 6 awards compared to the 28 for the block grants for this. Others are less fortunate and probably stand even less chance.

At the bottom of the above document, it does say that there are 40 more awards available across the doctoral and master's schemes to "support quality applications and the breadth of subject areas", so I guess there's a little breathing room.

I'm waiting to hear about the AHRC open competition myself. I missed out last year with a grade 3 and got my rejection letter around August 20th. It was a nightmare waiting around for the news, and I finally opened up my letter with a hangover. Not a good day. :-)

I just rang up and my letter has not been generated yet. I applied for the doctoral panel 7 in music composition, and I know someone who was successful in the same category. Not sure what to make of that but I guess I have a few more days of waiting yet.

I'm waiting on panel 7 myself for composition.

Error404... If you get a full-time AHRC award, aren't you only allowed to work 6 hours per week alongside it anyway?