Quote From fredminxis75:
Funding from uni's (uni scholarships/departmental scholarships) is an option and from those lower in the league tables, or that are smaller and more remote (i.e not many applicants, thus increasing chances). The UK university I am at, one of the former, is rather easy to get in on Uni funding compared with other places. Someone I know got his PhD place at my uni with a 2:2 and a pass on both his masters (this is in 'human geography' btw). He was a reserve candidate however, and also never had an interview!