Hi everyone,

I am studying a Masters in Philosophy after years working in another field and would like to apply for a PhD to pursue a job in academia (yeah, good luck with the Humanities... I know). Problem is, and I have read this in a couple of threads, I will have to apply before January/February for any hope of getting funding. With an undergrad in a not very good foreign Uni, in a different field and with a 2:1, should I just give up hope and wait for a year until I have my (hopefully brilliant) Masters results?

I really don't want to do that because I am 29, so I was thinking of applying for another masters in a lower-ranking uni and see if I can get funding for that. I am now in a top-10 UK university and one of the options I had in mind was Reading. I really like their graduate program but I am worried it will affect my career later. Another question I have is whether funding options are better in low-ranking universities -as I won't be able to self-fund.

As you see, there are many questions in one. Any advice would be really welcome as I'm completely lost.

Thanks a lot!