My fears about the PhD only came when I found the university's aim of having phd students are not for research reputation, but for money. My only academic part of my phd is enjoyable, but the greedy university and supervisor does let me down. money is the top agenda for them-terrible.

It sounds terrible to have supervisors like this. These days, university becomes more and more business like, supervisors and tutors are all changing to be very different. I think you need to be very clear about what you want. As you mentioned: academic job? if so, there must be other universities do your subject and you can try to move your research to other places to have a new start. Or you want a good research reputation? then again, you need to find a good research team and supervisor to achieve this.

i contacted the research office last week, 3 months plus one week since I submitted the amendment - no result.
The staff told me that the internal examiner still has not get back to her. I then asked how about the external examiner, the staff told me that the external examiner has accelerated my amendment, which is a good news. Now only wait for the internal examiner. to be honest, I am confused, why the internal would like to delay me. my university chit of degree committee emailed me before that after submitting my amendment there is only two possible result : pass and be awarded to the degree; not pass and not be warded the degree. There is not minor correction.

I have been working 2 days a week while doing my PhD, and I really enjoyed it ( though the jobs are not really about my research). Then after submitting my thesis and while waiting for my viva, I found my recent job as a visiting lecturer in another university. I have shared my PhD experience in the previous posts, and my university where I did the Phd has been treating me terribly after I passed my viva, by asking my to pay about 1400 pounds/month to do my amendments. It was almost big 'force', if I do not pay, they said they will not submit my thesis to the examiner and award my PhD.

I submitted my amendments in the end of January, 2016. until now, my university did not give me any result about my PhD, and has been given me promising date- then denied three times. it is all ridiculous, Really, it makes me feel that is not a university, but a hell indeed.

But, thanks god, I have had my job to do in another university, lovely students, lovely colleagues where I really feel respected and encouraged. So my lecture job becomes my biggest joy. Big hug and kiss to my job!

Hi, guys

I think it is best for me to update my PhD result status, which may sounds funny. But, no I have not received any result, and it has been 11 weeks from the date I submitted to the research office. I have contacted another twice, the reply are the same formate: for example, you will hear the result on the 23th of Febuary, then when the time reached the 23th of February, no result. Then I contacted the research office again, the reply is the same, you will hear the result, for example on the 10th of March, then on the 10th of March, nothing received.

Are there any other PhD students having/have had similar experience like this? or could offer some suggestion for this situation?

Hi, sorry to hear this. But comparing with my experience, you are treated much better. I received major amendments and has been charged 1250pounds/month to do the amendment.

Hi, Tulip

I had the same puzzle after I did my viva and have consulted several people who have been PhD examiners befor. I was suggested to ONLY do what your examiners asked for. The best amendment is the one which followed exactly what the examiners wished.

My own examiners were a bit disappointed, as it is easy to find that they did not read my thesis carefully before making the comment. For example, they asked me to add a book as reference in a particular place which I have the reference there, they just did not see it; asked me to add a paragraph to a certain places, which I had it, they just missed it when they read it......

I was a bit annoyed by their carelessness, but many people told me that I must addressed the problems they raised in my amendment report. Even though I have had the reference, I have to write: please see page xx, I have added a new reference as the examiner kindly suggested, etc, etc, etc.

Thank you Pjlu- hope your study goes well and all the best.

Your reply sounds very good and I really admire your excellent official- like explanation and concern as well. Thank you. There is no argument that the administration system is still working after the viva period and the staff team is still running in the university. Therefore, paying an administration fee sounds OK even it was not written down clearly in regulation. However, I do hope in the future the definition of different level of PhD results can be published online as clearly as possible for future students. And it indeed not fair to charge money without no online published amount of the money.

Thank you, I submitted my amendment following a general time requiement for major amendment, which is not early at all. If I want to do the amendment for a longer time, I will be asked to pay more money- that is too much money. As a full time students for 10 years in the past, it is impossible to afford it and which left me in debts. I agree international students should pay more, but the number of payment must be punished online before we decided to come to this country.

Anyway, I have done all my best for my study, really tried all my best for my study and overcoming all difficulties. I am proud of myself to walk out of the depression because of the high stress given by supervisors and university. Again, wish this will not happen again on another student.

What you could think of ,for example, Google online regulation, etc. I must have done so. There is no regulation to ask the pass with major amendment to pay tuition fee, there is only ask for admistrtion fee. I wrote to my supervisor. The staffs in research office, all said it is not their job. The university wants money only. No one care about students. I am now only would like to get my PhD certificate, because I have passed my viva, done my amendment and pay a massive fee for not being withdrawed by the university. I do not want to be delayed for too long by them. Again, hope this will not happen again, but I am sure it will.

No information was available to me when I started my PhD at all. University knew that after 5 years studying, after passing my viva, getting the certificate is what a student want, otherwise the time was wasted. But I do hope the UK HE organizations can be honest to international students at the beginning of their study and can see academic level as the core of education, not concentrating on students' money.

Yes, this is actually my fifth year, I was asked to pay the whole year tuition fee after I received my result of pass with major amendments. My supervisor only met me once after the viva, and they told me if I do not pay the money, they would look for regulation to withdraw me from the uni. I therefore, must pay in order to submit my amendment.

I do not see others can have such terrible experience when doing a PhD.

Sorry to hear this. I do not feel surprised when I heard your story. This happened on my PhD colleague, her supervisor reported her bad behavior to the department and would like to withdraw her with his own mistake! I do not think complain is a wise method because the university staffs Basicly do not speak for students even they say : we care about students. That is not true. what they care is only about ' not losing' their job and get paid. So I think if you could find another organization this should be the best solution. I have another friend whose supervisor died after her first year of PhD study, then she transferred to another oganisation where did count her first year in when she enrolled again. It is great. She is happy since then.

Basicly, I had a completely horrible experience doing my PhD in my organization, too. They changed my main supervisor three times, every time, without asking my opinion. Two of them are rubbish indeed. My last supervisor who has only got BA degree with a few years working experience, he teaches he BA in my university. You could image my supervision meeting with this guy should be terribelly useless! What he passed me is: oh, I got a friend who did her PhD for six years, and had changed her supervisor three times, your experience is not the worst! How can a supervisor saying things like this!

So Michaela, you a re not alone at all, be positive to look for a wider oppotubities if possible.

I saw my examiners form after the viva, pass with major amendments and R&R were written separately in the form, I was given a pass with major amendments. Then I asked for the university, they emailed me and said once I submit my amendments to the examiners, the outcome will be pass or fail, no other possible result.

I am just so confused what it means, then I asked the research office. The staff just told me they only passed this comment on behalf of the chair of the research degree committe, they can not explain. Then they emailed me to pay whole year tuition fee for resubmission of my amendment. I am just too confused about the whole issue. That is so much money which I had not prepared so I delayed, then one day, I found an email saying that I had been withdrawed from the university system.

The reason I asked about the difference between major amendment and R&R is that I do not understand at all about why should I pay whole year tuition fee when I only need to do amendments and I do not understand, why they said after submitting my amendment, there is only pass or fail!

I submitted my amendment by email, the research office told me that it does not need to be printed out, because it is only amendments to be checked by the examiners. I did so last month, and they confirm with me and ask me to wait for result. Yesterday, it has been one month since I submitted my amendments, no response m. I therefore emailed the research office, they emailed me back saying: they only just contacted the examiners and hope to hear from them during the next two weeks. This means, after k submit my thesis, the research office kept my amendments for a whole month!

To be honest, I felt awful after being given too much confusion, I do not know why should it be like this in the Uk? I know I should ask for information from the research office in the uni, but it just that I can not get any honest help at all.

Are anyone else had the similar expletive and would like to offer some advice please?

Hi, guys

Though have done my viva, I still do not understand at all about the differences between major amendment and R&R.

If someone has been given major amendment, after she submitting her amendment to examiners. What kinds of results she might be given? Any possible to fail?

If someone has been given R&R, what the situation will be?

So puzzled.

Thank you, TreefLife and Gwen86 for sharing your experience. I emailed the research office in my uni. The answer is that they contacted the examiner last week and hope to hear from them during the next two weeks. This means that my thesis was kept by the uni for four weeks without sending to the examiners or making me aware of this.

The whole PhD experience to me is just odd- seems no regulation. After I submitting my amendment to the uni, none of my supervisors/advisors have been in contact with me. I just do not understand this, either.

Stressful indeed. anyone got the same situation before?