Thanks for the support and suggestion, Shani . I will have to think about that one. If I could get a firm commitment of final year funding, then they might go for it, but they certainly seem very inflexible generally. I will also look for a different source of funding for a research masters, but I don't hold out much hope for this.

Otherwise, I have to try to prove that I hold equivalent qualifications to the research masters. Possibly I may do in terms of employment experience, well almost, but ESRC regulations say "qualifications", which implies "officially recognised and assessed academic qualifications", or does it?

Logic would suggest a body that funds such a complex subject area as the social sciences should have less simplistic policies than this. But isn't life so full of these contradictions!

I did a specialist 1-year MSc funded by part-time employment, a bank loan, and a modest bursary from a regional development (public) agency in England. Because my MSc was partly funded from a public source, ESRC will not allow me more than 3 years studentship funding, so I can't do a 1+3 with them. However, they require a full research masters to qualify for a +3 studentship, but I cannot fund this myself because I have the bank loan to pay off.

These inflexible ESRC rules have me in a Catch 22: I was so keen to study that I went for a specialist MSc with a small public bursary; therefore, now ESRC won't allow me to continue studying!