PinkNeuron, it's a bit of a late response but I am really sorry to hear about your funding . Please keep your positive attitude.

Thanks 404. I am having major wobblies at the moment and don't even feel like looking on the forum
Just got a lot on and I don't know, I guess, a delayed reaction coming out in a big confidence knock. The funding was just bad timing as I was already having doubts as to my ability to do a PhD and be a Mum to millions (how it feels today). I will get over it, but going to take a bit to get back on track, I have done no work for ages, keep trying but just way way de-motivated. So silly, I know.

Hi Pinkneuron. I am new to this forum, so hi to everyone! I sympathise with you on your predicament. I say this becasue I just receive a regret today that there were more than 200 applications for the PhD scholarship I was so interested in. So, they could only take a few and I happen to be none of those.
I dont know what to tell my family and frieds because they always think I am among the best candidaes and should therefore find no hurdles in accessing such. And, that is painful when you get a regret! So, Pink, you are not alone. I t has hapenned to so many of us. I guess our reactions/decisions will decide our future. Lets remain optimistic that our chance will come soon. This time can be invested in doing something else as we continue searching for further PhD opportunities. Why not engage in getting some research experience/work/family/etc. I dont know if this makes sense. I wish you all the best.

PinkNeuron, I think there is hardly anybody on this forum who never doubts themselves about their elegibility and I happily go first and still I got funding and I think it was just for the stupid reason that the others were even worse. BUT I am not impling that you are not good enough - you have the determination and I think this is the biggest part but that the competition varies and an open one with different disciplines is certainly hard as subjects might be favoured e.g. climate change will pull more then ??? music...
Keep up the good spirit as I am relying on you to give me loads of tips on child care and organising kids and PhD over the next years!

PinkNeuron, whether you get or not a scholarship does not depend on your abilities. Competition is very hard and often there is just very very small difference between the person who does get scholarship and who doesnt, mainly determined by random luck. I didnt get scholarship for PhD first time I applied. Nothing out of 10 applications. After a year I applied again and got fully funded scholarship! Did my abilities improves during that year- I very much doubt it. So, nouse up, there will come better times.

PinkNeuron, you have every right to give yourself some time to feel down and upset, as you were looking forward to this for a long time. However, I recommend submitting applications to funded places for the rest of the summer with the same proposal; and explain to supervisors that you were offered a place but couldn't secure funding. You might be able to find a fully funded place at another university.

I wish you all the success and good luck.

Hey Pink, DON'T give up on your dream. I am also a mum to millions and that makes us both versatile and patient! I didnt get my first application for MA funding then someone dropped out over the summer and I got it. I then got rejected x2 for funding fro my own research (very low point didnt know what to do with myself) then someone at my old uni sent me an application for a studentship, I applied and got it!!! Don't give up keep knocking on doors and keep an eye on studentships even if they are not in your primary area of research. xxxxxx

dazednconfused, would the chance of winning be very low if you apply for a studentship other than in your own primary research area? I find it hard to write up the proposal without relevant background knowledge. It is not hard to acquire but it takes time!

Thanks dazed, oz, 404, newmakes, verdy etc. you are very encouraging. I haven't been looking around for more sponsorship as I have been taking time out to enjoy things other than the pending PhD. Now, I feel ready to look into some more funding opportunities. The gloom has lifted. I am not going to look for another uni. etc. as my project is quite specific, was part of my MSc and I looked long and hard for someone to take it on. This Prof. is in the same field, one of only a few in the country and wants to incorporate his research into mine. He has applied for funding (£7000) in his name and will give to me but I don't know the outcome yet. I have just decided that if worse comes to worse, I will take a student loan for the 1st year, at least. I am fortunate to have my husband support me but I want to do this on my own, hence, find my own funding. So, I am onwards and upwards

Very sorry to hear about your situation BUT hope the funding will come through. Just as a thought, does your uni have any part-time Research jobs or teaching jobs or demo jobs that you can get. This may be of little help but better than nothing if you get something. Good luck let us know what happens and share your thoughts it has helped me in the past

Hey Sourapple, my studentship is with a proposel someone else wrote and got funding with and then passed it on to me...theres no way I could blag a proposel on anything other than my original area of research I have the imagination of a small kiwi fruit

what's a proposel?

exactly...I can't even spell it let alone write it
(this is eaxcatly why I have ordered dragon software!!!)