We realise that this can be a problem and we try to encourage our advertisers to select an appropriate funding status, and to provide more detail in the project description as to who is eligible to apply. Sadly our advice is sometimes ignored.

The advantage is that you usually earn more than most other PhD students. The qualification criteria are also less strict, so, if you have research/lab experience, you may get a place with a 2(ii), instead of the usual 2(i).

The downside is that in addition to paying tax, you will have to complete your Research Assistant (RA) duties as well as your PhD work. This depends on the attitude of your supervisor and the conditions of the funding for your position. In many cases the RA's duties are the same as their PhD work. It can also take longer to complete because of these difficulties and because you are less likely to be given paid time off to write your thesis.

If you are offered such a position then it's probably the best way to do a PhD.

Have a look at our funding and PhD's explained sections for links and information.

See our PhD's explained section for information and links on degree equivalence. It may well be that your grade is good enough. Don't worry about a research proposal unless you're thinking of self funding or you're asked for one.

You need to have been ordinarily resident in the UK for 3 continuous years for reasons other than full time education. The people who offered you a place should have checked your status earlier. Problems arising from inefficiency in university administration departments are all too common. Unless you supplied them with incomplete information, the mistake is the universities fault. However, the universities only impose the rules for studentship funding, they do not make them and it is not their money. If your residency status does not qualify you for a grant there's nothing they can do about it. The only discretion they have got is to charge you 'home student' fees, which they have offered to do.

If you feel that your status does qualify you for research council funding and the university have made a mistake then write to the registrars office. Also contact the NPC (National Postgraduate Committee) who should be able to give you advice and support.

See our funding pages for more information. Of particular relevance to you will be the Association of Commonwealth Universities, the British Council and the Malaysian Department of Education.

You should talk to the person who has offered you the place and explain your concerns. They will be able to advise you as to the benefits of delaying your exams and may be able to set your mind at rest about what's expected. If this supervisor (presumably the same person who supervised your final year project) really wants you to work with them they should be able to put together a study regime that will get you through your finals.

Delaying your exams sounds like a really bad idea to us here. If you got 2.2s before because you didn't work hard enough then you've still got time to work harder and improve your grade. If you did work hard in previous years, but ended up with a 2.2 anyway, then delaying your exams will probably just delay another 2.2.

Finally, just to re-iterate the point, go and see your potential new supervisor and talk to them openly and honestly about your concerns.

It is possible to start a PhD with a 2.2 degree and no masters qualification, but it is very rare and most research council funded projects will not be available to you. You are best advised to do a Masters degree first. Our new site (www.findamasters.com) will be launched next week and may be of use to you.

Try the University of Aberdeen web site

It will be difficult without at least a 2(ii) and a Masters. Start by asking advice from your MSc tutors, who will know what's going on in your subject area and may know of opportunities for which you may qualify.

The people your about to turn down will probably be annoyed, but it's unlikely to be the first time it's happened to them and it won't be the last. You're not going to be in trouble and they'll get over it. The important thing is that you are honest with them and let them know as quickly as possible about your decision, so that they can re-advertise the position.

Have a look in our Funding section for links to the Fulbright programme.

The source of funding is irrelevant to the quality of the PhD on offer.

Contact the person to whom you applied and ask politely when you can expect to hear from them.

A waiting list is not a 'NO', it means if somebody drops out you may be considered for the post without it being re-advertised. Drop outs occur because people change their minds, get better offers from other research groups or get a 2(ii) instead of there expected 2(i). In the mean time, keep looking and keep applying.