Providing a research assistant post isn't for people who already have a PhD there is a chance that you would be able to register for a PhD. If you see an ad for a research assistant, write to the supervisor and ask if the successful applicant would be able to register for a PhD. The problem is that the body funding the research assistants’ salary is paying for a full time research assistant, not somebody who is working towards a PhD. They can stipulate that any work towards the PhD is done in addition to the 9-5 they are paying for. How you juggle or fudge these restrictions is between you, your supervisor and your university.



There is no secret to getting these posts. Like most things you just have to be better suited to the job in the eyes of your interviewers than anybody else. More than in most other professions, good references are important. Academia is a small world and people from different institutions often collaborate or meet at conferences. Consequently they tend to tell the truth in references.

A BSc(Hons) degree is a BSc with Honours. In fact most BSc degrees are Honours degrees and the (Hons) bit is often not mentioned. In the UK a BSc(Hons) has 4 possible grades (first, 2(i), 2(ii), third). If a student fails to acheive these grades they may be awarded a 'pass' degree without honours (ie a BSc). Some institutions also of degrees without hounours, which are easier than a BSc(hons).

Salaries for PhDs depend on the subject studied & the career you choose afterwards. Many PhD students & post-docs complain about their career prospects & salaries, but it’‘s actually a trade off between quality of life & high salaries. Research is not for everyone & can involve long hours & weeks of endless disappointment. However, the satisfaction of pursuing your own intellectual & research goals every day is in stark contrast to the 9-5 lives of your average accountant. The opportunity to work abroad is probably unrivalled by most other careers. If you choose to leave academia after a PhD you will be qualified for a career in industrial research, which will pay very well (the net financial benefit compared to starting with the same company three years earlier may be hard to judge, but you’‘d never get a senior research position without a PhD in most companies). A PhD leaves you lablled as an expert (at least in the eyes of anyone who hasn’‘t got one). Many people move to work in technical writing, patents, publishing, teaching, technical sales, management consultancy & any other area where specialists come in handy – the rewards are various – work in teaching or publishing won’‘t pay that well – patent law or management consultancy will leave you obscenely rich.


Don’‘t do a PhD just to make money. There are easier & quicker ways to make a few quid & academia is not highest paid profession around. You should do a PhD because you are fascinated by your subject & would like to know more about it. Any other reason is a waste of time.

To transfer institution and keep the same project would require the co-operation of your supervisor and may still be quite a difficult proposition. If you feel you are not receiving adequate or appropriate supervision then you should contact the director of research in your department - if they feel your complaint is genuine then they may be able to assign you to an alternative supervisor within the same department.


If you submit for an MPhil after a full two years of research it may not look good when you apply for other projects - particularly if you are seeking a funded project.

It is worth trying, but you should start early. Full scholarships for international students are rare and you will need to spend a lot of time on the web sites of individual universities to seek out special scholarships. The first thing you should do is contact the Department of Education in your home country. You should also contact the British Council (again in your home country).

Speak to your postgraduate advisor. If you have not been allocated one then speak to the postgraduate admissions tutor or head of postgraduate research in your department.

Your supervisor is there to guide you and to listen to the problems you have with your research. Being able to work unsupervised is different from working without support and advice.

The number of students and postdoctoral researchers in a lab is a good indicator, although there are many good young scientists at the start of their career who will be very good supervisors (they have more time to dedicate to students and research). We put a lot of emphasis in this forum on finding 'good labs', to encourage people to look further that the reputation of the university as a whole. A decent RAE and a bunch of papers is about as good an indicator as you're going to get without advice of others in the field.

You should now concentrate on the research projects that most interest you. When you go for interview you should be given the opportunity to speak to people already working in your potential supervisors lab, they'll be able to tell you more about what the labs like to work in.

The amount of work involved in a pert time PhD will be defined between you and your supervisor. These things can be very subject specific. Contact the Graduate Office of the university you are interested in to find out about fees.

It depends on the funding body, but most UK research councils will be similar. The BBSRC states that

"Up to four months paid maternity leave is allowed without abatement of the stipend, and, if required, the studentship will be extended by a commensurate period. BBSRC will be as flexible as possible in considering changes in the circumstances of the studentship when the student is ready to return."

If you want a career in research then the only thing that matters is that you work in a good lab, not in a good university. All the places you have mentioned have very good reputations. Any department with a 5 or 5* RAE rating will have a strong international reputation in their specific areas of research. What's important is that you pursue the research project that you are most interested in. If you continue in research anyone who is likely to employ you will know of the reputation of your research group.

If you wish to use your PhD as a gateway to other employment outside of research then you may be better off at a more famous university.

Look in the scientific press for postdoctoral jobs. There are a lot of post-doc positions available in the USA and you should not find it hard to get a work visa.

It is difficult to get accepted with a third class degree. You are very unlikely to qualify for any UK research council funding. However your distinction in your MSc will help. Demand for software engineers in industry is high, as are the wages offered which means that demand for PhDs is less than in some other subjects. You need to look for projects funded by other bodies or for a job as a research assistant.

As we always recommend talk to your tutors from your MSc course. They know the subject area and the relevant research groups. If anybody knows what your realistic chances are they will.

You can apply now if you'd like to get things sorted. Write directly to supervisors explaining that you wish to work in their lab as a self funded student and when you want to start. If they like you enough they may even offer you a funded project. Some research projects can have expensive overheads (eg travel, equipment or reagents), which are not always covered by university fees. If the supervisor has time they may be able to apply for funding to cover these additional costs.

If you want more time to choose the area of research you'd like to pursue then don't worry, applying in the summer will probably give enough time for the wheels of university administration to get into motion. It will however reduce your chances of receiving any financial support towards fees.

It sounds like you will be fine, but we cannot give a definite answer.

In the UK MSc's are usually awarded with only two grades (pass or pass with distinction). Both are acceptable for a PhD application (providing your first degree grade is equivalent to a 2.2 (lower second) or above. If your first degree grade is equivalent to a 2.1 (upper second) then the MSc will not be needed (however, given that you've already started you'll need to pass it and a good grade will help).

Because there are so many different qualifications throughout the world it is difficult to find out what a particular degree grade in one country is equivalent to in another. It is likely that your course tutors will know (as other students may have done PhDs abroad in the past).