I did my Mphil in Applied Maths from Pakistan in 2011. I am planning to do Phd from UK now, since I reside in London now. I find myself pretty helpless in this regard. I don't know the procedure. Neither do I know any professors. Which professor to chose? which university is good for Phd in Maths? I definitely need funding.
Since its been two years since I did my Mphil, I am doubtful if I should get into Phd. Should I do a masters first so to refresh my Maths? Because, I wasn't a very bright student even in Mphil. I love research work, but there is no research institute which would cater to non-Phds (or is there?). I would appreciate any advice regarding this issue.

Hi there! The best place to start would be at www.findaphd.com as you can search for courses by subject area, institution etc. When you find a course you like, you can email the course supervisor directly using the link at the bottom of the page to ask any questions you might have about funding or requirements. The supervisors want people on their course so they do get back to you relatively quickly. There is also some good advice on the website about general funding matters and university profiles.

Good luck!

Thanks. But should I even go for a Phd or not? I think I've forgotten all about Maths. Shouldn't I go for something like a refresher course ( if anything like that exists)? I'm a bit confused

To even get on a PhD course you'll need to refresh your maths first because you'll need a pretty good idea of what research you want to do, how it will be an original contribution to the field and you'll need to get through and interview where they'll probably ask you technical questions about the work you want to do and the work you have done.

If you have an MPhil you can be reasonably assured that you are bright enough to do a PhD, whether or not you're dedicated enough is something only you can answer.

The best thing to do is use findaphd.com and look at which funded projects are available. Then e-mail a supervisor to discuss the project. If they're interested in you and your CV then usually they'll ask to meet for a chat about the project and for them to get an idea of what you'd hope to achieve. It's also an opportunity for you to see if you could get on well with the supervisor. If your maths isn't up to scratch then the chances are they won't even put you forward for funding.

Funding is so competititve these days (in the UK at least) that you simply won't get onto the course if you don't have the ability, so I wouldn't worry about that. You just have to decide if you have the motivation to devote 4 years of your life to your subject.

Thank you so much. That was a really good advice. I wanted to be in research my entire life and still want to.

So, does that mean I should be fully-equipped even before I apply? Is it advisable that I refresh my Maths first and then start looking for the funded projects?

You should know what you're talking about in terms of the project you're applying for. No need to go on some refresher course but seriously hit the books on your area of interest for a few weeks/months and then make an approach to a supervisor.

Thank you very much.