======= Date Modified 04 Aug 2010 15:40:35 =======
======= Date Modified 04 Aug 2010 15:40:04 =======
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The email I mentioned sending earlier has been replied to:

"Dear david

I hope to send the letters out tomorrow. We are just waiting for the Chair to sign-off the minutes of the funding meeting.

Regards

Denis"


Posted Thursday, 1st Class post would mean Friday delivery/opening/emailing hopefully..............

Argh..so friday will be big anxiety day, checking email constantly...
As to previosu post, for me it's ESRC or nothing. I'm on my first MPhil year, but unless I get funded with a +3 I'll probably give up...I've decided not to enter my 30s poorer than in my 20s...the sad state of research these days..

I already got a scholarship from my uni, and I was hoping to get this so someone else could take my university scholarship place. Now I sort of want someone else here who is relying on this to get it instead of me. However, I did apply for this before I applied internally so I wasn't to know beforehand.

I really hope you get it Mix. What is your proposed research about?

Thank you for your reply SocDave! Interesting that you got a more specific response; however a good one nonetheless. I will be checking my emails all day on Friday now then.

In regards to funding, ESRC is my last optionwe for this year. My potential supervisors and I also applied for ESRC/MRC Interdisciplinary Studentship; however we heard at the end of May that we were unsuccessful with that one.

I'm in anthropology studying conservation-development projects. To be honest, whatever will be will be. I might consider reapplying next year, but we'll see. Some other things will come up. Well done you though! You are already one of the lucky few!

======= Date Modified 05 Aug 2010 16:11:54 =======
Hello everyone!

I see there are many nervous people on here awaiting results. Good luck to you all.

I am thinking of applying for the ESRC +3 next year, I am waiting for the university i wish to study at, to find out if they are becoming a DTC and if they will have quota awards, they wont know until December by the ESRC. If not I will be applying for the open competition.

I just wondered if anyone can give me any advice on applying etc?

xxx

You need to have a fairly good idea of what you want to do as a PhD and the approach an academic who would be willing to supervise the project. If they are willing to put you forward for the competition then they will most likely give you lots of support with your proposal which is the most important part.

I would think each university is different but where I applied from it was the department who decided who they wanted to put forward, and then they worked on improving your initial proposal into one that would likely woo the ESRC.

I had a slightly unconventional way of getting to an ESRC application. I was approached by a lecturer at RHUL and one at KCL to apply for an ESRC/MRC studentship first and then we also decided to apply for an ESRC one. My advice would be to make sure that you are very specific in what you want to look at and view staff profiles at the Universities you're interested in early on. We started the proposal in January for the mid-April submission. I would also encourage you to choose your references carefully as I have heard they carry weight in the decision making process to a moderate extent.

I received a good amount of support in writing the proposal to ESRC 'level' which I felt was crucial. In addition, a good working relationship with your potential supervisor is very important as you may be working with them for the next 3 or so years. By this, I always look for regular email contact and the general feel you have about how much they wish to help you.

I may have rambled on a little; however I hope some of this helps!

Good luck for today everyone - fingers tightly crossed for you all, hopefully the wait will be over soon :-)

Second that - lets just hope they posted the letters first class!!!

No news from Nom Con yet; however my potential supervisor emailed me at 10am saying that RHUL haven't heard yet and she predicts it shall be next week now. I'm still hoping for some news today though! Has anyone else heard anything yet?

======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2010 11:07:21 =======

Nowt :-(, I keep refreshing this page (to see if anyone has heard) and checking my emails like a madman!!

I am glad I'm not the only one! I think we deserve to know now. Where did you apply and for what subject?

======= Date Modified 06 Aug 2010 11:17:48 =======
Sheffield Hallam - Sociology. I want to study British Muslims attending Faith Schools, in an aim to address the urban myth (or is it?) that they are breeding grounds for extremism. I've been told it ticks a lot of the 'sexy' topic boxes, but that's not enough to convince me!!

I've decided to go out - have some food and do some shopping. Can't stand this waiting about. Especially if it doesn't come through today. I might want to jump from a great height if that happens!