Howdy,

It would be great to hear from current PhD students receiving funding to tell me if the funding is manageable or is it like living on the poverty line?! How much cash does the average PhD student have left after living expenses??

I just got a formal offer from a Uni just outside London (13,600) which I need to respond to in the next few days/week, its researching fuel cell which is the area I really want to get into. Thing is there is no way I want to leave London as all my friends and boyfriend are there. Even if I make a conservative estimate of living expenses/travel I would be left with 2-300 per month. Is this the normal disposable income for a PhD student? I'm seriously considering of declining as my income would be swollowed up with normal things like a trip to see my parents or the dentist! Or am I being unrealistic, after all most post grad students arn't normally flush right?

Can funding be negotiated at all? On my offer is says 'around' 13,600, suggesting I might be able to squeeze a bit more out of them??

This university is my second choice, my first choice is a more prestigious London based uni which would potentially pay more, minus the commute costs. I have an informal offer subject to funding, but funding is not confirmed and to be honest I'm concerned it's not going to come through, which is why I am fortunate to have this 'insurance offer'.

Any one had to comute for thier PhD? Or lived with no money? Is it soul-destroying or not noticable? Some advice would be much appreciated, as I dont know what to do and have to make my mind up asap!

Cheers :)

It's hard for anyone to know what you like spending your money on :-) It sounds like a good amount to me, I was on £12000 per year, but this was oop North :p

I'd say work out your estimates a bit more accurately - things like rent/utilities/food bills/travel you should be able to work out. Then see what's left over that you could save/spend on fun stuff :-)

I would be fine living off that kinda money, but you might have a thing for desinger clothing and fancy holidays, if you see what I mean :p

Well it really depends on what kind of a spender you are. Write a list of all the monthly expenses, add it up and see. Personally I think one can live on £1,100 per month (even in London), as long as one doesn't splash out on shoes, handbags, going out to eat, too many drinks etc, and lives in shared accommodation.

Ha ha I'm definitely not a 'splasher'! No interest in designer clothes or shoes etc... my only vice is travelling, in fact Im writing from abroad as I decided to take a backpacking gap year! So its hard to estimate with great certainty what my expenses will be...
But I have budgeted 300 for a house- which is cheap for London, normally it hard to get a shared house below 4-500 per month. My last year of uni in london I was living in a shared house - in the garage which was converted into a room, with no heating or windows so I could save dosh and that was just under 300 pm! The real killer is the train which is a bare minimum of 200 per month assuming I travel off peak, but Im sure I would need to go in at 9am for meetings, in which case the train fare would jumpt to 22-25 quid even with a student discount! Then there is the tube card, again at least 80pm. Plus my bills, phone and credit card reps which is about 160 pm. So anyway that leaves 260 quid. I like to go out, but its hard to find cheap bars in London and I have lots of friends and family in Devon which is a 60quid train ride, I guess I would have to kiss good bye to travelling!

If there was no commute, I would be fine that 200 would make all the difference.

Do you still study, have you found it easy to live? I guess 'oop' north as you say would be cheaper, how much are bills and stuff? Do you go out and about often, take breaks from all the hard work?

I think I know the answer to my own question, and that is move!! I just think I'll be miserable in London with no $$ or miserable outside London away from my mates and BF.

Personally I'd be more miserable without my mates and friends, than with not enough money. Remember it is three years, and PhDs are generally quite lonely ...

Also, many PhD students work part time as well. Some of my colleagues work two days a week in another job, even though they are full time students. That is another option you could look into ...

Have your colleagues found it OK to manage PhD work with a part time job? were they working weekends?

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It's unlikely you'll be able to negotiate more money, but I guess nothing ventured nothing gained. While it is true that some PhD students work part time, check with people in your prospective department whether that really is feasible. Some disciplines are more amenable to this than others.

To be honest I wouldn't attempt to live in London on a non-London stipend, or at least not with those travel costs. There's a reason a London stipend is higher. You'll be hard pushed to find accommodation for less than £300 unless you set your standards very low. Last year I lived in London on a London stipend and spent every penny (I don't have expensive tastes, I don't smoke, and drink very little). This year I'm living up North on a smaller stipend but I live comfortably and manage to save some money at the end of the month.

How far outside London are we talking here? Might it be possible to live midway, thus reducing your rent and travel costs, but still being close to your friends and boyfriend?

I would suggest thinking very carefully about taking such a financial decision for 3 years. That's a long time to be living at such a stretch. You need to think about what makes you happy and keeps you sane, and whether that is really feasible on such a budget. That will be specific to you. Compromises may be needed, but too many could be detrimental over that time frame. Don't forget to allow for unexpected costs too.

Good luck with your decision.