If withdrawing gets you a cleaner record, i guess then do it. I can't say I'm an expert in any of this, so please don't take anything i say as written in stone. I think a good option for you may be to maybe take a year or two away from PhD and maybe complete a short course- maybe do an MRes etc? It depends on which country you're applying from. Maybe showing you have done something and succeeded after the failed PhD will lift your chances rather than trying to go into another PhD outright. Again, i hope someone else answers this thread as well because I'm not sure what to do in your situation. But don't get depressed- things will get better!

I agree with TreeOfLife. Speaking as an MRes student, my supervisors are pretty laid back people, and my breaks/holidays are whenever I want them, really, as long as I tell them well in advance. Sick days happen, obviously, and those are fine too as long as they don't happen often. Mainly, supervisors in general don't mind as long as you're getting the work done and no experiments/ research/ whatever is suffering because of your days off.

Hope that helps!

How exactly would you hide this year in your CV? Have you been doing anything else in this year i.e a part time job? In general, your CV should state everything you've been doing in at least the most recent years of your life. Leaving a year conveniently missing may cause the interviewers to question exactly what happened in that year and might force you to explain the failed PhD in the interview itself, which might make it seem like you were purposefully trying to lie/be dishonest with them, which never goes down well.

Thanks for the link, datura, and for the help. I've loked into it a bit more, and i don't think there are bench fees after all. But i'll ask about the conference thing anyways, thanks for your help!

Hi everyone!

Just wondering- i have a PhD interview next week- what questions in terms of funding, should I ask? I'm still not sure what all the costs involving a PhD are, but this particular one is funded. This is what information about funding i have been given:
'...studentship includes an annual tax-free stipend of approx. £15,863 (2014/15 rate) plus university fees at the EU/UK rate.'

Without sounding stupid...does that mean everything is covered or is there stuff i should be worrying about?:S

Please help!!!!

Congrats on your two successful applications- you are very lucky!

You're right, my PI is already allocated and so is the project, as it already has funding etc- its all down to the interview now, and how they feel about me. Your comment helps a lot with some the questions they might ask, and thanks for mentioning to look up the research group itself- i'll definitely do that! I plan to do my homework as properly as possible, and just hope for the best now, really. Thanks for your help!

I appear to have access to it, so if Clupea is unable to provide it for whatever reason, i can:)

Hello everyone!

I'm new to this forum, so please bear with me! I am currently a MSc student studying Neuroscience and am about three-quarters of the way through my course. I've been applying for PhDs constantly since i finished my bachelors finished, and have been rejected at least 20 times so far, without an interview.

I could understand that because, well, a lot of people have much, much more experience than me and more qualifications, and have been trying a lot longer, so i have no right to complain, really.

The thing is now i finally have a PhD interview at UCL and this will be the first academic interview i've done in a long time! The PhD is neuroscience-related and to do with drosophila melanogaster, which is what i'm currently working with on my master's research project. I can't tell you how well suited this PhD is to my interests and my current research work- i want this PhD very badly.

I know i probably have a lot less experience than whoever the other candidates are, but I do have a 1st in my undergrad and some experience directly relating to the PhD in question. Do i have any chance at all? Does anyone have any interview tips that may help? Has anyone here applied for a PhD at UCL? Please, I need some help and advice!

My interview is on the 21st of May.Thank you for your help.