I had the interview. It was fine. The supervisors selected me for the position. The industrial sponsor also supports the decision of the supervisors. But the personnel department doesn’t want to give me the position because I am too old! (I am 33) Meanwhile I rejected a PhD position in my country because I didn’t know that I would have a problem. Now I am desperate.

This is ridiculous! Plenty of people your age and older do PhDs. Is this in the UK? It is illegal to discriminate on the grounds of age.

It is in Netherlands.
May be I should try in UK.

I'm 35, started my PhD last week.

Hi Rena,
Thanks for the link. I will look at it.I think the university has no problem to take me. It is the FOM ( fundamental research on matter) that rejected me. FOM seems have an age limit for oio. It wants people under 27.

Perhaps the university can intervene on your behalf? Are these people (FOM) providing funding for your research (or not, as the case may be)?

Hi Ann,
The research is completely funded by an industrial sponsor. Hence my supervisors got support letters from the sponsor. But it seems it didn’t work.

So how are these FOM people involved in your studentship? (Apart from being age-discriminating fiends! )

You cannot discriminate on age grounds - if anything you have grounds for threatening to sue!

Hi all,
I have just started my PhD with full funding in 5* rated department in UK. After all it didn't go so bad.

Excellent news blue! Good luck to you

All the very best blue. That's great!