Hi everyone,

I have been doing my PhD (science based) for a year. Overall its been going pretty badly - I have got into this cycle of "it doesn't work even though its simple and I'm following a step by step method" = "depression" = "it doesn't work (probably because my minds not on the job and I'm too busy thinking how horrible this all is".

As soon as I started I kind of realised that I shouldn't be doing a PhD right now. I hoped that things would get better and I put in a lot of hours, but my minds not really been on the job.

I definitely want to do a PhD in the future. I am funded by EPSRC. If I quit after the first year review/ fail it I am assuming that I would never get funded again - even in a different area?

unfortunately I think that it can badly affect the funding decision in the future

I've had funding twice from 2 different research councils: EPSRC over a decade ago for full-time science PhD, AHRC now for part-time arts PhD. So it is possible. I even mentioned my prior funding and why I'd had to leave (incurable serious illness) on my second funding application. But if you had to apply to the same funding council again I think you'd be very lucky, and even if they granted something they may reduce the number of years funded.

I've had funding twice from two different sources, 15 years apart (science the first time, humanities/science mix the second). I think it's unlikely you would get funding from the same source though. I didn't mention anything about the first time when applying this time. I really couldn't bare to get into the whole sorry tale quite apart from being afraid it would be held against me. I mentioned it to my supervisor after starting and he was completely disinterested and has never asked what happened or mentioned it again.

It was the wrong field AND the wrong time for me first time around.

In response to origignal post,

Hi I am in a v similar position at the moment, have just decided after 9 months that I cant do a PhD in my current area of research. I still intend to do a PhD tho probably at a different university, tho am worried what to put on my cv, since I cant just ignore it completely.
I hope everything goes well for you.

I would have thought that if the funding is from another source - well then you'll be okay. But if you are probably going to need money from the same research council - then I given the competition for funding, they would not be too keen on offering it again.

^^ excuse poor writing - I'm half asleep.

Where is that editing facility we were promised????