Ouch! That was sooooo rude!

I know that you will find my reply condescending!

Anyway, here’s my opinion! I was at a uni where there were no seminars. So what? I tried to attend other unis’ seminars! Especially now, when everything is online, it is even easier (I’m in Greece and I have attended so many seminars this year, that it couldn’t have been possible otherwise).
I would also agree with Marshall, try and make a group of your own, even if not from your uni. Create an online group and put invitations anywhere you can think! My guess is that several people would be interested.
Finally, and I know you would not like that either, if you apply for another phd, you will be asked about the two year gap in your cv! It’s not something that you can hide. You have to think of something that would cover these years and keep in mind that you will have to provide references, so choose your referees very carefully

It’s been years since I graduated but I’d like to contribute to this thread....
My PhD was part-time in a UK uni and I worked full time in Greece.
So, my schedule was:
8-2: Work
2:30-3:30: Gym
4-4:30: Lunch
4:30-9:30: PhD work
9:30: Dinner
10:30ish: In bed ready to sleep.....

Almost all my weekends were kept free

What I wanted to know before starting my PhD.......

To tell you the truth I really wanted to know how difficult it would have been! Having completed 2 masters (one of them an MBA with no background in economics) I (stupidely) imagined that a thesis was just a larger master dissertation! It wasn’t!!!!!! I didn't know how much deeper in the literature, in research methods, in research design and interpretation I had to go......

But I managed to finish! So you can, too!!!!!

I did my PhD part time while working full time in another country and I am not a native English speaker!
I did my PhD In sociology in the UK while living and working in special needs education in Greece...
It took me 7 years of hard work
The only advice I can give is having a programme and stick to it! I was working 6 hours a day on my job, then rest for an hour and then start working on my research for 3 hours every day. Then exercise a little bit every day. Also I was not working on weekends, except the odd one here and there.
If I managed to do it, then everybody can!

I was accepted at all my postgrad degrees without TOEFL or IELTS. I had only passed the Cambridge Proficiency exams (4 years before my first MA) and I had spent a semester at a UK uni during my undergrad years. I never had any problems....

I don’t use any system!!!!! I know how this may sound to others, but I just scribble what I think is important, or what questions are raised, or how it connects to my work. Then I write the reference at the top of the page, sometimes even at the bottom and that’s it!

I guess it is a system (or a “non-system”???) that depends depends a lot on the fact that I have a good memory and I remember where I put everything! E.g. If I need a reference from something that I read three or four years ago, I know (don’t ask how!) it is in that pile of papers on that table! So, I do a bit of searching and I find it!!!


Well, that’s me! It suits me!

I know I am not the best example, or the best to advice, but I take notes on A4 papers and then note the book or paper that I read. I end up with huge piles of notes, but it suits me.
I have tried a lot of methods but I always got lost. This is more suitable for me.
At the end of the day, I would say do what you find more suitable to you!

I was working full time while doing my PhD part time. Added to that, I lived in a country quite away from the UK where I did my PhD, have a native language ither than English and my work had nothing to do with my research! But... I did it! I managed to finish my PhD with very minor corrections. I needed to have a programm and stick to it as much as possible. Also, I had almost all of my weekends free, because otherwise I wouldn’t have made it.
I think it is possible if you want it!

Hi! I am really sorry for what has happened to you. Doing a PhD is a real struggle by itself.

Now, regarding your question, I reckon that you do not get a masters if you just drop out. You have to submit a thesis, have a viva and then be awarded an Mphil
But maybe I am wrong and somebody else has something more encouraging to say

I will try to make a guess here and say that maybe your stentship was over.
So, I suppose the uni would charge you normal fees...

As I was living and working at an other country and I had to make several arrangements in order to attend my viva, my examiners informed me from the day they received my thesis that I would have had my viva in 8 weeks. They themselves were informed about my special circumstances by the admins of the uni.

I can tell you how I prepared for my own viva.
First, I knew my thesis inside out. I had it full with post-it notes, where I had everything written and different colour post-its marking the beginning of each chapter. Also, on the laft blank pages, I summarised the main points of each page.
Then I prepared answers to the most "important" viva questions I found online (why I did this research?, What is my methodology and why?, How I chose my participants?, What are my main findings?, What other research have I used a lot and why?, What is my contribution to knowledge?, How will I disseminate my research?, What are my future plans? etc). I wrote down the answers, and I learnt them almost by heart.
A few hours before my viva, I had a mock viva with my supervisor and a colleague of hers. This really helped me a lot.
When I went into my viva I was really nervous. I remember that one of the examiners wanted to talk about an ethical issue that came up during the research, and he insisted on asking me "what if....". I was asked about two paper that I referenced a lot (and I was really lucky, because that morning I had read them again, so they were fresh in my memory). I was asked about my methodology, the reason for doing this research and the dissemination of my results.
The whole thing must have lasted about an hour, but it felt less. When me and my supervisor got out of the room I remember asking her if I could breathe now!
I was called back 10 minutes later and I got really minor amendments (10 minutes work).

If I could do it, then you can too!
Just be as calm as you can. Know your thesis well and be confident about your work!

Please get some help! PhD can wait! Get some help and get it asap! There is nothing more important than yourself!

Is there a uni guide or something similar? At my uni I had to use 1.5 spacing, at least size 11 fonts, certain left and right margins (that I do not remember anymore) and it had to be singe sided.
I used1.5 spacing, calibri 11 fonts and it was single sided.
Mine was 267 pages long and it was in one volume

If that’s your opinion.....I have a different one!