Thanks for all your messages and advice. It really does feel like staring down the barrel of a gun just now. I think I'll have to seriously consider the part-time route and will get in touch with my chosen university shortly regarding this. I just hope they don't tell me it's too late to choose to go part-time now, with only a month and a half before I am due to start! I can safely say that trying to raise money to do a full-time PhD has been ridiculously stressful.

I'm seriously having to consider the part-time option, though obviously would rather go full-time. I know what you mean, bewildered, about the danger of a CDL just to initially start-up my PhD, so am attempting to keep the amount I would borrow as low as possible (fees only, basically, plus a bit to help me over the initial beginning until I get part-time work) but it's all very risky. It's also somewhat galling, regarding CDLs, that one will almost certainly be turned down to one due to, say, a late paid electricity bill five years ago and that the two banks who administer and decide on the loans are Barclays and the Co-Op, neither of whom are in good credit positions themselves! What a horrendous system. I've already deferred from last year, so this is the last chance saloon. Looks like I'm going to be turning myself into a charity case if I want to go full-time.

Well, with seven weeks to go I have pretty much exhausted all attempts to find other sources of funding for my PhD in film which I am (still) hoping to start in October and am left with the dreaded CDL. Has anyone else found how hellish these are, from the differing information such as "make sure you apply more than three months before your course commences" on the booklet info to the "do not send your completed form in more than eight weeks before your course commence date" on the actual form. If this is really regarded as the way to fund post-grad study, then it is an utter disgrace. Does anyone, please, have any advice on how to fund what is, at the moment, just my first year of study (I'll worry about the next two when they come) as I am in the final stages of a slow-motion breakdown with all this. What an utter nightmare. Any advice graciously welcomed.