Hi all,

I am an MBBS from Pakistan and have been involved in postgrad medical physiology for the last 2 years. I have published 2 papers in local (but decent) journals (one indexed in Pubmed).

I have been on an internet spree to look for PhD positions in physiology/neurology (my research interest is in genetics of neurological disorders). I have had some luck in the sense that I usually get supervisor's attention, but when it comes to funding, the clouds loose their silver lining!

I am quite dissapointed with my search in UK, since many of the noted research schools only cater to Uk/EU nationals in the first place, and the ones that have an open door policy are very, very few. May be I am missing some institutions.

I also have searched through europe and australia. Funding seems to be the major issue, since 'they' seem to be okay with my intellectual abilities.

Any thing that I am missing here? Suggestions/advice would be highly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

About the funding I don't have any real experience - but I do know that alot of the non-european Students at the university I did my PhD came in with external funding - that is they came with their own funding, quite a few from Pakistan, some from Egypt and Lybia and many mediacal doctors.
I don't know where these sources are but I suspect if you ask around hospitals and universities, you will find quite a few funding bodies and this may be the route for you to go to guarantee your place.

Saying that though - no UK university should have a policy against hiring you under with their funding - that would be discriminatory but realistically in most institutions a lot of them (not all) go to candidates who have done degrees at that institution - thats just the way it goes I'm afraid - I think because those candidates come with strong reccomendations from internal sources and may even have worked along with those PI's

Hope this helps a little

Good luck

Have you looked into the US? The reason I suggest this is that it's sometimes possible to teach enough as a grad student to pay your way (I think?). Although there is some teaching to be had here - you would never pay your way on it - too little for too little pay.

'Suggestions/advice would be highly appreciated'.

Pay for it yourself.

Generally the funding that is open to non EU nationals is fudning offered by the universities themselves rather than research councils. If you search carefully you may find some university funded studentships fully open to international students. Often less prestigious universities fund their own since they have not got studentship funding from research councils and these are often open to all international students (look up Salford, Bournemouth and Bolton for instance). Nevertheless you will find more prestigious unis that fund their own studentships. Partly I guess it depends whether universities place an importance on your chosen subject area and so offer a studentship in this area.