Hi folks! Hope I'm not totally off topic here & being a spoon, but I'm looking for a wee bit advice. I've been given two separate PhD projects in experimental cancer therapeutics at Queens University Belfast (without interview - miracle?! I don't know!), but am still waiting on hearing about the ever elusive funding. The projects were listed on findaphd as 'competitively funded' and I have applied for both DEL and University Scholarships through the university application portal for both projects, but have heard nothing. I emailed the university in February and was told a decision would be make soon by the postgrad office and 'next week' by the School I'd be in but have heard nothing since. I emailed them again the other week, but to no avail and phoning them just gets me bounced around departments where no-one can answer my question! So I would just like to know what advice you can give me about how to get answers from them? Is it usual to wait this long? Do I even stand a chance for funding or should I just give up :( Has anybody been through something similar and can tell me this is normal and to stop freaking out?! Please help - I've been freaking out since January!

QUB takes ages to do anything, especially the postgrad office! altho the cancer institute is meant to be great, so id say hang on in there, keep looking around for other projects just in case, but you'll find out soon enough I'm sure. Altho it is miserable waiting! good luck!

Thanks for the advice Algaequeen!

Ugh going through this right now in a different uni. Currently got funding apps in with industry, EPSRC, the university itself, and a separate umbrella body - and waiting for news on them all. One has been in the pipeline for over a year. I'm going bonkers :-( So I can't offer any advice other than in academia, everything moves sloooooowwwwwlllllyyyy :-s Especially when you're looking for money.