I'm currently studying for a MRes at Imperial College and have been offered 4 year PhD funding also at imperial. The funding however includes the study in the first year on another MRes that really doesn't interest me that much, yet it does hold the flexibility to be able to complete the actual PhD in a topic of my choice. I'm still looking around and applying for PhDs of more interest to me, yet if I'm offered something better how should I go about turning down the offer? And do I then run the risk of alienating the funders if I decline and complete my PhD at another university?

If you don't want to do another MRes might you not be excused, because you will have one already? And then you'd have the funding to do the PhD in the topic of your choice.

Don't worry about alienating funders: I don't think you will at all. People turn down PhD positions all the time, sometimes even going onto others funded by the same research council / body!

Thanks! No, unfortunately the 4-year funding comes on the condition on completing the MRes in the first year so if I accepted, I'd have to do it. I just dont want to leave it too late really, as if I decline soon, then hopefully they will be able to offer the project to someone else.

Nasty condition that one. I've heard of people being excused from the MRes part of a 1+3 before, if they have suitable prior training. Shame that's not possible in your case.

Good luck!

Yer i know. I've just emailed the person in charge of the funding to make sure that I have to sit the masters, to make sure my impression from the interview was right. It just seems a bit of a waste of the funders money to be honest, to pay for me to do another MRes when I've already got one! I'll see what her reply is! Thanks for your advice!

Hi Ian

I tried to send you a PM but your private messaging is disabled, can you turn it on?

ejc x

Hi, I've just enabled it!

dont do a Phd if it does not interest u. i turned down funding in a top uni coz i didlike the area and the supervisors but got middle uni en took the funding coz the supervisor was interested in my project