Hi ignore the name. I registered when I really was very poor. But now I think it might possible for me to fund my own PhD. Has anyone had experience with this? Has anyone ever taken out a loan to fund it? I'm considering applying to Cambridge as it's near to my mum, whose health is deteriorating, and I really like the city. It's for the far future, like 2011 or 2012.

The reason I'm considering self-funding is because I got a 2:2 and a pass for my MSc. Although I also have a lot of lab experience from a studentship, my MSc dissertation and 2 jobs, the Cambridge explicitly states a candidate must have a 2:1. So I don't think I have a chance at applying for a funded project, but I have read about someone who got accepted onto a PhD at Cambridge with a 2:2 and good work experience. I don't know the fees for Cambridge(have sent email) but if they're like Manchester,I might be able to arrange it.

Has anyone funded their PhD at Cambridge or anywhere else? If so, is there anything I should know, as this area is completely alien to me.

Thanks in advance! 8-)

Would there be college fees to pay at Cambridge? There were when I looked to transferring to Oxford after my supervisor moved there. If you're self-funding this could make it much more expensive than most other universities in the UK.

See http://www.admin.cam.ac.uk/offices/gradstud/funding/costs/

Hi thanks a lot for the link. I couldn't find that info on the website.

Just to make sure: minimum maintenance fee is without the course fee and minimum annual cost is with it?

Yes I think so, except that course fee is both the university course fee + college fee which you have to pay.

So fees + minimum maintenance = minimum annual cost.

Note those are minimums.

Ok thanks. The course and college fees together are the same as the minimum amount for Manchester. The fees I could afford over three years if I save, it's the maintenance which concerns me....