pm133, the application was submitted March for starting Fall 2020...

rewt, they are reluctant on providing feedback.

I am thinking whether taking the GRE subject test will strengthen any of my (future) applications.

Greetings.

Just received another letter of rejection for a PhD scholarship from a UK uni (the second in order).

The email went along the lines 'Unfortunately you were not selected for an award. There was very strong competition for the limited number of awards available this year.. We thank you for your interest in this competition and wish you every success in your future education and career.'

To be honest, I am starting to get disappointed by these subsequent rejections and starting to question my academic worth...

Has anyone had a similar experience? Have you been awarded a scholarship in the end?
Should one keep trying?

Thank you in advance...

Before getting into details on my story, i would like to mention that I took a few years time off from my studies up and that I also past qualifying exams at another Uni a few years ago but unfortunate tragedies and lack of academic support led me into dropping it.

Absence from academic research seemed terrible.Thus, I began seeking (funded) PhD program in Mathematics in UK three months ago.

Done my IELTS (receiving high score), obtained reference letters from my professors, translated my transcripts in English and set sail for furthering my studies, although having no clue how the funding system in UK universities works.

Searching online for potential projects i would love working on, I stumbled upon a promising subject at a top UK university.
Having contact with the supervising professor who interviewed me online with one of his colleagues, he was kind enough to write a recommendation letter supporting my claim on the funding committee.

Hopes high, fingers crossed up to the point my potential advisor told me that i got rejected for funding due to concerns from the funding committee.
From the feedback i received, I realized the following:

- UK universities push both advisors and students to finish their PhD's in 3-3.5 years time.
- Many Professors do not supervise students who do not receive department fundings.
- Extremely high grades are required to obtain funding (My grades were from very good to excellent)

This experience got me thinking that my strong desire to do research in Mathematics is not enough, but it just feels awful wasting my intuition, insight, knowledge and desire to do research.

Do people out there face the same issues as in my case?
Should I stop seeking for a PhD (in UK and/or in general)?

Would love to heard other peoples opinion and stories.