I've come across a PhD topic I am very interested in pursuing, however it's advertised at a university that does not appeal. Due to personal circumstance I am unable to relocate at this time and further to this, the university in question is not especially reputable. I wanted to understand if I am able to apply to undertake this topic elsewhere.

The topic is currently advertised as being a competition funded, in that it is in competition with other proposed PhD topics, with only some receiving the limited available funding. I assume some form of copyright exists, although I wondered if this topic fails to secure funding at this particular university if this would open up my options.

Thank you

I'm not sure about copyright but I'm really not sure how that would sit ethically. Can you not apply to the one there, say you are very interested but cannot relocate? Some PhD students in my department work from home and only travel in if needed for seminars and meetings, however this is different for lab-based PhDs of course.

I am not sure about copyright either, but I'm sure something would be in place - maybe someone more informed could advise. I'm not sure what you're proposing - is this through a DTP or through the university itself? Are you talking about submitting this topic as your own research proposal elsewhere?

If you get away with that, word gets around in academia. If someone finds out that you've lifted their research proposal and done it yourself, at a more 'reputable' university (even if it didn't get funded in the first instance), people will eventually know and it will be professionally damaging. There are academics who have reputations for stealing other people's (often PhD applicants) research ideas and that label sticks.

I suppose there's also a risk that you end up duplicating someone else's research - I assume if this project doesn't get funded, it's still an idea that someone is interested in pursuing eventually. I don't know the specifics.

I wouldn't bother though. At best it sounds like far too much hassle, at worst it could be construed as dishonest and unethical.

This is my relatively uninformed take - would be good if someone else could clear this up.

It's not going to be possible. That PhD is supervised by academics that work in that area. It's their project, and is probably linked to their other projects and their area of expertise. You can't pick this up and take it elsewhere.