So in sum your advice is that I'm damned if I do, damned if I don't?! You wouldn't advise self funding this year but don't think funding opportunities will get easier next year...I'm aware of the extremely competitive nature of ESRC funding, as I am of the inevitability of competition for post-Doctoral posts too. I got a BA First followed by an MSc Distinction and have an extremely eager allocated supervisor for September, so this is a solid indicator of the competition levels. I will in all probability 'defer' to next year at the same university. The university is very well endowed with quotas and my topic is not generic but rather highly, some might say outrageously, specified and linked massively to the two professors at this uni who hold the worldwide court on this topic; sifting around unis based on their quota numbers wouldn't therefore be a relevant option for me. Really I'm interested in experiences from others who have had this difficult dilemma to deal with or are currently in the same boat.

Hi there,

I'd really appreciate your advice and views on funding. I have received an offer of a PhD place at a London uni, which I'm thrilled about but I've not been successful in being nominated for the ESRC quota or open awards. I'm still waiting to hear on the uni's studentship, but since that in all probability is unlikely given how competitive it is I'm wondering if anyone has ever deferred tothe next year, to have the chance of applying for funding all over again. I know that there is no straight 'deferral' but presuming I speak to my selected supervisors and am able to take up the place next year, has anybody ever done this and had much success with funding second time around? Or should I just go for a bank loan and be brave and begin this year? I'm so torn. On the one hand, the deferring option gives me more time to work and save money and reapply for funding, which if I was to get would be a lot less stressful than doing this through a loan, on the other I really want to start soon and not put this off and it feels like a gamble since I could again fail to attract funding and then have wasted a year not doing what I want to do! Any input at all on this dilemma would really help.

Many thanks all. I should just say fyi that I am British, and that I don't have the funds to support myself independently.

Y

======= Date Modified 19 21 2009 13:21:30 =======
Hello all, quick Q. Any ideas whether it's acceptable to apply to both the AHRC and the ESRC? My topic (within international relations) overlaps between the two. Would applying to both increase or actually decrease my chances of funding for my PhD? Has anyone ever applied to both? No more questions - I'm out. Thank you !!:-)

ps I should say that I have called both Councils and they are trying to be helpful but aren't. The AHRC said they are not sure, it's a case by case basis. The ESRC said that they don't mind if you apply to both, but that the AHRC do not like it!!!