Easier to get onto PhD without funding?

Clomail · 01-09-2011 8:36pm #1

I'm wondering if it would be easier to get onto a PhD program for 3 years if you offered to do it without funding, or does it make no difference in terms of succeeding to get into a research project?

dyl10 · 02-09-2011 9:26pm

I don't know what your field is but you will most likely have a better chance of getting in if you're not looking for money off them or if you have external funding.

TheBody · 02-09-2011 9:33pm

While it may be a factor in the decision, I'd imagine 99% of the decision will be based on your academic credentials.

avalon68 · 03-09-2011 3:43am

It would depend a lot on the subject area - if you were lab based then they would still need to provide money for consumables etc, you need to pay tuition, need money for travel to conferences etc. Plus, you should ask yourself - if this supervisor has no funding to pay me.....why is that? Especially if its lab based.......ability to attract research funding is very important, and is definitely a marker for success......

djpbarry · 05-09-2011 8:52am

Clomail wrote: »

I'm wondering if it would be easier to get onto a PhD program for 3 years if you offered to do it without funding, or does it make no difference in terms of succeeding to get into a research project?

Can you provide some more details? What is it that you're thinking of doing?

Clomail · 06-09-2011 12:53am

djpbarry wrote: »

Can you provide some more details? What is it that you're thinking of doing?

Hopefully it will be a degree in English.

Columbia · 06-09-2011 1:02am

Clomail wrote: »

Hopefully it will a degree in English.

In my experience of the English department at my college, you only need two things; a good undergraduate degree (you'd really want to be looking at a first in English) and a thesis topic which has the backing of a supervisor.

Depending on your progress, after a year they might "suggest" you pursue an MLitt instead of a PhD.

Easier to get onto PhD without funding?

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