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Original poster

AHRC funding - first reserve list

14 replies

kirstinm · 08/04/2020 20:52

Hi all,

Found out yesterday that I did not receive the AHRC funding that I applied for. I have had the worst year and to be honest I am absolutely devastated. I just wondered if anyone knows if being put on the first reserve list means that I did an ok application? I would like to feel proud of what I did, although I think that it will take some time for me to feel that way. Thank you.

OP posts:

parietal · 08/04/2020 21:06

yes, being on the reserve list is definitely a good thing. In fact, if someone else can't take up their funding for some reason, they might come back to you & give you the money.

In some European countries, grants that are on the reserve list then get funded (or part funded) from within the university, but I've never heard of that happening in the UK. Unfortunately.

Original poster

kirstinm · 08/04/2020 21:27

Thank you very much. Up till tonight I think I just thought that they told everyone who didn't get funding that they were on the reserve list if that makes sense? But maybe that's not true. I just had so much amazing support and I feel like I've let them all down, which is the worst thing.

OP posts:

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 10:23

I'd say there is a reasonable chance of still getting an award. Some candidates apply to several AHRC consortia and so will turn down places, others may take up more prestigious or lucrative awards like Wolfson.

There is also no need to feel like you've let anyone down. I've sat on a the scoring panel for our AHRC consortium in previous years and the competition is intense to say the least, with lots of extremely well-qualified candidates with excellent projects sadly not getting funded. I think you need to go into this sort of competition understanding that the odds of getting funding are not high.

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 10:31

Up till tonight I think I just thought that they told everyone who didn't get funding that they were on the reserve list if that makes sense?

No, they don't do that. That would be unethical, giving candidates hope of something that, in most cases, there would be no chance of. There will be a cut-off in terms of score as well - they wouldn't fund anything below a certain level as they can roll forward funds into subsequent years.

Original poster

kirstinm · 09/04/2020 14:07

Thank you very much for your reply, it is much appreciated. I do think I went into the process quite 'green' if that makes sense? Although I'm in my late twenties I am a current Masters student at the moment. I got two PhD offers this year (English Lit) and I didn't realise it was possible to apply for funding through two different AHRC consortia - ie one for each offer. In all honesty I was a bit uncomfortable even getting offers from different Unis and sitting on them for a while as it felt a bit dishonest - again it just seems this is what happens to an extent? Do you think it is reasonable to keep a (tiny) bit of hope alive that I might still get an award this year?

OP posts:

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 14:16

Definitely not unreasonable. It can happen. We've had students in my department who have been on the reserve list and then been offered funding.

Yes, students do apply to different universities and consortia. It is frustrating - as potential supervisors and directors of research, we invest many, many hours working on proposals and applications with candidates, only for them to sometimes go elsewhere. On the other hand, with the level of competition being what it is, I do understand why applicants choose to maximise their chances by submitting multiple applications.

Original poster

kirstinm · 09/04/2020 14:34

Thank you very much. Yes, I think that's what I felt uncomfortable with. I was very aware that one department had helped me a lot with the application and I knew that were I to apply to another funding body I would find it very difficult not to use this help for the second application if that makes sense? Even if I set out not to use it I felt it would be really hard not to. It just felt really unethical to me and that's why I didn't do it. I also felt like it would inadvertently come out at some point? I don't know, it's all a bit strange and maybe I'll need to be a bit more savvy next year.

It's nice to know that I at least must have done an ok application. I actually considered emailing to tell them that I didn't want to be on the reserve list, I'm not sure my nerves can take it! Do you have any idea how big the reserve list is likely to be? Thanks again for your help.

OP posts:

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 18:24

No idea what the size of the reserve list is likely to be, sorry! Best of luck!

parietal · 09/04/2020 20:19

in my dept, there is one reserve for every place offered. So if there are 10 places offered, there will be another 10 reserves in rank order.

you said 'first reserve' which implies that you are the first person who will be offered funding if any of the 10 ahead of you drop out. And one well might - they could be offered funding elsewhere or move to the USA or all sorts.

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 20:35

I think the OP meant that she was on the AHRC's first reserve list, not that she was first on the reserve list. I could be wrong, though. But, if that's correct, OP, I don't think there's anything wrong with emailing the consortium administrator to ask where on the list you rank.

Original poster

kirstinm · 09/04/2020 21:21

That's correct, it's the first reserve list. I did wonder about emailing them to ask that but wasn't sure if it would be ok to do so? I guess that would make me know if I had a realistic chance or not. Part of me is also considering just saying I don't want to be on the reserve list as the whole thing has just made me feel very anxious again and I don't know if I should just move on completely and get over it.

OP posts:

GCAcademic · 09/04/2020 22:03

I doubt you would be the only person emailing. I know that some consortia will tell you, but others won't. But there is no harm in asking.

I think you would regret telling them you don't want to be the list - you would always wonder if it would have worked out. And, fair warning, if you are interested in a career in academia, it is a job which - no matter who you are, or how good you are - involves constant rejection (for funding, publication, all sorts of things) at every stage in your career. Sometimes it comes with really vicious feedback as well. I'm not suggesting you should reconsider your career path, because I think you can develop a thick skin over time (I certainly have). But, it's just to say that these kinds of setbacks are par for the course.

Phphion · 10/04/2020 11:31

The size of the reserve list is usually proportional-ish to the number of awards, so you need to keep that in mind if you get any information from the DTP.

I don't know if it is the same for AHRC, but for our ESRC DTP, the awardees have until 4th May to accept their award. While there can be later declines, most of the people who are going to decline will have done so by then, so it's not so long to wait.

Original poster

kirstinm · 10/04/2020 12:25

That's really good advice GCAcademic, thank you. I was thinking about it a lot last night.

Thanks very much as well Phphion. Sounds like it's a pretty slim chance. They said that awardees have till 30th April to accept so we should hear in early May. They did say they sometimes have people accept then decline later but would you say that was pretty unlikely to happen? I imagine it would be. I will sit tight for another few weeks.

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