Help me please! I’m lost!

[Ecoartistontour]

I’m looking for advice from more accomplished students please on how to get into a PhD programme. I’ll be as concise as possible, but some context is needed…
I started a degree in 2020 in lockdown which obviously began as a year of online study, it was fine, it suited me because my SEN child was between education places and my aunt (closer than an aunt) was losing her battle with cancer. Scraped through the year, and then year two was a huge struggle due to family situation and I had a fairly prolonged mental health issue from all the stress and didn’t really attend uni more than a few times, I did however produce a really solid body of work and a very good dissertation so passed that year very well. This year I had major health issues ( physical needed surgery) and missed most of the year again, but I persevered and worked round the clock over the last few months (independently and with little input from professors)and submitted a strong dissertation and the practical project was well received. I’ve just received my results and am shocked to see that I have achieved 8xA’s across all module components and averaged at almost 80 giving me a really strong first class degree. I really wasn’t expecting this and I’m delighted and also now somewhat lost as to my next steps.
I had no plans beyond just trying to get my pass and finish this course.
I’m now desperate to get on a PhD programme and have a really good idea of what I’d like to research and build for it, but it’s very late in the game to find the programme this year isn’t it? Any advice would be so welcome as I’ve spent the last 48 hours staring at my computer screen attempting to make sense of the application process and the funding available and so on.
if I don’t press on now, strike while the irons hot so to speak I know very well I shall head back into my old profession and the fire will go out. Excuse my rambling, I’ve given in to having a glass of wine to celebrate and watch some Glasto :) I’m genuinely stuck for understanding how I can move up to further study though.
All honest advice welcome. Thanks in advance.

congrats on the fabulous results! There is still quite a bit of shifting around with PhD programs. Some students change their minds, funding can come up suddenly etc. there are over 400 studentships advertised on jobs.ac.uk. You might need to be flexible on location though, which can be an issue if you have family responsibilities. Alternatively, assuming your work is not lab based, you could look at doing a PhD at distance and work remotely. You could also have a chat with your tutor and dissertation supervisor. They may have a project of their own, or know someone who does

very best of luck!

Thank you! Yes so I’m a very independent learner. I think I have ASD because I was never in the classroom throughout school due to behaviour but always did well on independent study and got really good grades. My sister and son are both diagnosed. So a distance Phd would work really well for me in terms of the research element. There’s a practical element but I actually have access to what I need to make that happen on my own ( think building something and growing stuff in a poly tunnel). My struggle is with not having built a relationship with any tutors (except one who seems to have disappeared lately) I don’t know who to approach. I don’t feel confident enough to submit a proposal without a ‘grown up’ academic giving it the once over if that makes sense? I don’t know whether to just go rogue and make the proposal and then spam universities and funding sources? Is that a thing? Or will I look crazy?

What area are you wanting to work in? There will be some big funding rounds usually for your area from the respective research council that fall on certain dates. But other smaller finding bodies tend to pop up all year round. We take PhD students at 3 points throughout the year.

I’m an artist, but I work in ecology and ecocritical philosophy too which is quite current and trendy atm and I have a science background so it’s a bit multidisciplinary and I think that’s what’s carried me through a bit. Lots of solid research and incorporation of the scientific stuff in my work. It sounds quite niche put like this but it’s literally the contextual theme of most of the exhibitions I’m seeing here in London atm. Do you know of anything that might fit? Thanks so much for replying.

You won’t look crazy by submitting your own funding proposal, but be aware that academics get a lot of unsolicited approaches. The main issue is that such projects do not come with funding. If you can self fund, a supervisor would probably be more than happy to work with you to develop a proposal. Unless you are rich, however, I would not advise self funding. A PhD is expensive, does not necessarily lead to a high paying job, and there are a reasonable number of funded projects out there - especially as it sounds like you are applying in STEM.

If you do need to develop a proposal as part of an application to a doctoral training programme or similar, I’d definitely get an academic to go over it. A potential supervisor would generally be happy to help. They will be keen to attract strong students to their area of work.

Hi,

I can only give advice on applying for PhDs in science, and it wasn't clear to me if you want to be in a science depth or an arts dept. but here goes.

Option 1 - look for advertised PhDs on findaphd.com and jobs.ac.uk. This is where a supervisor has funding and advertises a position, just like a job. you will need to work on the project set by the supervisor, but there is normally some flexibility.

Option 2 - apply to a Doctoral Training Centre - there are a haphazard mixture around. They are v competitive but v good and give lots of support. if you get a place, you can pick your project and your supervisor.

Option 3 - find a supervisor who wants to take you on and then you & supervisor jointly apply to university internal funding. This has an annual cycle so you want to contact supervisors in Sept / Oct to apply for places in Dec / Jan. Funding decisions are normally given by March / April to start the PhD in Sept the next year.

Option 4 - some kind of self funding. I do NOT recommend this because it is very expensive and not normally good value for money. But if you really have money to burn, then you should start by finding a supervisor who is prepared to take you on and then follow their advice.

In almost all cases, the starting point should be finding a potential PhD supervisor. Look around on the websites of likely universities, and then email potential people with a short CV and a 1 page statement about why you want to do a PhD/what you want to study. that is a good way to start the conversation.

Finally, think about why you want to do a PhD. do you want a career in academia? Or is this just to stretch your brain? or something else?

Sorry - cross posted. I see from your previous post that you are an artist. As your area is quite niche, you should start by researching the doctoral programmes available to you. Also work out which are the top research departments (e.g. by looking at web sites and REF reports). That will give you and idea of where to look for possible projects.

@parietal is spot on with the advice about internal funding schemes. I never think of such schemes because my area (climate science) has so many other options for funded PhDs. As a UK student with a high 1st, applying on a ‘trendy’ topic (I’ll take your word for it 🙂), you should be a strong candidate.

@TaggieOHara @parietal
thank you both! This is so helpful. I have a much clearer idea of the game now. I don’t want to sound overly confident in the proposal, ( I’m not rich, just old enough to have some good connections) so do I mention or emphasise that I have access to some connections like the location for the practical element, logistics , technical advice on the botanical stuff etc? It might read a little like a business plan for the practical element , good or bad?

practical stuff and good connections are all useful to include when you contact a supervisor.

Thank you so much! I’ll just get on with it now and apply for stuff, and try not to be weird in the interview 🤦‍♀️ I’ll be weird , I know I will. I will rehearse like my life depends on it to reduce weirdness though. I really appreciate this advice though. Thanks.

How's it going OP?

If it helps, I think almost all academics can sympathise with the idea of worrying about being weird. Possibly because most of us are a bit weird. I wouldn't worry too much about coming across as overly excited by your idea, for example - as long as it's backed up by super subject knowledge, awareness of the research gap, and concrete plans of how you want to fill the gap, you'll be fine.