Would you apply for this PhD?

[Rolson77]

This PhD is perfect for me. It's following on from a previous report they wrote, where the executive summary references my work throughout. It's a very specific piece of work and not many people have worked in this area.

I emailed the supervisor who sent me some really useful information, but the only issue is that he said it would be anticipated that I would have to riutinely be on campus.

I live 3 hours away.

My friend who is a professor said apply anyway as this can be negotiated. But. Can it really? Are there any academics out there who can shed some light on whether this kind of thing is negotiable?

Yes, apply anyway. If nothing else, you could use the interview to ask what the specific requirements are and why. Few of my doctoral students have to be on campus regularly, and the right candidate is more important usually.

Yes, apply anyway. Assuming it's a policy focussed piece of work (ie, you don't need to be on campus to use equipment) then IME the requirement to be on campus is often more for the student's benefit than the department's. Students tend to do better when they're part of the community and are more likely to drop out and not finish when they're not. But this is dependent on personal circumstances.

Thanks both. I've been looking for the perfect funded PhD for a while and I'm so anxious that I've finally found it but it's so bloody far away. I have a child who is in school so I can't just up and move like with undergraduate study.

Agree with PP. also worth thinking about the purpose of the PhD and what additional experience might be helpful to gain while doing it (eg teaching, running conferences etc) which would require time on campus. But depending on circs this might not be relevant for you.

It completely depends on the PhD - is it desk based, do you need access to specialised equipment, lab space etc. It may also depend on the funder. As Greensmithing said they are likely to want the student to feel part of the community and supported. But it also depends on the student (set up at home, experience, how motivated they are) and the supervisory team. I would definitely apply but also have a think to what you could manage attendance wise - eg visiting for a couple of days once a month etc. Things have got more relaxed since covid and video meetings are much more common. But I'd be surprised if you could be 100% remote and never set foot in the university.

It's completely desk based

Of course apply anyway! If you're the best candidate you'll be able to negotiate. It doesn't sound like it's a need for you to go in (like lab work or something) but a preference.

Good luck!

Is it funded by one of the research councils? If so they tend to have rules about this (but there are certainly ways round it!).

Yes, absolutely apply. Academia is very flexible. I did the bulk of my PhD living in a completely different country to where my university was located (not because I was abroad doing research, simply because I wanted to move and live with my boyfriend/now dh when we were dating).

I'm an academic now and I'd say it's very typical to have PhD students who aren't based full-time in the city where the university is. In fact, I work for a well-known London uni and I live on the Devon/Cornwall border. It's a 3 hour commute to me to the office. And I'm not the furthest one in my department either, someone else lives way down the other end of Cornwall!

There is a big push in universities to get people back in the office more, but in practice, I've been working remotely the bulk of the time since about 2010. I don't know anyone who is in every day of the week and it's been like that for well before COVID. Flexible and remote working is very much the norm and they will be open to negotiation, especially if your work is cited in the bid for the studentship. You will be the ideal candidate and if they want you, they will make things happen.

Thanks everyone. Despite having an undergraduate and postgraduate degree, the finer details around phds feel a world away. I've been out of education for 10 years so I hope this doesn't effect my application.

Go for it!