Anyone else struggling to find a phd?

DemocAnarchis

Feeling fairly disheartened about all of this. Two stabs at ircset, no luck, any lecturers that i've been in contact with that have actually replied haven't anything in the way of funding. Knew the economic climate was bad, but expected to be able to find something with a 1.1. Now trying to decide whether self funding is feasible, or to just give up and join the workforce. Anyone else in this situation?

CathalMc

It is tough, the funding is down so openings are down, and application numbers are skyrocketing so the standard is high. I guess the real question is how far - - geographically are you willing to go?

El Siglo

I got the cold shoulder from IRCSET as well, and thank God I did! I got a 1.1 in my undergrad, top of my class, two awards, excellent references and missed out by a hare's fart, but I'm thankful I did miss out, now I'm doing a taught masters in a different uni, a whole new set and range of skills, new lecturers, very close to what I would have liked to gone on and researched. I'd say, if you're going down the self funded route, you're going to have an absolutely tough time, let alone carrying out the research but the shear cost burden you will expose yourself to is going to be hard. A few of my old lecturers were saying though IRCSET in the past would have gone for recent undergrads with excellent results like yourself, it's just now they want qualified masters students. My advice would be to take a breather from going straight into a PhD and do a masters in the mean time, either way, a masters is a short term commitment in comparison to the PhD, you'll do wonders for your skill base and expertise in your field and your cv, and if you decide you don't want to do a PhD, you have a masters it's an excellent thing to have!

theredletter

Some universities offer internal funding that you could look into. I know that NUI Maynooth fund thirty PhD students a year through the John and Pat Hume Scholarship. I think other institutions have similar internal awards.

I would be careful doing a MSc or MA if you want to get into IRCSET. I know that one of their conditions is is that you have to be going from undergrad straight to PhD so you might not be eligible to apply.

Having a 1.1 should definitely help you. Well done achieving such a high standard and good luck with your PhD.

DublinWriter

DemocAnarchis wrote: »

Now trying to decide whether self funding is feasible, or to just give up and join the workforce. Anyone else in this situation?

If you are self funding then check out the OU. I'm looking at them myself for maybe something in computational linguistics.

I emailed a few lecturers/supervisors in DCU and TCD and have heard diddy-squat back.

damnyanks

theredletter wrote: »

Some universities offer internal funding that you could look into. I know that NUI Maynooth fund thirty PhD students a year through the John and Pat Hume Scholarship. I think other institutions have similar internal awards.

I would be careful doing a MSc or MA if you want to get into IRCSET. I know that one of their conditions is is that you have to be going from undergrad straight to PhD so you might not be eligible to apply.

Having a 1.1 should definitely help you. Well done achieving such a high standard and good luck with your PhD.

IRCSET is for MSc and undergrad, even people who have started their PhD.

D-Generate

Apply for places like Tyndall in Cork. They offer their own funding.

theredletter

damnyanks wrote: »

IRCSET is for MSc and undergrad, even people who have started their PhD.

Look here:

e. IRCSET post graduate competition does not accept applications from:

a. Those currently registered as PhD candidates
b. Those currently registered for a Masters degree (by research) with
the exception of:
i. Students in the IOT sector in receipt of Strand 1 funding
wishing to transfer to the PhD register. (In this case IRCSET will
support these students for up to a maximum of 2 years i.e.
total postgraduate funded research including strand 1 funding
can not exceed 3 years).
ii. Students registered for a Masters degree (by research)
intending to complete and submit for this award and begin a
significantly new research proposal to PhD level.

Fremen

I was offered IRCSET funding last year after doing a taught masters', so it's definitely possible.

banshee_bones

When I was looking for reseach masters and phds, basically any postgraduate opportunities out there, I must have sent off at least 20 emails to lecturers in research areas that were similar to my own and nearly every reply i got was about them not having funding. The money is just not there, I also read that postgraduate applications went up 145% this year. It's just the way things are at the moment.

kaalgat

Check out www.findaphd.com or www.findamasters.com

I was looking around for a post grad position for about 8 months, then someone told me about this website. I applied for one of the positions adverstised and within a month the project director got in touch with me.

I am now quite happily working away on my Ph.D since April of this year.

Maybe you'll find something there.