IRC Postgraduate funding 2016

elbandita

Has anyone heard anything yet? I searched the forums, I don't think a thread has been started already but please let me know if I'm wrong and direct me in the right way!

The wait is nerve wracking

Omily

I haven't heard yet either. The IRC website says June for the outcome of the scheme.

stecos2011

the postdoctoral process is in its final stage now (conditional awards were offered two weeks ago) so I assume they will turn to the postgraduate awards when it is completed.

gcalvert91

Nerve-racking, indeed. I can't help but feel completely neurotic every time I check the online portal lol. While I haven't received any correspondence from the IRC, I have noticed that my application has been checked a number of times since I submitted it (i.e. by checking when it had been 'last modified').

According to a thread from last year, it was around this time that applicants were notified whether they had progressed to stage two or not. Perhaps we will hear something this coming week?

I'll report back if I hear anything. I hope that the rest of you will too. In the mean time, no news is good news, right? Right? :]

G

Mfaisca

When was that the "last modified" date of your application changed?

gcalvert91

It was last changed on 18th May, although it has changed on a number of occasions since I submitted my application. I doubt there's much to it, though.

What about yourself/selves?

Mfaisca

Mine was 28th April. I have the feeling that it means that I'm already out of the selection

Mfaisca

Mine wad 28th April. I have the feeling that it means that I'm already of out the selection

gcalvert91

Don't think like that. We're all guilty of becoming a little pedantic over these kinds of things. Look how obsessive we are! Sweating it over something we don't actually know the meaning of! At the end of the day, all we can do is wait and see. Stay positive! :]

Mfaisca

I would say that the last modified date is when they gave us a mark for the application. Maybe it was in alfabetical order, or it changed twice because it was necessary a thire review. Only the IRC knows. This waiting is killing me

hbo10

Nail biting stuff alright, and now I'm checking the last modified date as well, which had never even occurred to me before. That changed this morning for me, incidentally

Mahatma Geansai

My application was last modified on the 26th of April. I doubt the date is any way significant, but its certainly worrying.

elbandita

gcalvert91 wrote: »

While I haven't received any correspondence from the IRC, I have noticed that my application has been checked a number of times since I submitted it (i.e. by checking when it had been 'last modified').


G

Where do you check that? I can't seem to find where it says last modified, do you see it in the submitted applications section or somewhere else? Gahh now you have me anxious!

Yeah I saw old threads said around this time last year they started being announced. I'd be interested to know when they start offering this year. It's a shame they don't announce it all at once, and have people who are not on reserve lists waiting to hear til the end of the summer.

elbandita

What stream did you guys submit under, actually? I'm STEM. It'd be interesting to know the percentage breakdown of the disciplines they award the funding to, but they don't publish those data.

elbandita

Fired off my replies too fast in anxiousness, god damn. So mine was last modified the 26th of April as well... I really hope that doesn't mean we're out, Mfaisca and Mahatma...

gcalvert91

I'm STEM, too. Neuroscience, to be more specific. Yea, it'd be great to see where the funding actually goes! Don't obsess over the date on which your application was last modified. Think of how many people apply for these awards - there's probably a big backlog to get through. It'll be another month or so before they announce the verdicts I would imagine.

Mfaisca

I'm STEM too. I think that they had way more applications this year than the previous years. I applied 5 days before the last day and my application was number 1400 and something! This waiting is driving me crazy

MFPM

The waiting is very frustrating. Last year the deadline for applications was Feb 11 and those who were eliminated in the first round were notified on May 20. This year the deadline was slightly earlier on Feb 3 and now it's May 24 and still no indication as to who has made it to the second round, so the process is now longer than last year...

Cassie92

I don't know about anyone else, but the longer the process goes on, the more small flaws I spot in my application! My application number was in the late 1500s so the number of applications looks similar to last year. I am trying not to check the status of my application at all. In truth, I would rather be knocked out at the first stage if I am not going to ultimately succeed. I have a feeling that whilst your supervisor might feel you have a strong project, you can trip up on the technicalities of an IRC application....

Censorsh!t

I'm going nuts here waiting.

Mine was last modified the 12th May it seems.

Mahatma Geansai

I've just noticed that I somehow selected that I am non-EU ordinarily resident. That's probably my application discarded anyway.

Censorsh!t

I noticed just as I sent it off, that I had a spelling mistake in my title. You can imagine how much I was kicking myself over that one.

Every time I get an email my heart starts racing and then I open it and it's just spam - wish they would hurry up and just let us know!

gcalvert91

haha, I haven't read my application since submitting it. It's tempting but I'm relying on my proofreading ability, as well as my supervisor's proofreading ability. Nothing I can do about a mistake at this juncture.

Does anybody know whether applicants will definitely be notified if they have progressed to stage two? The assessment flowchart on the IRC website only seems to state that the status of unsuccessful applicants (at stage one) will update. Nothing mentioned about the status of applicants that progress to stage 2?

Censorsh!t

Last year applicant's were notified if they got on to round two (as well as those who didn't). My friend who got it got notified on the 20th of May last year.

elbandita

Yeah I'd really just prefer to know and not still be half hoping to be on a reserve list or anything after people get conditional offers. Reading threads from previous years it seems that some people didn't hear until August that they didn't get funding... It'd be so much better if they could just inform you of your application's status.

What's also worrying me is how arbitrary marking can be and one persons opinion can be totally different to someone else's. All the while your future is dependent on it

Censorsh!t

That's a thing that has always frustrated me - what if the person reviewing your work just has zero interest in that topic. They are going to push for a topic that interests them personally rather than one they just aren't into. It's never going to be an objective review.

Mahatma Geansai

elbandita wrote: »

Yeah I'd really just prefer to know and not still be half hoping to be on a reserve list or anything after people get conditional offers. Reading threads from previous years it seems that some people didn't hear until August that they didn't get funding... It'd be so much better if they could just inform you of your application's status.

What's also worrying me is how arbitrary marking can be and one persons opinion can be totally different to someone else's. All the while your future is dependent on it

I was one of those on the reserve list two years ago. The wait was terrible. In the end, I didn't get the award, but understand that people on the reserve list with my same mark did. I lost out due to luck.

gcalvert91

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

elbandita wrote: »

Yeah I'd really just prefer to know and not still be half hoping to be on a reserve list or anything after people get conditional offers. Reading threads from previous years it seems that some people didn't hear until August that they didn't get funding... It'd be so much better if they could just inform you of your application's status.

What's also worrying me is how arbitrary marking can be and one persons opinion can be totally different to someone else's. All the while your future is dependent on it

I was one of those on the reserve list two years ago. The wait was terrible. In the end, I didn't get the award, but understand that people on the reserve list with my same mark did. I lost out due to luck.

If you don't mind me asking, what did you make of the process last year? Can you remember how long it took for decisions to come out? What was the 'cutoff' mark? And what was the feedback that you got?

Censorsh!t

gcalvert91 wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking, what did you make of the process last year? Can you remember how long it took for decisions to come out? What was the 'cutoff' mark? And what was the feedback that you got?

I think the cut off was about 86% if I remember correctly. I was 1% off The feedback is in the form of percentages also, basically, your project, suitability of candidate, the institution. No more info is given beyond that, but at least it gives you an idea of what part of your application you have to work on most for the next time round.

Mahatma Geansai

gcalvert91 wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking, what did you make of the process last year? Can you remember how long it took for decisions to come out? What was the 'cutoff' mark? And what was the feedback that you got?

I didn't apply last year, I applied two years ago. The cutoff mark for the first round of science and engineering applications was 90% last year; I'm not sure what mark got conditional funding in the end.

Cassie92

I can't access my submitted application, hopefully that means there is some progress....

gcalvert91

Yea, same here. I thought it was just my browser. Interesting that it's not just me.

MFPM

Cassie92 wrote: »

I can't access my submitted application, hopefully that means there is some progress....

Nor me, hopefully news will come soon..

gcalvert91

Seems to be back up again.

Mfaisca

And nothing changed, at least for me

elbandita

Mahatma Geansai wrote: »

I didn't apply last year, I applied two years ago. The cutoff mark for the first round of science and engineering applications was 90% last year; I'm not sure what mark got conditional funding in the end.

When did you eventually find out then that you hadn't gotten it? Was it a very long wait?

Totally sucks that the feedback isn't great. I really hope that you get it this time round, I would despair having to go through this again. Which is actually probably likely haha

GraceFace12

gcalvert91 wrote: »

It was last changed on 18th May, although it has changed on a number of occasions since I submitted my application. I doubt there's much to it, though.

What about yourself/selves?

How do you check when it was last modified?

gcalvert91

GraceFace12 wrote: »

gcalvert91 wrote: »

It was last changed on 18th May, although it has changed on a number of occasions since I submitted my application. I doubt there's much to it, though.

What about yourself/selves?

How do you check when it was last modified?

When you sign in to the portal, click 'Print PDF'. The new window will show you your application. On the bottom right of the window that opens, you'll see 'Last Modified'.

gcalvert91

Well, folks, today is the day when we can say "any day now".

:]

'June 2016'.

GraceFace12

gcalvert91 wrote: »

Well, folks, today is the day when we can say "any day now".

:]

'June 2016'.

It's definitely going to be the very last week of June - I'd bet anyway!

Vin8

Mine was modified last night, 31 May, at 21.01. My nerves are honestly gone at this stage trying to second guess what comes next.

Mfaisca

Mine was 28 April. I'm almost 100% sure that I'm out

gcalvert91

Mfaisca wrote: »

Mine was 28 April. I'm almost 100% sure that I'm out

Any idea what your application number is Mfaisca? They may be going through the applications in numerical order. I was one of the first 200 people to register.

I wouldn't dread on the 'last modified' information. It likely means nothing in relation to your application's success.

elbandita

Vin8 wrote: »

Mine was modified last night, 31 May, at 21.01. My nerves are honestly gone at this stage trying to second guess what comes next.

No way, was it? Mine's still last modified 26th April... probably a bad sign

elbandita

gcalvert91 wrote: »

Any idea what your application number is Mfaisca? They may be going through the applications in numerical order. I was one of the first 200 people to register.

I wouldn't dread on the 'last modified' information. It likely means nothing in relation to your application's success.

Is the application number the number of Project ID: GOIPG/2016/XXX? Mine's in the one thousands if so.

gcalvert91

elbandita wrote: »

gcalvert91 wrote: »

Any idea what your application number is Mfaisca? They may be going through the applications in numerical order. I was one of the first 200 people to register.

I wouldn't dread on the 'last modified' information. It likely means nothing in relation to your application's success.

Is the application number the number of Project ID: GOIPG/2016/XXX? Mine's in the one thousands if so.

Yep, that would be it.

elbandita

gcalvert91 wrote: »

Yep, that would be it.

Ah right, cool!

elbandita

Vin8 wrote: »

Mine was modified last night, 31 May, at 21.01. My nerves are honestly gone at this stage trying to second guess what comes next.

What is your application number if you don't mind me asking? Or in and around it. I'm around 1100

Mfaisca

mine is around 1500

meath22

I am about 500 and mine has not been last modified since 15/2 which was before the research office deadline.

Mfaisca

It seems like they didnt finish to grade all the application for the first time..