Difficulty in finding funding

melbury

Why is it so difficult to get funding for postgraduate studies?

My son is doing a research Masters this year which has had to be self funded because he didn't get anything from the AHRC. He has applied to them again this year for funding to do his doctorate, but if they turn him down again that is it, there is no way he (or we) can fund a further three years. Between us we have searched all possibilities, but there seems to be very little in the way of funding for humanities subjects.

DrFluffy

melbury wrote:

Why is it so difficult to get funding for postgraduate studies?

My son is doing a research Masters this year which has had to be self funded because he didn't get anything from the AHRC. He has applied to them again this year for funding to do his doctorate, but if they turn him down again that is it, there is no way he (or we) can fund a further three years. Between us we have searched all possibilities, but there seems to be very little in the way of funding for humanities subjects.

Have you been to your local library and worked your way through the Educational Grants Directory?

melbury

DrFluffy wrote:

Have you been to your local library and worked your way through the Educational Grants Directory?

Yes have tried everything - unfortunately there is very little available for history.

melbury

Yes have tried everything - unfortunately there is very little funding available for history.

DrFluffy

A lot of the charities in the directory are not subject specific... There are also a few that offer very competative loans.

Charities that immediately spring to mind are Richard Stapely, Sidney Perry Foundation and the Wingate Scholarships...

Also tell him to go to the careers library at his university. They will have a computer programme called 'Funderfinder', into which you type your life story and it gives a list of charities etc that you should be eligable to approach. I did a 'funderfinder' search over the Easter break and it threw up a lot of charities I had missed when working through grant directories etc.

liz24

Ooh - I sympathise. I'm also doing a master's in history although I was lucky enough to get funding from the AHRC. Has he tried scholarships at his university or department? Depending on what kind of history he does there might be something available.

A friend of mine is funding himself (through a master's in history) through a selection of smaller scholarships, this might be an option if your son doesn't get the AHRC or one single source of funding.

misskool

Another possibility would be teaching while doing his doctorate. I know it's not ideal but a lot of people manage.
If he can tutor A-Levels at a local private college, they pay really well although it would mean working extra hard.
Graduate loans are another source of funding but they are not competitive.
Ask the supervisor or potential supervisor if they know of any funds/scholarships that he can apply for. Hardship grants are always available for graduate students, they can go up to £3,000 p.a.

talksalot81

It is so hard to get funding because it is so hard to get funding! I am a step further up the ladder and it is ridicuously hard to get a research grant. Thus if a research project (overall) does not get funded, there is no funding for students. I dont know what the overall statistics look like, but much fewer research projects get research council funding than they used to. So it could well be the government cutting back (and giving more money to undergrads who often have no real interest of future in their subject) and it may also be mismanagement of available funds (the council we typically were funded by is just shocking).

Best suggestion is to keep eyes open for university funded positions.

ffeindadifyr

I agree - i think in this case it might need your son to look around for Uni's that have already got funding for a PhD student.

This could mean moving and/or doing a PhD in a slightly or completely different area to what he wants to do.

This is the way the sciences have funded PhD students for years now and I think this is the way it will go from now on.

Another option is that some Unis offer PhD scholarships to students of high standard for example see Aberystwyth Uni's website: http://www.aber.ac.uk/en/postgrad/finance.php

5.1 Aberystwyth Postgraduate Research Studentships Competition (UK & EU)

These awards are available for those wishing to study for a PhD at Aberystwyth. To be eligible you must be a UK/EU fee payer and have or expect to obtain at least upper second class honours in your first degree.

There are no additional application forms for this competition but your application for admission must be received before 1 March 2006.

Twelve successful applicants will receive a grant for up to three years which will cover their tuition fees and also provide them with a maintenance allowance of about £12,000 and access to a travel and conference fund.