PhD Finance Help

ug02070

Hi, does anyone know if there is financial help / low rate loans avaialbel for a PhD student, i ahve tuition fees paid for and a grant off the university but i was wondering if there was anything else, travel costs and living costs are crippling
thanks in advance
Danny

aqueoushumour01

Is there any funding for a one year masters course in an economics or related subject? Is it likely to cover fees and living costs or is this wishful thinking?

thanks

Voyager2002

aqueoushumour01 wrote: »

Is there any funding for a one year masters course in an economics or related subject? Is it likely to cover fees and living costs or is this wishful thinking?

thanks

Virtually no chance. What funding exists will be for people doing the MA as the first stage of a PhD (1 plus 3).

Voyager2002

ug02070 wrote: »

Hi, does anyone know if there is financial help / low rate loans avaialbel for a PhD student, i ahve tuition fees paid for and a grant off the university but i was wondering if there was anything else, travel costs and living costs are crippling
thanks in advance
Danny

It sounds as if you are already very fortunate: many people would kill for a grant with fees paid. But if you are giving a PhD the effort that it deserves then you won't have time to spend any money anyway. And try living close to your university.

Of course, you are still eligible for the usual range of student bank accounts (with interest-free overdrafts) and possibly help from your university's access fund.

melancholly

you could try your uni access to learning fund - there's a great thread on here which should help a lot.

can you not get any teaching or marking in your department to get some more money? or sign up to lots of (usually dull!) psychology experiments for cash?

ug02070

yes, i already do this, was just hoping more for a special rate loan really, thanks for all of the replies

mitten_2

You are lucky to have been given the funding you have but i can't see how your living costs are 'crippling' as they are just the same as if you were living somewhere and not doing a PhD?

This isn't a whole- get the violins out statement, but i am just about managing to get by on my phd without any grant or real help with tuition fees. You can get bank accounts with overdrafts i suppose, it's not ideal but will tide you over.

ftbworried

Voyager2002 wrote: »

But if you are giving a PhD the effort that it deserves then you won't have time to spend any money anyway.

Lol, so the OP is that busy working that he/she doesn't need a house to live in or food to eat? Maybe he/she could sleep under their desk and live on a diet of research papers and staples.

mitten wrote:

i can't see how your living costs are 'crippling' as they are just the same as if you were living somewhere and not doing a PhD?

Yes, but the difference is that if they were not doing a PhD they would be working hence having the money to pay for their living costs. Living isn't free and if you are not earning the I guess the costs will be 'crippling'.

melancholly

ftbworried wrote: »

Lol, so the OP is that busy working that he/she doesn't need a house to live in or food to eat? Maybe he/she could sleep under their desk and live on a diet of research papers and staples.



Yes, but the difference is that if they were not doing a PhD they would be working hence having the money to pay for their living costs. Living isn't free and if you are not earning the I guess the costs will be 'crippling'.

most university 'grants' or 'stipends' give between £800 and £1100 a month tax free for living expenses - assuming that, it's quite possible to live a pretty good existence, particularly since you really don't have time to go to the pub very often since the work really does take over your life.

obviously if the OP's grant is a lot less than this then it's different, but that's the assumption that i and probably Voyager2002 and Mitten made.

ftbworried

I assumed since they said 'grant' and it was from the 'university' rather than 'stipend' and from a 'research council' that the OP had fees only funding and was in recipt of some kind of bursary from the university (usually quite small, £1000-2000 a year).

I agree though- if they have a fully funded stipend then they really shouldnt have much of a problem living off it.

mitten_2

my housemate has been complaining lately as she has her fees/rent paid and her parents send her £75 a week to live off (food clothes drinks etc) and she claims this isn't enough! hell, i live off less than £10 a week. I'm thin now at least lol!