7 Tips To Getting A Funded PhD in the UK

I share my experience of securing a fully funded PhD in Biology in the UK.
2:32 Deciding you want to do a PhD
5:35 Contacting academics
7:15 Findaphd.com explained
9:40 DTP programs explained
12:10 Interview process
17:42 Directly funded PhD projects
Instagram: / benitoexplains
Questions I got asked at interview
As I say in the video, at the start of the interview, you will often be asked to give a 5 minute presentation on research which you have previously conducted. After this, you will be given more specific questions on your presentation. The questions listed here are more general which they are likely to ask you too:
1. Why do you want to do a PhD?
2. Tell us about a time went something went wrong in your research and how you overcame it?
3. What would you like to get out of a PhD?
4. Why this specific DTP?
5. What would you like to do after your PhD?
6. What attracted you to this specific PhD project?
7. What will the wider impact of your PhD be/why should anyone fund this project?
8. What are the 3 most important qualities a PhD student should have?
9. What is meant by "high impact"?
10. What are the most important aspects of your project?
11. What makes you the right fit to this particular project?
12. Tell us about an interesting paper you have read recently and why?
13. What is it about research that excites you the most?
14. How would you go about explaining your project to someone on the street?
15. What do you think is the value of DTPs?
I hope you enjoyed the video. Don't forget to like, share and hit that SUBSCRIBE button for more stuff like this!

[@happiness1798]

Excellent video!thanks!👌👌

[@teetaylor6525]

Congrats btw 🤩

[@sofyagalimova4467]

I had to figure out a lot of this on my own (dk why I wouldn't check youtube), but still very helpful. Thank you!

[@sophiepoyser4731]

I've got 2 interviews this week for DTPs with the MRC and BBSRC...eek. You deserve a gold medal for jumping through all the application hoops.

[@benitosexplenations]

Sophie Poyser well break a leg Sophie. I hope they both go well! 😀

[@omgwaffles09]

Someone in my funding cohort is internet famous :O. Just wanted to add to your point on applying for multiple projects. I think people should think a bit more about the projects they apply for, and whether they really are interested in them. A PhD is a huge commitment so going for something you have a slight interest in now may give you more chance of getting a PhD, but you might realise it's not actually for you later on when you still have a 3 year slog ahead of you. If you don't get a PhD one year it's not the end of the world. Often people find that there's a much better list of projects for them in subsequent years. You shouldn't go into a PhD just to get a PhD.

[@benitosexplenations]

omgwaffles09 I agree! Although I think anyone who reaches the 11th minute of this video, clearly wants a PhD. As I say, you should apply for anything which you can imagine investing 3-4 years of your life in. I thought I was completely unqualified for the PhD im doing now and so if I’d played it safe and only applied for a few, I probably wouldn’t be doing the amazing project I’m doing now. Also, getting a PhD is ridiculously competitive so I think only the genuinely enthusiastic and hard working people make it through anyway (I certainly get that from our DTP cohort!). Don’t forget to subscribe 😉

[@belindanhesvure6622]

Hi Benito, thanks so much for the very informative video! I wanted to ask, did they ask you about the PhD project that you were applying for. If so, would you give me examples of the questions which they asked, or rather how did you prepare yourself for the project specific questions. Thanks.

[@benitosexplenations]

Hi Belinda, glad you enjoyed the video. I can't remember any difficult questions about the project itself. As long as you've read the advert and understand the basic concepts then you will be fine. No PhD student is expected to be an expert from the start. Check out my example questions in the description of the video though! Good luck.

[@sumanabasumata]

Thanks for the information. Is there any interview for MRes program? I have applied in UOB.

[@hammedtukur]

Great

[@hammedtukur]

The most outstanding news is, I got the BBSRC studentship. The list of possible interview questions you provided was super helpful. Shedload of thanks

[@blakefletcher9834]

Thanks for this, I've just started my masters by research so it's early days for me, but I'am leaning towards a PHD, although I'm finding everything very confusing so I'm trying to get a head start on the information. Still a little bit confused around funding and how it works

[@dpmukherjee8256]

Hi I like your video. Please answer my question. I intend to apply for Msc Diagnostic radiography 2 year course in QMU or MSc medical imaging 1 year course in a university in UK. Which will be better course for an international student keeping in view carrier progression is concerned. Thank you.

[@benitosexplenations]

Sorry for the late response. I have no idea I’m afraid!! Hope the video was useful though! Benito

[@tahminasyedatakshin.8358]

Sir, totally loved your video. I am from India and have completed engineering. do you have any idea if we can stipend in PhD (engineering)?

[@omarhanif3227]

I have recently received a fully-funded PhD in Electrical Engineering UK and I am from India, please contact me I will give u a very detailed answer ([e-mail])

[@JasonTheZoologist]

Amazing video Benito! There is one part that I hope you can clarify for me. I am going for PhD birds conservation genetics. There is apart where I am a little confuse about, the second step is to contact a supervisor and the third is to search findaPhD.com. Would the 3rd step make the 2nd step redundant? As in, the project in findaPhD.com would have an academic person attached to it, so what is the point of contacting a supervisor before that?

[@benitosexplenations]

Hi Jason! Yep, you're absolutely right. I guess think of step two as "testing the waters". Emailing academics who you know do cool stuff and seeing if they will be advertising any PhD opportunities in the near future. If you've already found a cool project then that's great. I would still email the academic to show you''re interested though (even better, set up a Skype call so you can ask some questions!). Best of luck!

[@JasonTheZoologist]

@@benitosexplenations hahaha... Understand. A little confused for a moment there. Thanks for clarifying and good luck on your butterfly brain research mate!

[@Data_In_real_world]

Hello sir, I got sponsored PhD in Uk i am from India. My sponsorship will begin from 1st January 2022. And I'll start getting my stipend from 27th of January 2022 Do i need to show some funds to visa office for living expense for a period of 1st January to 27th January 2022

[@asha3183]

I have 60 percent in my degree and have 85 percentage in my masters degree is there any chance to get a fully funded scholarship for PhD .pls reply

[@muneebafzal185]

Generally, do professors in UK Universities have research grants/funds, to sponsor PhD students?

[@benitosexplenations]

It varies hugely, in Biology anyway. There seems to be an overwhelming bias towards these competitively funded DTPs these days but there's certainly no harm in asking around. It is bound to differ from field to field (e.g. my stuff isn't very applied so this might explain why there's less funding!)

[@saadiakhan1034]

Does the university give you accomodation and meals or do you have to fund those using your stipend?

[@benitosexplenations]

These would come out of your stipend. You would have to find the accommodation yourself too, just like most other jobs ☺️

[@kishanbhadiyadra5549]

Is DTP offers individual studentships to international students? I have applied for PhD at University of Strathclyde and now looking for funding.

[@benitosexplenations]

A good question! I don't think so I'm afraid - it is really tough! However, universities sometimes form alliances with funding bodies with other countries meaning it is sometimes easier to get funding for PhDs from certain institutions. This requires a bit of research though so best of luck!

[@kishanbhadiyadra5549]

@@benitosexplenations where can I research this ? Can You help me with some links or stuff like that?

[@benitosexplenations]

Kishan Bhadiyadra you could look on your institution of interest’s postgraduate funding page but to be honest, it would mainly be a case of (politely) emailing academics who you would be interested in working with.

[@kishanbhadiyadra5549]

@@benitosexplenations I have already contacted and covinced academics for the same but unfortunately my inrest area is unfunded thats why I am asking what are the other sources to get funding especially tuition fee is my primary concern

[@pula6990]

So the deadlines are not for the project but for DTP?

[@benitosexplenations]

Both I guess. After the deadline, the supervisor chooses a candidate to compete for the funding!

[@NikhilKumar-kp9xi]

Hello from India, well this is a great content and helped me a lot Benito. I have some doubts and questions regarding this DTP program as I have applied BBSRC DTP PhD program in Scotland this year. Can I get you email id or something so that we can chat for while.

[@ketkipawar3898]

Hello Nikhil, Can you plz help me in knowing more about BBSRC DTP? I have a query. If I have acceptance letter from a PI for doing PhD in his lab but he doesnt have fundings, is there any other source of funding? I have applied to a lab in university of Dundee. I am looking for funding. Can BBSRC DTP help in such case?