How to Apply for a PhD + My Experience

[@bookingforewordtoit]

I always wanted to do a PhD, it's been my dream to add to the body of knowledge that exists in the world! These videos are so informative and helpful, so thank you!

[@Ayush_pathak000]

BookingForewordToIt I am doing my PhD in agribusiness management ! Can we add us on fb plzz for share our joy ?

[@carolineappleton3177]

I've literally just put in my application for a PhD, luckily the advertised PhD is an exact continuation of my current MSc project so I could just edit my proposal for that, which really helped. Waiting to hear back now!

[@JeansThoughts]

Good luck! :D

[@hannahrae3194]

Really enjoyed this video :) I'm currently coming to the end of my performing arts undergrad but as you might guess this hasn't been the most academic of degrees, I've always been split on what I would like to study as drama, history and english lit have all been passions at different points. I have 100% enjoyed the academic elements of my degree more than the performance itself and luckily the degree and my lecturers are super flexible. I've been able to tailor my third year to suit this and hopefully will be moving on to study more academically after I finish here. I might even be completely switching subjects completely and possibly doing a history graduate diploma to then continue in this field. Basically in a roundabout way I'm trying to say that your academic videos have really inspired me the past couple of months as I decide what I would like to do in the future. Thank you for making these sorts of videos as they're always so inspiring and interesting :D

[@inessamaria2428]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It was so helpful!

[@JeansThoughts]

Glad it was helpful!

[@lachlanmoir79]

Thank you Jean. I’m at the stage of sending feelers out for starting my masters in the near future. This has helped loads :)

[@KittyAndTheBooks]

This super different from my experience in Germany. :) But it's very interesting to see the differences in different coutries and such.

[@clairemarge5310]

This was so helpful! I'm considering applying over the next couple of years and it feels so daunting but to hear your experience has helped so much :) thank you!

[@JeansThoughts]

I'm so glad you found it helpful ^_^ x

[@JustCHICHI]

I just finished my masters and looking to apply into phd programs for September 2019. Interesting enough, here in Canada, application deadlines are stricter for PhDs (due in January) and there are many funding resources for Canadian students. In majority of unis and situations, you're automatically guaranteed funding that covers both fees and a small living stipend. We get about 16,000 a year for four years. Then we compete for government issued funding, which goes to two students and sometimes more in every humanities and social science departments. Most students receive (what we call) SSHRC, which is Social Science Humanities Research Council funding, I believe. I thought it was very similar in the UK but I guess I was wrong. Universities shouldn't be money-grabbers, esp for students providing valuable labor and research and time. It seems unethical. Anyway, thank you the amazing video! I've been waiting for something like this from you. 😁😁

[@JeansThoughts]

Couldn’t agree more. It turns academia into someone for only the wealthy (unless it’s certains sciences which are very well funded). Not to mention U.K. tuition is extremely high, I’m grateful I have my fees funded. That’s why I am part time - so I can work to support myself whilst I study but even then it’s hard to balance. That’s sounds great in Canada though 👍 a good role model hopefully.

[@moeppps]

Thank you so much for this video! As you said, there isn't much info on this topic so this was extremely helpful 🌹

[@JeansThoughts]

Glad to be of service :D

[@WarningDontReadThis]

It's so crazy to me how helpful Roehampton has been to you, they were awful to me during my undergrad! But I had some supportive lecturers who got me through.

[@JeansThoughts]

My whole experience at Roehampton is entirely based on the three members of staff who are my supervisors. They are fantastic and the ones I have worked with since the application process. So like you say really, it's so much about having good lecturers. I haven't really had any cause to deal with anything else. I'm sorry you had a rubbish experience!

[@WarningDontReadThis]

that's okay, i've moved on to a better place :)

[@Ayush_pathak000]

ArinaReads 👌👍

[@ABitofBethandBecky]

It's insightful how you applied for a PhD- congrats- makes me wish I continued beyond a BA, but there's always hope.

[@JeansThoughts]

Whenever it's right for you ^_^

[@carly885]

I have an interview for a play therapy masters tomorrow so I don't know why I'm watching this, it's stressing me out hahaha

[@Ayush_pathak000]

Lol 😂

[@mcs-books9075]

Hey, Jean! Thank you so much for such an insightful video about your experience of applying for a PhD! I'm currently in the middle of my MA and thankfully have another year to figure things out, but I am certainly looking into the possibility of doing a PhD afterwards, and I'm even looking at the University of Edinburgh as a place of interest. I guess my biggest concerns about the process is actually finding a refined point of departure for research because I'm still struggling to think about what my Masters thesis would be! (Too many interests in a course that is so multi-discplinary) But this definitely makes me feel a lot more calm and open to the opportunities available, so thanks again :)

[@JeansThoughts]

If it helps one of the central parts of my PhD is one random passage I briefly cited in my masters dissertation and thought that's interesting. I've now got a whole chapter on it in my thesis that I didn't even know would happen until about 6 months once I'd narrowed down the whole concept. One thing could just jump out at you one day. Edinburgh's lovely! I hope you get to go if that's where you want to :D.

[@mcs-books9075]

Definitely reassuring! :D

[@aariafaith]

@@mcs-books9075 Did you end up doing your PhD at Edinburgh?

[@sopheyrac1204]

I really want a PhD, but I’m in my first year of undergrad. It just seems like it’d be terrifying fun Also, if people want some more info about PhDs, Simon Clark basically vlogged his way through his and it’s very informative 👍

[@JeansThoughts]

Yes his channel is great :) I just did a video recommending my favourite study related channels including his if you're interested: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jaCrfmOAbMqhl7s

[@putusita9052]

You're awesome! This video is very inspiring. If circumstances allow, I'd definitely continue my study. Good luck with your studies! :)

[@antsmith9909]

Aside from the obvious benefits to interest, would you say it was useful to undertake undergraduate research when applying for a Masters/PhD? I suppose it shows dedication; you've put in the work outside of core studies.. Loved the vid, very useful.

[@yogibear1245]

Can you do a vid on what it is like to do a PhD part-time? I have applied for a PhD program and got a conditional acceptance but I'm having some difficulty getting the appropriate funding since I would be classified as an international student.

[@creamsoda9334]

Thank you, that was very helpful! To anyone interested in PhDs, definitely check out How to Survive your Doctorate by Jane Matthiesen and Mario Binder, very informative and straightforward, including anecdotes from various students. They give you the "R-rated version of events." Great for current students, supervisors, and family, too.

[@a.a.s1429]

First and foremost, i just want to say I love your videos and you are a true role model to me as an English undergraduate student, I will be applying to do my masters at the same university! Is it strange to do my PhD at the same university ? or will it make me less desirable for when applying for jobs? xx

[@JeansThoughts]

Nope not strange :) you pick the university best for what you want to do and the supervisor who is right for you.

[@a.a.s1429]

@@JeansThoughts thank you so much !!

[@thathaliegirl]

Hi Jean, thank you for this video. Do you think you'd be up for a video about how to apply for a Masters? I finished undergrad a couple of years ago and have recently been considering a masters in gender studies but I'm a bit lost about the whole process, especially as I'm no longer at uni! How does it differ to undergrad? Should you have a fully formed idea of what specific thing you want to research before going in or does the course help you to foster that? Also I love your jumper!! x

[@missslemontree]

I submitted applications for 8 different programs a couple months ago. Now I'm just stuck in an agonizing waiting game.

[@carly885]

Savannah Jean good luck 😊 I hate waiting

[@Erdnussbuttertoast]

thank for this video, it was very interesting! i've been interested in maybe pursuing a PhD after university and not going into teaching after all... I don't know if you talked about this in your video, but did you get into "trouble" with your funding when you delayed the start of your PhD?

[@JeansThoughts]

No I was never awarded full funding. And my fees funding was available if I started that academic year which I still did, just 6 months in. If you get funding you’ll have to tell them when you’re starting/started when you apply. You’re usually applying for that coming academic year.

[@TheTnaidu]

Jean I’m also a PhD student in education but at the University of Wolverhampton! Great vlog and you now have a subscriber! Not many of us out there vlogging on phds so check out my channel on my recent visit to wlv. I am from England but living abroad for my ethnographic fieldwork. Good luck Jean and thanks for the video!

[@SunriseFireberry]

UK gov't does give funding to a small number of UK PhD students? Why do these people get $$ & so many others don't. What are the criteria?

[@sopheyrac1204]

TimeAndChance Possibly whichever ones the government considered more useful to the country I guess? like science research is often seen as more useful than research into Classical Athens.

[@JeansThoughts]

It's not administered directly through the government, some is government funded through projects like the arts research council, some not. Some sciences for example will be funded via private organisations interested in the research. Different bodies offer full grants (so fees and enough to live on i.e. rent and food) and have enough to do that for a few people. I would not describe education/academia and making it more accessible as something the current government really gives much of a toss about.

[@RyansChannel0203]

This was uploaded after my birthday. Lol

[@preethyadesilva2638]

Hey! Have you done a post graduate degree as well? Can you please tell me something about it? I want to apply for one next year .... Please help me!

[@JeansThoughts]

I did indeed, I did a video talking about it with my friend Sanne so that might be of use to you: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bWK9Z6uMfap5gZY

[@soniakherif6298]

I am currently a full-time PhD student and I know how hard it can be.The harder part is after being accepted in the university, for you'll have so many seminars to attend and several papers to write. That's one of the reasons I personally don't have much time to read for pleasure. Anyways, good luck. ^^

[@tiborkovacs5317]

Right so there's degrees to applying for a degree...haha😁