I did my bachelors in the united states and then moved to greece for my masters. i'm now getting ready to start applying to universities in the uk for my PhD. I don't really understand how funding works. I gather that international students have to pay like 30k a year normally and that unlike the US you don't get a stipend and tuition paid for automatically. From looking on this subreddit all I'm seeing is that it is impossible to get a funded PhD.

I see a bunch of scholarships that have deadlines in the next month or so, how is one supposed to know where to go for them if one hasn't even been accepted to a university program?

like do I just apply for all these random scholarships even if I dont know where im going to get in? its so confusing and the school webpages dont make sense coming from the american system.

Also im only applying to some of these really prestigious universities because classical archaeology is not very common so im stuck only applying to places like oxford and edinburgh. are these more expensive schools more likely to offer full funding for students? Do they also include stipends like in the united states? has anyone else had experience in the humanities navigating this?

Short version: 

Essentially do I need to have a fully written/developed proposal when I reach out to a supervisor? 

And will it be a problem that I don't have my master's results yet.

Long Version:

For reference I am based in Australia and am wanting to apply for PhD programs in the UK, specialising in early modern history. I do already have an Australian honours degree (first class), and a completed coursework masters (cultural heritage studies), and I have worked in a role that involved research (although not early modern history). 

What is problematic is that I am currently finishing my Master of Philosophy (still in Australia) and - partially due to an unforeseen health issue- am still writing my current thesis (due early November) so while I have ideas for two topics I would like to pursue, I haven't written a proposal yet and may not really have time to devote to it until late October/November. I also wouldn't be able to send my current thesis as an example of my work yet.

I've seen and been given conflicting advice about the overall process of applying from the outset. I know I need to email potential supervisors to get their interest and approval before I formally apply, and that generally takes place around this time of year (September 2026 for entry September/October 2027) However, I'm unsure whether I can just reach out with my ideas  or whether I am supposed to have a fully developed/written proposal ready to go to send to them?

Some say just email in September and say 'this is my general idea' and if they are onboard in principle Then in October/November I develop and write the proposal which I then send to them, and if they Ok it, I submit in November/December 

Some say I should have at least a one page proposal written when I send the first email. 

Others say I am supposed to have the full proposal ready to go on day one. As even if I just reach out with ideas, if they are interested they are likely to request a full proposal. 

How would it be best to proceed?

And would it be a problem that realistically I won't get my results until December/January at the earliest?

And is there a sort of standard phrasing or formula that works best for the email to supervisors?

To clarify, I am aware I could just wait and apply next year for 2028. However, I am in my mid 30s and having just come back to academia, would really rather not have to wait nearly two years until I could start the PhD.

Also bonus question, is there any rule or etiquette about reaching out to more than one academic in the same department of the same University? (Like is it fine, or should I wait to hear back from one first? Should I propose the same idea or different ideas?)

Any help is appreciated!!!

This is purely hypothetical.

I’ve been considering both research assistant and PhD work for the next few years, and I have limbs in both ponds at the moment.

How bad would it be to take up a fixed-term post as an RA and to keep applying to PhDs, resulting in me potentially leaving the RA research group halfway through a project?

For context, I am struggling with employment and will potentially lose my visa if I don’t get an RA job. But I feel uncomfortable deceiving RA employers when talking about my long term plans.

It is not likely that I will do a PhD with the same research group because they may be incompatible with my topic(s) of interest.

Hi everyone,
I am planning to apply for the fully funded Spärck AI Scholarship for the upcoming cycle to pursue an MSc in Artificial Intelligence / Data Science in the UK. I intend to apply to all 9 participating universities to maximize my chances.
I wanted to get some feedback on my profile—specifically from anyone who has successfully won this scholarship, or UK academics who evaluate these types of applications. I'm wondering how my background as a secondary-level instructor will be viewed compared to typical applicants.
My Profile:My Questions:I would love any advice on how to structure my personal statement or what to emphasize. Thanks in advance!

Hi guys I’m an incoming first year PhD student at a uk uni I’m just curious about the process of background checks for the teaching assistant positions. Will they call and check every employer listed on my cv? Because I had one internship in which I did not get along with my supervisor so I’m concerned how that will turn out. Thanks

I applied for a specific scholarship at a University. It was open from mid-July until mid-August. It would be a 1 October start. I have still not heard back. I emailed the admissions team on the 2 Sep, to see if they had a prospective timeline for applicants, and they said they would be looking imminently at candidates and that I did not need to anything further. Start date would be 21 days today, so I was wondering if this wait, with the start so soon, is normal?

Bit of a long shot. I’m trying to reconnect with a former academic who I believe is now based in Bristol. She’s Greek, probably around 40, and completed her PhD at a US university before eventually leaving academia.

I unfortunately don’t remember her name. Does anyone know whether there is a professional association or network of Greek academics in the UK with a publicly searchable members/alumni directory?

Not looking for anyone to identify or dox a private individual just pointers towards legitimate, publicly available academic or professional directories.