applying to UK universities

[dativesingular]

If this is an inappropriate post, my apologies. I would have posted at applyingtograd, but they only deal with American universities. I thought I would try my luck here, as I could really use some advice. I am an American working towards earning my MA at a university in the UK, and am hoping to go on for my PhD in Art History (well, it's History of Art over here

Comments

[down_home_kitty]

I'm currently in the third year of my PhD at Nottingham in the UK. Basically, my proposal was nothing like what I ended up doing, so I'm not sure my advice is great on that. Only obvious tips to offer really - read up your proposed / likely supervisor(s) first, and make sure someone in the area reads through your proposal - it's worth camping outside the absent professor's door in a tent until they turn up if you can obtain that. They'll know what sounds interesting and what sounds cliched in just a glance, which no one else can offer you.

I had an interview with one future supervisor and another member of our Institute. I just tried to sound flexible, but excited about the area of work, and thought a good deal about vocalising why I wanted to do a PhD (someone remind me now!).

Can I ask how you're planning to be funded, as that will probably have the largest effect on how you apply - have you already got funding, is the funding provided by an external body (and if so do you already have it?), or is the funding offered by the

[down_home_kitty]

Wow, that is brave. Well my piece of advice based on that, is that if you offer to pay your fees / upkeep, you're in the driving seat. Make sure you're going to get your money's worth... ;0).

[zangtt]

A personal suggestion, from someone also planning to pursue academic jobs in the UK after completing a PhD in the US: do not make any plans based on things like exchange rates or other economic indicators. They are much too volatile to use to plan for anything more long term than a vacation.