Through this series, we will be sharing first-hand advice on applying for postgraduate courses. Here, Carly Hood reflects on her own experience moving from Australia to the UK for her PhD with plenty of practical advice.
Who am I and what am I interested in?
I am a PhD student at the MRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit, University of Cambridge, originally from Brisbane, Australia. As a member of the Genomic Disorders and Cognitive Development Lab, I work with children who have intellectual impairment of known genetic origin and their families. My research aims to use computational and network approaches to examine how genes mediate brain structure, brain function and cognition with a view to develop targeted support for these kids.
What lead to my decision to move overseas?
Prior to my PhD, I did both my Bachelor of Speech Pathology and Masters in Neuroscience in Brisbane. My clinical work with children who have rare genetic conditions lead to my research interest in isolating biological mechanisms of neurodevelopment. The rarity of these genetic conditions, however, meant that the few institutions working in this area were all located in overseas in countries with larger populations, namely the United Kingdom, United States and Europe. I had always wanted to move overseas, so this was an excellent opportunity to do so while advancing my professional interests.
Why did I decide to come to the UK?
From the outset, I felt the length and structure of the US programmes were less aligned with what I wanted from a PhD. They are approximately 5- 7 years, as opposed to 4 in the EU and the UK, with the first two years largely comprised of coursework and lab rotations. Given that I had already done a masters and knew the exact research question I wanted to address, the UK and EU programme structures were better suited.
How did I choose programmes to apply to?
It is important to preface here that, often, starting a PhD overseas is a matter of securing both a place in a programme and funding. I first identified the programmes and researchers I was interested in and then noted specific funding requirements. I compiled an excel sheet where I listed all the programmes and their deadlines as well as respective funding options (which may have a separate deadline).
You have to prepare yourself for a prolonged process with pinch-points, but the experience on the other side is incomparable
A note on funding
International students incur fees about triple those of home students and are often eligible for far fewer funding schemes. Further, the dwindling research funds following Brexit has made finding funding even more of a challenge. Each programme will differ. Some offer funded positions, others direct you to other potential sources of funding and others accept self-funded students. Many EU institutes for example provide a generous salary, compared to a tax-free stipend in the UK. I also investigated broad funding schemes that were for Australian students to pursue post-graduate studies overseas. Note that these deadlines are often before the programme application deadlines - sometimes over a year in advance, such as in the case of the John Monash Scholarship in Australia. In writing this article, I’m taken back to the number of late nights I sat hunched, 20 links deep and trying to figure out my eligibility for various funding schemes. PhD applications are time consuming and taxing at the best of times, let alone with the added layer of finding funding. There is a sweet spot between too few and too many applications - what worked for me was choosing a limited number of programmes (I seriously considered about 4 and prepared applications for 2) where you can really see yourself spending 4 years and focus the funding search to these.
How did I approach my applications?
After selecting the 4 programmes I would actively consider, I started my research. I spoke to each Principle Investigator (you are interviewing your supervisor as much as they are interviewing you), their students (it is indicative of a good work-place culture when supervisors put you in touch with their students specifically) and people I knew of in the field. Another advantage of talking to supervisors is that they may know of other funding opportunities and can provide tailored advice you may not get from admissions websites. Then it came to constructing the application which involved writing research proposals and personal statements, requesting references, and filling out funding applications.
I’ve had to actively remind myself that settling in will take time - eventually I’ll come to a semblance of balance between life in the UK and home
Eventually… the move
Following a protracted process, I was very fortunate to be offered a funded position at the MRC CBU in Cambridge which I promptly accepted. Though this was a huge relief, I now needed to consider the logistics of moving country. This process was tiring and at times stressful, but at least the finish line was in sight. It involved making arrangements for leaving Australia (suspending health insurance, registering for overseas voting, notifying banks etc) and for living in the UK (applying for visas, registering with the NHS, arranging insurance, opening a bank account, transferring funds etc). Of note, your visa requirements may specify an arrival date or periods of time where you cannot be in the country. In my case, my offer conditions needed to be fulfilled so I could be issued a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to use in my application for a student visa before arriving. It is also important to not underestimate the cost of moving on top of paying for visas immigration health surcharges and general cost-of-living. You may need to save accordingly throughout the process of applying. A further consideration is paying any living expenses upfront (as was the case with the college system at Cambridge).
Starting the PhD
As for starting the PhD, I certainly underestimated the challenges of starting a highly involved programme whilst also adjusting a new place of residence. Even coming from somewhere with a reasonably comparable culture with the same language, there have been various points of difference to navigate. I’ve had to actively remind myself that settling in will take time - eventually I’ll come to a semblance of balance between life in the UK and home. It takes time to figure out how to best maintain long-distance relationships with family and friends at home (don’t get me started on the time difference…). I also remind myself that this will be in flux throughout my time here.
Overall…
For anyone who is considering pursuing higher degree research and has also considered moving overseas, my advice is to just start looking! Yes, you have to prepare yourself for a prolonged process with pinch-points as I outlined, but the experience on the other side is incomparable. Higher degree research is a particularly flexible time where you are largely responsible for your individual progress and are therefore afforded periods of flexibility that can be leveraged. In my case this is to travel - it is still astounding to me that I can visit another country for a weekend – and also pursue other personal interests. The added benefit of moving to Cambridge, which has a vibrant international community, is that I have met many like-minded individuals who have gone through similar processes. Thus far, I have relished the experience of moving to a completely unfamiliar country and how this has enriched my life, both personally and professionally.
This article was written by Carly Hood and edited by Ailie McWhinnie. Interested in writing for WiNUK yourself? Contact us through the blog page and the editors will be in touch!
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