PhD Study in 2017 - A New Year Action Plan

The holidays are nearly here: a chance to relax, catch up with friends and family and say goodbye (for better or worse) to 2016.

If you're a current student, the holidays may also be a 'chance' to get working on essays or other assignments. But we'll agree not to talk about those for the rest of this post.

We'll also agree not to talk about New Year's Resolutions. Because, let's be honest, unless yours is 'apply for a PhD', there's not a lot I can do for you here.

But let's assume that applying for a PhD is in your plans for next year.

This blog suggests a few steps you can take towards that objective. It's not exhaustive and the process that works best for you may depend on your circumstances. But these are all useful actions to take if you're serious about a PhD in the new year.

However much you know about PhD study, a little extra research won't hurt and holiday downtime can be the perfect opportunity to get some done.

It won't surprise you if I suggest some of our own advice articles as a good place to start. You can read more about what a PhD actually is, what it's like to work with a supervisor and to choose a good research project. You can also check our list of PhD FAQs.

These resources are intended to help you think about a PhD, but the questions you come away with are as important as the ones they answer. There will be things you want to know more about and issues that relate specifically to your subject area, your research ideas and your personal circumstances or goals.

Make a list of them. And take them to Step Two.

The first time I thought seriously about PhD study was shortly after receiving feedback on my initial batch of MA essays. I'd done well on one of them and OK on the other.

The second essay was for a module lead by my course tutor - the academic responsible for designing and running my Masters programme. He'd seen some potential in my work and wondered if I'd thought about a PhD. I hadn't, really, but he invited me to his office for a chat.

That discussion was one of the most helpful experiences I had as a relatively new postgraduate, thinking for the first time about further study.

It was a chance to ask general questions about a PhD: Was it much harder than the work I was doing now? How many people did one? What did PhD students actually do instead of going to classes?

It was also a chance to chat about my own developing interests: Would work on this or that topic make for a good PhD project? Did my MA tutor know if anyone else was researching this or that area? How had he decided on the topic for his own PhD?

And, of course, it was a chance to chat about opportunities at my current university: Would there be funding? Was there anyone who might be interested in supervising my work? Were there other students working on similar areas already?

I'd strongly recommend having a similar conversation. Like me, you may find that your course tutors raise the topic themselves, but don't feel nervous about getting in touch if they don't.

And don't feel that you have to have set the world on fire straight away with your Masters in order to talk about a PhD. I certainly hadn't.

For many new students the career path with a PhD seems obvious: you'll become an academic, right? Maybe you'll complete a postdoc or two first. Maybe you won't get your ideal lectureship right away. But you'll get there eventually and your PhD will be the first step.

That is the career path for many successful early career academics. But not every student follows it. The statistics vary, but it's generally accepted that the majority of doctoral graduates don't end up in permanent academic roles. And the competition for those positions is strong.

None of this means you have to despair. Plenty of PhD students do go on to academic jobs. After all, every academic at your university was a PhD student at some point. There's nothing specifically stopping you from following in their footsteps.

But it's important not to be naive. That means taking some steps to inform yourself in advance:

• If you discuss PhD plans with your tutor, ask about the current academic job market in your field. How have their own recent PhD students found things? What other opportunities are there with a doctorate in your subject area? They'll know more than you and they'll be honest.
• If you can, chat to some early career academics - people who've been through the academic job search recently and succeeded. You probably already know some and, even if you don't, your tutors can probably put you in touch with someone who'd be happy to chat to you. Academics are generally helpful people.
• Finally, don't overlook careers advisors. Those at your university will be able to offer advice that's specific to PhD students. They may also have access to relevant data and additional resources.

Whatever you do after your doctorate, someone will need to cover the cost of researching it.

Whether that someone is you, your university or an external organisation will depend on various factors: the type of project you're researching, the resources at your institution, your personal circumstances and (to some extent) how lucky you are.

The fact is that there's a lot of PhD funding out there. Finding it isn't complicated so much as time consuming. But this is time well spent.

I'd recommend that you start by investigating the following options:

• Funding at your current university - It makes sense to start close to home. You may discover a funded project or scholarship that's ideal for you. If so, you'll be well placed to investigate it further. Even if you intend to go elsewhere for your PhD, the kind of funding offered at your current university may provide a useful template for institutional support.
• Research Council support - In the UK, the majority of public funding for PhD training is delivered through the seven Research Councils. These scholarships are very attractive (they'll often cover your full fees and provide a maintenance grant) but also very competitive. These days they're typically offered to specific universities (or groups of universities) who then select suitable students for awards. You can search for Research Council funded projects in our database, ask about opportunities at your current institution, or see our funding guide for more general information.
• PhD loans - These won't be available for 2017, but if you're an English-resident, planning to start a PhD in 2018 (or later), they promise to be a real game changer. Unlike much other funding the new PhD loans aren't limited to a set number of candidates, restricted to certain subject areas or means-tested. This makes them a strong option for eligible students who can't find funding elsewhere, or who want to 'top up' other resources with a loan. You can find out more in our guide.

The reality is that the availability of funding could play a big role in determining the project you study - and the university you study at. Investigating your options early is definitely advised.

So far, this action plan has focussed on steps you can take at your current university - or via websites like ours.

Eventually though, you'll want to think about stepping a little further afield. Postgraduate study fairs are one way to do that - quite literally.

A good fair will give you the opportunity to do everything mentioned in this blog so far. Ours certainly do:

Academic staff and postgraduate advisors will be on hand from a wide range of universities, ready and willing to answer any questions you may have. We also provide a busy talks programme, offering additional information about PhD study, funding options and other topics.

We've got events coming up in January across Birmingham, Bristol and Sheffield - perfect if you're serious about investigating PhD study in the New Year.

This post isn't intended to walk you all the way through to a PhD application, but it should help you prepare for one.

If you follow at least some of the steps discussed here, you'll be well placed to think seriously (and responsibly) about studying a PhD in 2017 - or later

We'll be here as you do - with more resources on the blog and across the advice and funding sections of our site.

All that's left for me to do for now is thank you for reading, wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Oh - and not mention any work you have to do over the holidays.

Job done. See you in 2017.