So this is the issue... There is this university that I’m interested in applying to for my PhD. I think the chances of me getting an offer to carry out my research there are very high if I let them know that I will be self funding; which I could do. It won’t be easy but I should be able to make it work. The thing is that, the university also offers PhD scholarships which I am eligible for, but these funded places are more competitive and although I’d stand a chance, it could go either way. My thinking is, why pay all that money for this degree if there is a chance I could get funding?
However, the problem is that I’ve been told by people I know who work in university admissions that it often happens that even if a university likes an applicant but can’t offer funding when the student has asked, they reject their application outright.
My questions are, should I just apply for the funding only and say nothing about my capability to fund my degree? Or should I let them know that I can self fund but still apply for the funding (which I think is counterintuitive)? Or forget about funding altogether and self fund?
