Reasonable application?

[overdog]

Hi -

I'm thinking about applying for HSMP. I have been a full-time university student for almost 12 years now (BSc, MSc, PhD almost done, broadly within mathematical and physical sciences, with a good deal of computational work thrown in). Unfortunately as time has slipped by I've become too old to apply for the programmes geared to people at my life stage (under 28 HSMP, or working holidaymakers), but I think I can scrape together points for HSMP anyway.

I'm partially wondering whether I can apply now on the strength of my Master's degree and PhD work (employed as "graduate teaching/research assistant") instead of waiting for my PhD defense to take place. Basically the points I would claim are:
- 25 points (Master's degree)
- 35 points (5 years' Work experience directly resulting from my PhD studentship, including 2 "specialist" years)
- 15 points (Significant achievement: a few top tier journal articles, scholarships / awards, and invited talks).

That's 75 points, which is 10 more than I need, and I don't need to invoke the PhD I don't yet have, only the time I've put in working on it.

The thing is, I have no idea if this is a reasonable application (?), and would like to avoid throwing away several hundred quid if its just going to get binned. I think the most iffy part of it is the work experience, and I guess the question is whether they accept work experience gained while a student. This was paid work for doing teaching and research at the university, but all PhD students at my university (like most other universities) have such employment arrangements.

Another question: Would it be better to wait for my PhD to be finished anyway? (It might help with demonstrating that I could find a job)

Anyway I'm wondering how likely it is for the application to be successful. How often do people apply directly out of graduate school (MBAs aside) and get approved?

Cheers.

[pantaiema]

Try to asssess yourself usin point calculator in the following link

http://www.workpermit.com/uk/hsmp_calculator.htm

it is very easy

Pantaiema

Hi -

I'm thinking about applying for HSMP. I have been a full-time university student for almost 12 years now (BSc, MSc, PhD almost done, broadly within mathematical and physical sciences, with a good deal of computational work thrown in). Unfortunately as time has slipped by I've become too old to apply for the programmes geared to people at my life stage (under 28 HSMP, or working holidaymakers), but I think I can scrape together points for HSMP anyway.

I'm partially wondering whether I can apply now on the strength of my Master's degree and PhD work (employed as "graduate teaching/research assistant") instead of waiting for my PhD defense to take place. Basically the points I would claim are:
- 25 points (Master's degree)
- 35 points (5 years' Work experience directly resulting from my PhD studentship, including 2 "specialist" years)
- 15 points (Significant achievement: a few top tier journal articles, scholarships / awards, and invited talks).

That's 75 points, which is 10 more than I need, and I don't need to invoke the PhD I don't yet have, only the time I've put in working on it.

The thing is, I have no idea if this is a reasonable application (?), and would like to avoid throwing away several hundred quid if its just going to get binned. I think the most iffy part of it is the work experience, and I guess the question is whether they accept work experience gained while a student. This was paid work for doing teaching and research at the university, but all PhD students at my university (like most other universities) have such employment arrangements.

Another question: Would it be better to wait for my PhD to be finished anyway? (It might help with demonstrating that I could find a job)

Anyway I'm wondering how likely it is for the application to be successful. How often do people apply directly out of graduate school (MBAs aside) and get approved?

Cheers.

[rizwan567]

Its damn hard to get claimed points in significant achievement.....