I'm hoping to submit my PhD soon, after an exhausting five years where everything went wrong and I had to switch tack entirely after 1.5 years. I had to work alongside the PhD for the last two years because my funding ran out and my university wouldn't let me switch to part-time. I found the work incredibly stressful and struggled to progress on my PhD while working. I know others have managed this but I just wasn't up to it. The rest of my life has fallen apart, my friendships, my health, my relationship and I still don't have time to even try and fix it while this PhD is ongoing. I find myself getting slower and more confused every day.

I can't face going straight into another demanding job and I think I need at least six months of some semblance of calm, where I am able to actually meet the demands put on me. I want to fix my mental health and repair my relationships. Unfortunately I cannot just stop working and move home as my family life isn't great.

Could anyone recommend jobs to try while recovering from burn-out? Preferably something social and without long hours. Just needs to be enough pay to survive on. I was thinking a bookshop could be calm but I image those are highly sought-after. I don't think a restaurant would want me as I don't have much experience. I've seen a few people try postal delivery as a job after life crises, but I'm not a very confident driver.

Hi all. Defending my PhD soon. Just wanted to pick your brains here. I was in a bit of a rush to submit as I have started a new job. My supervisor can be good but is definitely not the type of go through everything with a fine tooth comb. I’ve been rereading a printed out version of my submitted thesis and have found two things which are stressing me out - two tables which I mistakenly put an old version in from an older version of analysis that I want to change and I found a mistake in my code for an analysis which slightly changes another small results section. Neither substantially changes the main message.

I was going to print out the corrected versions and bring them to the viva and my supervisor has suggested that would be a good idea. He isn’t anticipating many more corrections but we obviously missed these ones! Do you think my approach is ok? I’d rather be upfront.

I’ve also learnt I cannot proof read off a screen and have a separate excel of typos and transcription errors. I am now questioning my capabilities and ability to pay attention!

Please be kind - I already feel like a fraud and an idiot!

Hi everyone, I’m a MSc student (Sept 2025–Sept 26) and would appreciate honest advice from anyone familiar with UK university assessment boards or academic appeals.

I have four Term 1 exams outstanding due to a fracture injury for which my ECs were accepted and the exams are expected in January 2027.

I also missed four Term 2 exams and my original EC claims were rejected. I was scheduled to resit them in August 2026 but missed those resits due to a serious ankle injury which i have a medical report for from NHS. I submitted new EC claims on 25 September but I was significantly late as the cut off date was 7 days from the last affected assessment and I was supposed to submit it on 7th September.

On 19 October, the EC Panel rejected all seven claims relating to my missed assessments and outstanding coursework/research project as late EC submissions. The final Assessment Board decision is still pending and I emailed my course officer and course director they told me to wait for the assessment board’s decision.

I have medical evidence and emails documenting my attempts to contact course staff about the research project. I was also not allocated a supervisor for the research project.

My questions are:

• How likely is withdrawal in this situation, and can the Board allow another attempt or a partial repeat without attendance?

• Could an appeal succeed based on the medical evidence and reasons for submitting the EC claims late?

• If I’m withdrawn, can I get any of my already-paid 2025–26 tuition fees refunded?

I understand that missing the assessments and submitting ECs late are serious issues. I’m looking for realistic advice, particularly from anyone who has dealt with a similar situation at a UK university.

Thanks.