To my delight and total shock, I’ve been offered a full AHRC (Arts & Humanities Research Council) doctoral award from October 2011. It’ll cover University fees, the Oxford college fee, and maintenance. For overseas readers, the AHRC is the major public body for academic research in my field.
After repeatedly reading the small print and receiving excited supervisory emails from Seattle and Bali, I’m starting to believe it’s not an administrative cockup. Despite my deep reservations and scepticism at being suddenly better-off under a Tory-led government, I’m thrilled. Having experienced unfunded postgraduate life to the full, I know how fortunate I am to be getting a break from that. I wish all those awaiting similar funding decisions the very best of luck.
CLAMOROUS VOICE 
Congratulations! Terrific news, and thoroughly deserved.
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Jem, thank you! Needless to say, I shall spend the money mostly on porthole.
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Congratulations this is absolutely fantastic news and a real achievement. What a way to start a Wednesday.
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Thank you so much! I feel very lucky.
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At last! Very good news. I bet your application was terrifying. What makes you better off under this gov than the last?
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The amount of dosh I’ll be receiving, obv. Faceless, labelled and low-breasted one (judging from your avatar), when are you back in Oxford?
Terrifying? Well, I was certainly terrified. 😀
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I think you should’ve mentioned that it has taken you A Long Time to process/accept this sufficiently that you can actually talk about it.
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Darling I think it’s only first-time callers who’d need me to actually put that into WORDS.
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Congratulations! That’s wonderful news and I’m sure thoroughly deserved.
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Thank you Stefan! That’s very kind. 🙂
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Cogratulations!! This is fantastic news and I’m sure thoroughly deserved. I bet that you’re delighted that you finally have an income!
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So delighted, Anthea! It’s such a bizarre thought to have some incomings as well as outgoings… I have been lucky up til now with help & with teaching (very lucky), but to be honest I wasn’t sure I’d get through the whole thing without a year off to work. Thanks for your congratulations!
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