Transfer to different CDT within same University [closed]

Question

I am based in the UK (England, more precisely). I am part of a Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT) - between University A and B. Since I am an international student, I didn't receive EPSRC funding for the CDT. I am enrolled in University A for MRes, for my PhD I am moving to University B (engineering department) and have applied for funding for 3 years of PhD, as part of Universities B's funding for international PhD students (not part of EPSRC).

However, the professor (X) I wish to do a PhD under does not fall under the CDT I'm in and is also in a different department (Physics). He is part of a different CDT.

So my question is, once I shift to Universty B and receive funding can I switch to the physics department to work with professor X? University B gives me admission only because I'm part of the first CDT and professor X is associated with another CDT. How can I work with professor X?

Answer 1

The short answer is this will be highly dependent on the university and their admissions policies (as well as those of the CDTs involved). When you are admitted to the university, it is by a specific department for a specific degree program, and each department will have their own requirements for admission (although they may be similar due to university policies). CDTs especially are more restricted in their admissions because they tend to have fewer places available (I've usually seen each year's cohort with a max of 15 members for the standard sized CDT, and some CDTs can be smaller).

The first thing you should do is contact Professor X and introduce yourself to them and start talking about your interest in their research. It is important to make sure they are still working in the area you want and are taking students to supervise. It is also useful to have their support when talking with the CDTs/departments involved.

The simplest thing to do would be to see if you can find a primary supervisor in engineering who is associated with your current CDT who you could work with, and then have Professor X as a secondary supervisor. That would preserve your current CDT admission. Professor X could maybe suggest a previous collaborator or someone to talk to if you go this direction.

If doing the primary/secondary supervisor isn't possible, then I think we can't provide answers here, and you instead need to be talking with Professor X and the CDTs/departments involved to see if is a way to transfer between departments. I think it would be crucial to have the support of Professor X when you do this though.