Doing a full-time PhD is a comparable commitment to a full-time job (funded projects even come with a sort of salary, usually referred to as a stipend or studentship). You should assume a minimum of 35 hours per week, which will often increase (particularly when you are writing up your thesis).

A PhD thesis (or dissertation) is usually around 70,000-100,000 words. They are generally divided into multiple chapters, including the introduction, literature review, results, discussion and bibliography.

Completing a PhD is about creating new knowledge and discovering new things as well as developing skillsets. As such, doctoral research is a key part of the wider research and investigation work undertaken by universities and PhD students alongside academic faculty on projects of equivalent complexity and significance. By doing a PhD you are gaining the research skills needed to advance human understanding of life, the universe and everything.

Yes. Many students choose to study part-time, particularly when they are self-funded. A part-time PhD usually takes between five and six years in the India (you’ll have half the workload of a full-time one). However, it is likely that the majority of funded PhD positions will require a full-time commitment. Some study abroad destinations may only award visas to full-time international students, for example.

It’s not a good idea to work full-time while studying for a PhD on a full-time basis, and you can’t normally do so if you are receiving full funding (such as Research Council funding). You are allowed to work part-time, but you should get your supervisor’s advice before you commit to an additional workload.