gumby4

yes they are terrible about funding americans. I was accepted into Cambridge (mphil) and didn't find out until july about funding, which by this time you have had to make decisions. You can get US federal loans which is a pain, but the US loan disbursements are divided throughout the year like here in the US but being international you have the pay the tuition up front. Also, to get a student visa you have to show the brit gov you have had all the money in the bank for at least the past 30 days and if you are leaving in Oct you apply for a visa in Aug/Sept. These are all things I had to figure out alone!!! Go ahead and email them, from my experience they are super nice and really, really willing to help those admitted.

I am in the EXACT same boat. Applied to 10 and have been rejected by 4 (which I have only heard from 4). I don't like telling people because my professors had such faith in me I feel like I am disapointing people, I haven't even told my parents and I recently started devising a plan B.

If the UCs tell you you have funding it's a guarantee for however long they said (4years, 5 years) and they usually tell you what type up front (TA, fellowship). The bottome line is don't worry, they won't take away the money. This isn't to say the profs will always be there, but they make sure grad students are funded and will even help after the specified time for the guarantee. I know they are getting stricter with the 7, 8 year students though.