Should I mention in my PhD application that I don't need funding? (and how to do that)

[Arcadian]

Honestly, you don't even need to forgo funding in order to work from home as a PhD student. I was a traditional funded PhD student in my 20s who worked from home 90% of the time. The main issue is that your advisor will need to align with your research interests perfectly so they won't mind you working independently without contributing to other lab activities. So what you really need to do is find an advisor who fits your research interests and work style. If you don't find someone like that, you won't be accepted in the first place.

But you're still willing to attend lab meetings and TA, right? If so, you won't be radically different from a "normal" PhD student.

PS: How much are you making from those royalties?? Grad school is expensive as hell, even if you are independently wealthy...If you can avoid paying for it, why wouldn't you?

Edited May 28, 2020 by Arcadian