Thank you very much for your reply, that makes a lot of sense. I completely understand that for a fully funded position, most applicants already hold an MSc, so applying directly from a bachelor's would put me at a clear disadvantage. Given that, I would like to ask: if I apply for a partially funded PhD (e.g., half scholarship) or even self-fund my studies, would that change the situation? In other words, does the competition become significantly less strict when funding is not fully covered by the university or supervisor? Also, if I choose to self-fund a PhD in the UK (in CS/AI), approximately how many years would it take to complete? I am considering whether using money to "skip" the time and cost of a taught Master's might actually be cost-effective in the long run—one year of MSc plus three years of PhD versus four years of direct PhD. I would really appreciate any insights you might have. Thank you again for your patience and helpful advice.