That is actually the more relevant question. I don’t know if the universities on your list even allow unfunded PhD candidates (some will only accept the ones they can fund). If they do, you don’t want to go without funding. Imo, it is a recipe for disaster. You are better going somewhere else where you can get funding.
I also second the comment about recommendation letters. Don’t underestimate their importance. Getting excellent letters from known people in the field can go a long way.