American Student Doing Graduate School Abroad

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the experiences and considerations of American students seeking to pursue a PhD abroad, particularly in engineering fields. Participants share insights on funding, the job market, and personal motivations for pursuing advanced degrees outside the United States.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Debate/contested, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant shares their background, expressing concerns about the high cost of education in the USA and reflecting on their decision to leave a previous PhD program due to funding issues and limited research opportunities.
  • Another participant questions whether engineering graduate school operates differently from physics programs regarding tuition and stipends for PhD students.
  • A third participant notes that funding for graduate students in the USA often relies on research assistantships (RAs), teaching assistantships (TAs), or grants, highlighting the potential instability of such funding.
  • A later reply expresses a desire for clarification on the funding situation in engineering graduate programs.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants do not reach a consensus on the differences in funding between engineering and physics graduate programs, and there is uncertainty regarding the implications of funding availability for prospective students.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects a range of personal experiences and assumptions about the funding landscape for graduate education, which may vary significantly by institution and program.

Who May Find This Useful

American students considering graduate studies abroad, particularly in engineering, as well as those interested in the funding structures of PhD programs in different fields.

HuskyNamedNala
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Does anyone have advice or tips for American students wishing to pursue a PhD abroad?

Background:
I graduated with my BS in 2012 in aeronautical engineering. My major GPA was a 3.7(5?) but my cumulative was a 3.44. I briefly attended graduate school from 2012 to 2013, but left due to funding issues and research opportunity. I am looking to apply to programs in the Fall of 2015. One reason why I am not considering American schools is because of the high cost of education and the state of the economy in the USA. I'm questing at this point whether or not leaving that PhD program I was in was a good idea. Yes, it would have been a dream come true, but having been in industry for a year I realize the job market is very poor and I may have ended up as a PhD with a thesis on turbulent flow stocking shelves in Wal-Mart! Even now I have about 60 grand in student loan debt I'm slowly paying off.

Still, the curiosity burns inside me. I need to get into a research career. Currently I am taking an online class in CFD.
 
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Pardon my ignorance, but is engineering graduate school unlike physics, where a majority of PhD students don't have to pay tuition and are given a stipend?
 
In the USA you are awarded an Ra, Ta, or Grant. This is contingent on the availability of funding. If something happens with the project, you're screwed.
 
I'd like an answer as well.
 

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