American Student Doing Graduate School Abroad

[HuskyNamedNala]

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.

 

[Dishsoap]

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?

 

[HuskyNamedNala]

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.

 

[Delong]

I'd like an answer as well.