I want to study for a Masters degree in the US

[pitbull]

Hello everyone,

I am from Spain and I am in the last year of my bachelor in Physics. I am actually very interested in moving in the US to get a masters degree, but I cannot afford to pay the tuition, and I was not able to find any full scholarship that I could apply for. Any advice that you guys could give to me?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Bystander]

TA? How's your English?

 

[pitbull]

TA? How's your English?

Pretty good, I have already spent two years studying in an English speaking country.

Do you think being a TA would allow me to not pay any tuition fee, or I would still have to pay a percentage?

 

[Bystander]

Do you think being a TA would allow me to not pay any tuition fee, or I would still have to pay a percentage?

Depends upon the institution, but when I was in grad school, STEM areas were always short of TAs. Cross your fingers its still that way.

Edit: No percentage, as long as you carried a "full" teaching load, which was a couple sections, labs or study groups.

 

[jtbell]

Are you planning to get a master's degree only, or a master's then a Ph.D.?

In the US, a physics Ph.D. program is the equivalent of a separate master's and Ph.D. elsewhere, and includes the master's-level coursework. Students normally enter a Ph.D. program directly after finishing a bachelor's degree, and normally receive financial support (via a combination of teaching and research assistantships) for the entire program.

Physics master's degrees are usually "terminal master's" that are not intended to lead to a Ph.D. They're usually for training in specific areas for industrial work, or for high-school teachers looking to upgrade their credentials and salary.

 

[ZapperZ]

Pretty good, I have already spent two years studying in an English speaking country.

Do you think being a TA would allow me to not pay any tuition fee, or I would still have to pay a percentage?

May I suggest that you read "So You Want To Be A Physicist" essay to start with? In particular, pay attention to Parts VI and VII, which may apply to you directly.

Zz.

 

[pitbull]

Depends upon the institution, but when I was in grad school, STEM areas were always short of TAs. Cross your fingers its still that way.

Edit: No percentage, as long as you carried a "full" teaching load, which was a couple sections, labs or study groups.

May I suggest that you read "So You Want To Be A Physicist" essay to start with? In particular, pay attention to Parts VI and VII, which may apply to you directly.

Zz.

Are you planning to get a master's degree only, or a master's then a Ph.D.?

In the US, a physics Ph.D. program is the equivalent of a separate master's and Ph.D. elsewhere, and includes the master's-level coursework. Students normally enter a Ph.D. program directly after finishing a bachelor's degree, and normally receive financial support (via a combination of teaching and research assistantships) for the entire program.

Physics master's degrees are usually "terminal master's" that are not intended to lead to a Ph.D. They're usually for training in specific areas for industrial work, or for high-school teachers looking to upgrade their credentials and salary.

Thank you for the information, it's been quite helpful. And if I didn't end up going to graduate school in the US, and I got my Ph.D/masters in Europe, would I be less likely to find a job in the US? (my idea is to end up moving in the US sooner or later).

 

[ZapperZ]

Thank you for the information, it's been quite helpful. And if I didn't end up going to graduate school in the US, and I got my Ph.D/masters in Europe, would I be less likely to find a job in the US? (my idea is to end up moving in the US sooner or later).

After the result of the election last night, do you still want to go to the US to find a job? You have only less than a couple of months left before The Donald closes our borders!

Finding a job in the US is a crapshoot, and most employers (especially in the private sector) will not sponsor anyone without already having a valid working visa, regardless of where you got your degree.

Zz.

 

[pitbull]

After the result of the election last night, do you still want to go to the US to find a job? You have only less than a couple of months left before The Donald closes our borders!

Finding a job in the US is a crapshoot, and most employers (especially in the private sector) will not sponsor anyone without already having a valid working visa, regardless of where you got your degree.

Zz.

Do you really think that Trump's victory will have an effect on my chances of finding a job/degree program in the US?

 

[ZapperZ]

Do you really think that Trump's victory will have an effect on my chances of finding a job/degree program in the US?

I was being facetious when I made my earlier statement. To be able to answer your question here will require that I make baseless speculation, which is against the forum's rules.

Zz.