International schools for physics

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around identifying international universities for studying physics, particularly in Canada and Europe. Participants explore various institutions and their strengths in specific fields of physics, including theoretical and mathematical physics, particle physics, astrophysics, and cosmology. The conversation also touches on the financial aspects of graduate studies abroad.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that the best universities for graduate studies depend on the specific area of physics one wishes to pursue, with examples like condensed matter and particle physics.
  • University of Waterloo in Canada is mentioned as a good option for physics studies.
  • Several participants express interest in theoretical and mathematical physics, specifically in fields like particle physics and astrophysics, and seek recommendations for non-US graduate schools.
  • In England, Cambridge, Oxford, and Imperial are noted as prestigious institutions, with other strong universities including UCL, Manchester, Durham, Bristol, Warwick, and Bath.
  • Concerns are raised about the availability of fellowships and funding for international students in the UK and Europe, with questions about the comparison to US funding opportunities.
  • One participant mentions the EPSRC studentships and suggests looking for projects on job boards for potential funding in the UK.
  • There is a mention of the ICTP in Trieste, although its focus may be limited to short-term conferences.
  • Interest in schools in Ireland is also expressed, with a request for information about institutions there.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the importance of aligning university choice with specific research interests, but multiple competing views on the best institutions and funding opportunities remain unresolved.

Contextual Notes

Limitations include the lack of specific information on funding for international students across various European institutions and the need for further research into individual programs and departments.

Who May Find This Useful

Students considering graduate studies in physics, particularly those looking at international options outside the US, may find this discussion relevant.

mathlete
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I figured I might as well look outside the US... can anyone list the top 5-10 universities in Canada/Europe for physics? And maybe any disadvantages/advantages to doing so? The only ones I really know are Cambridge and Oxford, and outside of that I don't know about them :confused:
 
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quasar987 is interested in this also.

But mathlete, when it comes to graduate studies, I would guess that the best is highly dependent on what you want to study. My uni for instance is specialized mostly in condensed matter and particles. It would be considered a good school for someone who aspire to study in these fields but not in say optics or string!
 
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I am also interested in this topic, If I had to ask for specific fields for grad study in Physics, though I am only a freshmen I would have to lean towards the more theoretical and mathematical side, possibly in particle physics or astrophysics. Any ideas for Non US grad schools to look into?
 
university of waterloo in ontario Canada is suppose to be a good school.

~Amy
 
Like has been said...

You need to post your individual topic wants.
 
Does anyone know international schools that are good for the more theoretical side, I am interested in Particle Physics, AstroPhysics, Cosmology, and Computational/Mathematical Physics
 
For undergraduate physics in England the three most prestigious universities are probably Cambridge, Oxford and Imperial. Then there is a large group of other very good universities including UCL, Manchester, Durham, Bristol, Warwick and Bath.

I'm a first year undergraduate at Cambridge and I'm happy to answer any questions about the course (Natural science (physical)) or the university.
 
You could get an idea of the staff quality from checking out the last RAE scores: http://www.hero.ac.uk/rae/rae_dynamic.cfm?myURL=http://195.194.167.103/Results/byuoa/uoa19.htm
 
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What are the fees like for graduate studies abroad, I knwo in the US you can hopefully get a fellowship to TA or RA at the school you go to and thus tuituion is covered and you are paid a small stipend to use for rent and food stuffs. Is it the same in the UK? Would they do that for international students also or would it be limited to UK students, same questions apply for all school in Europe really. I am interested in the Graduate Physics programs in any european school and am generally interested in Theoretical Physics, Particle Physics, Mathematical/Comutational Physics and Astro Physics. Thanks for all the help, I will look into Cambridge Oxford and Imperial
 
  • #10
mgiddy911 said:
What are the fees like for graduate studies abroad, I knwo in the US you can hopefully get a fellowship to TA or RA at the school you go to and thus tuituion is covered and you are paid a small stipend to use for rent and food stuffs. Is it the same in the UK? Would they do that for international students also or would it be limited to UK students, same questions apply for all school in Europe really. I am interested in the Graduate Physics programs in any european school and am generally interested in Theoretical Physics, Particle Physics, Mathematical/Comutational Physics and Astro Physics. Thanks for all the help, I will look into Cambridge Oxford and Imperial
You need to look for studentships offered by the EPSRC - search www.jobs.ac.uk for projects - you'll get around 10k GBP tax-free per year + maybe about 3k from supervision of UG prolem classes etc. The department may also be able to fund you, if the uni has given them a resource to hire a PhD student.

In London you get a bit more but not enough to really make up for the high cost of living there.

Cambridge is a nice city - other places you might want to consider in the South are Bristol (has some good guys like Jon Keating) and Southampton (good research centres).

Basically, any advice you get is conjecture - you need to start looking around and contact people in the the departments.
 
  • #11
Thank you very much for all the information. I will begin doing some research into the schools and places you have listed. Does anyone have any info about schools in Ireland? I would love to go back there to study.
 
  • #12
I liked the ICTP in trieste, but it may be only for short term conferences.
 

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