Oxford DPhil (Mathematics) -- Worth the debt?

[Xiuh]

Hi guys! I applied to a DPhil program on PDEs at the University of Oxford and recently got an offer without funding. I would love to attend this program, but as you may know, the tuition fees for international students are really high. My government could help me with 2/3 of the tuition + a (not exactly generous) monthly stipend. This means that between the rest of the tuition, college fees, etc., I would pay from my pocket ~£9,000/year. That's a lot of money I don't have, so I would need to get a loan.

Do you guys think that attending Oxford is worth getting a loan?

I would really appreciate your thoughts/opinions!

 

[NumericalFEA]

Everything depends on your intentions for a future career. Do you see yourself an academic teaching Mathematics ? Or do you intend to get a job in the industry ? A Ph.D. is necessary for an academic career. Industrial jobs need practical skills first and foremost; for example, a software development job (they often require good mathematical knowledge) would require you to hold a Bachelor's Degree; everything else goes just "on top".
Make a decision about your future career, and that decision will contain an answer whether you need or not a Ph.D. degree.

 

[micromass]

Do you think Oxford really wants you as a student? Usually, an offer without any kind of funding is a polite decline.

 

[Xiuh]

@NumericalFEA
Well, I had already considered that and decided that I want to do a PhD. It is now a matter of where, and whether it is advisable to get a loan to do it.

@micromass
When they interviewed me, they told me that they were interested in having me as a student, but the University as a whole can offer very limited support for overseas students like me. But you do have a point, if they wanted me they would offer me at least something. I don't know what to make of it...

 

[Timo]

I don't think it matters much if the admission committee wants you and just cannot offer you funding or if they don't want you and try to politely express that by not offering funding. It's the same PhD program in either case.