Stipends (foreign and domestic) for MS degrees

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Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around the availability of stipends and funding for Master's degrees (MS) in physics, particularly for students considering studying abroad versus domestically. Participants explore the expectations regarding financial support for MS versus PhD programs and share insights on specific institutions and programs.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that it is generally expected to pay for an MS, while funding is more commonly available for PhD programs, though this may not be universally true.
  • One participant notes that they did not pay for their MS, indicating variability in funding availability.
  • Another participant mentions that many graduate students can apply for teaching assistantships (TAships), regardless of whether they are pursuing a PhD, although availability may depend on the institution's financial needs.
  • It is suggested that weaker departments may offer more TA positions to MS students, while stronger departments may reserve these for PhD candidates.
  • Canadian programs are highlighted as potentially supportive of MSc students, with financial details available on individual school websites.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the general expectation of funding for MS versus PhD programs, indicating that there is no consensus on this issue. Some agree that funding is less common for MS, while others provide counterexamples.

Contextual Notes

Participants mention that competitiveness for funding can vary significantly by institution and that specific requirements for research assistantships (RAships) are unclear, particularly for schools outside the US.

Who May Find This Useful

Prospective graduate students in physics considering MS programs, particularly those interested in funding opportunities and studying abroad.

pantheid
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I have a bachelors degree in physics and I want to receive an MS before I move on to a PhD. I don't think I' ready to commit the time and effort to a Doctorate, but I do want to live abroad and study physics for a Masters. I would like to do it outside the US, but I would settle for a domestic degree as well.

According to a friend of mine, generally you are expected to pay for the MS, whereas you get funding for the PhD. Is this true across the board? If I can't get a stipend, then I would probably just forego the MS and go straight to the PhD when I think I'm ready.

Also, is there a website where I can check stipend rewards by school?
 
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You probably want to check the individual schools to see what they offer. Plenty people at my school had stipends/TAships for their masters both in the math and physics departments. It is competitive of course, but how competitive it is depends on the institution.

There were situations in which a person didn't have the TAship/stipend the first year or semester, but just applied again after being in good standing.

-Dave K
 
pantheid said:
generally you are expected to pay for the MS, whereas you get funding for the PhD. Is this true across the board?
No. I didn't pay for my MS.
 
pantheid said:
I have a bachelors degree in physics and I want to receive an MS before I move on to a PhD. I don't think I' ready to commit the time and effort to a Doctorate, but I do want to live abroad and study physics for a Masters. I would like to do it outside the US, but I would settle for a domestic degree as well.

According to a friend of mine, generally you are expected to pay for the MS, whereas you get funding for the PhD. Is this true across the board? If I can't get a stipend, then I would probably just forego the MS and go straight to the PhD when I think I'm ready.

Also, is there a website where I can check stipend rewards by school?

Any graduate student in the dept. can apply for and get a TAship. It doesn't mean that they have the money or the need to hire everyone who applies, but not doing a PhD does not disqualify you from applying and getting one.

RAship, now that's a different story. I also do not know the requirements and criteria for schools outside of the US.

Zz.
 
Weaker departments are more generous with offering MS seekers TA positions, stronger departments reserve them for PhD candidates.
 
You might want to check out Canadian programs if you're interested in pursuing an MSc outside of the USA. Most physics programs in Canada support their MSc students and you can look up the financial support details on the website for each school.
 

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