Stipends (foreign and domestic) for MS degrees

[pantheid]

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?

 

[dkotschessaa]

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

 

[Jaeusm]

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.

 

[ZapperZ]

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.

 

[Crek]

Weaker departments are more generous with offering MS seekers TA positions, stronger departments reserve them for PhD candidates.

 

[Choppy]

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.