Fully Funded Masters/PhD Program

Graduate School
1

Hello,

First question is I am looking to better understand how these fully funded masters/PhD programs work. Are these programs funded by private companies looking to get research done by these graduate or PhD students? Maybe companies such as pharmaceutical firms looking to get supporting research data for their products?

If so, are the qualified students required to work on this research AND complete courses to obtain their degree? In return, their tuition and possibly their living expenses are covered by this entity or sometimes several entities?

Second question is what are the specific pros and cons for the prospective student? Or do all programs differ and I have to research each and everyone of them?

Which leads me to the third question of where the heck can I get help in finding the right program that might fit my criteria?

2

For a PhD, the funding typically comes either from the department in the form of a teaching assistantship (since you are doing work for the department) or from a professor in return for doing research. Ultimately, a TA position typically is just a stopgap until you find an advisor to pay you for research. The research positions are funded through grant money. The grant money generally comes from a variety of sources, but the big ones are government funding agencies (NSF, NIH, USAF, USN, etc.) and private companies sponsoring research problems of interest to them (at least in STEM fields. I am less familiar with the arts and humanities). Master’s funding works essentially the same way, but there is just less of it floating around usually. Professors tend to prioritize PhD students for funding.

There are also fellowships, which are similar to scholarships for undergraduates in the sense that they are competitive, merit-based awards for which you have to apply. The funding sources there are varied and have various degrees of stipulations applied to them.

Additionally, sometimes people working for various companies will attend graduate school on the company dime. Many companies have such programs.

Generally, students are required to work on research and courses concurrently. That’s honestly the point of most graduate programs. PhDs are much more about research than they are about coursework. MS degress can vary depending on the school, the department, the advisor, and whether the degree is thesis-based on not. Generally in return, students’ tuition is covered at 100% and they get a stipend to cover the rest of things. Usually it’s about enough money to cover living expenses and not a whole lot more.

What are the pros and cons of what? What are you comparing?

First, figure out what sort of field you’d like to enter. That will help you look for good research fits.

Second, try to figure out what schools are doing research in those fields, and which schools are at the top of the pecking order there. Probably the best way to do this is by asking professors in related fields in your current department and by looking through the relevant journals and seeing who is publishing on topics that interest you.

Third, make a list of schools and then do your homework. You have to decide which you think you have a shot at, which fit your interests best, and all the other normal considerations.

3

Thank you for your prompt and excellent reply, Boneh3ad. To clarify, my second question was asking the pros and cons of each fully funded masters/Phd programs, meaning I would like to be able to compare these programs and their required criteria for acceptance. Such as how much funding is provided, what are the required qualifications (GRE scores, GPA, and experience etc), how competitive is it to get accepted? What is their job placement rate?

Is there possibly a source that might list all these programs (such as a book or website) so I can compare the program requirements and their pros and cons for the prospective students?

Thank you!

4

When you are looking at research-oriented degrees, the most important criterion is the area of research available in the program and the professors who are potential mentors. If you have a good and well-regarded research advisor, you will be able to find a good position after graduation. As far as funding goes, if the program accepts you but does not offer funding, then you should not go. If they do offer funding, it will most likely be sufficient for the locale. Of course you can compare different offers once you have them in hand but no one can tell you what those offers will be before you apply.

Getting accepted depends on your college GPA, your GRE scores but most importantly your research experience and whether you have strong letters of reference from faculty at your undergraduate institution. Some programs are highly selective because they have so many applicants and they will be harder to get into. Other, equally good programs might be much easier to enter simply because they are not the ones that everyone wants to get into.

There is no compendium of the kind of information that you seek, the last reasonable survey was done by the national Research Council in 2007 so it is quite out of date. However if you want to look at the http://phds.org site, you might get an initial idea from these old data. Instead, you need to look up papers that arein the field you want to enter and then see where the authors are located. You can also start by asking your faculty mentors about what schools might be a good fit for your interest and ability.