<p>Hey guys,</p>
<p>I'm an international student expected to graduate next summer, and I want to get my PhD in the States.</p>
<p>The problem is that I don't have any research experience or work experience related to my major (Material Science), and I don't think I'll be accepted into schools that I want.</p>
<p>I am thinking about applying for a masters program first.</p>
<p>I hear getting any sort of funding from universities as a masters student is virtually impossible, so I have to look for external scholarships, but most US scholarships only offer money to US citizens.</p>
<p>My question is, is there funding available for international masters students?
How did you guys pay your way through masters degrees?</p>
<p>Apply for PhD programs and masters programs at the same time - you may just get into a PhD program that you like. Do not apply to PhD programs that you do not consider acceptable, as many people make the mistake of doing.</p>
<p>As far as funding goes, it is generally preferentially distributed to PhD candidates first, but some masters candidates will also be funded. At some schools this will only a few, at others it will be nearly all of them. International status generally only matters for external fellowships for PhD candidates, so would not apply anyway - you are still fully eligible for RA and TA positions, although you English proficiency may be an issue depending on your fluency.</p>
<p>Can you apply both to MS and PhD programs for one school?</p>
<p>How can I find out which school is generous to their masters students?</p>
<p>
Generally yes, but it varies between programs - some will ask you to indicate the option(s) in which you are interested, others will automatically consider PhD applicants for the MS program as well. Once you have your list of schools, check their websites and contact them if you cannot find an answer.</p>
<p>
A bit tougher. One way is to ask on here about specific schools, as there may be people who know from experience or reputation (for example, Stanford is notoriously stingy with aid for masters candidates). Once accepted at a program you can usually visit or at least get some contact information for some current students - take that opportunity to ask them!</p>