<p>Hello guys.</p>
<p>I was wondering if its feasible at all to go to Grad School in another country? I see people from other countries applying to US schools, does this happen often the other way around?</p>
<p>Anyways, I was considering doing my Grad School in Spain (math) but I was wondering if there are any cons to obtaining a MS/Phd in Spain (or any other country than the US). Are there problems such as revalidation etc?</p>
<p>The primary question you should have in mind for a foreign Ph.D. is the same as the one you would have for a US degree:</p>
<p>Where do the graduates of this program find jobs?</p>
<p>In other words, do the graduates of this program get jobs in the US, in Spain, within the EC, other parts of the world? Do they get into appropriate post-doc positions, junior faculty positions, industry/government positions in numbers that are equivalent to, better than, or not as good as graduates of peer institutions in the US?</p>
<p>If the answer to the jobs question looks good to you, then find out the answer to this one:</p>
<p>Who pays for this program?</p>
<p>Do you have to pay for it? Would you need student loans? Does the university fund your graduate work? Would you get to/have to have a teaching assistantship? </p>
<p>And no, I've never in my life heard that a foreign Ph.D. had to be revalidated to work in the US. Think of all those US universities that are full of Oxbridge and U. of Toronto Ph.D.s.</p>
<p>I have talked with several people who have done their grad degrees in the UK and Israel. It sounded to me that many of them regret doing so, especially in the UK, because of the quality of teaching and professional interaction. They said that studying in another country only enabled them to become familiar with the country and experience the life of a native rather than academic satisfaction. They all eventually decided to return to the US even though their degree came from abroad.</p>
<p>That's the question you probably should ask yourself- what exactly are you looking to get out of being in another country like Spain unless you're looking to become fluent in Spanish? There is a reason why there are so many international applicants who apply to US schools rather than their own countries' schools.</p>
<p>Living in Canada, Ive had this debate before with many of my friends. The reason so many students vie for spots in US grad schools is because generally these grad schools are the best, period. They have the most funding, the most recognition worldwide, and afford graduates the best employment prospects upon graduation. As far as I can tell, grad schools in Canada and the UK, even at the top schools, dont offer nearly the same type of opportunities as those in the US, in almost any respect. Although this isnt the case for some very specific programs, generally there is a good reason for the high influx of graduate students coming to the US after they finish their UG degrees.</p>
<p>I think that for the grad school the most important thing is quality of research. If there is a really famous professor you can work with in that Spanish university, go there. But s/he has to be world famous. Such person usually has great connections and can recommend you to a good place after school.</p>
<p>Did you just watch Sicko by Michael Moore and ask the same exact question I did? "Hmm...how about grad school in Canada."</p>
<p>Also be aware that a different country may have a different gradschool culture than that of the US. You may not be used to differences in the way administration handles things (or doesn't) and the student-professor relationship may be completely different than what you are used to. I know that I have several Italian friends, for example, who are shocked and amazed by the level of familiarity that the students around here have with the profs in their departments.....going out to eat, hosting parties, getting personal attention, and so on. Also, the convenience of certain things like technology may not be as much as you are used to. Just make sure you really know what you are getting into if you choose to go abroad for gradschool. </p>
<p>I was thinking about it too at one point, and keeping all that in mind, my main concern was funding. Here, even international students can get full funding for their doctorates but abroad it's much more difficult. Some universities abroad though are cheaper anyway so you wouldn't have to take out outrageous loans for tuition, but living expenses are another thing. Then it's difficult, especially for non-EU students to find a job that will "legally" pay you so you can live okay.....</p>
<p>Anyway, as far as the VALUE of a foreign doctorate, there should be no worries there. Some may even consider the doctorates overseas even MORE rigorous just because it's very different and their expectations are very high. You should be fine as far as that's concerned.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>I am not sure how math is taught in Spain, but I know that undergraduate math in Germany is taught differently than undergraduate math in the US. In Germany, there is no strict separation between undergraduate and graduate studies. For example, US colleges typically differentiate between undergraduate and graduate algebra (usually two semesters each). Most German universities have only one two-semester algebra sequence that covers most or all of the topics covered in graduate algebra in the US, and you would be expected to know the material when you enroll in a Master's program. </p>
<p>Until just four or five years ago many European countries - I am not sure if this applies to Spain - didn't even have undergraduate degrees. College students typically acquired a Master's degree after 4-5 years of study. </p>
<p>As AppleLinguist pointed out, funding might be an issue too. Many European universities are public and free or close-to-free to attend, but you would still need money for living expenses. Until proven otherwise you should assume that you are not going to get a fellowship from a university overseas (because they don't have the funds to give you "free" money) and that you won't be able to work because student visas in most contries don't allow you to accept employment.</p>