<p>For those without funding for their graduate programs or only partial funding, how do you plan on financing your educationa nd living expenses?</p>
<p>NO TA or other earning opportunity? Loans is the likely answer and for some degree options summer jobs.</p>
<p>i got no funding from school at all, so i'll pay it entirely w/ loans and money i've earned from internships. i might continue to work nearby if they extend my internship during the school year.</p>
<p>I got partial funding for my MFA. They are only letting me TA for one quarter each year (limited budget), and gave me a small scholarship on top of that. After these are deducted, I'll owe $12k in tuition for the first year, and $2k in tuition for the second (resident tuition second year), and I'll need to cover living expenses for two quarters of each year, but the quarter I TA comes with a generous stipend. I'm applying to outside scholarships, and hope to get at a few thousand to help make up the difference. Whatever's left over after that tuition wise will come from federal loans, and I'll get a part-time job for living expenses.</p>
<p>I'm also planning to sell my car and get a scooter (less than half the cost in price, insurance, parking, gas), so I'll have a little money as a cushion in case I have trouble finding work at first, and to cover moving expenses.</p>
<p>I'm personally planning on hitting the craps tables later tonight.</p>
<p>lol, I like your plan.</p>
<p>I was accepted to an engineering PhD with no funding "at this time". So I contacted the department head and he told me to just ask professors in my interest area. Sucks because I thought that almost all eng PhD's are funded.</p>
<p>I guess I am optimistic about finding a RA position...I dont know why theyd accept me for a PhD w/out funding otherwise.</p>
<p>I have started throwing my resume around for internships and whatnot, just in case...</p>
<p>
[quote]
I dont know why theyd accept me for a PhD w/out funding otherwise
[/quote]
Be glad at least they give you a chance to figure something out, e.g. external funding sources. </p>
<p>A serious word of caution: you may want to think twice about going this particular department. If internal funding continues to be an issue, it may severely restrict the kind of research you may conduct there unless you plan to work your b**t off to get funding elsewhere.</p>
<p>Really, engineering funding problems?
What school did you apply to, and what program?</p>
<p>Marquette U, Biomedical Engineering (Functional Imaging)...Its in conjunction with the Medical College of Wisconsin</p>
<p>Milwaukee!! urrjun, when you are looking for advisors/professors, pay attention not only to their pub. history but also their funding history (may need to dig through department annual reports). Some professors are MUCH MORE proficient in bringing in money. In your particular case/field, also investigate funding possibilities with nearby GE Medical and Siemens Medical (Hoffmann Estates, IL).</p>
<p>Thanks for the advice Dallas808, Ive started looking at some co-op stuff at GE, but Id like to find someone who I can talk to about my specific situation (being accepted to a nearby school, etc). Im pretty much just going to cold call down the list of profs in my interest area. Do you have any idea how to get department annual reports?</p>
<p>Also Im curious, are the exclamation points after Milwaukee a good or bad thing?</p>
<p>Thanks again; although I thought after you get accepted to a PhD its smooth sailing :)</p>
<p>Don't cold call. Make a trip, spend a few days and meet the professors in person. </p>
<p>For you and OP: A trick that worked very well for my outgoing brother @ Brown. He basically just "hang out" with professors during their office and/or lunch for a week. Mostly talked about professional <em>and personal</em> interests. Also highlighted past experience and skills he could offer. In two weeks, he got multiple funded offers to join their labs. </p>
<p>re: annual report
Try google. If not, contact staff in the dean/department chair office. Be very nice to those "assistants" who have been around for decades. They know EVERYTHING and are the ones that keep a department running. </p>
<p>re: Milwaukee
Just don't ask a UW-Madison alum about Milwaukee. You never get a straight answer. :)</p>