This is totally a long shot - but I’m sitting on PhD offers from Oxford and Cambridge this year and its looking increasingly likely that I won’t get any funding. I’m really angry at myself for not applying to US schools (given how much more synthesised the funding and academic offer process is).
Does anyone know if any of the Ivy Leagues are still open for PhD admissions for Fall 2021 or Spring 2022? I’m crazily going through the websites and its all just very confusing and seems to provide some inconsistent information…
One thing to consider: aren’t UK PhD programs shorter? Funding in the US barely covers living expenses, if at all, and it can be 6-7 years. If you compare finances for the two scenarios, shorter program with funding versus longer program with funding, which works better for you? The UK option also means more post-PhD years working.
Short answer is a generic ‘no’ and a highly caveated ‘maybe’.
What subject? “the Ivies” is just 7 schools, and they aren’t automatically the best choice for any given subject.
Do you already have a Masters? Do you have published work? Can you id specific researchers with whom your work aligns, and with whom you would like to work? Have you asked the person who wrote your LOR who they know in the US?
It is not impossible that a direct approach to a PI with whom your research background strongly aligns could turn up a prof who has some funding going spare and for whom the fit is just what they want/need. Imo it is exceptionally unlikely (given the bloodbath that was PhD admissions in so many places this year)- but there are too many variables to say it couldn’t happen.
If you have gotten accepted to Oxford and Cambridge then you must be a very strong student. This would suggest that you are at least competitive for top universities in the US. PhD admissions will depend on quite a few things including whether a particular professor wants you to help them with their research, which can be rather difficult to predict.
I would be very surprised if there are any positions left for 2021. However, life is not a race and getting a year of work experience can be valuable also.
Can you afford an unfunded PhD program?
I do not see any harm in waiting a year.
If you are going to do this, then you need to look at the schools individually and find schools that are strong not just for your particular major but even for the particular sub-topic that you want to work on. “Ivy League” should not be the goal. “Work with professor ‘smith’ on ‘insert subject here’ at ‘insert university that has a strong program in that particular field’” is more like it. As an example, if you are interested in biology, which university is best might be very different if you want to study estuary biology versus cancer research, and cancer research using grape leaf extract as chemotherapy might suggest a different university versus cancer research involving spurring the immune system to fight cancer. Animal cancer might be at a different university versus human cancer. You should be looking for the program that makes sense for your specific interests.
No, it’s very unlikely that there are any strong programs in your field (not just Ivy Leagues - that’s just an athletic conference. The Ivies may not even have a PhD program in your area at all) at this point in the year. If you have no funding, I would just wait to apply for Fall 2022.
One thing to consider: aren’t UK PhD programs shorter? Funding in the US barely covers living expenses, if at all, and it can be 6-7 years. If you compare finances for the two scenarios, shorter program with funding versus longer program with funding, which works better for you? The UK option also means more post-PhD years working.
Dollars to donuts it’s still a funded program.
In the U.S., most funded PhD programs cover tuition, fees, health insurance, and a stipend that usually ranges between $20K and $35K a year. Although that’s not a lot, it is enough to cover a very modest standard of living in most places. Top programs in most fields (which is what I assume the OP means by “Ivy League”) are going to pay a stipend that is going to be enough to cover living expenses - so I would actually say it is safe for the OP to assume that funding is enough for living expenses. In fact, I would go so far as to say I would turn down any PhD funding offer that isn’t enough to cover living expenses.
An unfunded student in the U.S. is going to at least have to take out loans to cover tuition, fees, and health insurance. In the EU, that may not be as much of an issue, but you will have to find some other way to cover your living expenses. You’re going to come out ahead in a funded program in the U.S. almost every time - it kind of doesn’t matter how long the program in the UK is (although they are usually about 3-4 years. PhD programs in the U.S. are about 5-7 on average).
The difference in PhD length is generally due to the difference in starting level: it is typical in the UK/EU to have completed your Masters before starting a PhD.
Many programs ranked top 20 in their fields in the US did not make any offers at all - funded or unfunded - in most PhD fields for the F21 cycle due to ongoing impact from the covid pandemic. Most chose to provide an extra year of support for existing students rather than admit a new cohort.
For fully funded programs that were still admitting, applications were up and offers were down.
Most/virtually all US programs that are considered T20 in their fields only admit for Fall.