PhD Funding Around the World for International Students - PhD funding is financed by The Ministry or Department of Education in your home or host country for many forms of educational grants. There are several foundations and trusts providing financial support to different individuals. Many organizations may also offer financial assistance to current workers who wish to start PhD studies while they are working. Candidates who wish to ask their employer to finance a PhD usually need to clarify how their studies support their personal and professional growth.
PhD Funding in Australia and New Zealand
Australian citizens are not charged course fees for their PhDs, but are charged the student services and amenities fees (SSAF) set by each university. International students must pay fees for the course or use a grant such as funding for the Destination Australia awards. All New Zealand international doctoral students are entitled to pay the same fees as the local doctoral students. Students can apply to dedicated scholarship schemes run by their university, ask their supervisors for advice on funding schemes that are not widely publicized, or choose one of the government-run scholarships program such as the
New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS). Additionally, you can apply to funding agencies like the MacDiarmid Institute.
PhD Funding in UK
There are a number of funding options available to PhD students in the UK. Many universities have a limited number of studentships or bursaries made specifically available for postgraduate applicants. The funds given may range from covering the cost of tuition, living or cost of textbooks and study materials.
Government-funded Research Councils provide tax-free bursaries which include tuition fees and a stipend of around £15,000 or over per year for three years. Scientific studentships are offered by organizations and charities such as Cancer Research UK, the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), and the Welcome Trust which start at around £19,000, and rise each year.
UK Research Councils include the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), the Medical Research Council (MRC), the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), the Economic and Social Science Research Council (ESRC), and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC).
There are also national scholarships to study in other Commonwealth countries, such as the
Commonwealth Scholarship and the Commonwealth Students 'Fellowship Plan. Throughout the UK, doctoral students can also engage throughout tutoring, work as a research assistant or give paid lectures.
Doctoral Loans are another popular way of funding postgraduate study in the UK, and allow you to borrow up to £25,000 for your course fees and living costs, paid in three installments throughout the year. The earliest you'll start repaying the loan is when your annual income is over £21,000 and it's either the first April after you leave your course, or the first April four years after your course started.
Also read:
Malaysia International Scholarship (MIS)
PhD Funding in US
Doctoral students are discouraged from maintaining external jobs in US. Alternatively, colleges offer an annual tuition waiver and a stipend. Usually, Ivy League and other larger institutions will provide PhD funding more than smaller private institutions. Students who research online are even less likely to get funding. The funding source and amount differs between subjects and universities but the
Fulbright programs administered by the International Education Institute are a good starting point. Many US PhD students work to earn their living as teaching assistants or research assistants. These are typically offered as annual contracts between the student and the university, extended if the student adheres to certain academic standards. Some graduate schools may ask students to get scholarships or take advantage of research grants from government agencies such as the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health from their supervisor.