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Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

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Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#31

Post by vrikis »

agilebyte wrote: post #26
arethuza wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thanks - I didn't know about that. Seems rather unfair to the rest of the UK then....

The explanation given to me was: it is possible to discriminate between students from different parts of an individual member state but not to discriminate against those from other parts of the EU.

Exactly that, plus Scots going to study in England had to pay their fees.

As a side note though, if Scotland becomes independent when voted later on this year, then "Thousands of English, Welsh and Northern Irish students will study at Scottish universities for free" [1]

[1]http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/102...

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#32

Post by gu »

agilebyte wrote: post #24
p4bl0 wrote: post #7

I didn't know that people were paying to do a PhD anywhere on earth. In France I'm fairly sure it is even forbidden to do a PhD without getting paid (if you don't you have to justify that you have incomes by other means or something to be able to register as a PhD student).

I know of some people that paid for their PhD (UK) only to be "recommended" to not continue and leaving with an MPhil.

This could happen in the US as well, if I'm not mistaken. There is normally a requirement that you have to be in "good standing" during the first one or two years of your PhD when you're mostly doing course work.

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#34

Post by p4bl0 »

alkonaut wrote: post #23
p4bl0 wrote: post #7

I didn't know that people were paying to do a PhD anywhere on earth. In France I'm fairly sure it is even forbidden to do a PhD without getting paid (if you don't you have to justify that you have incomes by other means or something to be able to register as a PhD student).

There is a cultural difference in whether PhD studies are seen as an add-on education after normal university studies, or if it is an employment as a teacher+researcher. In Sweden it's the latter, so students are employed as PhD students and get a salary (though usually not very competitive compared to what you would make if working elsewhere). The fact that the PhD students spend a lot of time teaching and not only…

Ya, it seems to be the same as in France then: PhD students here have a real work contract and a student status (which comes as anywhere with many advantages). However we have mostly 3 years long PhDs, and the teaching hours are limited.

The law actually states the minimum salary for a PhD student. It is approximately 1650€ "brut" (before social taxes) which amounts to 1350€ "net" (what you actually get each month). If you have a "mission d'enseignement" (teaching hours), which is not mandatory, then you have to be teaching for 64 hours per years (that is not counting the time you spend preparing for the course or the time spent correcting students assignments of course) and should not occupy more than 1/6 of your working time. Your salary is then 2000€ "brut", which amounts 1650€ "net".

Public PhD funding almost always stays at this level of salary. However you can be paid more than this, for instance if you are paid on a project grant money or if you are in CIFRE (which means you are paid by a company for which you have to spend a defined part of your time, this is often but not always incompatible with having a "mission d'enseignement"). But then your a lot less free to do whatever you want (since the project or the company mst of the time have strongly fixed goals).

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#35

Post by jebus989 »

Undergrad for free == interesting and not all that common (though does happen elsewhere in EU, e.g. Austria)

PhD for free != interesting, I'm paid a tax-free stipend (UK) which also covers tuition fees (same for MSc). There are "self-funded" positions advertised but it's generally junior faculty trying their luck for overseas students. I've never heard of anyone actually paying out of their own pocket for PhD study in the EU.

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#36

Post by kaeluka »

alkonaut wrote: post #23
p4bl0 wrote: post #7

I didn't know that people were paying to do a PhD anywhere on earth. In France I'm fairly sure it is even forbidden to do a PhD without getting paid (if you don't you have to justify that you have incomes by other means or something to be able to register as a PhD student).

There is a cultural difference in whether PhD studies are seen as an add-on education after normal university studies, or if it is an employment as a teacher+researcher. In Sweden it's the latter, so students are employed as PhD students and get a salary (though usually not very competitive compared to what you would make if working elsewhere). The fact that the PhD students spend a lot of time teaching and not only…

I'm a PhD student in Sweden. I'm expected to work 20% of my time for the University (teaching duties, conference organisation, mentoring new phd students). I'm getting payed a little bit lower than what the industry would pay. It's possible that salaries in the industry would also raise quicker. My PhD is supposed to take 4 years of research, but add in the 20% and you have 5 years.

I have very high job security and a salary that's a bit lower than a coder/consultant starting salary. Also, my work is much more interesting (to me) than what it would have been out there. It's a great deal for me, but YMMV.

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#37

Post by Xophmeister »

xioxox wrote: post #28
tyd wrote: post #10

university is free in most european countries

University (degree level) cost != PhD cost In the UK, in the sciences, a PhD place comes with funding from a research council. An institute gets funding for places, which they award. For arts subjects (I believe), an application by the student for a particular project is made to a funding body. It is possible, however, to fund yourself if you cannot get funding. I know a very dedicated person who did this, funding wi…

My understanding is that you're never guaranteed RC funding and, also, the cost of doing so is that you have to do the research particular to that grant; so you've either got to hope for something related to your field, or go for something close enough to keep you interested. I've heard (sorry: no citations) that here in the UK, around 60% of PhDs are actually self-funded -- to pay the tuition fees, mostly -- and while I don't know the breakdown, that also includes research in the sciences. The upside of self-funding is that you're free to research what you want, within reason (i.e., it's actually worthwhile, the university agrees and you can find a supervisor, etc.)

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#38

Post by fenrissan »

p4bl0 wrote: post #7

I didn't know that people were paying to do a PhD anywhere on earth. In France I'm fairly sure it is even forbidden to do a PhD without getting paid (if you don't you have to justify that you have incomes by other means or something to be able to register as a PhD student).

It is the same at least in UK, Spain and Portugal for science PhDs.

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#39

Post by glimcat »

p4bl0 wrote: post #7

I didn't know that people were paying to do a PhD anywhere on earth. In France I'm fairly sure it is even forbidden to do a PhD without getting paid (if you don't you have to justify that you have incomes by other means or something to be able to register as a PhD student).

At least in the USA, it often depends on whether your PI is on the ball with regard to grant applications, or if they're getting hit by the current rash of funding problems and you end up bouncing between a series of loans and TA appointments.

Re: Getting a PhD in Norway is nearly free--even if you're not a citizen

#40

Post by hessenwolf »

p4bl0 wrote: post #34
alkonaut wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is a cultural difference in whether PhD studies are seen as an add-on education after normal university studies, or if it is an employment as a teacher+researcher. In Sweden it's the latter, so students are employed as PhD students and get a salary (though usually not very competitive compared to what you would make if working elsewhere). The fact that the PhD students spend a lot of time teaching and not only…

Ya, it seems to be the same as in France then: PhD students here have a real work contract and a student status (which comes as anywhere with many advantages). However we have mostly 3 years long PhDs, and the teaching hours are limited. The law actually states the minimum salary for a PhD student. It is approximately 1650€ "brut" (before social taxes) which amounts to 1350€ "net" (what you actually get each month).…

I assume you mean staff status? Mine was great - as they cancelled my astronomical library fines.
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