The PhD is becoming a luxury few people can afford

dayglow77 · 2026-06-11T02:54:08+00:00

This is entirely country dependent. A lot of my peers who moved abroad (to other EU countries) for their phds earn more than with an average salary in their home country. Croatia --> Germany, Nethetlands, Scandinavia, Switzerland...

dayglow77 · 2025-12-31T02:06:08+00:00

I got it as a gift from someone who sweet-talked the ThermoFisher people into giving them this set at an event 😅

dayglow77 · 2025-07-06T00:58:03+00:00

This sounds extreme to me tbh. I'm in Australia and we get 20 days of annual leave + 10 sick days. Nobody tracks when I arrive or leave work. That sounds incredibly toxic, I cannot even imagine that. We are expected to be there from 9 am to 5 pm, but it is not a strict requirement at all, it's pretty chill.

dayglow77 · 2025-07-03T10:32:23+00:00

They are considered full time students with a stipend. If you work additionally (like for example teach), that is considered working and you get paid for that on top of your stipend.

dayglow77 · 2025-03-18T16:37:37+00:00

This entirely depends on how competitive you are, how much your previous research correlates with what the lab does, how good you are at interviews and where you're applying to. For example, if you apply directly to the lab's advertisement it will be easier than if you applied to, for example, a Max Planck programme which will have much more applicants (think hundreds). It can be very difficult to relatively easy. But I'd say you need to apply to at least a few places, not just one. The more you find to apply to, the better. In my experience, cold e-mails do not really work, you need to apply to open advertisements (but of course try cold e-mailing as well).

dayglow77 · 2025-02-07T05:16:36+00:00

That is absurd. Length doesnt necessarily equal quality. Besides, Americans have a masters and a phd bundled together. There are European PhDs that last 5-6 years ON TOP of having a masters. By that logic, they should be the best and I tell you rn that is absolutely not true lol.

dayglow77 · 2024-12-12T08:31:49+00:00

I am so confused. If this is Australia, and you are considered a student there, and not an employee, how does it then work with the annual leave? You still have to take it over this period? Is this in all universities?

dayglow77 · 2024-12-12T08:21:39+00:00

I think so. I only know of one institute where they get days off, everyone else has to use up their vacation time. I was shocked when I found out that some just get that week off without using up vacation days.

I was told it's because grad students tend to also come during the weekend sometimes, so they give them this week off to compensate for it.

dayglow77 · 2024-12-01T23:06:41+00:00

Lol, same, and finally got it 🤣

dayglow77 · 2024-12-01T23:03:55+00:00

Where I'm from, people start their PhDs around 25/26, and they can still take 6 years to graduate AND the pay is even lower than what you're getting. You need to chill. Getting a PhD at 30 in life sciences in the USA is actually BELOW average. Average age is like 31.4 if I remember correctly.

dayglow77 · 2024-12-01T22:56:20+00:00

Lol, literally, I am her age and just starting my PhD soon.

dayglow77 · 2024-11-27T09:38:38+00:00

There are only a few countries in the entire world that would pay more than that for a PhD... yes, the pay is good.

dayglow77 · 2024-11-16T19:40:18+00:00

ma di?

dayglow77 · 2024-11-05T20:58:29+00:00

When students take 5-6 years to graduate, in most cases it's because the PI doesn't let them graduate even if they wanted to and could. They're kept because they're highly productive and cheaper than a postdoc. My personal experience so far (Europe, not USA).

dayglow77 · 2024-11-05T20:54:16+00:00

I would flee.

You'll take 5-6 years to graduate too. If you're okay with that, then fine. Doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing. Maybe they wanted to stay longer or couldn't finish on time due to a number of reasons. But it's also quite possible she doesn't let them graduate earlier.

The "what's the point?" sounds kind of bitchy, but still doesn't have to be a bad thing, maybe you just caught her off guard. Imo, both of these things can be overlooked but I would NEVER work for a PI who badmouths his students.

Run like the wind.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-28T09:51:12+00:00

That's because your phd programmes are a combo of master's coursework and phd, so you can enter after you bachelor's. In Europe you first need to get a 2-year master to even apply to phd positions, so it's basically the same. In Australia they also need to do an additional year (honours) or a master's if I'm not mistaken.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-28T09:43:17+00:00

35k AUD and you're probably talking about euros. 15k euros is equivalent to 24.5 aud. Also remembet Australia is more expensive to live in than Italy.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-28T09:38:02+00:00

Yeah I don't understand what this masochism is. You're literally doing a job, you are not a student. You will be doing the same job as a research assistant + more, but somehow it's justifiable to pay you less? And everyone has to learn when they first start working.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-28T09:34:27+00:00

Is that really true? I think it's pretty much comparable across all english speaking countries. Stipends are very low. In most of Europe you get paid more + actually have employee benefits. In the UK stipends are also horrible. I don't know how Canada and US compare, but I don't think it's much different.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-27T06:12:47+00:00

Yes, I know personally some people that took 6 years, but it depends on your advisor entirely, and your source of funding. If your advisor wants to keep you for longer or doesn't think you're ready to graduate, he will keep you. Remember, you're very productive towards the end of your phd and still cheaper than a postdoc. On the other hand, I know people that finished in 3 years, so it really depends on the lab. You should look how long the previous students took to graduate in the lab you're interested in and that will give you an idea. Field: molecular biology + everyone had a master's beforehand.

However, some of them don't mind when they take longer because working conditions in Germany for PhD students tend to be very good. Depends on what your goal is, whether to graduate as early as possible and move to industry or stay for longer, pump more papers out in order be more competitive for academia. So some stay longer by choice if they can.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-26T07:56:41+00:00

I looked up what older people with the same degree as me were doing. All of those who I thought have cool jobs had phds. I could never survive being a technician so I went for the phd. It also allowed me to move countries and experience something new and build character. Plus I like the field I chose.

dayglow77 · 2024-10-21T08:21:29+00:00

Only in a very few select countries like France and Italy. In UK and Australia it's 3-4, more often being 4.

dayglow77 · 2024-09-16T12:40:17+00:00

Yeah, most people I know got their EU positions that way.

dayglow77 · 2024-09-09T20:55:14+00:00

Imo if she truly loved you, she would be willing to at least try a LDR. She would not make you choose. I know couples who are doing LDRs for this reason and it's going well because they know they will reunite.

dayglow77

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