Professor out of Money?

[lambchops511]

I am currently a ECE PhD student at a top-5 school. My professor keeps giving me hints he doesn't have funding for me next year (yet). What happens if september comes along and he doesn't have funding for me? Will the school pickup the tab for the tuition / stipend?

 

[Anonemous]

Apply for fellowships/TA/internships if you can't get those you gotta pay the $$$ if your boss has no money.

 

[busydude]

What are you? TA? RA?

 

[Corporate Thug]

why don't you ask your prof what his intentions are...it's only fair that you get a little bit of notice.

 

[zinfamous]

Apply for fellowships/TA/internships if you can't get those you gotta pay the $$$ if your boss has no money.

this. start applying for your own funding asap.

worse comes to worst, you'e going to have to find another PI in your field--maybe even at another school.

Good luck.

 

[Shawn]

You would probably have to TA.

 

[NFS4]

Ship, out of danger?

 

[lambchops511]

I dont think TA will help. Because the first two TAs I do are mandatory and unpaid (I only get paid after the first two TAs).

I cant even apply for external fellowships because I am international and that basically excludes all NASA/DARPA/NSF/DOD/DOE/etc...

 

[eLiu]

Uh so what you should do is *ASK* your professor *DIRECTLY*.

Also if I had an advisor that simply "dropped hints" that he doesn't have funding for me, I'd strongly consider changing advisors. Esp in an ECE program... and esp in a top 5 school. I know econ times are tough or whatever but profs not being able to support their own students is inexcusable. And then 'dropping hints' is even worse. You need to talk to him. Not just to figure out how bad the situation is but also to figure out if this guy is responsible enough to have grad students & whether your research area(s) generate so little interest that this could continue to be problematic in the future. PhD students have enough to do without having to worry about funding too.

But to answer your question, you could look into fellowship opportunities (though you're pretty much too late for any of the big name ones). TAing is also a possibility. You should again talk to your advisor about how that works at your school--in particular, if there are many more ppl wanting TAships than TA positions available, you need to get your advisor's aid to maximize your chances. You can also talk to some kind of more administrative position--department head, dean of engineering or whatnot. Unless your school is collectively an asshole, there should be resources to help make sure that PhD students have funding.

If all that falls through, then you have to pay. I would never pay for an engineering/science graduate program. That's laughably stupid.

Edit: you're international? Ouch. And you'd have to TA unpaid? Double ouch. On the former, see if your home country has any fellowship opportunities for students studying abroad. If you did your undergrad at home, contact profs/administrators there to see if they know of any programs that can help you. On the latter, you need to verify whether this is the case. They (=school) might be willing to let you do TA for pay if that's the difference btwn being funded & unfunded. Investigate. And again, talk to your advisor.

 

[busydude]

Because the first two TAs I do are mandatory and unpaid (I only get paid after the first two TAs).

WTF? So you have to do 3 TAs each semester to get paid? This is the first time I am reading about this.

 

[Shawn]

WTF? So you have to do 3 TAs each semester to get paid?

CRAZY. I TA for one class every semester and it covers my tuition and I get paid a stipend on top of that.

 

[lambchops511]

CRAZY. I TA for one class every semester and it covers my tuition and I get paid a stipend on top of that.

Sorry, I mean in total. As in the first two TAs I do in my PhD program will be unpaid. The 3rd TA I do will be paid.

 

[busydude]

CRAZY. I TA for one class every semester and it covers my tuition and I get paid a stipend on top of that.

Same here, and my adviser is very professional.. teaches his own class. I only have to grade and teach labs.

 

[busydude]

Sorry, I mean in total. As in the first two TAs I do in my PhD program will be unpaid. The 3rd TA I do will be paid.

Again, that is kind of a retarded policy. Is changing school an option for you? How is your research going on right now?

 

[TecHNooB]

you have to TA 2 semesters to get tuition coverage? that's robbery. the UCs are strapped on cash tho..

 

[lambchops511]

Again, that is kind of a retarded policy. Is changing school an option for you? How is your research going on right now?

Im about to finish my first year.. I will receive my MS in Dec 2012. I just got one conference paper accepted (2nd-tier).... you think changing schools would be easy? But all the deadlines are passed already?

 

[lambchops511]

you have to TA 2 semesters to get tuition coverage? that's robbery. the UCs are strapped on cash tho..

Technically you have to do two terms of TA (not per term, but entire phd program) to "gain teaching experience" in order to graduate from the PhD program.... any additional TA you do after then will be paid...

 

[busydude]

Im about to finish my first year.. I will receive my MS in Dec 2012.

Are you on a fast track program?

I just got one conference paper accepted (2nd-tier).... you think changing schools would be easy? But all the deadlines are passed already?

This is the right time to apply for summer internships, and you have a pretty good chance of getting one.

 

[lambchops511]

Are you on a fast track program?



This is the right time to apply for summer internships, and you have a pretty good chance of getting one.

Fast Track? You mean if I entered w. only my Bachelors? Yes.

Yes, I am working a industry internship for the summer (because prof cant support my stipend)....

Is it realistic to consider switching schools? I was always under the impression that its easier to get into PhD programs directly from Bachelors.

 

[SandEagle]

Same here, and my adviser is very professional.. teaches his own class. I only have to grade and teach labs.

you a PhD student?

are you a RE? TA? RD?

 

[busydude]

Is it realistic to consider switching schools? I was always under the impression that its easier to get into PhD programs directly from Bachelors.

It depends. If you can get good recommendations.. you maybe able to pull it off. Also, I think you have to write GRE again if your score expires(2 years IIRC).

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

How far are you into your program?
If you're done with classes, you could just do a reduced course workload and sign up for a single research credit to maintain your F1 status.

 

[Ricemarine]

I knew a grad student that did his undergrad in a university in the C9 League who had to pay two years of his PhD because his project ran out of funding. His TA was only for two quarters. So, if you can't get funding via RA/TA, you're probably out of luck.