Unfunded/ partial PhD -- Worth the risk?

[tappy]

Hi guys, I have a PhD (Mechanical) admission offer, but the department has not offered any assistantship/ fellowship, although an advisor has been appointed. When I contacted the advisor about this, he said that he could offer partial funding, but could not specify any details, for the time being. So in the worst-case scenario (little or no aid), I may have to show liquidity for the entire course of the PhD. Assuming a minimum of 5 years (I do not have a master's degree), and the annual associated expenditure being close to nearly $50,000, I may have to prove available funds amounting to nearly $250k, which is ridiculous for a PhD candidate. 

 

Any suggestions on how I could tackle this situation? Thanks! 

[GeoDUDE!]

don't go.

[beccamayworth]

To whom do you have to prove available funds? I'm assuming it's for a student visa, in which case: are you sure they require you to prove funds for the whole five years? My experience is that you only have to prove available funds for the 1st year.  

[TakeruK]

1. Don't go!! Not worth it, in my opinion!!

 

2. If you intend to apply for a F-1 student visa/status, then you only need to show funding for 1 year to get your I-20. If you intend to apply for a J-1 student visa/status, then you do need to show funding for all 5 years to get your DS-2019. Unless you have a spouse that is intending to work while you are in the US, there are almost no benefits for J-1 status (and in fact, extra restrictions). 

[Sol Invictus]

I had a somewhat similar situation last fall! I was promised a TA at some school that didn't happen (TA promise was verbal - big mistake), and eventually I had to defer and come back to my home country all despondent because I shelved a wonderful job for this. Anyways, it was terrible for me mentally, and you should by all means save yourself the horror. If you know firsthand that funding is going to be an issue, better continue with what you're doing currently and re-apply in the next cycle would be my advice. 

Edited April 20, 2014 by Sol Invictus

[VioletAyame]

TakeruK is right, you only have to prove 1 year of funding for the F1 visa. But 250k is a lot of money even if you find a job and stay in the US to pay it back. If not, if you have to return to your country, it'd be an incredible amount of debt to have. Just something to consider.

[tappy]

@beccamayworth, @TakeruK and @VioletAyame:

That's just what I'm not sure of. While I've heard the same about F-1 visa application, the I-20 request form issued by the university states that I must prove funds for the whole duration of the course. I have pasted the pertinent text from the form below.

 

"On the chart below, indidcate the source(s) of funds that will be available to cover your academic and living expenses.  Carefully review the Financial Certification guidelines for descriptions of each type of funding and details on the necessary financial support documents. The appropriate blocks on the chart below must be completed for the estimated length of your academic program:  at least two years for a master’s program and four to five years for a doctoral program"

 

@Sol Invictus: Thanks for sharing your experience and I'm sorry to hear about it.