ridgey

It depends. But that's not helpful, so: Most (not all) scholarships awarded by the university are for Aus/NZ citizens. However, the governemnt and private organisations offer funding for someone to do a project for them as a PhD. Likewise, professors in some fields have grant money that is specifically for the research expenses, tuition, and stipend, of PhD students. For domestic students, the amount is usually comfortable - living expense of high AU$20 thousands is not uncommon. BUT, if you have to pay international fees, you'll probably have more trouble finding funding that covers this.

The previous poster is partially correct. NZQA approval DOES mean it is legit, but DOES NOT mean that any other accrediatation body will necessarily recognise that legitimacy. I'm a long way from fine arts so take this with a grain of salt, but I've never heard of Whitecliff (bearing in mind the size of NZ, this is unusual). Also, really good privates in any form of higher education are rare in NZ. They tend to be very new. Did you look into doing an MFA at a uni or polytech? Having said that, NZQA has given the college approval to offer that degree. If you know what you want to use the degree for (what kinds of jobs, or further study) you could ask the people who review applications if 1) they would consider a non-US/NZ degree at all (there is a snobbery in the US against foreign credentials) and 2) if they would consider this MFA from this college.

I'm also moving to Austin from the other side of the world, and this is complicated by the fact that I'm travelling in yet another continent at the moment. One thing I've noticed in these posts is that people are talking about leases startign on the first of the month. is this always the way it has to be? I'll probably arrive in the first or second week of August. Does this mean I'll have a choice only of those places that no-one else wanted? if it makes a difference, I'll be looking for a room in a shared house/apartment, not a whole place for myself. Not that it makes a difference, I suppose - I can't arrive any earlier and I guess people would be as keen to have me move in without meeting me as I would be to move in somewhere I've never seen. But it's probably good to know what to expect come August.

A current student at the programme I start in Fall has been in contact with all us incoming students. Explaining how things work, answering our questions, all very helpful. He also got us each to do a little blurb about ourselves, which he compiled and sent back so we could know a bit about our classmates. It turns out everyone is much more impressive and accomplished than I am. I'm not being self-deprecating - it's extroadinary what some of these people have done. I've heard of imposter syndrome, but I never imagiend it setting in before school even started. How is everyone else feeling as fall gets closer?

Possibly a stupid question: How long is the average lease? Can one get 3 or 6 months, or only 1 year? I'm an international student and won't be able to visit before school starts. My plan is to just move into anywhere as a roommate when I get there, and then do a proper search for somewhere that suits my preferences in the winter break. But if I'll have to be in the first place for a full year, then I'll definitely take more care.

I just now accepted an offer. Should I email and introduce myself to my advisors? Or can that wait until I move to town?

If you're receiving a nine month stipend, then they only prohibit you from taking outside employment during those nine months. You can still work in the summer. You're right that the COA doesn't include tax and therefore you're not actually getting the "minimum". But I doubt there's anything you can do about it. Cost of living is such a variable thing anyway - there are probably plenty of people who couldn't live on the stipend even if it included tax, and plenty who still have some left over on the lesser amount.

Each school has calculated the cost of attendance, which is tuition and a random amount for living expenses based on the local area. This is the magic number youhave to have, and you should be able to find it within 1-2 clicks from either the International Office or Grad School of the uni's website. You'll have to check whether your stipend is enough to reach the magic number. BUT, there may be a reason your magic number is different than the COA. In my case, for example, my funding package qualifies me to pay instate tuition, so I only have to show funds equal to the COA of an instate, not international, student.

The only school to have admitted me thus far this year has suggested I might like to come visit for a day or two, which they would partially subsidize. It isn't a formal visit together with all the other accepted students. I know I should go, and in fact I would like to see the city and the school before making a decision. But I'm not sure how it will work. I can handle talking to people one on one. I'm worried about being faced with a group of faculty or grad-students. Or, worse, sitting in on a class and being expected to contribute. For those of a similar dispostion, how did your school visits go? What did you do to mask the awkwardness?

On the official (State Department or Immigration, I forget which) website there is a list of things one has to have to apply for an F-1 visa. This list includes a passport that will be valid for six months beyond the intended stay. My current passport has about 2 years left. But, if I got a brand new one, it still wouldn't meet this requirement. In fact, it's impossible, no? The average PhD is five years (or longer!), and most people will complete their visa stuff a couple of months before they go to the US. So to fulfil this requirement, one needs a six year passport. Passports these days are valid five years. Do they actually enforce this? Has anyone had any problems?

Is the Indiana acceptance in the house?

Yeah, I'm having this issue too. I've applied to PhD programmes in political science, public policy, an dpublic health. My masters is public health, and regardless of which PhD I end up wiht, I'll probably be looking first to schools of public health for academic employment. My sense of NGO/UN orgs work in my area is that the PhD is actually important - the MPH is fine if you also have a lot of relevant work experience, but for someone trying to get their foot in the door, a PhD is the go. In terms of choosing between the three disciplines (I realise everyone else will be choosing between two) - I think poli sci opens more academic doors. Schools of public health and public policy both routinely employ people with poli sci degrees. (Having said that, I think that would only by the case in the US; if I wanted to go back to my own country and work in a school of public health, I think my PhD would probably need to be in public health.) But, I think the poli sci PhD is the least useful for consulting - working for the WHO, in my case.

Where else did you apply? I'm a "health and politics" gal myself.

Not sure if my results will be helpful because a lot of my applications weren't public health. I'm still waiting on 7 (!) results (one of them is an assumed rejeciton though) so will post later when I have all the results to hand. My sense is that public health is less about the numbers (GPA and GRE) than other fields, and far more about the research niche. Do others agree?