sujith

No problem eshan and thanks for the info on the fellowship. In the US, you could expect an annual gross stipend of 25000-30000$ . You would loose a few hundred dollars of tax a month(most of which you get back end of the year). However you would have to bear housing expenses on your own . In UK it is about 14000 pounds nett(tax free) a year.

Hey Eshan, I can understand your apprehensions.You are right about wayne state. I had got an admit form wayne state for my masters but did not choose it. Colorado is a good option if you are getting 100% funding with a monthly stipend.IISC ofcourse would be the best amongst the three. However,an international outlook always helps and an international PhD would add a lot of value to your resume in the future. So it boils down to colorado vs KAUST. In terms of international recognition, a degree from the US is generally weighed more in the US and Europe when compared to a degree from the middle east. The big plus as you said about KAUST is the lab facilities they have. If you are really convinced with the research topic(based on your discussions with the prof), go with KAUST. the other thing to consider is what are your options after a PhD. If you are looking for a postdoc, a PhD from either Colorado or KASUT doesnt count much. The only thing that counts is your research topic. But if you are looking for work in the US or Europe, a degree from Colorado/any other US Universities will have a higher weightage compared to KASUT. Hope this helps. If you dont mind, can you tell me the fellowship KASUT offered? Is it 30000 USD a year? Have they offerd free housing/medical insurance too?

Thanks for the reply Eshan. Glad it worked out well for you. Good luck! A few reasons why i chose KAUST were the work content advertised in CCRC lab, the project supervisor & ofcourse the stipend for Phd students which is by far the highest in the world.However, i have also applied to EPFL Lausanne & University of Exeter and few other Universities in Europe. I am only looking for fully funded positions with studentships on offer. I should know the outcome of all the Universities by end of April. Do you have offers from any other Universities or are you awaiting replies from any?

Hello Eshan, I too applied for a PhD in Mechanical Engineering. I actually applied for an open position advertised in the University webpage in the CCRC (clean combustion) lab. I had a skype interview with the project head and the director of the center . The professor later asked me to apply online . I have not heard anyhting since then nor have i had an "academic interview". Could you kindly share your interview experience? Did you have two rounds of interview as most people here in the forum seem to suggest? I am from India, have a masters degree from US with 8 journal publications and 8 years of R&D experience. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks