[Help me decide between Waterloo and McMaster]

Congrats on your offers!

I am quite acquainted with both universities, whether from personal experience or connections. I would say McMaster has an overall slightly better "brand name" and ranking amongst Canadian universities while Waterloo is a lot more known in STEM circles. Either way, I think ranking and reputation are not that important when it comes to research-based degrees, especially when comparing 2 evenly-matched, and well respected universities. I think it all comes down to potential advisor and topic in the end; I think this should constitute 85% of the weight when it comes to making a decision. For example, if you were interested in quantum information for instance, I would advise you to choose Waterloo hands-down (IQC etc.) It really depends on the topic and advisor. 

If all things were equal, which is almost impossible (topic, advisor, funding package, departmental focus on your topic etc.) I might be inclined to choose Waterloo for its STEM reputation.

Just my $0.02. Good luck.

[UBC MSc Physics vs ETH Zurich MSc Quantum Engineering]

Congrats on your offers!

Both are great schools. I am currently an MS student in a Canadian Physics-related program also working in quantum engineering. 

I would think long and hard about going into debt/paying out of pocket just to attend a higher ranked program, especially if you plan on getting a PhD and going into academia. Paying that off will be difficult. I guess you must have a solid plan of how you will manage financially (scholarships you are sure you will get, internships etc.). Personally, I would never pay out of pocket to attend a research-based grad program in STEM, especially if I have a funded offer (from a great university). I rejected a similarly high-ranked MS offer in favor of my current position because it was unfunded.

Also keep in mind that European master's programs are mostly course based, with a 6-month thesis component. Canadian funded MSc degrees AFAIK are much more research based. Ask yourself, what do you want from your MSc? Research experience/publications, or graduate courses. I am not saying one is better than the other, but it is important to think about what your goal is before deciding. Personally, I think if you want to do a PhD afterwards, publications are key. If this is something you do not have, I would be inclined to go with the research option.

Advisors are also important, which school has more research groups you are interested in? Every school will have a slight concentration on a particular area. If for example your main goal from the outset is to get a PhD from a certain group at ETH, that would change the calculus a bit.

To summarize, unless you have a foolproof plan of how you can support yourself at ETH, I would lean heavily towards UBC. ETH is no doubt higher ranked, and an amazing place for quantum research but at the end of the day UBC is also very strong and ranking should not be the main factor (advisor, program nature, cost are more important in my opinion).

That's my $0.02. Good luck with your decision.

[What are My chances for MS in Photonics/ECE ?]

50 minutes ago, sugaaa said:

Thank you very much for the detailed response, I was in the dark about MASc research based masters positions. I will surely check out the prospects there. Any idea if they are similar to the ones in australia, ( e.g. ANU or U of Sydney) ? Could you reccomend any MASc Masters places in canada that come to mind. I too believe that a research degree would be best for me since i have plans to follow this with a PhD. I was also confused about where my relatively broader research experience would be given greater weightage. 

Apologies for the late reply. Its difficult to find guidance from grads who were in a similar position. 

Yes, research masters also exist in Australia at the universities you mentioned (MPhil and MRes etc). For research based masters positions, it is all about the professors. If you have a professor's backing/funding to enter a MS program (MASc, MPhil, MRes etc.), your chances of admission are very high. From my experience, professors care more about how you fit into their research group skills/experience-wise (as long as you are above the GPA/IELTS cut-offs).

As for Canada, again, it is all about the professors. I suggest doing a sweep of Canadian universities, identifying professors you would like to work with in each (where your experience would be a good fit), then emailing said professors expressing your interest. Emails should be substantive and personalized though (try not to spam). Most Canadian universites have funded MASc programs in photoniccs related fields (ECE, Physics, Applied/Engineering Physics, Mat. Sci etc.) so it shouldn't be a problem. Same applies to Australia although the process is slightly different, again but begins with reaching out to professors. If you want to go down this route I advise you to act quickly as deadlines for Fall 2020 are fast approaching. 

Also note that if you are interested in transitioning directly to a PhD (much higher chance of getting funding) from a BSc, that is possible too (in Canada and Australia but not in Europe AFAIK). 

Glad I can help. Good luck once again.

[What are My chances for MS in Photonics/ECE ?]

Hi there.

I have applied to many of the photonics based programs you listed. My interests also lie in photonics and condensed matter physics. 

I think you have a strong profile. I don't have much experience with applying to US universities so I am not going to comment on them, although I still feel your profile is competitive for many of them. Funding though is another matter. I will focus on the EU/Canadian programs.

I wouldn't worry about the GPA (I think it is good enough. I got into many of these programs with a similar profile/GPA).

I think it would also depend on if you are looking for funding or not. If not, I reckon you can get into most of these universities (at least the EU/Canadian ones). Even if you are looking for funding, I think you have a great chance at Ghent/VUB, Europhotonics, Jena etc.

For photonics oriented programs, I would add:
Max Planck school of photonics, University of Eastern Finland, PIXNET (Erasmus program), and Humboldt University of Berlin (MS Optical Sciences) just to name a few. I would also maybe apply for funded MASc research masters positions in Canada (email professors you would like to work with to see if they have vacancies) since your research experience for a new grad is quite strong (if you want a research-based masters, as opposed to EU style ones).  

From my experience, the course based masters (EU) programs care more about your grades/courses while research masters positions care more about your research experience. 

In conclusion, I think you are competitive for at least the EU/Canadian programs on your list, your GPA shouldn't be a big deal.

Good luck with your applications.   

[Changing proposed project post-acceptance]

On 3/19/2019 at 12:37 AM, DRMF said:

I know nothing about how physics labs work... To me it seems completely reasonable to contact now and say that you came across more details on this other project listed and am now also very interested in that one, and ask if it's already been assigned to someone else. (In fact I was under the impression that for most lab-based sciences, everyone changes their thesis project like 5 times before actually settling with one, sometimes even third year into the PhD.)

I am also not sure how these things work as I am fresh out of my B.Sc. program (this position is for a research masters, if that makes a difference). 
Interesting to learn that changing projects is the norm, it indeed seems like it wouldn't hurt to ask before arriving I guess. Thanks for your input!

[Changing proposed project post-acceptance]

I recently applied for a research based degree and I have indeed been offered admission (with funding), scheduled to start this fall.

Prior to my acceptance, I had an interview with my prospective advisor and we both seemed to have similar interests, so they recommended me for admission. Most of the funding is indeed coming from the supervisor rather than the department.

The supervisor is a newly-hired assistant professor, just starting out and building up the group from scratch, so I didn't really have much information regarding the available projects and research directions they intend to pursue other than a short summary. We discussed a possible proposed project and even potential collaborations with other groups in the department (one of the potential collaborators was also present during the interview). I was definitely happy with the project and was looking forward to working on it, but I wouldn't say that it was perfectly 100% aligned with what I had hoped to work on. I accepted the offer and that was that. The offer letter mentions that I will be under the supervision of this professor, so that seems set in stone (no complaints so far).

Recently, this professor launched a website for the new group (came across it by chance), complete with a detailed list of all the projects they want to pursue and is still actively recruiting. On reading more about these projects, there is one in particular which I would be very excited to work on (significantly more than my 'proposed' project).

My question is, would it be OK to contact this professor now and to perhaps intimate to them or suggest that I would prefer to work on one of the other projects listed? Or to maybe influence the direction of my proposed project?

I am hesitant because I don't want to come across as indecisive and scatterbrained, and I do understand that the professor might be recruiting certain students with certain skills to work on specific projects, so I do get why my this request might upset the professor. I don't want them to feel that I conned them into accepting me on a false premise. At the same time, I would really rather work on this other project and would like to signal this to them as early as possible, before it is 'taken' by another student.

Should I initiate this discussion now? Or should I maybe wait till I arrive in the fall? Is it even too premature to be worrying about such things? Am I over-thinking this perhaps?

Would appreciate any input. Thanks.

[Need help with MS ECE profile evaluation (Canada/Europe)]

Hello everyone,

I have been having trouble lately matching my profile with potential MS ECE programs and would greatly appreciate it if anyone could help me with shortlisting potential MS programs to apply to.
I aim to apply mostly to universities in Canada and Europe,  basically anywhere but the US (as I won't be able to take the GRE in time).

I am also mainly looking for research/thesis based degrees, and preferably RA/TA funded degrees.

My profile:
 

Undergrad:  B.Sc. ECE from an unknown institution internationally, but known regionally and undoubtedly one of the best nationally, Score: 83%.

Research Interest: Electromagnetics and optics.

IELTS: 9.

Publications: 1 Accepted international conference paper in my field of interest.

Research Experience: A few undergrad RA experiences/internships (summer internships during undergrad). I have been working as an RA for the last few months, potentially a couple more publications are in the works.

Which Canadian/European/Australian/Asian universities can I target with this profile for example for a funded research based MSc. degree? I don't want to waste time and money applying to prestigious institutions where I have no chance, so I would like to know where my 'level' is so to speak.

I am an EU citizen if that makes any difference.

Would really appreciate any feedback, please let me know if any extra info is needed.  

TIA  .

[Insider Info: Reality of Admission in Top Canadian Computer Science Graduate Programs]

On 8/22/2018 at 5:40 PM, ESayson said:

Yes this is true.  Not all universities will offer a tuition waiver at the master's level, however, most students should receive some level of guaranteed funding.  However, you may have to work to get your funding as often times Teaching Assistantships are included in the funding package.  Generally Ontario offers the highest funding compared to other provinces.

OK so there is some level of guaranteed funding most of the time, great!

Thanks for your help and for clearing things up!

[Insider Info: Reality of Admission in Top Canadian Computer Science Graduate Programs]

OK I see, so it depends on the school. Important to note.

One last thing, my understanding is that MASc degrees in Canada (research based) are generally funded degrees, wherein the student gets a stipend and a tuition waiver while working as a TA/RA. Is this true for most Canadian Universities?

Thanks for your time and insight!

[Insider Info: Reality of Admission in Top Canadian Computer Science Graduate Programs]

1 hour ago, ESayson said:

I can't speak for all programs, but for our program, I think it depends on the reviewer but GPA is very important.  If you are not in the A range (high 80s to 90s), it's difficult to be considered since there are so many applicants with high scores.  If you do have excellent grades, then letter of recommendation and statement are also very important.

Also, if English tests such as the IELTS is required, not meeting the minimum requirements may significantly damage your chances.

I am speaking from a strictly computer science department point of view.  As in the MSc, engineering departments may have different procedures, however, I suspect top university is a major factor for all top Canadian schools, regardless of program.

I see. So GPA is also a very important factor, more so than the other factors I mentioned. Good to know. 

I also wanted to know, is it expected that applicants reach out to professors they would be interested in working with prior to applying to the graduate school? As in they have to be accepted by a professor willing to supervise them first? Or does one just apply to the graduate school?

[Insider Info: Reality of Admission in Top Canadian Computer Science Graduate Programs]

Interesting post, thanks for sharing your perspective.

So, from my understanding of your post, previous university ranking is a major factor in M.A.Sc admissions. What is the second most important factor in your opinion? 
GPA? Research papers/experience? Fit with professor's research/department research? 

[University of Tokyo EE Masters program.]

On 12/4/2017 at 9:14 AM, hojoojoh said:

 

If you can make it through all the rounds though, the security is unmatched -- the scholarship continues for the duration of your studies in Japan and is automatically extended if you move on from MA to PhD. Moreover, you are given up two years as a 'research student' to prepare for those entrance exams while taking advantage of affiliation with that institution.

Thanks for replying.

Does that mean I effectively have 4 years to conduct research (research student 2 yrs + MS) ?  
 

[University of Tokyo EE Masters program.]

On 11/16/2017 at 11:57 AM, hirosh said:

Hi I am in Mech. Eng in Univ. of Tokyo now. I know, many foreign students complain about low amount of info in English.
In Japan, students take a lot of classes in undergraduate time, so the graduate course relatively focuses on research . But it depends on the department. 
Students have to submit a Master's thesis before the graduation. 

In Japan, if you want to go to Ph.D course, you are required to have Mater's degree. And for not-asian students, getting into Ph.D. of Univ. of Tokyo is much easier than getting into Master's, since the examination of master's course is paper-based, which is not familiar with non-asian students.

Thanks for the reply. 

So you would suggest going for a PhD there instead? Why is the entrance exam seen as 'difficult' for non-Asian students? Is it in Japanese? Or do you mean it is relatively difficult to pass?

Are the courses in English for your department? Or should the MS program be seen as a 'pure research' program as there are only a few English language courses?

Also, are you there on the MONBUKAGAKUSHO:MEXT scholarship?  Or via the IME program?

Thanks once again for your reply and for your time.

[University of Tokyo EE Masters program.]

Hi everyone  First post.

I am senior EE undergrad student specialized in photonics, currently in the process of looking for graduate programs (mainly masters programs) to apply to next year. I recently came across the MONBUKAGAKUSHO:MEXT scholarship and am very interested in pursuing a masters degree from the University of Tokyo.

My problem is that I can't find much information about the structure of the EE masters program at U.Tokyo online, or at least not in English. I have read somewhere (one of the few scraps of info I've come across) that it is very research based, with almost no taught component (courses). Is this true? 

And does anyone have any information on the program (Tokyo EE masters) in general? Is anyone here currently enrolled in the University of Tokyo  (in any grad or masters program)? Any info or useful links?

Thanks