Should I continue applying or what should I do to get a phd abroad?

[Mementobr]

Hello,

I'm M.Sc. in electrical engineering (graduate in 2010) with average 85/100 (GPA 3.4? ) and undergraduate avg 78/100 (GPA 3?) from a federal university in Brazil.  I have 5 publications, around 12 years experience in power company.  

In the last years, I've been interested and dedicating some of my time in computer science studies so I interested in applying to positions for Ph.D. in computer science or electrical engineering. I've tried mostly in Europe (Netherlands, France, Switzerland, England)

I've been applying for some months but no luck. What should I do to improve my chances? 

 

 

[nushi]

hey mementobr ?

first of all, it seems to me that your qualifications, especially having publications (which is rare for those who didn't get a phd yet!), & your professional experience, make you an excellent candidate for phd...

second, i sincerely encourage you to apply for computer science, if that's what your heart/mind has grown to be interested in... we don't have to stick our whole life to one specialization... instead we have to be flexible & move from one specialization to another, according to what our experiences in life are directing us toward, to become expanded in our knowledge & experience through inter- & trans- disciplinarity rather than getting stuck in being a narrowly-focused uni-disciplinary... 'cause we can only realize our purpose in life, & what we truly desire, by accepting to change & move from one place to another, one specialization to another, while our experiences increase & expand, heading us toward realizing our true desire... like you, i also started by studying political science, but as i expanded more with my experiences & knowledge, i realized that i want to specialize in sociology (that has a wider scope in approaching the dilemmas of human societies)... while i was in egypt (with b.sc. & m.sc. degrees in political science), i kept on applying abroad for phd in sociology (even though many people told me not to, because it decreases my chances to be accepted, 'cause it's not my former specialization), but i followed my heart/mind anyway, & kept searching & applying... & now i'm writing you this while studying for my phd in sociology in america ? it took me two to three years of searching... & my tips, according to my experience in this, which is limited of course, or might not be very correct in some points, could be summarized as the following:

*1* do not suffice by searching for programs in europe!!! instead, let your search be all over the world... from what i know (& again this may not be very correct), europe & australia, although their scholarship opportunities are better in terms of time & finance - that is, a phd there would only take you about three years, no more, & the salary/stipend that you'll be given would be higher... still, getting the chance to be accepted for a phd scholarship there is much less & tougher... i don't know what is the reason for this, maybe because they do not finance scholarships much, so they offer much more limited & competitive opportunities for them! also, europe & australia would require you to present a phd research project in their applications... & even though you'll end up doing a phd project anyway sooner or later, but you'll have to do it while applying for universities there (so they can accept you or not, based on it), rather than do it after you are matriculated in the phd program...

but one advantage phd programs in europe & australia have (or at least from what my search has made me find, but i might be wrong), is that you're not required to take preliminary phd courses... you can instead choose the research track alone, & get done with the dissertation (hence, i guess, why the phd duration is shorter there)...

however, in america & canada, it's the other way around!!! it's much easier to be accepted for a phd in america & canada, with a graduate assistantship... you're not required to present a phd proposal in your application... but the disadvantages are that the duration of phd is longer (4 to 5 years or longer), & you're required to take preliminary courses... & the stipend that you get for your assistantship would barely cover your basic needs (rent, food, medication, etc. - although it's possible, of course, i'm doing it myself right now, but you'd have to follow a very frugal lifestyle!)...

there are also other places in the world you can try... like in asia - china, india, singapore... i was considering to apply for universities in japan too. if you consider this, i think the only way to go study with a scholarship in japan is through the japanese government - that is you go to the website of the japanese embassy in brazil, & check their section on studying in japan, & the requirements of their scholarship...

*2* i guess you already know that, but i'll say it anyway... of course you have to take the toefl (test of english as a foreign language) test as a student who comes from a non-english speaking country... aim yourself to get no less than a 100/120 in the iBT TOEFL test, so you are sure that you get the highest grade that covers all the minimum grades of toefl required by various departments...

when you apply to america & canada, you're also required to take the GRE test... it's much tougher than the toefl test, but it's worth taking the shot, if being accepted in a university in america or canada has a higher chance than being accepted in a university in europe or australia... all american universities require the gre test, & i'm not sure if all canadian universities do, or some of them...

also, since you're in the engineering/computer fields, i'm not sure if you're required to only take the GRE general test, or just a GRE special subject test, or both... in my case, for the social sciences, i was required only to take the general test of GRE... in order to know which one you're required to take, you have to check the websites of the departments within the universities you want to apply to & see their specific requirement for the GRE test... & also check what is the minimum grade they require for the GRE (generally aim yourself to have no less than 300 or 310 out of 340)....

*3* wherever in the world you're applying, send to the professors who work in the line of research you want to do, within the departments that you aim to apply to... tell them about your qualifications & research goals that align with theirs, & if they'd be willing to work with you, & if there's a place to be matriculated as a student in their department... the chances that you get answered by professors are very extremely low (maybe 10 out of 100!!!), but don't give up, & don't feel less self-confident in yourself or anything, 'cause this is the way it goes with everyone too while sending to professors!

but don't wait for professors to answer you in order to apply... whether you get answers or not just apply & do what you have to do... even though i emailed so so so many professors, i ended up being matriculated in a phd program in which i didn't contact its professors or emailed them beforehand... however, it is important before applying that you check the website of the department & see if it specifically requires you to contact one or more of its professors before applying to it, 'cause some departments require this or highly encourage it...

*4* an important note is that you make sure from the website of the department that its lines of research, & at least one of its professors, are engaging in the line of research/dissertation topic that you plan to work on... all departments highly emphasize that they accept those applicants who show that their research goals align with the research interests of their faculty (& that is a part that you will have to show in your statement of purpose, besides talking about your qualifications & how you have ended up being interested in this academic field, & your career goals)... all in all, make sure that you read what the department is emphasizing & asking for in its website...

don't give up searching mementobr... i've gone through your same experience, & kept on for years, but now as i made it & traveled & am now engaging in a new experience of learning/knowledge in a different environment half-way around planet earth... i'm finding that it's been worth it ☺️