Quit current PhD and look for new PhD opportunity

[CCMcintyre]

Hi All,

I am absolutely new to this Forum . I joined in after seeing so many interesting topics being discussed here, topics I could more or less identify with. I am myself in an upsetting situation right now and was wondering if some of you could help me out here. So, I got accepted to this PhD program in Germany mid of this year and started my PhD in September. Prior to this I was in UK at a top University for my Masters. Owing to reduced funding options (I am an international student) I had to opt for PhD programs outside UK and somehow landed up here. I have been having problems with my supervisor since the 3rd week of my work here and a recent incident (read:- outrageous and unexpected behavior by my supervisor ) has forced me to take the decision of leaving this PhD. Also, I am finding it very difficult to adjust here and am getting more and more depressed with every passing day. My supervisor is an extremely bossy, dominating and a mostly rude person and I don't think I will survive 4 long years in the environment my supervisor creates. My lab members are nice and have all been indirectly hinting me to look for a new PhD position. Sadly I got to know about how crazy my supervisor is AFTER I joined the lab and people told me about it. The issue is I desperately want to get out of this place and to do so, I need to have a PhD position in my hand. After much effort I managed to get this position and now I am finding it difficult to start the entire application process again, more because I want to get a position in UK or Canada which are difficult to get (funding-wise). Also, PhD applications take up a lot of time and I need to find time for that. I will not be leaving my current position till I get a new one. I hope I don't end up getting kicked out of here for not being as enthusiastic I should be and then don't get any other PhD position as well. What should I do? Should I keep trying for a new position in the UK? It didn't work out in the UK before.. I mean is it impossible for International students with a good MSc degree to find a funded position in the UK or Canada? Badly need some peace of mind :( :( and some good advice.

[Azarashi1]

I don't know if this can help but: I am an European master student currently in Germany to do some research (my MS internship), and even though I am learning tons of new things, I can tell you that I'm having some problems in the lab as well. Nothing major, but it is a stressfull situation. And I feel that the enviroment is a little anarchic: if I have an issue with my direct supervisor (who by the way is a Ph.D. student), there is no one I can report to, and my only option is sucking it up. The situation for me is only temporary, but still sometimes it's pretty hard when you live it and breath it for hours and hours a day.

Even though there would probably be the option of coming back and doing my Ph.D here after I graduate if I wanted to, I really can't imagine staying, so I am applying for schools in Canada and in the US, which I don't really have any chance of getting into... Gotta love flushing money AND time down the toilet

If you want to complain to someone who is in a similar situation, you're welcome to pm me

[CCMcintyre]

Hey, You're applying to the US then? I don't have GRE scores and don't intend to sit for the exam as well so US is out of the list! I just checked that some good Unis in Canada don't require a GRE score and since I have already studied in the UK, there is no need all the more. It is frustrating to be looking for a PhD again. But, I have to get out of this place! Do you know how do internships work out in the US or Canada? Being a European you won't have to pay international fees for doing a PhD in the UK but I have to and that's where the problem majorly starts! :angry:

[Azarashi1]

Well, about Canada, what I've been told by my advisors (and I've also confirmed it checking out the U of T website) is that international students are much more expensive than domestic ones, so you have to be a truly exceptional candidate to get in (and I really am NOT ). I'm still applying because I got a honors scolarship and I decided to invest (=waste) my money in Ph.D application fees, but I'm not keeping my hopes up... Same goes for the US. As you probably noticed, here in Europe things are a little different, so the whole process of applying has been next to impossible for me. I mean, in my country it's really hard to get your professor to tailor your LORs for each school, and having to write a Personal Statement about the experiences that changed my life was really a first (American schools, y u no happy with simple research statement?? ). And then the TOEFL, the GRE, the neverending drama with the transcripts because EU schools issue them in a different format...Still, I'd love to be able to study in States, mostly because I feel that the way Ph.D programs are structured suits me much better (5 years, heavier courseload, closer supervision(?)).

If you don't mind asking me, why don't you want to take the GRE? I mean, initially I was intimidated too, but if I managed to score decently, everybody can, believe me

And also, is there any way you can get around your supervisor and talk to someone else about what is going on and the reasons why you want to leave?

Edited November 22, 2012 by Azarashi1

[CCMcintyre]

Well, about the GRE- The issue is I still am a full-time worker here and it's already bit difficult to keep up with your PhD project and devote time + energy to PhD applications as well. Preparing for GRE and giving the exam will again require some time from my schedule plus if I want to get in a decent PhD project in the US for next year, I'm somewhat late as well! I have studied in the UK and really love the way they do science there. I wish there wasn't a dearth of funded opportunities for International students there. I have decided to give the UK another try again, regardless of how competitive it is to get a scholarship there! (Is it impossible? really?)

Yes, the application system for US might be another hurdle in the track for us who are used to the 'European way'.

Many of the senior postdocs in my lab have been asking me if I have started looking for new positions as they think that the way our supervisor handles things in the lab might get worse, but is definitely not getting any better! I did discuss openly about my problems with a Prof from the UK uni (whom I know personally) where I studied last and she was shocked at the things I told her. She has asked me to look for supervisors in the Uni and that basically just brings me back to square one again! Here there aren't many people I can talk to about it. It's a different system here, kind of difficult to explain to you...

And I was under the impression that the fees for International and Home students is same in Canada? Hmmm, that sure does make things difficult now..