International student applying for USA or UK Phd

[NeuroPhysicist]

Hi guys!

 

This is my first topic here. I'm a brazilian student and I will apply for USA/UK Phd programs this year (for fall 2014 admission). I'm still choosing which programs to apply, but I think I do no know much about the "profile" of international students who have real chances. This problem really worries me because applying is really expensive (about U$250/per program, including sending scores and translating my transcripts), and I don't wanna go for the ones I really have no chances.

 

First of all, my academic credentials:

 

B.Sc. in Physics from top1 Brazil university (around top 130 of the world, top 50~100 for physics)

GPA: no idea how to calculate it. I have about 8 / 10 (10 being the highest) of course average, but no one can really get a 10 here (8 is usually top 5% of the class)

 

M.Sc. in Physics (currently writing my thesis, I will end it by March, I think)

GPA: also no idea how to calculate, but probably a full 4.0 (highest possible grades in all courses)

 

TOEFL: 111/120 (iBT)

GRE: I don't have the scores yet. I will take the GRE general next month and the physics subject in September.

 

Research Experience:

2 years undergraduate researcher (part time) in a federal institute, with national goverment funding.

2 years in a statistical physics group (full time), with a competitive state funding.

 

Extras:

2 years experience as a teacher assistant

Probably a paper until the end of the year (still in progress...)

 

I'm thinking in applying for a neuroscience/neural networks program in some top~50 universities (This is not a completely change of field, I've been working with networks and related areas during my master's). I really would like to know if applying for about 15 different programs is advisable (or even needed) in my case. The dream is, of course, to be accepted in a top10 (MIT, Caltech, UC berkeley, ...) with funding (attending will be impossible without it).

 

So, I have many questions. Do international students have advantages/disadvantages when applying for these universities? Do you guys think that, with my credentials, is adviseable to apply to as many programs as possible? Do I have the usual credentials of the people that apply, or am I much lower than the average? And how should I choose which programs to apply (Should I try the top ones, balance with some average ones, try to first talk to some professors... )?

 

Thanks for your help!

[DeleteMePlease]

In my eyes your profile looks really good. You already seem to have a lot of research experience.

 

However, I recommend asking in the Physics subforum. There a people who have already applied for Ph.D. programmes in your field

http://forum.thegradcafe.com/forum/30-physics/

[hsyn]

Hi everybody. I am an international civil engineering student. My GRE scores are q:159 v:141 and GPA:3.78/4. I am going to attend TOEFL at the end of this mounth. I am going to apply Buffalo and North Carolina State university. I am a project assistant and also research assistant at different universities. My MSc thesis is related to project. What is my chance to get acceptance from these universities? If I take a recommendation letter from an alumni, do I have more chance?

[bums2011]

Yes...your profile is really good...

If I add one...you'd better to contact to prof in school you want to go...

the prof, especially potential advisor, is the key person for your admission..

sometime the profile of the applicant does not matter..

I even saw a guy got accepted when the school had no plan to get phd student at that time..

so..after the guy got into school..he had to jump around other universities in boston to get credits for his coursework cuz the school initially had no plan for phd student that year so that there was no class scheduled before/after giving the admission. 

it is weird but true and he is still TA...

I guess it'd be possible cuz he got good advisor...

if you want to know how it happened, ask BU School of Management..

in my case..i even do not want to know...just..after i heard this from my friend, i do not take count of Phd from BUSM..

[berna]

Hello everyone,

 

I am applying to PhD in Political Science in the States for fall 2014. I am a female, Turkish citizen.

 

B.A. in Political science in Istanbul GPA: 3.19 But ranking: 2nd out of 100

Master's Degree at EHESS Paris in History and Jewish Civilizations GPA 14/20 with cum laude

one year Erasmus student at Sciences-Po de Paris

Gre: V: 155,Q: 156 AWA: 3.5

TOEFL: 101/120 (iBT)

 

Aside my native language Turkish, Fluent in French and English, upper-intermediate in Hebrew,

Research Experience:

a year visiting researcher in Moshe Dayan Center for Middle-Eastern Studies at Tel-Avıv Unıversity

a year junior researcher in a Think-tank based in Istanbul

6 months researcher in OECD in San Diego

 

I did my master's degree with Full scholarship from the French Government.

2 publications on the current Turkey and Israeli relationship

My primary interest is in US foreign policy in the Middle East through Turkey and Israel in a strategic approach.

 

I have already applied to University of Minnesota, George Mason University, U of Virginia, Purdue University, U of connecticut for fall 2014

 

intend to apply: U of Washington in Seattle (Near and Middle Eastern Studies), U of Florida, Suny at Albany, U of Buffalo, UIC, U of Delaware, U of Missisipi 

 

 Do I have the usual credentials of the people that apply, or am I much lower than the average? The universities that I apply or intend to apply are higher than my credentials? If you have any suggestions, please share.

[olekaygee]

OP I would look at UK programmes. I had a BA from South Africa and would have had to endure having that translated into A US GPA, whereas in the UK it was directly understood. There was no application fee with my University which was a bonus, it's getting rather expensive in the States. In the UK the MSc and PhD are separate registrations. I looked into returning to US after finishing my MSc here but the programs I looked at had no information on starting after a completed masters. I didn't fancy retaking a lot of courses, or 7 years FT versus 3 FT here. My PGR programme is purely research based, having completed all the 'courses' in my PGT.

There are some excellent universities over here and studentships are worth looking into.

Definitely look into who specifically you would be working with as your advisor. A good relationship with your advisor can really make or break your PhD life. They might not be perfect, but something like a good sounding board for devising research questions and a similar area of interest research wise is key. They will also be key in your application process.

Edited February 25, 2014 by olekaygee

[persistent_homology]

If you can get funding, the Computational Neuroscience program at Edinburgh looks good.