International Development Applicants 2014/15 for SOAS, IHEID, LSE or Sciences Po?

[dpgu800]

gemy, US college and their price are comparable to other universities in London and Geneva.... Tuition could be lot cheaper in London or Geneva, but again their accommodation cost is 3 times more than in USA..

Is it really that expensive in major European cities like London and Geneva? I hear that a lot, but I'm never sure what that assessment is in relation to.

 

I lived in DC, NY, LA and Santa Barbara CA, and found them all to be very expensive compared to, say, the American Midwest.

I think unless you do a program in a rural/suburban campus in the US, the cost of living shouldn't differ drastically between US vs Europe, as NY and DC cost of living is truly extortionate already.

 

Add the fact that the tuition in Europe is significantly lower (even in expensive UK universities), in terms of money, Europe seems like a good option for me.   

[Curious_Grad]

Is it really that expensive in major European cities like London and Geneva? I hear that a lot, but I'm never sure what that assessment is in relation to.

 

I lived in DC, NY, LA and Santa Barbara CA, and found them all to be very expensive compared to, say, the American Midwest.

I think unless you do a program in a rural/suburban campus in the US, the cost of living shouldn't differ drastically between US vs Europe, as NY and DC cost of living is truly extortionate already.

 

Add the fact that the tuition in Europe is significantly lower (even in expensive UK universities), in terms of money, Europe seems like a good option for me.   

But dont forget the fact, US universities are much generous in terms of scholarship and financial aid, compare to European colleges

[gemy]

Is it really that expensive in major European cities like London and Geneva? I hear that a lot, but I'm never sure what that assessment is in relation to.

 

I lived in DC, NY, LA and Santa Barbara CA, and found them all to be very expensive compared to, say, the American Midwest.

I think unless you do a program in a rural/suburban campus in the US, the cost of living shouldn't differ drastically between US vs Europe, as NY and DC cost of living is truly extortionate already.

 

Add the fact that the tuition in Europe is significantly lower (even in expensive UK universities), in terms of money, Europe seems like a good option for me.   

I go to college in Boston, honestly living cost in Boston is quite similar to NY, but my weekly rent in London is my monthly rent in Boston! it's not just housing but food and transportations and others too. I believe it's for sure so much higher in Europe than in Boston!

 

[dpgu800]

@gemy, @Curious_Grad

 

Wow, it's really that bad?

 

When I was living in DC, I couldn't find any shared room in an apartment/row house that had bus/metro connection within DC that cost less than 900 a month... It's truly hard to believe there's something that could top that.... Christ 

 

And DC wasn't cheap in food and transportation cost either... high sales tax and no monthly metro pass and such....

[mych]

Is it really that expensive in major European cities like London and Geneva? I hear that a lot, but I'm never sure what that assessment is in relation to.

I lived in DC, NY, LA and Santa Barbara CA, and found them all to be very expensive compared to, say, the American Midwest.

I think unless you do a program in a rural/suburban campus in the US, the cost of living shouldn't differ drastically between US vs Europe, as NY and DC cost of living is truly extortionate already.

Add the fact that the tuition in Europe is significantly lower (even in expensive UK universities), in terms of money, Europe seems like a good option for me.

I have no experience with the cost of living in the US, so I can't compare, but perhaps this will help provide a frame of reference for what to expect in Geneva: I currently live in a Swiss city that is on average considered cheaper than Geneva. Without any partying etc my monthly expenses generally hover around CHF2,000. That roughly breaks down to CHF760 for an apartment shared with one other person, CHF300 for compulsory insurance (I believe students pay a quarter to a third of this, though I'm not 100% sure), CHF60 a week on groceries (without much meat), approximately CHF50 per week for subsidised lunches at work, around CHF100-150 for transport if I don't travel much, plus utilities and mobile phone which add another CHF50 monthly (this varies, of course, according to your preferred package).

I imagine the transport costs can be eliminated if we were to live and study in Geneva city, and there are likely savings in insurance as well. Based on the Edgar Picollo housing information IHEID provided, however, it seems that student accommodation will be going for around what I'm paying now.

Edited March 8, 2014 by mych

[dpgu800]

@mych

 

Hmmm... I would say that's about how much I paid in NY and DC as well, minus the insurance bit. 

So I guess I could expect to pay a little bit more in Geneva.

That's a lot of money...

[keithc]

i feel obligated to say that the Edgar de Picciotto Student House stands by the railway, so if you like quiet you might wanna have a second thought before moving in.... of course the location is wonderful. within 5 minutes' walk from the institute.

[Katrun]

There are ways around the mandatory insurance in Switzerland too. It depends what type of insurance you have. I  have international insurance out of Geneva already from my parents and I had to prove it, but then I didn't have to pay that monthly fee.

Look into getting the insurance waived because that would make a significant difference. 

 

I had a year long public transportation pass for my city and it cost about 441chf or you could pay month to month 49chf. You will also have to pay a foreigner tax and things like that about 90chf each time. I imagine this would be much the same in Paris. My phone plan was about 30chf per month. 

[Katrun]

http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/washington-d-c/geneva

 

This is a helpful link to. You can compare cities to each other and see the average cost of certain things. Make sure you read the fine print though. 

 

But what I think we can all take away from this website is how much cheaper a bottle of wine is in Paris/Geneva than in the US.

Edited March 8, 2014 by Katrun

[k_angie]

Wow so much activity on this page. I checked this page after yesterday and I had some 70 notifications. Wow.

Anyway a very hearty congratulations to everyone who got through IHEID, rather for that matter any other place too. Plus this just confirms my suspicion that no one got through the first round. Cuz well people do come and post stuff to look for other people who get through just like the people who posted after they got their acceptances. Anyway I just hope that even the ones from the first round are given a chance and are accepted with scholarships.

Good luck everyone! Come Monday and we shall hear from IHEID.

Plus thanks Katrun and Mych for your detailed description for expenses in Geneva. By using the link Katrun posted, I found out that Paris is cheaper than Geneva like in every sense. Plus I compared prices if living in my home country to Geneva / Paris, the result was shocking. It's almost 400% more expensive to leave in mentioned cities.

In any case, this just shows how much I need a scholarship to survive in either of the cities.

Edited March 8, 2014 by k_angie

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

I currently live in an urban setting in Canada. Cost of living varies depending on the lifestyle you want to leave. Rent ranges anywhere from $400 a month to $4500 for a one bedroom apartment, ranging from dank basements to top luxury condos. Food costs are silly, especially when I compare what I pay for two week's worth of groceries at home in the suburbs vs. the city. I'm used to swallowing those high costs. I feel like efforts can be made to keep the cost of living down (though I can't expect to keep costs the same in Geneva, I know it's more, and the DC Georgetown area is really no better). But the raw difference in tuition for me as an international student makes a big impact: Georgetown SFS tuition is $44,408 a year, Geneva (exchanged to USD) is roughly $5698.66. Plus I feel of the two, Geneva is more likely to give out a more generous scholarship package. But who knows. I might just be naive.

Edited March 8, 2014 by CarefreeWritingsontheWall

[mickun88]

http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/washington-d-c/geneva

 

This is a helpful link to. You can compare cities to each other and see the average cost of certain things. Make sure you read the fine print though. 

 

But what I think we can all take away from this website is how much cheaper a bottle of wine is in Paris/Geneva than in the US.

 

Very good Katrun. I have found a wine mate finally. 

 

We can hit some wineries together in France. 

[dpgu800]

http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living/comparison/washington-d-c/geneva

 

This is a helpful link to. You can compare cities to each other and see the average cost of certain things. Make sure you read the fine print though. 

 

But what I think we can all take away from this website is how much cheaper a bottle of wine is in Paris/Geneva than in the US.

Haha indeed. 

 

But yeah, as I expected food prices are quite outrageous in Geneva...Then again US benefits from multitude of factors that keeps food prices low for most people...

I've lived in East Asia as well, so I guess I'm no stranger to astronomical grocery prices... 

 

I currently live in an urban setting in Canada. Cost of living varies depending on the lifestyle you want to leave. Rent ranges anywhere from $400 a month to $4500 for a one bedroom apartment, ranging from dank basements to top luxury condos. Food costs are silly, especially when I compare what I pay for two week's worth of groceries at home in the suburbs vs. the city. I'm used to swallowing those high costs. I feel like efforts can be made to keep the cost of living down (though I can't expect to keep costs the same in Geneva, I know it's more, and the DC Georgetown area is really no better). But the raw difference in tuition for me as an international student makes a big impact: Georgetown SFS tuition is $44,408 a year, Geneva (exchanged to USD) is roughly $5698.66. Plus I feel of the two, Geneva is more likely to give out a more generous scholarship package. But who knows. I might just be naive.

 

I would think that US universities would def more likely to give out generous financial aid packages than European universities, considering the size of their endowment...

But if I'm not mistaken, isn't it rare, especially for first year students, to receive full funding or 80-90% funding in even the wealthiest US universities?

Even if you get 80% funding on, say $40,000, you would be paying more in tuition at a US university than in IHEID.

And if you are qualified enough to get that much funding out of a US university, I'm sure you can manage to get some funding out of IHEID as well. So all in all, US tuition rate is just absurd... 

Edited March 9, 2014 by dpgu800

[dpgu800]

BTW, has anyone applied to SOAS?

 

I was originally going to apply there, but I may not anymore, at least for a MSc

Still, it'd be useful to have some more info on the school for future reference.

 

I heard their faculty, esp in IDEV, is excellent, tho their ranking and overall reputation has declined in recent years due to several internal problems.

 

Has anyone heard or talked to SOAS students or faculty members?

[Curious_Grad]

BTW, has anyone applied to SOAS?

 

I was originally going to apply there, but I may not anymore, at least for a MSc

Still, it'd be useful to have some more info on the school for future reference.

 

I heard their faculty, esp in IDEV, is excellent, tho their ranking and overall reputation has declined in recent years due to several internal problems.

 

Has anyone heard or talked to SOAS students or faculty members?

Hey Dpgu800, I applied to SOAS and got accepted... I am in touch with one of my friend who goes there and he absolutely love SOAS and their program.

[Calamari2013]

Is it really that expensive in major European cities like London and Geneva? I hear that a lot, but I'm never sure what that assessment is in relation to.

 

I lived in DC, NY, LA and Santa Barbara CA, and found them all to be very expensive compared to, say, the American Midwest.

I think unless you do a program in a rural/suburban campus in the US, the cost of living shouldn't differ drastically between US vs Europe, as NY and DC cost of living is truly extortionate already.

 

Add the fact that the tuition in Europe is significantly lower (even in expensive UK universities), in terms of money, Europe seems like a good option for me.

I can talk about London but I reckon Geneva may be similar. When I did my undergrad in the centre of London, I initially paid about £600 for a tiny, really tiny room in the dorm (no meals included). Sharing a flat will not necesarily be cheaper but you will probably get more space. In my last year I rented a tiny 1-bed flat (zone 4, so pretty far from the centre) for £800 plus utility bills because I was working alongside coursework. Depending on which zone you choose to live, transportation expenses per month can be up to £200 if you live in zone 4 and it gets a bit less the closer to zone 1 you get, but it will still be exorbitant, I'm afraid. The great thing about living in London, I believe, is that cities like Geneva do not seem expensive anymore, or even big cities in the US appear so much more affordable.

[dpgu800]

Hey Dpgu800, I applied to SOAS and got accepted... I am in touch with one of my friend who goes there and he absolutely love SOAS and their program.

Congrats!

SOAS came highly recommended for me as well. One of my profs who wrote me a LOR has great ties with couple of the SOAS profs, and has told me great things about the place. 

But I just wasn't sure if it'd be worth it to pay non-EU tuition for a lesser known school, even if I'd be able to have great academic exp.

As much as I love learning more and doing independent academic research, my aim's to find employment in NY or DC, and from I've seen from my friends/acquaintances go thru, it's quite tough to peak the interests of potential employers with a SOAS degree (but then again that might apply to IHEID as well), unless you have substantial amount of prior WE....

I can talk about London but I reckon Geneva may be similar. When I did my undergrad in the centre of London, I initially paid about £600 for a tiny, really tiny room in the dorm (no meals included). Sharing a flat will not necesarily be cheaper but you will probably get more space. In my last year I rented a tiny 1-bed flat (zone 4, so pretty far from the centre) for £800 plus utility bills because I was working alongside coursework. Depending on which zone you choose to live, transportation expenses per month can be up to £200 if you live in zone 4 and it gets a bit less the closer to zone 1 you get, but it will still be exorbitant, I'm afraid. The great thing about living in London, I believe, is that cities like Geneva do not seem expensive anymore, or even big cities in the US appear so much more affordable.

Wow indeed. Quite expensive...

I'm always amazed at how much money goes into simply getting about a city

The times when I have to worry about transportation cost is when I miss Seoul and its cheap public transportation the most haha

[CarefreeWritingsontheWall]

Haha indeed. 

 

But yeah, as I expected food prices are quite outrageous in Geneva...Then again US benefits from multitude of factors that keeps food prices low for most people...

I've lived in East Asia as well, so I guess I'm no stranger to astronomical grocery prices... 

 

I would think that US universities would def more likely to give out generous financial aid packages than European universities, considering the size of their endowment...

But if I'm not mistaken, isn't it rare, especially for first year students, to receive full funding or 80-90% funding in even the wealthiest US universities?

Even if you get 80% funding on, say $40,000, you would be paying more in tuition at a US university than in IHEID.

And if you are qualified enough to get that much funding out of a US university, I'm sure you can manage to get some funding out of IHEID as well. So all in all, US tuition rate is just absurd... 

I agree! I know I have less of a chance of getting funding from American universities as an international MA student. At least this was what I came across when I was reading up on their financial aid packages. PhD programs tend to get more funding opportunities. fellowships etc. Who knows. My fingers are crossed something works out, otherwise I'm not looking forward to the monster student loans I might have to take out. x_X

[Katrun]

Very good Katrun. I have found a wine mate finally. 

 

We can hit some wineries together in France. 

I have several friends who live in the south of France near some particularly good wineries. I'll decide by next weekend where I am going. I am trying not to rank quality and price of wine too highly on my pro/con list

[dpgu800]

I agree! I know I have less of a chance of getting funding from American universities as an international MA student. At least this was what I came across when I was reading up on their financial aid packages. PhD programs tend to get more funding opportunities. fellowships etc. Who knows. My fingers are crossed something works out, otherwise I'm not looking forward to the monster student loans I might have to take out. x_X

That's one of my fears as well.

I've been looking into scholarship opportunities, but even if I get some third-party funding, I would need some funding from the school to do a program in the US...unless I'm willing to take on student loans...

 

But international students get discriminated against in MA funding opportunities at US universities? I didn't know that.... 

[KafkaOnTheShore]

Hi, guys!

 

I'm new here. I'm glad to have found people who are somehow in the same boat as me. Unlike most of you, I have applied to Sciences Po only, and I have been admitted to the Master Governing the Large Metropolis programme. 

 

Currently, I am waiting for the results of the Eiffel Scholarship, which will not be released until the week of 17 March. Supposing that I don't get the funding for that, my profile will be forwarded to the Emile Boutmy jury for assessment. (Am I right?)

 

The anxiety is building up, and right now, I am keen on looking for other funding possibilities. To those of you who are attending Sciences Po, what other funding sources would you recommend? I come from the Philippines, and the options here are rather limited, if none at all. 

 

I would appreciate any form of advice or recommendation.

 

Cheers!

 

P.S. Congrats to all of you who have been admitted, and all the best to those who still are waiting it out!

Edited March 10, 2014 by KafkaOnTheShore

[mych]

Has anyone heard anything from IHEID today?

Also, has anyone heard anything yet about scholarship decisions at Hertie?

[k_angie]

Hi, guys!

 

I'm new here. I'm glad to have found people who are somehow in the same boat as me. Unlike most of you, I have applied to Sciences Po only, and I have been admitted to the Master Governing the Large Metropolis programme. 

 

Currently, I am waiting for the results of the Eiffel Scholarship, which will not be released until the week of 17 March. Supposing that I don't get the funding for that, my profile will be forwarded to the Emile Boutmy jury for assessment. (Am I right?)

 

The anxiety is building up, and right now, I am keen on looking for other funding possibilities. To those of you who are attending Sciences Po, what other funding sources would you recommend? I come from the Philippines, and the options here are rather limited, if none at all. 

 

I would appreciate any form of advice or recommendation.

 

Cheers!

 

P.S. Congrats to all of you who have been admitted, and all the best to those who still are waiting it out!

 

Hello!

 

A very warm welcome to the thread and congratulations for ScPo. I got through International Development at ScPo and was nominated for the Eiffel scholarship as well. The results are out by 17th March so I am both excited and nervous. Plus yes you are right, if we are not given Eiffel, our profiles will go for Emile.

 

Btw did you apply to Master II de France Scholarship too? I did and i havent heard anything back from them yet! Did you?

[k_angie]

Has anyone heard anything from IHEID today?

Also, has anyone heard anything yet about scholarship decisions at Hertie?

 

Nope. I am waiting and it still says Under Consideration.  

[mickun88]

Has anyone heard anything from IHEID today?

Also, has anyone heard anything yet about scholarship decisions at Hertie?

 

GOod morning mych.

 

I have not heard anything back from IHEID. I really want to know if they have sent out any rejections. Any accepted applicants applied by the first deadline?????? 

 

With regard to the scholarship of Hertie, I did not receive not even 25% of tuition wavier !!!! But it was strange cuz I thought the named scholarships were different from the schools tuition wavier scholarship. But it turned out they are the same. I did not write any article for applying the named scholarships. But the decision email said, the comittee had considered all Hertie afliliated scholarships and decided not to offer me any scholarship. As all named scholarships offer 100% tuition waiver, I thought I would be considered for the school own tuition wavier which was a certain percentage of tuition reduction. However, it was not the case.

 

Good luck