Applying Grad School Abroad

[whidden00]

Hey guys, 

 

I just finished my undergrad a month ago and I plan to work for a non-profit organization for the next year. I've been flirting with the idea of applying to MA programs in Europe (I've found some MA programs which teach in English and offer free tuition to both EU and non-EU students). Would it be wise to attend an MA program in Europe (a lesser known school that isn't LSE, Cambridge, Oxford, etc.) for a cheap price and then apply to Ph.D programs in the States? My motivation for applying to MA programs abroad is cheap tuition and a chance to raise my GPA for a stronger Ph.D application. I've read that MA programs in Europe aren't research-intensive, so that's a big concern for me when I apply to Ph.D programs. 

 

Right now I'm torn between Public Policy, Political Science, and Philosophy programs. I know, very different areas of focus. 

 

What are your thoughts? 

 

Thanks for the help! 

[perpetuavix]

At least in philosophy, doing a Masters in Europe might not increase your competitiveness for a PhD, especially if you're not talking about a well known school. There are a number of partially and fully funded MAs for philosophy in North America that might be more worthwhile: 

[whidden00]

Perpetuavix, 

 

Thanks for the link! Do you think paying more money for a MA from an American institution is worth it? I'm not looking at a MA in Europe to boost my chances for a Ph.D. My motivation for looking at Europe schools is strictly for the cheaper tuition.