Funding Conundrum

[ebrost]

Hi Grad Students,

 

I am in need of some serious advice. I am entering my first year of a PhD program with currently no funding. The program was moved to a new school in the university, so they don't have any start up funds for students at this point (so I'm told). I searched all summer and found an advisor who could fund me to do research with them, which I was thrilled about. This advisor went to bat for me to dig up some funds, but unfortunately red tape from the university prevented me from getting any since we are in different colleges.

 

So, now I am left with a choice: Do I find another advisor that can fund me immediately from my own college, or do I stick it out with this advisor and work for free until we can get a grant? I am worried about offending this advisor who already has already tried to help me out and who's class I am taking.

 

Relevant information: the PhD is in medical physics, this advisor is going to be emeritus in a year.

 

Thank you for your replies.

Edited September 2, 2014 by ebrost

[Cookie]

Can you TA until you find an advisor? In STEM Ph.D. programs, you should never work for free! You follow the money, simple as that!

Edited September 3, 2014 by Cookie

[GeoDUDE!]

You need to do what is best for yourself; If you need funding he will understand. Remember, he was a graduate student once too, and he will remember the hardships of finance  during this time. 

 

Though, I think it is alarming that you are in a stem field and you are not fully funded for your phd. 

[rising_star]

I would definitely follow the money. If you can't get any immediately, defer your admission and start at a later time when you can.

[bsharpe269]

I would definitely follow the money. If you can't get any immediately, defer your admission and start at a later time when you can.

 

^ This

 

I would make sure you are fully funded and if not, defer or apply for other programs for next year. 99% of STEM programs fund their students so choosing to attend one of the few that doesnt makes no sense and is a waste of money.

[TMP]

In that situation, I would walk out until I got any money.

[juilletmercredi]

Agreed with all above.  Don't work for free.  Either find another advisor that can fund you or, if that is not possible, defer your admission until funding is found.

[Taeyers]

Don't work for free "until you can get a grant". That could take far longer than you hope.

 

First try to find an advisor that you are allowed to be funded by, and if you can't or have no interest in the projects that faculty with funding are undertaking, then tell you DGS or department head that you'll have to leave the program due to the fact that your options are so limited. Make sure you know the full list of faculty whom you could consider, and work with the DGS on sorting out all your options. My department (also in the biomedical sciences at UMN, not that it's very relevant) has a list of core faculty, a just-as-long list of adjunct faculty whose primary appointments are in other departments, and strangely enough, a few professors that take our department's students that are not on either list. I've personally seen much more flexibility than I ever expected in accommodating students and handling problems, so don't be afraid to ask. 

 

For what it's worth, I doubt your current advisor would be offended about you not wanting to work for free for an undetermined amount of time. That would be a big overreaction to a perfectly practical choice on your part. As far as I've seen, if a student really wants to work with someone who can't offer funding, they either bite the bullet and move on or work out a co-advisorship with another lab that can fill in the funding gap.