Phd in Europe

[v2gls]

Hi, i would like to set the following questions and i think that someone who has completed a phd in europe can offer his advice..

I have found that most of the funding organizations (outside of the university) offer support for 3 or 3.5 years..
So , what happens if i need more time to complete my research? Will i have to fund it (with my money) or are there any alternatives ??

Also, if my professor at university offers me funds , will this last until my research is completed? Is there a possibility
after some years to inform me that i will have to support my research from other sources ??

(I have just fininshed my undergraduate studies in maths and i would like to know some basic information about phd's )

[have2thinkboutit]

I have not completed a PhD in Europe but my undergrad as well Masters education has all been completed there. Here is what I do know.

 

1. You said you just finished you undergrad in maths. In Europe it is a LOT less common to go from BA/BSc straight into a PhD program. You may want to look into different Masters programs in your field just in case. I do know that going straight to a PhD is possible if you finished your Bachelors with a research project but doing a Masters first is really a lot more common.

 

2. Because the majority of PhD students in Europe has already completed a Masters, their PhD usually takes about 3 to 4 years full time. That's why funding organizations guarantee a maximum of 3 or 3.5 years of funding. As far as I know, they will not extend beyond that time which means you would have to look for other funding opportunities and re-apply.

 

3. Regardless of whether it's your university or your professor - funding varies and can be for one year or for the whole time of your PhD (limited to 3 years, of course) but that really depends on the school or on the type of funding your professor secured.

 

4. The way that PhDs are funded varies A LOT from one European country to the next! For instance, the UK is a bit more similar to the US (but there is still important differences!) whereas Germany or Sweden often have PhD students like employees where they will do a "job search" for a particular project and you get an employment contract for the duration of the project which will become your thesis. You would really need to check for the typical ways in all of these countries because of this variety,

 

Check out www.findaphd.com - it's mostly about the UK but they also advertize other projects and you may see something that you like.