European Masters

[Dominic Wendell]

Hi everyone! This is my first topic (and post) so hopefully I'm doing this right. 

Im just looking for any advice right now with regards to the decisions I'm going to have to make next year that I'm very nervous about. Right now I'm doing my undergrad in Neuroscience at the University of Toronto and my plan was always (if med school didn't happen) to do a Masters in Genetics or Developmental Bio. I started looking at some other programs and then one thing led to another and I stumbled upon this gem of a program at UPMC-Sorbonne University:

http://www.master.bmc.upmc.fr/en/02_international/01_BioDev/index.php (International Master: From Molecular Developmental Biology to Biomedicine, Evolution and Systems Biology)

I've always wanted to do a PhD in France (partially because of the cultural enhancements) but mostly because the 3-4year research intense EU PhD sounds a lot more appealing than the 5-7 year teaching/researching/networking/starving slog we have here. Im just assuming a Masters in France would better prepare me for a PhD there too.  

My main concerns now are:

1. Can I get in (cumulativeGPA: 3.52/4 - annualGPA: 3.88/4 - 1 publication in the works - 2 research paid internships)

2. Can a foreigner make enough connections and get enough publications to secure a PhD position?

3. UofT (and many canadian schools) pay their masters students - are non-paid masters "a cut-below"

4. Is this school any good? It seems to maybe be the best research University in all of France but the rankings are all over the place (but that may just be a result of anglo-bias)

5. Could I come back to Canada - maybe try the UK?

NOTE: I have no desire to ever live in America so that "weakness" of EU programs not being respected there isn't really relevant to me. 

Thanks SO MUCH to anyone who can give me any advice or input

Have a great day!

Edited October 20, 2016 by Dominic Wendell