claphamer

Hullo everyone,

I like to be very prepared so I have previously posted about thinking of moving, possible locations etc. Things have moved on since then and I have made a few fortuitous career connections which may lead to a PhD opportunity in a couple of years time. I'm not an idiot and know that PhD salaries are not wonderful, but whereas in the UK they tend to be a stipend that is quoted or at least banded, I can't find many examples in Canada. I think it is likely that this would be based in Calgary or Saskatchewan, where obviously I assume there is a difference in the cost of living. As it is unlikely I would be moving for a couple of years I would like to start saving and planning asap. If anyone would mind answering a couple of questions that would be great.

- how much in savings should I be bringing as moving expenses? I have seen completely varying amounts quoted on the forum, and I assume I would need to pay for this myself.
- Any salary expectations/advice/knowledge? Is it a stipend system like some UK PhDs or is it a salary?
- Visas: I would be eligible for EE and PR anyway as I have enough points on the CRS tool - should I apply for this route regardless or use the visa option the university would give me? Speaking of which, what would that be?
- is it usual in Canada for people to supplement their income during study or do people make do? This would affect the amount of money I would save to bolster my income as well.

I think that's it for now but will probably have more questions as we go along. Cheers all!

christmasoompa

Just moving expenses, or moving expenses and setting up life in Canada expenses as well? If both, then this thread has some useful figures in - cost of moving to canada. Is it just you, or your and spouse, or you and family?

Sorry, not a clue. Hopefully somebody like Novo will see this and comment though.

If you are definitely eligible (what is your current score, and what will you score in 2 years time, will you have lost points due to age?), then I'd apply for PR personally. That way you're not reliant somebody else sponsoring you, or tied to them, and you can also work when you want (see below).

It's usual, but will depend on the visa you're on as to how much you're allowed to work - it's restricted on a work permit.

claphamer

Thanks!

Edit: hope the formatting isn't too glaring here!

scilly

I believe PhD students are usually paid by grant money obtained by their supervisor. Each university seems to have a range of salaries for PhD students, depending on their faculty, field of work, and year.

You may also have to do some course work leading to an exam before you are officially accepted to do your PhD, drop down to a Masters', or (heaven forbid) leave. Courses cost money, and you will also have to pay fees for each year of study.

Depending on your faculty/field of study, you may find that your supervisor expects you to take longer than 3 years ............ at UBC for example, many PhDs in science take 4-5 years especially when field work is necessary (botany, zoology).

You might also be required to act as TA for your supervisor or in other undergrad courses run by other faculty

I suggest that you look at requirements for PhD students at each and every university that you are considering and see what their requirements are regarding courses needed, fees for PhD and for courses required for you to take, work allowed, salaries, etc etc etc

claphamer

Thanks for this. Yep being a TA is normal so I'm prepared and excited for that. Interesting that they may take longer, most of the ones I've seen so far seem to be 3 years although yes it would be a science based PhD so worth noting. Probably makes the case for PR?

Would this count as "work" or "study"? Wondering about the CEC for PR if I applied once over there as opposed to before I go.

suzeandmatt

christmasoompa

Can I count my work as a teaching assistant toward the work experience requirement?

HTH.

claphamer

Looks like that will probably be a no then as I assume a PhD counts as full time study.

claphamer

That's what I thought. Similar to a PhD here like you say. Going to have to save +++ I think.

scilly

Every PhD student that I have known, mainly in Botany and Zoology, has been REQUIRED to be a TA as it is considered part of their training ........... the teaching is almost always in the discipline that the student is studying, eg fern systematics and genetics, as the well-rounded fully knowledgeable student in every aspect of botany or zoology of many years ago is almost never found these days as undergrads seem to specialise much earlier than they did in the pre-1950s or '60s.

Almost all of the students have been "foreign' students here on a study visa. I'm almost certain that being a TA during term time counts as part of the studying towards a PhD ...............

BUT these are questions to ask of the university and their Graduate Student programme ........ many of them will actually be answered online without you having to contact a living person, but you will also get that link.


I urge you to do as I suggested in my earlier post ............ go online to each and every university in which you are interested, and VERY carefully read everything that is available from that university regarding their rules and regulations, fees, salaries, requirements, aid (eg possible scholarships and bursaries), legalities, etc etc etc


As regards the time taken to complete a PhD .............. UBC allows a grad student to register each year for 7 years before lowering the boom and saying "no longer". Other universities may have shorter or longer.

Most of your first year will be taken up by doing the courses laid out for you by your Committee (consisting of your supervisor and 3 or 4 other faculty members) and setting up your project idea. That Committee will meet with you within the first few weeks after you arrive.

You take what is called a Comprehensive Exam when you have finished taking all the required courses ....... this could be in the first year, at the end of the first school year or in the second year, depending on how many courses you are required to take.

Then you have to do your research, submit results, have them accepted by your supervisor (maybe also by your Committee), and begin to write.

Your thesis has to be submitted to the Committee Members, which by now will also include an "outside examiner" .................... the decision on when to submit the "completed" thesis is determined largely by your supervisor.

Only after the Committee has seen the thesis, and accepted it can your PhD Defense Examination be set. One or more of the Committee members (in addition to your Supervisor) may require you to make major changes in the thesis before they will accept it.

This is why I say that most of the ones I have known have taken 4-5 years to complete, write and defend. Those students have been from universities across the country, and it is the rare one who has finished everything including defense in 3 years.


I've known of university professors who never allowed a PhD student to leave in less than 5 years, and who in addition refused to allow any woman to finish in less than the full 7 years. He always found "one more thing that you need to do".

I've known one grad student who had problems with his supervisor, dropped out (by mutual agreement) after 3 years, then got the urge back in year 5 of eligibility and was taken on by another faculty member. He then had to ask the University Senate for permission to extend his eligibility from 7 years to 9.

I've known a grad student in Chemistry whose supervisor gave his students projects to do, and he expected to get a certain result to the research. This poor guy found different results, was taken off the research and given another project. Again he found a different result and was taken off the research and given another project.

We met him at that point, he was very discouraged, as you may imagine, and was talking of just dropping out of university. He was in his 3rd year, and we persuaded him to see if he could get dropped down to a Masters degree, finish the project and at least get something for 3-4 years of study.

He managed to do that, even though, once again, he didn't get the result that the supervisor expected ....... the supervisor agreed to accept his research results for a Masters Degree.

There was a very strange follow-up to this story ......... a couple of years later, another grad student was given that 3rd project, and he found exactly the same result as had the guy we knew. That intrigued the supervisor, who had a couple of students work on it. One of them got a PhD based on the research begun by our guy ............ it turned out that he'd found a "new" metal, and he ended up with his name on several research papers which were all built on the work he did to get his Masters.

Now, in my opinion, that supervisor was a jerk! But then all my training is in Botany and Zoology where you most certainly do not always get the result expected (or that you have decided must be).

claphamer

Yeah I've heard some truly awful horror stories like these. It does almost put me off but unfortunately I think my career is going to stagnate without one so once I've finished my part-time MSc I will probably be looking to move on into academia. I really enjoy teaching so the TA stuff is a bonus for me. What I will do is look at the one Uni that has my interest area here and compare it very carefully with the Canadian ones as you suggest, as well as a couple based elsewhere and see. I like being very methodical about these things so it will be interesting to see what comes out on top.

scilly

Always remember that you can plan to the nth degree, but something will always change.