The PhD experience worldwide

The most popular career path after graduation in Life Sciences is definitely academia, starting with a PhD. You could do your PhD anywhere in the world and you will find it is slightly different in each country. I was wondering what the differences are, so I’ve been collecting info from PhD candidates all over the world. Here is the result.

How to find a PhD?

This was actually one of the questions in my survey, but I soon realised that it is very similar everywhere in the world where there are no fixed application dates for PhD programmes (like some universities in the USA, UK, Germany, India, Singapore, and maybe more). Some countries have a PhD vacancy database/website (like the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway). There are also PhD vacancy websites for multiple countries like euraxess, findaphd.com, phdportal.eu, and jobs.ac.uk/phd. It is also worthwhile to keep an eye on the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Research Fellowship Programmes, known for their international approach. 

Here are the other ways of finding a PhD anywhere in the world:

• At your previous master thesis/internship lab – either by asking your supervisor or because the lab/department first tries to find a candidate within their community before posting it externally.
• Through your professor’s contacts/recommendations. Sometimes even through friend’s recommendations.
• Via open applications
• Get a grant/scholarship by writing a proposal yourself – possibly with guidance from a professor to drastically increase your chances (because of his/her knowledge, but also because of the name)
• Network like crazy!!

The Netherlands

Let’s start right here, in the Netherlands. One of the things I like most is this website. Nearly all universities and research institutes will post their PhD vacancies here. The language is not a problem, everyone speaks English – even my grandma does. Depending on where you are from there will be cultural differences. This website about our strange but funny Dutch customs written by someone from the US is simply awesome. A PhD usually takes 4 years, during which you have to attend a few courses (which ones you decide with your supervisor and depends on your graduate programme). When your department/group is also providing courses at the university there is a big chance you will be doing some teaching and supervising alongside your project. Your thesis will consist of and introduction, your papers as individual chapters and an overall discussion. The minimum number of papers (published, submitted or ready to submit) is usually 4. Your university/supervisor decides how many of those you need to publish as first author; all is not unheard of. I have noticed terminology can be a little confusing. Dutch PhD candidates have a promotor. This person can only be a full professor, and is the chair of the examination committee. In case a lower-ranked faculty member is your direct supervisor, this person is your co-promotor. The Dutch PhD defence is a formal ceremony. Colleagues, family and friends are in the audience, the questioning takes one hour exactly and even before it starts you know you will get your certificate that same day. Read more about what it’s like here. A PhD candidate in the Netherlands is an official job position; you get salary (around €1600 after taxation in your first year), you have to pay tax, your retirement money starts building up, you need a health insurance, etc.

Now for the other countries I will keep it short, because it will already be long enough.

West/central Europe

Country: UK

Language: English

Duration: 3 or 4 years

PhD programme: A few courses (2-4 per year), no teaching. After the defence, called viva, you make the last adjustments to your thesis and submit it.

Publications and thesis: No compulsory publications. Thesis is a monography, consisting of 4-5 chapters. A thesis having papers as individual chapters is also possible in some universities, called a publication-based thesis.

PhD defence: Is like an interrogation with 2 eternal experts who have read your thesis. It can take a few hours behind closed doors.

Salary: About £1150 (€1600) per month; £1400 (€2000) for rotation-programme students. No pension, no need to pay health insurance, no taxes. Tuition fees have to be paid, but are usually taken care of by the employer. To give you an idea of the living expenses; rent in a relatively cheap city (Norwich) is about £500 each month (unfurnished, no shared facilities).

What else to know: Rotation programme applications take place every year or 6 months via the universities website.

Country: Germany

Language: English. Learning German will benefit you since not everyone outside of the lab speaks (good) English.

PhD website: daad.de Some institutes have seasonal application procedures, like the Max Planck Institute.

Duration: 3 years (nearly everyone needs an extension), except some institutes 3.5-4 years.

PhD programme: Following courses or teaching is not compulsory, but possible. Some institutes have slightly different PhD programmes. They work with rotations (working in different groups/labs at the start of the PhD for about 1 month each as part of your training, before joining one specific lab) and you attend all your courses in the first year.

Publications and thesis: 3 papers, 1 accepted, 1 first author

PhD defence: Less formal compared to the Netherlands; more like a seminar.

Salary: About €1100 per month after taxation. Health insurance is taken care of. Living expenses are lower compared to the Netherlands.

Country: Belgium

Language: English. You can manage with English in the bigger cities as well, but it’s a bigger challenge in other places. You might need to learn either Dutch or French, depending on where you are staying.

Duration: 4 years (flexible: 3-5 years)

PhD programme: A few courses each year. It is also possible to be a teaching assistant during Master courses and supervise students during their Master thesis.

Publications and thesis: Minimum differs a lot between universities or even between faculties. At least 1 paper as first author to successfully finish the PhD, but more is better. Preferably 4. Thesis is similar to the Netherlands: introduction – written/published papers – discussion.

PhD defence: Similar to the Netherlands.

Salary: If the salary is paid from the grant there is no need to pay tax. About €1850-2000 per month. Rent is a little cheaper compared to the Netherlands, but food is a bit more expensive. One of the PhD candidates mentioned to spend about €1200 per month.

What else to know: The Belgians are much more reserved/polite compared to the Dutch. Dutch ways could sometimes be perceived as rude/arrogant. I think that is true for many countries, so Dutchies,.. turn it down a little.

Country: France

Language: English. Knowing French will help you outside of the lab.

Duration: 3 years, possible extension for a few months up to 1 year.

PhD programme: At least 3 courses and extra non-scientific courses (for example on how to manage stress). At least once participate as a speaker during an international conference. Teaching possible via a yearly contract with the university, which you get paid for.

Publications and thesis: 1 paper published, not necessarily first author. Thesis is a manuscript of about 150 pages, in which you can annex your papers.

PhD defence: 45 minutes of presentation, followed by questions by 3 examiners (1 external)

Salary: Depends on the funding for your project. Approximately €1350 per month if you are paid by the university, €1400-1500 if you get paid from another funding (± €250 extra for teaching). It is possible you have to pay fees for the subscription to the university. You start saving for your future retirement and health insurance is taken care of. Living expenses at its minimum is about €700-800.

Country: Switzerland

Language: English in the lab. Switzerland has for official languages: German, French, Italian and Romantsch. German and French are spoken most often, depending on the region.

Duration: 3 years. Extensions are common (and most often paid either by the university or the government)

PhD programme: Need 12 ECTS worth of courses

Publications and thesis: About 3 publications is a good basis for the thesis, in which the publications are the individual chapters.

PhD defence: Takes about one hour, in which you present your work and questions are asked. It is possible you have to adjust your thesis after the defence to successfully finish your PhD. 

Salary: Good enough to save some money as well. You also start building up money for your retirement. Living expenses are quite high.

Country: Austria

Language: English. The official language in Austria is German.

Duration: 3 years. Extensions are possible, but depends on the funding.

PhD programme: 20 ECTS for courses during the whole programme, no teaching. Attend at least 1 conference per year.

Publications and thesis: 2 publications as first author. The thesis consists of published papers, but a monograph is also possible.

PhD defence: Takes about 1 hour in total, with audience and 3 examiners.

Salary: About €1400 per month after taxation. Living expenses are about €800 per month.

Scandinavia

Country: Norway

Language: English

PhD website: jobbnorge.no 

Duration: 3 years for a externally funded project (extension possible); 4 years if there is a position at a university (paid extension is more difficult).

PhD programme: University funded: 75% research, 25% teaching. Mid-term evaluation by external supervisor.

Publications and thesis:  At least 1 publication as a first author, but preferably more. All papers together form the thesis.

PhD defence:

Salary: About 25000 NOK per month after taxation (€2850). This seems like a lot, but your living expenses will be high (a studio could cost 8500 NOK or more per month). You need a health insurance and you start saving for your pension. Education in Norway is free, so no tuition fees.

Country: Sweden

Language: English.

Duration: 4-5 years, depending on teaching. In case of 5 years; 80% research, 20% teaching. No paid extensions possible, except in some cases (illness, pregnancy, etc).

PhD programme: Candidates need to follow courses and/or attend conferences worth 50 ECTS in total

Publications and thesis: No requirements, but expectations: at least 3 papers out of which 2 as a first author. The thesis consists of your papers/manuscripts and a small review about your field.

PhD defence: It takes about 3 hours in total during which the thesis is presented and a discussion between the PhD candidate and the main opponent is started. After this, the other opponents ask their questions. Finally, the audience (colleagues, friends and family) is also allowed to ask questions.

Salary: Starts at about €1500 per month after taxation and goes up to €2000 per month. You pay tax and automatically have a health insurance. In case of illness you also get paid by the government/lab. Pension is also automatically accumulated. Sweden is an expensive country to live in. Rent outside of Stockholm’s city center is around €800 per month and food is very expensive.

Country: Finland

Language: Working language is English.

Duration: 4 years. However, most of the time it takes longer.

PhD programme: Generally 40 – 60 ECTS worth of courses. Sometimes teaching is required.

Publications and thesis: 3-5 publications are required. Sometimes a monography may be accepted as a thesis, but is not very common.

PhD defence: Friends, relatives and colleagues usually attend the defence. It is very formal, starting with a 20 minute lectio praecursoria (general talk) followed by a discussion with the opponent for 2-3 hours. Afterwards a formal dinner with colleagues, faculty members and the opponent.

Salary: It depends on the source of the money; a research institute, a graduate school, a grant. There are no standards. Between €2000-3000 per month if officially employed (also start saving for pension). Salary from a grant is normally more modest. A city like Helsinki is expensive to live in, but the salary is still decent in the end. No huge savings.

Mediterranean Europe

Country: Italy

Language: It is possible that people speak Italian in the lab/at work.

Duration: 3 years. Payment for the full PhD is not guaranteed, but depends on your employer.

PhD programme: Only research, no courses or teaching. It is possible you have to get enough credits during your PhD which you obtain by attending seminars/conferences.

Publications and thesis: Papers make up your thesis, but publications are not mandatory to successfully finish the PhD.

PhD defence: It’s a formal ceremony with audience (professors, other PhD candidates and researchers). For example; 25 minutes for the presentation, followed by questions from 3 experts for 10 minutes.

Salary: The salary differs from place to place. Sometimes it is low, if there is a salary at all. In other cases the salary is fixed for 3 years, and is sufficient to pay for your living costs.

Country: Portugal

Language: English. Understanding Portuguese is very helpful though.

Duration: 3-4 years. Possibility to get a position as a post-doc to finish papers.

PhD programme: 2 months of courses, no teaching.

Publications and thesis: 1 first author paper published.

PhD defence: unknown

Salary: It depends on the source of the money. When that is a scholarship (no need to pay taxes) it is enough to put some money aside.

Outside of Europe

Country: USA

Language: English

How to find a PhD: Most PhD programmes start in fall, and you have to start applying almost a year in advance. Most application deadlines are between November and January. One is expected to take GRE, TOEFL and subject GRE. Application info can be found through the university’s website. PhD applications are first selected on the basis on the scores by the admissions office and are then sent out for review to professors. They assess the statement of purpose, resume and broad aims mentioned by the student. It helps if you have written to professors in the department of your interest, expressing your eagerness in their work and university, but you will always have to apply through the general graduate admission.

Duration: Officially 5 years (biology). In reality many people take 6 years. Funding is not guaranteed.

PhD programme: Rotations are common, but not all labs work with this system. A rotation programme could look like this: 3 courses per semester and 3 rotations of 10 weeks each during the first year. Later on there is more time for research and teaching instead of courses. You apply to a lab rather than to a programme. The ‘programme’ consists of 2 years of courses and 3 years of research, but there is some overlap. Most programmes will guarantee a teaching position throughout your PhD for which you get paid. Attending conferences is advisable, if not compulsory.

Publications and thesis: The requirements differ between programmes and labs. Some might ask for at least 3 publications as a first author, others allow you to graduate with only 1 paper. A thesis could consist be a collection of your papers as the individual chapters, but it could also be a monograph.

PhD defence: Relatively formal, 45-50 min presentation of your work to a general audience (department, family and anyone interested) and then a private defence with your committee members (about 2-3 hours). Sometimes defence does not take place behind closed doors, and is open to the audience as well.

Salary: Your salary strongly depends on your location in the US and if you are at a public or private university. It also depend on if you earn money by teaching or if your salary is paid from a fellowship. The following is an example of Chapel Hill: if you earn your money by teaching the salary is $23,000-24,000 per year (€1750 per month); some fellowships go up to $30,000 per year (€2200 per month). This income is enough to live well (2 bedroom apartment, car, etc), but this also depends on the area you live in. E.g., New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, San Francisco and others are more expensive than Tempe, Utah, Cornell, Minnesota, Michigan etc. PhD candidates have to pay tax; 14-15% is withheld as tax (but depends on where you live) and another 50-60% can be assumed to be used for living expenditures. Pensions differs from place to place. Health insurance is included most of the time. Sometimes tuition fees need to be paid (by employer), other fees (gym, IT services, etc) need to be paid for by the PhD candidate.

What else to know: You don’t need a Master Degree to start a PhD in the US; Bachelor is enough.

Country: Russia

Language: Russian. The courses are also in Russian.

Duration: 3 years. It is easy to get an extension, however without payment.

PhD programme: Compulsory courses during the first year. Teaching within the PhD programme is very rare.

Publications and thesis: 1 publication as first author is the minimum. The thesis is a monograph, consisting of an introduction, methods, results and discussion.

PhD defence: 15 minute presentation followed by questioning from 2 opponents, the committee and others. 10-12 committee members is normal.

Salary: Small governmental stipend and free housing when they are from a different city.

Country: India

Language: English

How to find a PhD:  Vacancies/application dates are posted on institute’s websites. There is a fixed time for applications, like in the USA. Usually twice a year; once a year for some institutes. There are entrance exams followed by personal interviews. Sometimes the candidate has to write a proposal, which is followed by the interview.

Duration: 5-6 years. A PhD after Bachelors takes 6 years; 5 years for PhD after Masters. Extension depends on the progress and payment depends on the funds. It is possible to get a first, paid extension for 3-6 months. Any extension after that is unpaid.

PhD programme: Some institutes/universities work with lab rotations (1.5 months each), but not all. Courses are compulsory. Teaching is not required, but it is possible. Attending international and national conferences in encouraged.

Publications and thesis: It depends on the university/institute. At least 1 publication as first author, sometimes 2. Both a publication bases thesis as well as a monography are accepted. It depends on your university/institute’s preference.

PhD defence: Final seminar followed by questions, about 1 hour in total. Professors of the department along with post-docs, PhD candidates and students are in the audience. Sometimes the seminar is followed by a viva behind closed doors with the advisor, thesis committee and the external.

Salary: The institute/university usually provides hostels and charge minimal for food and lodging. The salary is enough for 1 person, but not enough for a family. Since the salary is most often paid from a scholarship there is no need to pay taxes. Health insurance is taken care of. An example of an Indian research institute: 28000 INR per month (~€400).

What else to know: Possible to start your PhD with just a Bachelor Degree

Country: Singapore

Language: English, but many students are Chinese (and thus don’t speak English to each other). Singapore is very multicultural.

How to find a PhD:  Applications through the university’s website. It’s similar to the USA system, where you apply for PhD programmes at fixed times of the year, even when you already have good contacts with a lab/professor.

Duration: 4 years on average, and can be extended to 5 years. Payment in case of an extension is not guaranteed.

PhD programme: About 2 years of courses (2 per semester) and teaching after passing the qualification exam. All other time is spend on research.

Publications and thesis: There is no fixed number of publications, but at least 1 publication as a first author is expected. The papers make up the different chapters of your thesis. In other cases an elaborate description of your research    is more suitable.

PhD defence: Formal presentation for 40 minutes for students and staff followed by questions from 3-4 examiners.

Salary: There is a stipend for PhD candidates, enough to put some money aside to safe a little. Tuition fee and insurance coverage are taken care of by the employer, but not during the extension time.

What else to know: Possible to start your PhD with just a Bachelor Degree

Country: New Zealand

Language: English

Duration: 3 years. Extension is very common, and usually unpaid.

PhD programme: Courses, teaching and conferences are not compulsory.

Publications and thesis: Publications are not compulsory. A monograph is the common form of a thesis.

PhD defence: Previous presentation of your results in a seminar setting. Questions from the supervisors and 3 examiners, without an audience. No time limit.

Salary: $25000 per year. That’s about €1270 per month. Fees have to be paid; sometimes by the institute/university, sometimes you have to pay them yourself or from your scholarship.

Yes, you’ve reached the end of this post. Thank you for reading, haha! This list is long, but not nearly complete. I also realise that there will always be differences between universities/institutes and sometimes even between departments. The vast majority of the info presented here is based on the answers from one or two PhD candidates in that country. Whatever is mentioned here is not necessarily always the case, so please feel free to leave your comments below or on Facebook if you want to add/correct something about one of the countries, or even add a country to the list.

AND I want to thank everyone for taking the time to answer my questions, forward the survey link, or both. Thanks everyone!

Last update: 22-06-2015