The answer is obvious – to successfully pass the entrance exams. But what to do if you are a few points short of the cherished goal? You can study for a fee, try your luck at another university or delay the attempt to enter graduate school for a year or two. Or you can make sure in advance and reserve some extra points for admission. How to do it – tell us in our today’s article.
What Is Graduate School and Why Go There?
Graduate school is a form of postgraduate education aimed at training research and teaching staff for higher education institutions and research institutes. During your studies, you will learn how to do research on your own and prepare a PhD thesis. It’s up to you whether or not you defend your dissertation. If a graduate student fails to defend his or her dissertation, he or she receives a certificate of completion of graduate school and passing the examinations of the candidate’s minimum (if he or she manages to pass the examinations).
What Does Postgraduate Study Entail?
Firstly, it is participation in research and development activities, which are often funded by government organizations and various scientific and charitable foundations. Secondly, it is a line on the resume, which will help move up the career ladder and get a raise. Third, an important benefit for full-time students is a deferment from military service.
Documents For Admission To Graduate School
-Passport or identity card proving nationality.
-Copy of diploma of higher vocational education or diploma of master’s degree;
-Сurriculum vitae;
-Recommendation from the workplace (minutes of the Academic Council meeting or the recommendation of the SAC, if the applicant has just graduated from the university);
-Certificates of individual achievements, taking into account in admission to this university.
-Мedical certificate;
-Аn abstract on the intended topic of research.
It is worth noting the following point. According to the new rules of admission to graduate school, organizations can accept documents and conduct entrance examinations before the applicant receives a diploma of higher education in his hands. The original diploma will need to be submitted before admission to graduate school. This means that you do not have to worry in case of a delay in the delivery of diplomas at the end of high school. As for the consideration of individual achievements in the admission to graduate school, more and more universities require them to submit them in the form of a portfolio, which includes many documents.
Why Is “Free” In Quotes?
Because universities charge fees from their students, for example for the use of the library and gym, etc. Fees can range from 42 to 350 euros per semester. Also, if you got into one of these “free” universities and did not look for additional funding, then to get a visa you will need to open a bank account in the country where you want to go to study and have there enough money, by the standards of the government, for accommodation and food for the entire period of study. If the subject of European education interests you, you can choose the university on a special website.
The duration of training in a Master’s degree is 2 years, with the exception of Britain – usually 1 year. The money you can withdraw monthly is no more than a certain amount. Let’s say in Germany, the living wage per month is about 600 euros (the figure is approximate), you have to go to the bank account 600 * 24 months. And you can withdraw 600 euros a month – no more. If you do not accumulate the amount – you will not be given a visa. There is an option without the account – to look for a scholarship, even if it will not fully cover the cost of living, you will not have to bother with opening an account in another country, to look for a guarantor, etc.
Money
How do I find a scholarship to study abroad? There are several common avenues: host government scholarship, university scholarship, NGO grants, native government scholarships, etc.
Host government. For example, there are many grants, which is allocated by the European Union for citizens of third countries. The most famous is Erasmus Mundus. This program covers the full cost of a master’s degree and accommodation. Disadvantages – you cannot choose the universities in which you want to study. I.e. you come to the program, the description of which is usually 4 or 6 partner universities, there are 12 and 15 pieces. So, you can be sent to any two of them.
You can, of course, specify a preference, but you do not choose, but the program coordinators. There are good programs with interesting universities, which is very real to come to, there is an unrealistically difficult program (four scholarships, the Russians have never been granted before), there are universities in the ass of the world, can give one very good school somewhere in London, the second year will be in Lithuanian or Polish provincial town to go and learn Polish summer in the countryside. If you decide to go to study, go to the websites of the government of the country, almost all countries in Europe offer grants or scholarships for foreign students. Most of them are published in English. For example, the Chevening grant for studying in the UK covers tuition + board and lodging + flight.
Grants
Non-governmental organizations, private foundations, etc. patrons can pay for study abroad. You have to look for them manually and by yourself. Requirements range from age and nationality to sexual preference. They can give grants (in the US) to atheists, agnostics, skeptics, gamers, single girls, women over 50, twins, people who can call ducks, Star Trek fans, etc. They like to give grants to women and girls who want to do natural, exact sciences, programming.
Thus, graduate school is suitable for those who gravitate to teaching or plan to further engage in theoretical and practical research. It is impossible for a student to become a graduate student if he or she has not completed a master’s degree. So, you should think about whether you want to go straight to work or whether you plan to finish your master’s degree while you are still in the middle of your bachelor’s degree. What’s more, you may very well be able to attend graduate school for free!