Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

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common_2012
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Joined: Wed May 31, 2017 11:01 pm

Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

Post by common_2012 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:11 pm

As I am planning to start my research in quantum optics and cold atom physics, I heard a lot of big names in Europe. In this field it seems many of the best universities are in Europe :!: For instances I know lab of Bloch's at Max Planck Institute, many more big names in Innsbruck Austria. I don't know why I cannot find many discussions on going abroad to Europe for the opportunities. I guess it may be they offer a master program first? Or are they unfriendly to international applicants outside of the EU? I'd really hope someone on this forum can see this question and possibly help me out. :)

common_2012
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed May 31, 2017 11:01 pm

Re: Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

Post by common_2012 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:15 pm

I guess there are plenty of applicants in EU in this forum. I need your help.. :shock: :D

What about the fundings for graduate students at those institutions?

Caustic
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Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:45 am

Re: Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

Post by Caustic » Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:55 am

Most institutions in Europe indeed require a Master's degree. Funding varies, unsurprisingly, from country to country, but covers life expenses quite well: you can live with 1-2 flatmates just fine (except in Britain maybe, where they sometimes offer PhDs with no funding attached, since it's well known that you don't need to eat or sleep if you live in the UK). Both the places you mentioned are in German-speaking countries. Do you speak German?

common_2012
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed May 31, 2017 11:01 pm

Re: Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

Post by common_2012 » Wed Nov 15, 2017 11:22 pm

Caustic wrote:Most institutions in Europe indeed require a Master's degree. Funding varies, unsurprisingly, from country to country, but covers life expenses quite well: you can live with 1-2 flatmates just fine (except in Britain maybe, where they sometimes offer PhDs with no funding attached, since it's well known that you don't need to eat or sleep if you live in the UK). Both the places you mentioned are in German-speaking countries. Do you speak German?
Thank you Caustic! No I don't speak German but I am pretty interested in the programs in German-speaking regions. Possibly because their names appear frequently when I read papers. :) The UK seems fine to me too, while it seems hard to get in Cambridge or Oxford.. lol. And their non-funded Phd is a concern. I'd rather do a master first indeed. Do you know about good places for quantum optics or cold atoms, or for overall physics? Thx.

Caustic
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 9:45 am

Re: Anyone familiar with well-known institutes in Europe? Are they strict for international applications?

Post by Caustic » Fri Dec 01, 2017 9:20 am

If you want to do a Master's the school doesn't matter as much. I know many places have Master's degrees focused on Quantum Optics, so you should aim to get in one of those to show potential PhD supervisors that you have the skills they want (plus having a specific program is a sign that the university has a large and dynamical group in the area). There is very little funding for Masters degrees, so you need to be able to afford it.



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