Pursuing higher education abroad, especially in the U.S. and Canada, is a cherished dream for many Indian students. Yet many highly qualified students are unable to study abroad merely because they do not have the financial means to do so. Do you want to know about phd in usa for indian students with scholarship? Are you a student trying to know about scholarship to study in USA for Indian students? Are you interested in finding out more about full scholarships for international students in USA? Have you checked scholarships for Indian students to study in UK without getting anywhere? If so, you have come to the right place?! However, before we jump in, let’s talk about the background information

PhD opportunities in the USA – what’s on offer for 2020?

The popularity of the USA as a study abroad destination shows no real sign of waning, with almost 1 million international students at its universities and colleges. To put the sheer size of that figure into perspective, there are more British students studying overseas in the USA than there are total students at some universities in the UK.

It’s at PhD-level that the USA really shines though. America’s rigorous approach to graduate study delivers a standard of training and professional development that often surpasses the minimum requirement for a more ‘traditional’ research-focused doctorates in other countries.

Here are a few reasons to consider the USA for your PhD right now:

• Accessibility – A US graduate programme takes longer than a UK PhD, but this can also help you find your feet as a PhD student. Instead of being required to focus immediately on your dissertation proposal you’ll have the time to first develop a more detailed understanding of your subject as the basis for your own research.
• World-leading universities and research – Rankings aren’t everything, but the upper reaches of global league tables continue to be dominated by US institutions. Amongst other things, this reflects the country’s substantial investment in research output and expertise.
• International community – US universities are used to hosting huge numbers of overseas students from countries across the world. Whatever and wherever you study you’ll be welcomed as part of a diverse academic community.
• Innovation – The USA is more of a (post)graduate trendsetter than it’s sometimes given credit for being. America was the second country (after Germany) to adopt the modern PhD degree and its own structured approach to doctoral training is now influencing PhD study in the UK and Europe.
• Breadth of opportunity – With 50 states, six time zones and thousands of higher education providers, it’s fair to say that student life in the USA has something to offer you, whatever you’re seeking from PhD study.

Method of Study

Compared to the UK and Europe, studying a PhD in the USA has a number of key differences. Students in the USA are usually in direct contact with their professor, compared with in the UK where students might find that their PhD program is headed by a professor who gives them a little less flexibility to change their research and study areas. There is a cultural difference between PhD students in the USA and those the UK and Europe as well. PhD students in the USA are usually expected to undertake a great deal of teaching and marking, compared with PhD students in Europe who are not usually expected to do so much. This can mean that undertaking a PhD in the USA will usually result in less free time outside of the university, and your work/life
balance can be tipped towards working. 

Application for PhD In USA

In the UK and Europe students decide their PhD thesis subject area before they apply. However, in the USA potential PhD students will spend up to a year or two deciding on their specific research subject while undertaking classes at a graduate level. It is normal to apply for up to six institutions for a PhD in the USA, and students apply to each institution separately as there is no central organisation. Students in the UK and Europe are expected to apply with an understanding of the subject already, usually in the form of a masters degree, and be ready to start studying at the PhD level right away. In the USA it is expected that students do not have an in-depth understanding of their subject so usually only have an undergraduate degree when they apply. 

Admissions For PhD In USA

Deadlines for applications to PhD programs in the USA tend to be between December and February, and institutions should let you know about your application by April. Most US institutions recommend that you apply as far in advance as you possibly can to give them, and you, plenty of time to make arrangements. Institutions in the USA require international students to have a TOEFL score of around 90, but this does figure does vary between institutions. 

Funding Your PhD In USA

Making your PhD application in plenty of time allows you more time to apply for and arrange your PhD funding. The cost of PhDs in the USA can vary between $28,000 to $40,000 per year, but many students find that they can get funding for much, or all, of their studies. Deadlines for application for funding can be as early as December before starting your studies in the Autumn/Fall. Some PhD students will receive a stipend from their institution with an assistantship position, but this varies between institutions and between departments within institutions. Other students can find funding from both their own and the American government, and there are plenty of American government schemes like The Fulbright Program that offer funding. 

How Long Does It Take To Study A PhD In USA?

In the USA a PhD can take as long as eight to 10 years, but for most students studying full time, it usually takes five to six years. Students who already have a masters degree in an appropriate subject might find that they are able to complete their PhD in four or five years, rather than in five or six years.

Accreditation

The size and federal structure of the USA mean that there is no government body responsible for accrediting all US universities. Instead a range of accreditors operate independently on a national or regional level. The US Government maintains a database of the universities and programmes they have accredited.

It doesn’t necessarily matter which specific bodies have recognised a given university, but you should be wary of any institution that doesn’t have any verifiable accreditation.

University groups

Many American universities are part of wider associations. These are formed by the universities themselves, not by any ‘official’ process. Some groups (such as the Ivy League) are very famous and regarded as high quality. Things aren’t quite so simple though, particularly at PhD level. Membership of a prestigious group doesn’t always mean an institution offers a great graduate programme in your subject – and vice versa.

These are the main US university groups:

The Ivy League

Probably the best-known and most renowned university group in America (if not the world) the Ivy League was actually formed as a sporting conference including eight universities in the north-eastern USA. Its membership is actually based on geography and athletics, not academic quality.

That said, the Ivy League does include eight of America’s oldest, wealthiest and highest-ranked universities. A PhD from any of these institutions is a very prestigious qualification indeed.

Public Ivies

‘Public Ivy’ is a term used for top public universities that are regarded as offering an equivalent standard of academic quality to the (exclusively private) Ivy League.

This grouping is much looser than the original Ivy League as ‘membership’ is based on the subjective opinion of different writers and commentators. Wikipedia maintains a list of the 30 universities generally counted as Public Ivies.

The Association of American Universities

This is a North American membership body formed by universities themselves, based on academic quality. As such, the AAU is actually the closest thing in the USA to the UK’s Russell Group, even though the Ivy League is probably better known outside America (seven out of eight Ivy League members are part of the AAU, anyway).

The AAU members include 60 US institutions, as well as two Canadian universities. They include public and private providers and collectively award almost half of all doctorates in the USA. Membership can therefore be a pretty good indicator of graduate school / graduate programme quality.

US university rankings

The USA performs very well in global university rankings, with far more ‘top’ universities than any other country. It’s worth bearing in mind that the sheer size of the American higher education system plays a role here, as do other factors (such as language). Still, there’s no getting away from the fact that the ‘best’ American universities are generally also amongst the ‘best’ global universities.

The following table gives the highest-ranked universities in the USA for 2020.

University	Groups*	THE 2020	QS 2020	ARWU 2019
California Institute of Technology	AAU	2	5	9
Stanford University	AAU	4	2	2
Massachusetts Institute of Technology	AAU	5	1	4
Princeton University	AAU, IL	6	13	6
Harvard University	AAU, IL	7	3	1
Yale University	AAU, IL	8	17	11
University of Chicago	AAU	9	10	10
University of Pennsylvania	AAU	11	15	17
Johns Hopkins University	AAU	12	24	16
University of California, Berkeley	AAU, PI	=13	28	5
Columbia University	AAU, IL	16	=18	8
University of California, Los Angeles	AAU, PI	17	=35	11
Cornell University	AAU, IL	19	14	13
Duke University	AAU	20	=25	28
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor	AAU, PI	21	21	20
Northwestern University	AAU	22	31	29
University of Washington	AAU, PI	26	68	14
Carnegie Mellon University	AAU	=27	48	95
New York University	AAU	29	39	30
University of California, San Diego	AAU, PI	31	45	18