Postgraduate studies in the universities of great Britain and the United States: where to start?

Lecturer at the University of East Anglia Nicholas Pedenchuk tells how to look for a University in the US or the UK, where can I get a job as a researcher and defend a doctoral dissertation.

Where to start?

The most important thing is to decide on a theme. This will depend on the first steps you need to take to find a University and a scientific adviser. A very important factor is to deal with fundamental or applied science. This will also depend on the choice of University and faculty - some of them are more engaged in basic science, some applied. Understanding where to go next to work is also very important. Also not necessary that the subject continued previous education in the UK and in the US, it is not always the determining criterion, most importantly, to have a fundamental base, and the direction you can safely modify.

To find a scientific leader

If you decided on the topic – you need to look for a specialist who works in this field. There is a big difference between the levels: if the level of the master it is necessary to search for a specific University to see the program and rules of admission, the doctoral program the first thing to go on a scientist who is engaged in you are interested in the topic. Experts best aware of the situation, can you tell me what are the prospects for, something to recommend, to advise, especially where and how to find financing.

Where to find experts

Search for experts in the field now become much easier: there is the Internet, Google, available scientific publications, there are certain magazines on your the topic. If the article is displayed, see where the author is can be your potential supervisor. Just email him what you want to do so-and-so, you are interested in this direction. Often, there is not no time or desire, but if the answer is a very good sign.

Scientific networks

Now everywhere practically at any University, in any field every researcher has its own page in scientific social networks. There is a network called Ryze – it is possible to freely register, it does not require scientific papers or degrees. Here is an opportunity, first, to leave information about yourself, upload your publications or abstracts from conferences. In addition, you can follow the publications on your topic or the activities of any particular scientist is interested in. This is the function follow, and the person you follow gets the information that you are interested in his page or a particular publication. Still there is Google Scholar, but it works just as a search engine. Is also useful network of Linkedin there is a more commercial approach, Ryze is more scientific, but they in some way intersect. And that, in other systems, is is jobs in science, and they can track exactly the specialization which you are interested in.

If you want to obtain a grant or scholarship

In the UK for non-citizens or people from outside the EU grants are given not so much, practically there are no national support systems that allow foreigners to get money from the government for vyshee education. Most often, the money is agencies research councils (Research Councils) – for specific projects. Here, too, better go directly to the person with whom you want to work. People at this level have the most complete information about different sources of support, and if you do not know, you will always find colleagues in the University who have the latest information.

Learn more about the University of East Anglia and communicate directly with a representative of the University Bradley Farrow, using the request form.