What a year costs
| Country | Tuition per year (international) | Living cost per year | Part-time work allowed |
|---|---|---|---|
| USA | $20,000–60,000 (often waived for funded PhD) | $12,000–25,000 | On-campus 20 hrs/week in term; CPT/OPT for off-campus |
| Canada | CAD 15,000–40,000 | CAD 15,000–22,000 | 20 hrs/week off-campus in term (check current rules) |
| UK | £15,000–35,000 | £12,000–18,000 (more in London) | 20 hrs/week in term for degree students |
| Germany | €0–3,000 at public universities (+ semester fee) | €11,000–13,000 | 120 full or 240 half days per year |
| Australia | AUD 25,000–50,000 | AUD 22,000–30,000 | 48 hours per fortnight in term |
| Japan | ¥500,000–900,000 (often reduced or waived) | ¥1,000,000–1,500,000 | 28 hrs/week with permission |
| South Korea | ₩4,000,000–8,000,000 (often scholarship-covered) | ₩8,000,000–12,000,000 | Allowed with permission, hours by level |
Indicative planning ranges only. Rent in capital cities can be double the national average, and work-hour rules change — check the university and immigration websites.
What a funded position pays
A fully funded PhD generally means a tuition waiver plus a living stipend. In the USA a stipend is commonly $25,000–40,000 a year for 9–12 months of TA/RA work. In Europe, a PhD is often a salaried job with a contract, social security and pension contributions — the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway all work this way, and the take-home pay is considerably higher. Always ask what the stipend is after tax and after compulsory fees.
- Is tuition fully waived, or only partially?
- How many months a year does the stipend cover, and is summer funding guaranteed?
- How many years is funding guaranteed for, and what happens after?
- Is health insurance included for you — and for a spouse?
- What compulsory fees come out of the stipend each semester?
Budgeting in your first year
- Carry enough for 2–3 months of expenses: your first stipend or salary can arrive 4–8 weeks after you land.
- The biggest one-off costs on arrival are the rent deposit, insurance and a phone plan.
- Shared accommodation and cooking at home are what make the numbers work — eating out abroad is the fastest way to burn a stipend.
- Open a local bank account in week one; international card fees add up quickly.
- Use student discounts for transport, software and museums; they are substantial in Europe.
- Never plan to fund tuition from part-time work. Visa hour limits and exam terms make that arithmetic fail.