Dear Loba,

I had the same questions running through my mind when I started my PhD in a developing country a few years ago. I did it for family and financial reasons. I also found the university where I enrolled of a good standard and my supervisor was the best in the country in the field. I do not regret this decision as I have been able to present papers in conferences in many countries, met many people in my field, and I am now working on publishing some papers.

Did that affect my performance as a PhD student? I do not think so as those students who star in their PhDs are often supervised by great professors found at some universities. I believe the supervisor is as equally important as the university where you enroll. How many times have I found PhD students from developing countries doing second-class PhDs in developed countries, from supervisors who do not even have a PhD!

Just bear this in mind and evaluate both the uni, the lab, the supervisor before making a decision.