Hello guys, I want to thank you for your answers, they've been useful to me. I decided to stay here without applying for the other one. I think I have a good position, I spent one week in the lab and I like the people I'm working with, I like my PI a lot and I like the project as well. Furthermore, I think that the project has great potential and that I will have the freedom to handle it in the way I think it's better. Time will tell if this has been a good decision, but I have good feelings!

I'm sorry to be annoying but I would really need a suggestion... Or just someone that would virtually slap my face!

Hello everybody, I apologize for opening another thread but it seems that I'm struggling more than I should for my PhD decision. I'll try to briefly summerise my story: in July I got a Marie Curie ITN position, I accepted it but actually I never wanted it because the project was not exactly what I wanted. I accepted it also because in those days I discovered that I got refused for the PhD program in a world known institute that would have been my first choice. When I was applying for the ITN, I was also applying for other programs and I got called for an interview in September. I got into this program and after talking with the PI I decided to renounce to the Marie Curie and to join his lab. I like the project, I like the city that is not far from my hometown and the institute seemed really nice. My only regret was that I won't have a so strong name as the Marie Curie on my CV, but I was happy and I was looking forward to starting. The starting date is tomorrow and I'll go there to talk to them and start the enrolling process. Everything was good but some days ago I discovered that there's an open call in that world-known institute with a PI that I like since years, probably one of the best in the world in the field. I don't know if I should apply or not. I'm happy with the position I got and I would be sad to refuse it and of course I would be unfair for the second time refusing something I already accepted, but the eventual PhD in the other institute would open me a lot of doors when I'll be done. I know it's hard to get that position, but I think I have some chances, so I want to be quite sure to accept it in case I get it. Hope you can help me in this other though decision!

First of all, thanks to everybody for the advices. I sent an email asking for explanation and the PI told me that it was his error and that's why he will integrate my fellowship, but I need to keep it confidential. He doesn't know how yet but I will probably receive the difference between the 2 fellowships at the end of each year. This is not ideal since I would have preferred to have it monthly, but it more or less solves the problem. Unfortunately my family's economic situation is not ideal and that's why I applied to the MC even if the project was not ideal. I accepted it after I got refused to a program that was my first choice and this was my main error, I was a bit pushed to accept it because it was a MC and it was stupid to refuse, even because I didn't have any other PhD position. After accepting it, I quitted the job I had as a technician, that was in a top university in Europe. Probably the best thing to do was just to refuse the MC, keep that job, make more experience and try again for the next call in December. Now I have this position that I like, I don't want to regret because I think it's a good position, I just feel I put down my ambition to work in a top institute for my PhD. Also, I'm afraid that doing the PhD in my home country instead of doing it abroad could not be ideal for my career. I know this could sound arrogant, stupid and off topic as well now, it was just a stream of all the thoughts that I have right now and that are fighting to each other. I hope this is normal before starting a PhD and I'm not too problematic...

Hello everybody! I opened a thread a couple of weeks ago where I was asking suggestions about which PhD program I should have joined. I had to decide between a Marie Curie ITN in another country and another program in my home country, with a lower fellowship of course, but with a project that I preferred. After talking with the PI, I've been told that the fellowship was about 1450 euros each month, way less than 2200 I was going to earn with the Marie Curie, but still ok. I decided to choose the project instead of the money and the name on the curriculum and I was not regretting my choice, until today. I discovered that the fellowship is not the one they talked about, but it's about 1100 each month. Now I really don't know what to do, I'm just extremely disappointed. I don't know if I should contact the PI asking for explanations or if I have to drop down this offer. Maybe I should start but I should keep looking for a better position. I was really looking forward to start but now the only thing I can think is that I renounced to a salary that is the double of this one. Any suggestion is welcomed! Thank you!

Hello guys, I just want to tell you that I refused the Marie Curie position. I hope this will be the right choice, in this moment I feel really strange but I think I will be happy in the lab I'm going to join. I'm a bit afraid that I won't have all the doors opened when I'll finish with this, but maybe if I do a good job I will still have good chances when I'll be done.

Hello guys,

I'm writing here because I think I need some advice. I want to start a PhD this year and after graduating at the end of November 2018, I worked in a lab as a technician and I applied for some positions during the summer. I got a really good position, even if it wasn't the one I was wishing for: nice project even if it's not exactly what I wanted to do, nice city even if it's not my dream one, really high fellowship (Marie Curie). When I got this position I didn't have anything else and I was waiting for some other results and even if I was about to refuse it I decided to accept because I was feeling quite stupid to refuse such a position. I've been told that it was a big chance for me (and I'm actually sure it is) and that probably I can't get better training than the one offered by the ITN. I signed a contract, not a very strict one in my opinion since there weren't my IBAN and ID on it, but still a contract. Now I should start the procedure to get enrolled and I should sign another contract when I'll be there, at the beginning of October. The problem is that I'm still not convinced. Moreover, it seems that I could get another PhD position, closer to my place, with a project that I would prefer, but with a lower fellowship and of course without all the advantages that being in a Marie Curie network could have. I feel bad in refusing the position that I already accepted because I think I can put the lab and the PI in a really uncomfortable situation and I still don't know if it would be the right choice to refuse this one. Would it be that bad and unpolite from me to refuse this position 20 days before starting? Is it really wise to refuse a Marie Curie position? Hope you can help! Thanks!