Hello everyone. I have recently accepted two offers each from a different university and I was wondering whether you could provide me some insight into which offer should someone choose regarding the recognition of the university and the prestige of the diploma corresponding to each university for better future career prospects. Usually when someone has received an offer it starts to investigate all available options regarding cost of living, tuition fees, research activities, courses, teaching experiences etc. I will try to summarize pretty much the situation regarding each university and their pros and cons in the table below. Both offers are on the same subject which I like (CS).


1. University of Trento
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PhD duration: 3 years + 1 year (possiblity of extension, not 100% sure about funding during the extension year)

Future career prospects/work: unknown

Funding: approx. 1000eu/month

Cost of living: high

Accomodation: Provided from uni only the 1st year/next 2years have to find private accomodation

Teaching experience: No

Research activities: Yes

Tuition fees: No

Supervisor Info: Not able to assess his formal education, no info online (apart from publicaton record)


2. University College Cork
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PhD duration: 4 years

Future career prospects/work: Yes (after graduation)

Funding: approx. 1500eu/month + tuition fees

Cost of living: pretty high (especially double the amount for transportation and accommodation than the 1st choice)

Accommodation: Provided by the university or you can find your own if you like

Research activities: Yes

Tuition fees: Yes

Supervisor Info: Very strong record of formal education in ivy league US unis and UK

Now the million dollar question (at least for me and yes I know this is not the right way to asses an offer but still I want to know which would you choose) based on the above information which degree is more widely respected and internationally recognized from Trento or Cork. I mean in the long run would like to have a PhD after 4 years from Trento or Cork regarding the implications that might have on your future prospects and career.

Thank you all in advance for your help!

Have you met the supervisors? Which did you get along with best? The second one is what I feel I'd go for - but I can't say why, which isn't very helpful! What have you decided?

What are the projects/subjects like at each? I think it's best to go for a project you like best with a supervisor you get on with most rather than looking at the technicalities. Better to be happy a bit poorer than the other way around =)

Caro's right to focus on the project in my opinion. If you are hoping for an academic career, look at the supervisor's publication record rather than where s/he got their degrees - is s/he publishing regularly in good journals and have recent / current PhD students published? The other thing to think about is where you hope to work in the long run whether it's academia or industry - if it's Italy, then maybe choose Trento. From what I've heard from Italian friends, it sounds like it can be difficult to break back into the Italian job market from abroad.

Where you get your PhD doesn't really matter in the grander scheme of things. It's not about where you get your degree, it's about how well you've built connections, produced publications etc.

As others have suggested, look more critically at the projects you'd be working on and and the supervision record of your supervisors. How many students has the supervisor successfully helped achieve a masters and/or PhD? How many publications does the supervisor have? Can you get in contact with Alumni (students who had that particular supervisor) as a confidential look at how their experiences were?

Their qualifications do not mean anything, they won't tell you whether they'll be good supervisors and help you get on your way. The worst thing you can experience I think during a PhD program is bad supervision, and many students on this forum can attest to that.

I can recommended the english courses online efagcollege.co.uk is the best online courses teaching it.
you available in the e class system also.