posted about 12 years ago
The point about taxes and profiting from this is also not completely correct (though there's a bit to say for it as well), as the scientists will mainly produce work at a UK university and publish there as well, therefore 'helping' the university, as the output you generate as a scientist is, at least in my field, mainly publications.
You will also spend most of the stipend in the UK, as it is really not enough to save :P
So obviously also get taught skills and the like, but if there're more people from other country who seem to be better, than maybe you should revise your university system... if you simply generate better students than in the rest of the EU, you wouldn't have this problem.
To finish the story, I've found a PhD position at a Max-Planck Institute in Germany, so ended up at an ok place in the end of the day - but I must say that I miss the UK somehow - Germany is alright, but can imagine myself getting back eventually.