Very interesting PhD at a company or less interesting PhD at a top university?

Hi all,

I know that this is ultimately my choice, but just wanted some advice on how important true “passion” is for a PhD.

I have been offered two PhDs at the minute:

One is at Cambridge and is with a very respected supervisor whose current student says they are fantastic, and obviously comes with the benefit of being in a university environment and the support from a university like Cambridge. However the research there is in a subject which I find interesting from the advert but I’m not sure what would look like in a day to day capacity and I’m unsure if I would actually dislike the day to day function of it, but also allows me to teach and earn money through the department.

The other is with a big international company in London, with research I know for a fact that I will enjoy as I have done work in the area a lot before, but as it’s in London the stipend will not go as far and there will be no additional ways of earning money. As it’s also at a company it wouldn’t be in a uni environment so I wouldn’t have the support from that side.

I’m a bit hesitant to accept one and regret not doing the other if I either hate the research at Cambridge or really struggle to socialise and live on the stipend at the other. So my question really is is the research the be all and end all of the decision or should I put more stock in the other areas surrounding the PhD regarding lifestyle and money etc.

Any advice?

I think it very unlikely that you'd earn more as a phD student at Cambridge than you would being a freer agent in London. The money you are allowed to earn at Cam isn't much more than pocket money. There are loads of additional ways of earning money if you are in London.

Can you ask any previous PhD students at the company how they are finding it?

I think the reason I said this is because the supervisor at Cambridge said it was almost a part of being in their research group was the additional paid work, whilst the company said that they wouldn’t really like their student doing additional work outside, so I think the difference of £1400 in London would be outweighed by the work at Cambridge, I don’t know what Cambridge pays for the student paid roles though?

What other ways of earning in London are there? Bar work etc?

Hi all,

I know that this is ultimately my choice, but just wanted some advice on how important true “passion” is for a PhD.

I have been offered two PhDs at the minute:

One is at Cambridge and is with a very respected supervisor whose current student says they are fantastic, and obviously comes with the benefit of being in a university environment and the support from a university like Cambridge. However the research there is in a subject which I find interesting from the advert but I’m not sure what would look like in a day to day capacity and I’m unsure if I would actually dislike the day to day function of it, but also allows me to teach and earn money through the department.

The other is with a big international company in London, with research I know for a fact that I will enjoy as I have done work in the area a lot before, but as it’s in London the stipend will not go as far and there will be no additional ways of earning money. As it’s also at a company it wouldn’t be in a uni environment so I wouldn’t have the support from that side.

I’m a bit hesitant to accept one and regret not doing the other if I either hate the research at Cambridge or really struggle to socialise and live on the stipend at the other. So my question really is is the research the be all and end all of the decision or should I put more stock in the other areas surrounding the PhD regarding lifestyle and money etc.

Any advice?

A "company" cannot award a PhD, that has to be done by a university, so who is the company working with? An academic - industry PhD can be a great experience with right team and project, I have run these myself, but you need to find out who will supervise, award the degree etc before you can do a proper comparison.