I have an offer, or more than one, and need to decide
Compare offers on the things that will shape your degree, ask for what you need and decline the others politely.
In short
Start here, today. Make a table with one column for each offer and rows for funding each year, years guaranteed, tuition and fees, living costs, work required, supervisor, program length and how you feel about it. Fill in what you know, and mark every gap as a question to ask. This takes about 30 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
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Work out what each offer is really worth
For each offer, find the yearly amount, how many years it's guaranteed, whether it covers tuition, fees, health insurance and summers, and what work it requires. Then set it against the real cost of living in that city, including rent, transport and insurance. A smaller offer in a cheaper city can leave you better off than a larger one somewhere expensive.
Compare the things money can't fix
Think about the supervisor or group, the courses, the facilities, completion times, what graduates go on to do and how you felt when you visited or spoke to people. Ask current students how long people really take and whether funding has lasted as promised. If a program doesn't publish its typical completion time, ask the graduate coordinator.
Understand any conditions
A conditional offer depends on something you still have to do, such as finishing your degree with a certain grade, sending final transcripts or meeting an English language requirement. Write down each condition with its deadline, and ask the admissions office about anything unclear. Hold off on declining other offers until you're reasonably sure you can meet the conditions.
Ask for more time if you need it
If a deadline arrives before you've heard from a program you'd prefer, it's reasonable to ask politely for a short extension. Explain that you're waiting on another decision, say when you expect to hear and suggest a date. Programs can't always agree, but an honest, polite request is a normal part of the process.
Ask questions about the offer itself
It's fine to ask how an offer works, and in some programs to ask whether funding can be reviewed, particularly if you have a competing offer with better terms. Be polite and specific, share the details of the other offer if you're asked and be prepared for the answer to be no, since many funding packages are fixed.
Decide, then decline the others promptly
Once you've decided, accept in writing and decline your other offers as soon as you can with a short, warm email. Declining quickly lets a program offer your place or funding to someone on its waitlist, who may be anxiously waiting for news. Record what you decided and why in the Decision Log, so you can remind yourself of your reasons later.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- You've been given a deadline to accept that feels much too soon.
- One offer pays more, another has the supervisor you wanted, and you keep changing your mind.
- Your offer is conditional, and you're not sure what you still need to do.
- You feel guilty about turning down a program that has been kind to you.
Why this happens
An offer letter can look simpler than it is. Two funding offers with similar headline amounts can be very different once you look at what they cover, how many years they last, whether they include summers and what you have to do in return, such as teaching. The Council of Graduate Schools suggests asking how long funding is guaranteed, what it covers and what happens if it runs out before you finish.
In the US, many universities have signed the Council of Graduate Schools' April 15 Resolution. It says that students admitted for the fall are under no obligation to accept or decline offers of financial support before April 15, and that earlier deadlines for such offers go against its intent. It covers funding such as fellowships and assistantships rather than offers of admission alone, and if you withdraw an acceptance after April 15, you must tell the program in writing. Other countries have their own conventions, so if you're unsure about a deadline, ask.
Money matters, but so does the place where you'll spend the next few years. The people you work with, how supervision works and how long students take to finish will shape your degree as much as the stipend. The University of Toronto's supervision guidelines suggest asking how long a supervisor's students take to complete and whether the supervisor will be around for the length of your program, including any planned leave or retirement.
Worth a look (6)
- April 15 Resolution, Council of Graduate SchoolsThe agreement many US universities follow on deadlines for accepting offers of graduate funding.
- Know Before You Go: Financial Questions to Ask Before Graduate School, Council of Graduate SchoolsQuestions for comparing offers, from what funding covers and for how long to what graduates typically borrow.
- Graduate Supervision Guidelines for Students, University of Toronto School of Graduate StudiesQuestions to ask a potential supervisor about completion times, funding and their availability during your degree.
- FindAPhDA large searchable database of PhD projects, programs and funded studentships, strongest for the UK and Europe but with places worldwide. You can filter by subject, country and funding.
- FindAMastersA directory of master's degrees and other postgraduate courses at universities around the world, with guides to funding and applying. Handy for comparing taught and research master's options.
- MastersportalSearch and compare master's programs worldwide by subject, country, fees and scholarships. Browsing is free, and a free account lets you save programs.
When to bring someone in
Talk your options through with someone who knows your field, such as a lecturer or former supervisor, since they may know things about programs and supervisors that aren't written down. The admissions office or graduate coordinator can explain the terms of an offer, any conditions and its deadline. If money is the deciding factor, ask each university's funding or financial aid office exactly what support is available before you decide.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify