The struggles students are having during a PhD

Lihini Nisansala
3 min readDec 7, 2021

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The struggles of a student doing a Ph.D. are not new to anyone. They come with challenges and pressure on top of the already strenuous workload. But, some students have to face more than just the struggles of being a Ph.D. student, they also have to deal with being an international one.

A lot of students are turning their attention towards overseas universities. It is not only because it is easier to get accepted, but there are higher chances of getting funding as well. However, one thing that they are forgetting is that these universities are not cheap and all the stipends that they offer for international students might not be enough for them. This is where their research grants come in handy!

The Ph.D. experience is often harder when done overseas cultural shock, living costs, and loneliness. However, the quality of education varies in different countries. Researchers are starting to question whether or not it is worth the risk to go overseas for their Ph.D.

A recent survey found that 75% of students who were looking into going abroad for their PhDs had concerns about the quality of education and whether or not they would be getting a return on their investment.

These concerns, combined with other struggles that grad students face such as unaffordable healthcare and lack of financial support from universities, make the decision even tougher than before. As a result, many students are choosing to stay at home and do their doctoral studies in Canada instead.

Some of the struggles that Ph.D. students are having include not having enough time for research, low salary, lack of mental health support, and no clear career goals.

Students in the current generation are faced with various challenges when it comes to completing a Ph.D.

The main reason that Ph.D. students are struggling is that they need to do research in order to get their degrees.

In this generation, there is a lot of pressure from family and friends to pursue higher education. However, students are finding it difficult to complete their doctoral degree which can take 4–6 years of full-time studying. Some students may choose to experience life outside of academia before starting their Ph.D., but they often find it hard to get back into the academic mindset after taking some time off. The reasons for the struggles in achieving a Ph.D. are different for every student. For some it is the language barrier, for others, it is finances or difficulties with adjusting to a new culture.

After studying overseas and struggling over their Ph.D., students find it hard to reintegrate back into their home country. Unfortunately, they will have to start life all over again by finding a new job and building up their career from scratch.

The struggle of students during a Ph.D. can be overcome by providing them with the necessary programs and opportunities that will allow them to engage in diverse activities. This will enable students to excel and prepare themselves for their future careers in academia or industry.

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Lihini Nisansala
Lihini Nisansala

Written by Lihini Nisansala

Software Engineering Undergraduate | Tech Enthusiast

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