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Getting admitted into a US university to pursue is a dream come true for many students for the following reasons:

- Not only will your research be funded, but US universities are well known for their great research facilities
- Generally speaking, research in the US is considered to be far ahead of most other countries
- The US produces the highest number of research papers in the world and this is in large part due to the immense support that researchers in this country receive
- Getting a good job after your PhD is not too hard. If you wish to return to India, and continue in academia, you should be able to find a job in one of the IITs, NITs or other good colleges
- As there are many successful industries in the US, PhD students who wish to work with an industry where their expertise will be relevant, should find job security

PhD in the US

- The stipend you receive in India will be pretty low when compared to the US
- International conference funding is available in a limited manner
- Research facilities are not up-to-date and still lack technologies that are being used abroad, especially in the US
- Research problems are more theoretically-based and most of the times can be correlated to what happened
- Research output in terms of publications is relatively less
- It takes 4-5 years to complete

PhD in India

Confused about what's better? PhD in India or in The USA? Well, we're here to help you. Let's dive in and evaluate the difference between the two so you can make the right decision.

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Is it better to get a PhD in India or The USA? Let's compare the two so you can find out what works best for you

How Does a PhD in India Compare to PhD in the US?

Not only will your study be supported, but US colleges are famed for their excellent research facilities, and research in the US is generally considered to be far ahead of that of most other nations. The US generates the most research papers in the world.When compared to the United States, the stipend you will receive in India will be rather modest.  Only a limited amount of money is available for international conferences and research facilities in India.

- The variety of undergraduate (UG) programs that the US universities offer and the amount of flexibility a student in a top US university has is mind blowing. University of California, Berkeley offers over 350 UG programs as against over 80 offered by Delhi University. You will easily find US students with major in Maths with a minor in music or psychology.
- The classroom sizes are smaller in the US that allows for better interactions between the teachers and the students. A typical student in a US university is driven primarily by his interest in the field of study he wants to pursue. Hence school applications and program selections are very diversified, reducing number of people applying for any specific program or to a university. In India its pretty much hierarchical with majority of students choosing engineering with IITs at the top of the list. Even among IIT aspirants, Computer Science becomes top choice, broadly followed by Electrical, Mechanical and Chemical Engineering.
- In the US universities, there is lost of emphasis on research at the UG level. Many students work on sponsored as well as independent projects in their field of studies. Freshmen get a chance to explore and work on problems prevailing in the industry, within months of joining the college. Unfortunately, this is not the case in India.

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Want to explore the differences between undergrad studies in the USA and India? Read our blog to learn more.

Undergrad in India or in the USA: does it matter?

The variety of undergraduate (UG) programs that the US universities offer and the amount of flexibility a student in a top US university has is mind blowing. The classroom sizes are smaller in the US that allows for better interactions between the teachers and the students whereas India its pretty much hierarchical with majority of students choosing engineering with IITs at the top of the list.  In the US universities, there is lots of emphasis on research at the UG level. Many students work on sponsored as well as independent projects in their field of studies. Freshmen get a chance to explore and work on problems prevailing in the industry, within months of joining the college. Unfortunately, this is not the case in India.

Should I pursue my undergraduate in India or USA?


The passion for studying science, an aptitude for research and the ability to work in a team, are the foremost qualities that foreign universities look for while recruiting students. Contrary to these, IITs solely focus on the ranking secured in the entrance tests by the students. This objective assessment is often not an accurate measure of an individual’s capability and interest.

Securing admission


There is no doubt that the IITs have some of the best minds of the country, but the vital question is, do the students love what they study. To start with, the coaching institutes which primarily prepares one for the IIT exam emphasize on time management and strategic problem solving. For example, it is advised to “let go” of a difficult problem rather than take up the challenge of solving it so as to save time. Secondly, institutes often lay stress on ignoring school education and concentrating more on IIT preparation which compromises the necessity of proper education. On the other hand, interest and passion for a subject are the qualities foreign universities swear by.

Creativity compromised


The field that you get to study solely depends on your JEE rank. Thus a person who has no interest in civil engineering might be forced to study it owing to his rank. There is no option to change your subject in case you develop an inclination for some other field. And even if you have the option, the process is very tedious. Foreign education is pretty flexible. While admitting they look at the alignment of skill set and interests of a student. In short, they value an individual. They lay a lot more emphasis on counseling students to make the right choice.

Flexible learning


Education is definitely more expensive abroad than in India but one ought to pay for quality. Foreign universities boast of a robust infrastructure including modern teaching facilities, modern labs, good quality hostels, food, etc., which their Indian counterparts generally lack. The faculty is motivated to excel and be role models. Unlike faculty in the IITs, they are given incentives like good pay and also resources to provide quality teaching. The student teacher ratio is much more balanced in foreign institutes enabling teachers to give individual attention.

Infrastructure and faculty


Foreign institutes look to make an individual “life ready” rather than “job ready”. They encourage interactions among peers, participation in clubs and extra co-curricular activities, travelling for internships and teamwork. Regular Alumni meets are organized which are mutually beneficial for present and ex- students. They want to produce leaders for tomorrow and realize social skills are of equal importance. At the IITs, mundane competition is a priority. The spark is often lost when students are busy balancing creativity and exam preparation. Also, the sex ratio is quiet skewed in the IITs.

Life @ Institute


The trend in IITs is to pursue an MBA from a premier institute after an engineering degree. This not only is a waste of the engineering degree, but also a waste of time and effort of four years pursuing a course in which a student was never really interested in. On the contrary, it is observed that after a foreign degree, students often are keen on further specializing in their chosen fields and also get into academics.

We only urge you to consider all the choices available to you before you make one of the most important decisions in your life

What’s after graduation?

IIT or MIT – this question is asked so frequently, given the craze for IITs and new opportunities to study abroad.

To help you make a choice, we researched the experiences of several folks, who have been on both sides of the comparison, and here is what they have to share:

How Does a PhD in India Compare to PhD in the US?

Undergrad in India or in the USA: does it matter?

IIT or MIT: What Should I Pick