Fully-Funded STEM PhD Countries Compared
"Fully funded" works differently in each country: an assistantship in the USA, an employment contract in Germany and Switzerland, a studentship in the UK. Here is how the money works, and what you need to get in.
How each destination funds a STEM PhD
These are the destinations Indian STEM students ask us about most. In each one we target the universities and programs where the PhD comes with funding: a salary or stipend plus a tuition waiver.
| Country | How the funding works | Entry for Indian students |
|---|---|---|
| USAPhD in the USA | Admission to a STEM PhD normally comes with a teaching or research assistantship: tuition waived plus a stipend of roughly $24,000 to $54,000 a year. | Direct entry after a 4-year bachelor's (B.Tech / BE / BS) is normal. |
| CanadaPhD in Canada | Most research universities guarantee a minimum funding package to admitted PhD students, about CAD 20,000 to 40,000 a year. | Most programs expect a master's; some offer direct entry to strong 4-year graduates. |
| GermanyPhD in Germany | Doctoral researchers are usually salaried employees on the TV-L E13 scale, or hold a scholarship such as DAAD. No tuition. | A master's degree is the usual requirement. You are hired by a professor, so supervisor outreach comes first. |
| SwitzerlandPhD in Switzerland | Doctoral students at ETH Zurich, EPFL and the cantonal universities are employed on a salary of roughly CHF 3,920 to 6,690 a month gross. | A master's degree is the usual requirement. Positions are tied to a professor's grant. |
| UKPhD in the UK | UKRI studentships pay a tax-free stipend (£21,805 for 2026/27) with fees covered and are open to international students, alongside Commonwealth, Gates Cambridge and Clarendon scholarships. | A master's is usual; some Centres for Doctoral Training take strong bachelor's graduates. PhDs run 3 to 4 years. |
| AustraliaPhD in Australia | The Research Training Program pays a tax-free stipend with a full tuition offset, and universities add their own international research scholarships. | An Honours-equivalent or master's research background. PhDs run 3 to 4 years. |
| SingaporePhD in Singapore | NUS and NTU Research Scholarships and the SINGA award cover full tuition plus SGD 2,700 to 3,400 a month. | Direct entry after a 4-year bachelor's is possible. GATE is accepted in place of the GRE at several departments. |
| Netherlands | A PhD is a paid job with an employment contract, usually four years. | Positions are advertised as vacancies. A master's degree is required. |
| Sweden, Denmark, Norway | Doctoral students are salaried employees of the university. | Positions are advertised as vacancies. A master's degree is required. |
| Austria | Funded through university-assistant or research-project positions paid as employment. | Advertised positions. A master's degree is required. |
Considering more than one country?
Tell us in the eligibility check: it asks which countries you are considering, and your result shows which of them your degree qualifies you for today. On the free discovery call we compare your options side by side and build the shortlist with you.