International PhD students in Australian universities: financial support, course experience and career plans

Abstract

Using data from a social survey of PhD students in two major Australian universities supplemented by student interviews, this article reports on the financial support, course experience and career plans of international PhD students. While most international PhD students hold scholarships which include stipends, a minority of students experience financial problems and lack adequate research support. Overall international PhD students express a high degree of satisfaction with their courses, although there are concerns about the quality and effectiveness of supervision, working space available to research students and help provided in designing research projects. Language problems sometimes adversely affect student progress while some international students find difficulty adjusting to a less deferential working arrangement with their supervisors and less structure in research direction. International PhD students are optimistic about their career prospects and certainly more confident about their careers than Australian PhD students. High proportions of international PhD students expect to follow research careers and say that the PhD degree will enhance their career prospects.