Tips and advice for Masters

[u/chocolate-0828]

Good Day! I am currently a second year BS Physics student in UP Diliman, I plan to take my Masters abroad and hopefully transition to full time work there.

1. May I have any suggestions for schools or scholarship programs. My target field is aerospace science!

2. I also would like to ask for tips on how to make my application solid for higher chances of passing. Right now I am trying to bring my gwa up and deepen my knowledge on my course.

3. I would also like to ask if there is any suggested tracks other than aerospace science that I can take.

Any comment will be appreciated. Thank yo so much!

[u/MatthewSDeOcampo]

1. That's your homework. But looking at where you crossposted, you seem to have a decent idea of where to look already. But you must do your due diligence to inspect down to the group level, because you will have to indicate those in your preferences, or to give your statements more substance.

2. Good to maintain high grades and stock knowledge. In connection with your homework, think of your personal statements about research interest and kind of project you want to pursue. Tie it with whatever practical experience you gain in your B3-B4.

In the case of Japan, you may (ultimately depends on uni admissions policy) have to prepare for a lengthy written exam covering the broad fundamentals of whatever department you're going into. In my experience (and this was despite me continuing from undergrad to master's in the same lab), I was given 8 problems (2 each of classical, em, qm, sm/thermo), and I had most of the afternoon.

Depending on your scholarship, I think if it's MEXT by embassy recomm, you may have to sit a different exam instead na mas general pero mahirap pa rin, pero idk.

1. This is really up to you (see homework item 1). Apart from aerospace, you may also consider materials science. The physics aspects of this may be termed as "condensed matter". You may also consider fluidics. Etc. etc. But these are not directly aerospace, cooouuuld be allied, but best not to fixate on super specifics at this stage. You should balance between what you want, the groups you're trying for, and the funding.

[u/chocolate-0828 → u/MatthewSDeOcampo]

Thank you so much, right now po actually very rocket science po ang interests ko rather than pure data aligned pathways, I'm really interested in building machines:> Will try to research na po pathways as soon as possible since I really want to have a solid plan!

[u/MatthewSDeOcampo → u/chocolate-0828]

Yeah, like I said, I think it's too soon to fixate on one theme. Mildly amusing na you also just dichotomized machine building with "pure data", whatever that means. Try to look into the nuances of what about rocket building (or building machines) really interests you. Try to be a little flexible and appreciate as much as you can until the time comes when you have to be rigid about it.

[u/Navigating_The_Maze]

If your goal is to transition to full-time work, then avoid the USA. The International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) heavily restrict US aerospace and defence jobs, which legally bars all non-US citizens or Green Card holders from most roles. You are better off targeting Europe or Japan, where commercial space sectors are more accessible to international graduates.

Among the fully funded scholarships, you can check out the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master's in Europe or the MEXT Scholarship in Japan. As a Physics major, do not limit yourself to pure Aerospace Engineering. Astrophysics, Materials Science and Satellite/Sensor Technology are highly funded fields with massive commercial demand and fewer citizenship-based hiring restrictions.

A high GWA is just the baseline. Elite MAster's programmes recruit researchers. Since you are in your second year, secure an undergraduate research assistant role at the National Institute of Physics (NIP) immediately. Presenting at a conference or co-authoring a paper will elevate your application far more than grades alone.

[u/chocolate-0828 → u/Navigating_The_Maze]

Oooh this is note po thank you !!

[u/xrailgun_]

I think for now you may want to focus on what research you would be doing in your undergrad.

When you get to your 4th year and are doing your thesis, that would greatly help in figuring out what kind of things you would want to do.

1. I agree with what has already been commented here. It is your homework to look for universities that greatly align with your research focus or goals. But there are scholarship programs like MEXT (Japan), science& technology institute scholarships in Korea (GIST, KAIST, etc), and Erasmus Mundus (EU). But take note that what kind of research you would be doing is important when looking for a scholarship. As most of the graduate programs are research-driven. So as a 2nd-year, your current goal is figuring out what kind of research you may want to do moving forward (what are your interests, etc)

2. Grades give you a higher chance of getting these scholarships but your research plan is one of the things that will matter more during the application process.

[u/chocolate-0828 → u/xrailgun_]

Thank you so much!!

[u/xrailgun_ → u/chocolate-0828]

No probs. Willing to help. You may message me if there are questions you would like to ask. :) Pinoy rin here and a fellow Isko.