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HKU Phd stipend--can I live and save $$ on 11.5k/mth?

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  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by phded:
    oh wow...i can't do that for 4 years....

    i used to teach in china, i was able to afford almost everything with my salary then. now i am making the transition to poor student...OMG
    It won't be that bad. You will be able to eat decently but you will have to cook at home and eat mostly local stuff with a few imported goods (nice breads, meats, cheeses etc) on the side.

    Check out a few of the frugal living threads on here, there's some good advice on how to cut down on living expenses.

  2. #12

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    Quote Originally Posted by phded:
    Well, yup, sure, but I am trying to save about 3-5k a month as well. Do that you I can do that while living a comfortable lifestyle?

    thanks for the tips. publishing during 1st year...umm...probably not...it takes 1-2 years for journals to review ur articles sometimes...how can it possibly be done in 1 year?
    http://www.cedars.hku.hk/nonlocal/pu...pguide1516.pdf

    Guide for non locals...has a lot of useful info...
    Lord Dashwood and shri like this.

  3. #13

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    Quote Originally Posted by Cegaiga:
    Meat is probably the most expensive thing, so spam and eggs might help.
    Pork from wet market is as low as $22/catty, much better and probably cheaper than spam. Eggs from the supermarkets here are relatively expensive (around the price of free-range eggs in the UK), probably cheaper in the wet markets - but for some reason I've never bought eggs from those before. There are many places which does "2 dishes and rice" for about $30, which might work out cheaper than cooking yourself.

  4. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by phded:
    Well, yup, sure, but I am trying to save about 3-5k a month as well. Do that you I can do that while living a comfortable lifestyle?

    thanks for the tips. publishing during 1st year...umm...probably not...it takes 1-2 years for journals to review ur articles sometimes...how can it possibly be done in 1 year?
    1) it's a good goal to be able to finish your doctorate w/out going into debt. you want to go past that and actually put money aside for the future. good on ya if you can pull that off, but it seems tough.

    2) not saying you should publish, but 1-2 years to review a submission is ridiculous, at least in my field (history). that said, the whole process can easily take that long, from reviews to revisions to your place in the publication queue.

  5. #15

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    Quote Originally Posted by Bob Loblaw:
    1) it's a good goal to be able to finish your doctorate w/out going into debt. you want to go past that and actually put money aside for the future. good on ya if you can pull that off, but it seems tough.

    2) not saying you should publish, but 1-2 years to review a submission is ridiculous, at least in my field (history). that said, the whole process can easily take that long, from reviews to revisions to your place in the publication queue.
    go into debt? fo real? i dont hear anyone doing a phd going into debt if they've got funding...

    yeah i am trying to save like 3000 hkd a month...not sure if i am crazy to even think about it...but it looks like it can be done quite comfortably?

  6. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by phded:
    go into debt? fo real? i dont hear anyone doing a phd going into debt if they've got funding...

    yeah i am trying to save like 3000 hkd a month...not sure if i am crazy to even think about it...but it looks like it can be done quite comfortably?
    If you score below threshold cgpa, your studentship will be cut for 6 months. You have to pay the tuition fee and living on your own.

    If you couldn't complete the Ph.d. within stipulated time, extension will have to be paid out of your pocket.

    I have seen students who have to use all their saving and live on loan money before they could complete the studies.
    shri likes this.

  7. #17

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    Quote Originally Posted by shafiq:
    If you score below threshold cgpa, your studentship will be cut for 6 months. You have to pay the tuition fee and living on your own.

    If you couldn't complete the Ph.d. within stipulated time, extension will have to be paid out of your pocket.

    I have seen students who have to use all their saving and live on loan money before they could complete the studies.
    O M G

  8. #18

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    Most provide useful tips for you in prior replies. It's true that most phd have a decent life here because the scholarship package is designed to guarantee you can pay your daily expenditure, plus the scholarship will be adjusted upward according to CPI inflation. Plus if you have enough energy, you can be RA for professor, then you will get extra $$.

    But what I want to emphasize here is that, it is lucky enough you have phd degree without paying tuition and living expenditure from your own pocket, thus saving money is not your first priority. Because you will find that especially, from the latter half journey of your phd study, the brain work is very very intensive and you may travel around to build up your research network, thus eating well, sleep well and keep a happy mood are the most important. Invest your money in the right way. If you're excellent enough to find a faculty position here, you will find that the money you save these years is piece of cake compared to your salary.

    shri likes this.

  9. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by phded:
    go into debt? fo real? i dont hear anyone doing a phd going into debt if they've got funding...

    yeah i am trying to save like 3000 hkd a month...not sure if i am crazy to even think about it...but it looks like it can be done quite comfortably?
    Going into debt while undergoing your studies is nothing new.

    Having said that you should be able to put away some savings by living frugally and carefully watching your expenses. 11.5-12K is at the very low end of the 'survivable' salary range but plenty of people certainly make do at that income level.

  10. #20

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    Eat at campus canteens and cheaper local eating places( at least 2 dozens such eateries), including late night eating and HK style desserts near HKU Main Campus. Goto cheap supermarkets and wet markets. You are lucky, if you goto some other universities, there is nothing else to eat nearby except the campus canteens. But if you stay at the halls at Sasson Road or beyond, there are also no shopping and eating.

    It is cheaper to eat out at cheap places than to cook yourself in HK. Common rice and noodles meals in HK are much cheaper than in Western developed countries.

    Quote Originally Posted by jmbf:
    It won't be that bad. You will be able to eat decently but you will have to cook at home and eat mostly local stuff with a few imported goods (nice breads, meats, cheeses etc) on the side.

    Check out a few of the frugal living threads on here, there's some good advice on how to cut down on living expenses.
    Last edited by hgcsc; 02-04-2016 at 11:47 AM.
    shri likes this.