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PhD advisor lost funding, need advice


Proper procedure when promised funding not given to Ph.D. graduate studentWhen is the right time to tell my advisor that I plan on leaving my PhD program?asking professor to fund Master's studentDo students needs to be specifically mentioned on grant proposals for projects funded by government agencies in the US?Current adviser trying to switch me to a different adviserFunding ran out, can I leaveHow to ask for expanding scholarship duration from grad school?Why do departments fund PhD students instead of postdocs?PhD Advisor is lying about funding and doesn't write their own grants






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41















I am an international PhD student in an engineering department in US and was fully funded for all two years, but just two weeks before the fall semester (without any warning), my advisor informed me that he cannot support me, apparently he lost all the funding sources this July. He is quite happy with my research and wants me to pay this semester at least half of my tuition and live on half of the monthly stipend. He informed me that after this fall he will find a TA to support myself.



Now, my problem is that my work is experimental and needs constant funding. While TA will cover my expenses, it will not cover the experiments. Even he does not know how and when the funding for experiments will come (he didn't look confident at all). Should I think of changing the advisor now? I am personally thinking of taking an MS with my current work and looking for a funded lab for PhD in the same university.










share|improve this question





















  • 14





    What does your employment contract say about the matter?

    – user2768
    Aug 12 at 11:25












  • If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

    – vonbrand
    Aug 12 at 14:21






  • 4





    I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 15:20

















41















I am an international PhD student in an engineering department in US and was fully funded for all two years, but just two weeks before the fall semester (without any warning), my advisor informed me that he cannot support me, apparently he lost all the funding sources this July. He is quite happy with my research and wants me to pay this semester at least half of my tuition and live on half of the monthly stipend. He informed me that after this fall he will find a TA to support myself.



Now, my problem is that my work is experimental and needs constant funding. While TA will cover my expenses, it will not cover the experiments. Even he does not know how and when the funding for experiments will come (he didn't look confident at all). Should I think of changing the advisor now? I am personally thinking of taking an MS with my current work and looking for a funded lab for PhD in the same university.










share|improve this question





















  • 14





    What does your employment contract say about the matter?

    – user2768
    Aug 12 at 11:25












  • If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

    – vonbrand
    Aug 12 at 14:21






  • 4





    I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 15:20













41












41








41


3






I am an international PhD student in an engineering department in US and was fully funded for all two years, but just two weeks before the fall semester (without any warning), my advisor informed me that he cannot support me, apparently he lost all the funding sources this July. He is quite happy with my research and wants me to pay this semester at least half of my tuition and live on half of the monthly stipend. He informed me that after this fall he will find a TA to support myself.



Now, my problem is that my work is experimental and needs constant funding. While TA will cover my expenses, it will not cover the experiments. Even he does not know how and when the funding for experiments will come (he didn't look confident at all). Should I think of changing the advisor now? I am personally thinking of taking an MS with my current work and looking for a funded lab for PhD in the same university.










share|improve this question
















I am an international PhD student in an engineering department in US and was fully funded for all two years, but just two weeks before the fall semester (without any warning), my advisor informed me that he cannot support me, apparently he lost all the funding sources this July. He is quite happy with my research and wants me to pay this semester at least half of my tuition and live on half of the monthly stipend. He informed me that after this fall he will find a TA to support myself.



Now, my problem is that my work is experimental and needs constant funding. While TA will cover my expenses, it will not cover the experiments. Even he does not know how and when the funding for experiments will come (he didn't look confident at all). Should I think of changing the advisor now? I am personally thinking of taking an MS with my current work and looking for a funded lab for PhD in the same university.







phd funding united-states engineering






share|improve this question















share|improve this question













share|improve this question




share|improve this question








edited Aug 13 at 8:20









Wrzlprmft

37.1k12 gold badges117 silver badges194 bronze badges




37.1k12 gold badges117 silver badges194 bronze badges










asked Aug 11 at 22:25









Patience_for_everythingPatience_for_everything

2081 gold badge2 silver badges7 bronze badges




2081 gold badge2 silver badges7 bronze badges










  • 14





    What does your employment contract say about the matter?

    – user2768
    Aug 12 at 11:25












  • If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

    – vonbrand
    Aug 12 at 14:21






  • 4





    I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 15:20












  • 14





    What does your employment contract say about the matter?

    – user2768
    Aug 12 at 11:25












  • If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

    – vonbrand
    Aug 12 at 14:21






  • 4





    I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 15:20







14




14





What does your employment contract say about the matter?

– user2768
Aug 12 at 11:25






What does your employment contract say about the matter?

– user2768
Aug 12 at 11:25














If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

– vonbrand
Aug 12 at 14:21





If you are advanced in your research, it will be hard to move to someone else. I'd look around if there are other potential advisors, and think carefully what your options are. Sadly, your question depends too much on personal and details of the exact case to be a fit in this site.

– vonbrand
Aug 12 at 14:21




4




4





I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

– Patience_for_everything
Aug 12 at 15:20





I have 4 years fully funded contract but it has a clause of availability of funding. I was told by peers (before joining) that my department does not let PhDs go unfunded, I hope that turns out be true.

– Patience_for_everything
Aug 12 at 15:20










3 Answers
3






active

oldest

votes


















70















If your advisor can't support you and your research, find another advisor as soon as possible. Your department/grad program should be able to help with this and talking to them should be your next step - it's also possible they can do something to get you funded in the immediate term. In fact, this should have been the advice your advisor gave you instead of suggesting you try to float around for a semester.



You might be able to keep your current advisor as a co-advisor or something, but frankly the way they handled this situation (waiting to tell you until now) is absolutely horrible and unprofessional (and selfish): they would have known long ago that funding was expiring and if they were waiting on some pending grant applications they needed to inform you then so you could line up other support.



I wouldn't be able to trust that person again.






share|improve this answer






















  • 34





    Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

    – Jon Custer
    Aug 12 at 3:04











  • @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

    – Bryan Krause
    Aug 12 at 3:28







  • 9





    Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 11:03






  • 37





    @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

    – Elizabeth Henning
    Aug 12 at 15:48







  • 2





    This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

    – louic
    Aug 14 at 5:27


















6















Unless there is a unique situation, if your funding was coming through a grant (private or government), there is a very specific set of rules governing how that money arrives at the university and the "chain of custody". At the vast majority of universities, there is an award contract between the grantor and the grantee, administered by an office of sponsored research (or sponsored programs). That office (and very frequently the school of engineering, the specific department, and the principal investigator, in this case, probably your adviser) knows the exact terms of the contract, including end date, expected work product, equipment budget, students to be funded, etc. Usually, the money goes directly to the university, who then distributes it to the appropriate people/organizations in whatever form necessary (e.g., to a departmental account, as a tuition waiver or from the treasurer to you in the form of a paycheck). There are also university policies governing who in that chain needs to be informed of changes or updates. Your adviser is definitely one of them but you may not be.



If everything is as you described, I can only think of a single scenario in which either your adviser or the department or both did not break any internal policies by telling you so late: funding was pulled because of a major violation of the grant terms (or much less likely, something nefarious). This would be very serious however and even if it partly explained your adviser's desire to "keep this between you", the department and university have a moral obligation to explain it.



All this being said, it is absolutely in your best interest to open conversations with other potential advisers as well as the head of your department, if not the school of engineering. It is likely there are funds to be found somewhere, especially in engineering but it is not likely you can be added to some other grant before next semester, even on what they call a "no-cost extension". If there are no teaching or research assistantships, there may still be one or more department "projects" that you could work on. I wish you luck.






share|improve this answer
































    -5















    Either find your own source of funding or another advisor.



    If you work well with your current advisor, then I would advise you to keep your current advisor and try to find funding some other way. Maybe you can apply for research stipend or scholarship or maybe some deal with your university where you can work part time teaching BSc / MSc courses at the same or neighbouring department. This is not a very uncommon solution, at least where I'm from.



    Being able to work with a wise advisor who you are compatible with can be worth A LOT to you in the long run. Not only during your studies but easily as long as at least 5-10 years afterwards.






    share|improve this answer




















    • 17





      Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

      – Elizabeth Henning
      Aug 12 at 17:48






    • 11





      Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 18:04







    • 1





      @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

      – mathreadler
      Aug 12 at 18:06












    • @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

      – mathreadler
      Aug 12 at 18:08







    • 14





      @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 18:11













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    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes








    3 Answers
    3






    active

    oldest

    votes









    active

    oldest

    votes






    active

    oldest

    votes









    70















    If your advisor can't support you and your research, find another advisor as soon as possible. Your department/grad program should be able to help with this and talking to them should be your next step - it's also possible they can do something to get you funded in the immediate term. In fact, this should have been the advice your advisor gave you instead of suggesting you try to float around for a semester.



    You might be able to keep your current advisor as a co-advisor or something, but frankly the way they handled this situation (waiting to tell you until now) is absolutely horrible and unprofessional (and selfish): they would have known long ago that funding was expiring and if they were waiting on some pending grant applications they needed to inform you then so you could line up other support.



    I wouldn't be able to trust that person again.






    share|improve this answer






















    • 34





      Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

      – Jon Custer
      Aug 12 at 3:04











    • @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 3:28







    • 9





      Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

      – Patience_for_everything
      Aug 12 at 11:03






    • 37





      @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

      – Elizabeth Henning
      Aug 12 at 15:48







    • 2





      This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

      – louic
      Aug 14 at 5:27















    70















    If your advisor can't support you and your research, find another advisor as soon as possible. Your department/grad program should be able to help with this and talking to them should be your next step - it's also possible they can do something to get you funded in the immediate term. In fact, this should have been the advice your advisor gave you instead of suggesting you try to float around for a semester.



    You might be able to keep your current advisor as a co-advisor or something, but frankly the way they handled this situation (waiting to tell you until now) is absolutely horrible and unprofessional (and selfish): they would have known long ago that funding was expiring and if they were waiting on some pending grant applications they needed to inform you then so you could line up other support.



    I wouldn't be able to trust that person again.






    share|improve this answer






















    • 34





      Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

      – Jon Custer
      Aug 12 at 3:04











    • @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 3:28







    • 9





      Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

      – Patience_for_everything
      Aug 12 at 11:03






    • 37





      @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

      – Elizabeth Henning
      Aug 12 at 15:48







    • 2





      This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

      – louic
      Aug 14 at 5:27













    70














    70










    70









    If your advisor can't support you and your research, find another advisor as soon as possible. Your department/grad program should be able to help with this and talking to them should be your next step - it's also possible they can do something to get you funded in the immediate term. In fact, this should have been the advice your advisor gave you instead of suggesting you try to float around for a semester.



    You might be able to keep your current advisor as a co-advisor or something, but frankly the way they handled this situation (waiting to tell you until now) is absolutely horrible and unprofessional (and selfish): they would have known long ago that funding was expiring and if they were waiting on some pending grant applications they needed to inform you then so you could line up other support.



    I wouldn't be able to trust that person again.






    share|improve this answer















    If your advisor can't support you and your research, find another advisor as soon as possible. Your department/grad program should be able to help with this and talking to them should be your next step - it's also possible they can do something to get you funded in the immediate term. In fact, this should have been the advice your advisor gave you instead of suggesting you try to float around for a semester.



    You might be able to keep your current advisor as a co-advisor or something, but frankly the way they handled this situation (waiting to tell you until now) is absolutely horrible and unprofessional (and selfish): they would have known long ago that funding was expiring and if they were waiting on some pending grant applications they needed to inform you then so you could line up other support.



    I wouldn't be able to trust that person again.







    share|improve this answer














    share|improve this answer



    share|improve this answer








    edited Aug 12 at 3:27

























    answered Aug 12 at 0:56









    Bryan KrauseBryan Krause

    20.6k5 gold badges63 silver badges82 bronze badges




    20.6k5 gold badges63 silver badges82 bronze badges










    • 34





      Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

      – Jon Custer
      Aug 12 at 3:04











    • @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 3:28







    • 9





      Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

      – Patience_for_everything
      Aug 12 at 11:03






    • 37





      @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

      – Elizabeth Henning
      Aug 12 at 15:48







    • 2





      This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

      – louic
      Aug 14 at 5:27












    • 34





      Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

      – Jon Custer
      Aug 12 at 3:04











    • @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

      – Bryan Krause
      Aug 12 at 3:28







    • 9





      Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

      – Patience_for_everything
      Aug 12 at 11:03






    • 37





      @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

      – Elizabeth Henning
      Aug 12 at 15:48







    • 2





      This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

      – louic
      Aug 14 at 5:27







    34




    34





    Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

    – Jon Custer
    Aug 12 at 3:04





    Odd that the department wouldn’t step in. They should go see the chair pronto.

    – Jon Custer
    Aug 12 at 3:04













    @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

    – Bryan Krause
    Aug 12 at 3:28






    @JonCuster Agreed. I've edited my answer to suggest talking to them as a first step.

    – Bryan Krause
    Aug 12 at 3:28





    9




    9





    Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 11:03





    Thanks for your reply. Thats exactly what I am doing right now, meanwhile talking to everyone online or offline just to calm myself. My advisor somehow wants me to keep this in person ( I feel he doesnt want the department to know about this situation). Thats why I have decided to go and talk to the graduate advisor & the director of graduate studies.

    – Patience_for_everything
    Aug 12 at 11:03




    37




    37





    @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

    – Elizabeth Henning
    Aug 12 at 15:48






    @Patience_for_everything If he is trying to conceal this from the department and keep it "between us," that is a red flag the size of China.

    – Elizabeth Henning
    Aug 12 at 15:48





    2




    2





    This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

    – louic
    Aug 14 at 5:27





    This is terrible advice! It is only one of the many options, and possibly not the one that will allow you to finish your thesis. The solution is to communicate and try to resolve the situation with the university, INCLUDING your current advisor. It may not be his fault that he lost the funding, and even if it was he may be able to help you finding a different solution when you indicate that you are not comfortable with the current one.

    – louic
    Aug 14 at 5:27













    6















    Unless there is a unique situation, if your funding was coming through a grant (private or government), there is a very specific set of rules governing how that money arrives at the university and the "chain of custody". At the vast majority of universities, there is an award contract between the grantor and the grantee, administered by an office of sponsored research (or sponsored programs). That office (and very frequently the school of engineering, the specific department, and the principal investigator, in this case, probably your adviser) knows the exact terms of the contract, including end date, expected work product, equipment budget, students to be funded, etc. Usually, the money goes directly to the university, who then distributes it to the appropriate people/organizations in whatever form necessary (e.g., to a departmental account, as a tuition waiver or from the treasurer to you in the form of a paycheck). There are also university policies governing who in that chain needs to be informed of changes or updates. Your adviser is definitely one of them but you may not be.



    If everything is as you described, I can only think of a single scenario in which either your adviser or the department or both did not break any internal policies by telling you so late: funding was pulled because of a major violation of the grant terms (or much less likely, something nefarious). This would be very serious however and even if it partly explained your adviser's desire to "keep this between you", the department and university have a moral obligation to explain it.



    All this being said, it is absolutely in your best interest to open conversations with other potential advisers as well as the head of your department, if not the school of engineering. It is likely there are funds to be found somewhere, especially in engineering but it is not likely you can be added to some other grant before next semester, even on what they call a "no-cost extension". If there are no teaching or research assistantships, there may still be one or more department "projects" that you could work on. I wish you luck.






    share|improve this answer





























      6















      Unless there is a unique situation, if your funding was coming through a grant (private or government), there is a very specific set of rules governing how that money arrives at the university and the "chain of custody". At the vast majority of universities, there is an award contract between the grantor and the grantee, administered by an office of sponsored research (or sponsored programs). That office (and very frequently the school of engineering, the specific department, and the principal investigator, in this case, probably your adviser) knows the exact terms of the contract, including end date, expected work product, equipment budget, students to be funded, etc. Usually, the money goes directly to the university, who then distributes it to the appropriate people/organizations in whatever form necessary (e.g., to a departmental account, as a tuition waiver or from the treasurer to you in the form of a paycheck). There are also university policies governing who in that chain needs to be informed of changes or updates. Your adviser is definitely one of them but you may not be.



      If everything is as you described, I can only think of a single scenario in which either your adviser or the department or both did not break any internal policies by telling you so late: funding was pulled because of a major violation of the grant terms (or much less likely, something nefarious). This would be very serious however and even if it partly explained your adviser's desire to "keep this between you", the department and university have a moral obligation to explain it.



      All this being said, it is absolutely in your best interest to open conversations with other potential advisers as well as the head of your department, if not the school of engineering. It is likely there are funds to be found somewhere, especially in engineering but it is not likely you can be added to some other grant before next semester, even on what they call a "no-cost extension". If there are no teaching or research assistantships, there may still be one or more department "projects" that you could work on. I wish you luck.






      share|improve this answer



























        6














        6










        6









        Unless there is a unique situation, if your funding was coming through a grant (private or government), there is a very specific set of rules governing how that money arrives at the university and the "chain of custody". At the vast majority of universities, there is an award contract between the grantor and the grantee, administered by an office of sponsored research (or sponsored programs). That office (and very frequently the school of engineering, the specific department, and the principal investigator, in this case, probably your adviser) knows the exact terms of the contract, including end date, expected work product, equipment budget, students to be funded, etc. Usually, the money goes directly to the university, who then distributes it to the appropriate people/organizations in whatever form necessary (e.g., to a departmental account, as a tuition waiver or from the treasurer to you in the form of a paycheck). There are also university policies governing who in that chain needs to be informed of changes or updates. Your adviser is definitely one of them but you may not be.



        If everything is as you described, I can only think of a single scenario in which either your adviser or the department or both did not break any internal policies by telling you so late: funding was pulled because of a major violation of the grant terms (or much less likely, something nefarious). This would be very serious however and even if it partly explained your adviser's desire to "keep this between you", the department and university have a moral obligation to explain it.



        All this being said, it is absolutely in your best interest to open conversations with other potential advisers as well as the head of your department, if not the school of engineering. It is likely there are funds to be found somewhere, especially in engineering but it is not likely you can be added to some other grant before next semester, even on what they call a "no-cost extension". If there are no teaching or research assistantships, there may still be one or more department "projects" that you could work on. I wish you luck.






        share|improve this answer













        Unless there is a unique situation, if your funding was coming through a grant (private or government), there is a very specific set of rules governing how that money arrives at the university and the "chain of custody". At the vast majority of universities, there is an award contract between the grantor and the grantee, administered by an office of sponsored research (or sponsored programs). That office (and very frequently the school of engineering, the specific department, and the principal investigator, in this case, probably your adviser) knows the exact terms of the contract, including end date, expected work product, equipment budget, students to be funded, etc. Usually, the money goes directly to the university, who then distributes it to the appropriate people/organizations in whatever form necessary (e.g., to a departmental account, as a tuition waiver or from the treasurer to you in the form of a paycheck). There are also university policies governing who in that chain needs to be informed of changes or updates. Your adviser is definitely one of them but you may not be.



        If everything is as you described, I can only think of a single scenario in which either your adviser or the department or both did not break any internal policies by telling you so late: funding was pulled because of a major violation of the grant terms (or much less likely, something nefarious). This would be very serious however and even if it partly explained your adviser's desire to "keep this between you", the department and university have a moral obligation to explain it.



        All this being said, it is absolutely in your best interest to open conversations with other potential advisers as well as the head of your department, if not the school of engineering. It is likely there are funds to be found somewhere, especially in engineering but it is not likely you can be added to some other grant before next semester, even on what they call a "no-cost extension". If there are no teaching or research assistantships, there may still be one or more department "projects" that you could work on. I wish you luck.







        share|improve this answer












        share|improve this answer



        share|improve this answer










        answered Aug 13 at 21:47









        Marc CMarc C

        611 bronze badge




        611 bronze badge
























            -5















            Either find your own source of funding or another advisor.



            If you work well with your current advisor, then I would advise you to keep your current advisor and try to find funding some other way. Maybe you can apply for research stipend or scholarship or maybe some deal with your university where you can work part time teaching BSc / MSc courses at the same or neighbouring department. This is not a very uncommon solution, at least where I'm from.



            Being able to work with a wise advisor who you are compatible with can be worth A LOT to you in the long run. Not only during your studies but easily as long as at least 5-10 years afterwards.






            share|improve this answer




















            • 17





              Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

              – Elizabeth Henning
              Aug 12 at 17:48






            • 11





              Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:04







            • 1





              @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:06












            • @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:08







            • 14





              @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:11















            -5















            Either find your own source of funding or another advisor.



            If you work well with your current advisor, then I would advise you to keep your current advisor and try to find funding some other way. Maybe you can apply for research stipend or scholarship or maybe some deal with your university where you can work part time teaching BSc / MSc courses at the same or neighbouring department. This is not a very uncommon solution, at least where I'm from.



            Being able to work with a wise advisor who you are compatible with can be worth A LOT to you in the long run. Not only during your studies but easily as long as at least 5-10 years afterwards.






            share|improve this answer




















            • 17





              Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

              – Elizabeth Henning
              Aug 12 at 17:48






            • 11





              Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:04







            • 1





              @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:06












            • @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:08







            • 14





              @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:11













            -5














            -5










            -5









            Either find your own source of funding or another advisor.



            If you work well with your current advisor, then I would advise you to keep your current advisor and try to find funding some other way. Maybe you can apply for research stipend or scholarship or maybe some deal with your university where you can work part time teaching BSc / MSc courses at the same or neighbouring department. This is not a very uncommon solution, at least where I'm from.



            Being able to work with a wise advisor who you are compatible with can be worth A LOT to you in the long run. Not only during your studies but easily as long as at least 5-10 years afterwards.






            share|improve this answer













            Either find your own source of funding or another advisor.



            If you work well with your current advisor, then I would advise you to keep your current advisor and try to find funding some other way. Maybe you can apply for research stipend or scholarship or maybe some deal with your university where you can work part time teaching BSc / MSc courses at the same or neighbouring department. This is not a very uncommon solution, at least where I'm from.



            Being able to work with a wise advisor who you are compatible with can be worth A LOT to you in the long run. Not only during your studies but easily as long as at least 5-10 years afterwards.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Aug 12 at 17:11









            mathreadlermathreadler

            1,3455 silver badges10 bronze badges




            1,3455 silver badges10 bronze badges










            • 17





              Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

              – Elizabeth Henning
              Aug 12 at 17:48






            • 11





              Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:04







            • 1





              @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:06












            • @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:08







            • 14





              @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:11












            • 17





              Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

              – Elizabeth Henning
              Aug 12 at 17:48






            • 11





              Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:04







            • 1





              @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:06












            • @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

              – mathreadler
              Aug 12 at 18:08







            • 14





              @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

              – Bryan Krause
              Aug 12 at 18:11







            17




            17





            Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

            – Elizabeth Henning
            Aug 12 at 17:48





            Except that a big part of an advisor's job is to look out for the student's interests, which this guy has already spectacularly demonstrated he cannot be trusted to do.

            – Elizabeth Henning
            Aug 12 at 17:48




            11




            11





            Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

            – Bryan Krause
            Aug 12 at 18:04






            Needing to find alternative sources of funding, with an advisor's support and guidance, is common. Needing to find funding 2 weeks before a semester starts because your advisor withheld critical information is not normal. It certainly isn't enough time to apply for any sort of outside funds.

            – Bryan Krause
            Aug 12 at 18:04





            1




            1





            @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

            – mathreadler
            Aug 12 at 18:06






            @ElizabethHenning Aha, is that so? That is a quite a new spelling of "trying to matchmake his student with his funders for future work".

            – mathreadler
            Aug 12 at 18:06














            @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

            – mathreadler
            Aug 12 at 18:08






            @BryanKrause An advisor is often wise, he knows the powers higher than him often have some sort of hidden plan. Also, do we know that the advisor had this knowledge for a longer period of time than that?

            – mathreadler
            Aug 12 at 18:08





            14




            14





            @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

            – Bryan Krause
            Aug 12 at 18:11





            @mathreadler At a minimum the advisor knew since July. I don't know of any sort of funding that just dries up without warning that way, funding is typically over some fixed term, so they would have known in advance. There does not seem to be a hidden plan besides "pay half of your own tuition and take a 50% pay cut" which for a graduate stipend in the US is not a livable sum of money. It's also too late for the OP to take other measures to save money like moving to a cheaper living situation. I don't know where you are from but this is all completely unacceptable in the US.

            – Bryan Krause
            Aug 12 at 18:11

















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