Thinking about moving to the USA, so questions for people in the USA
Posted by teberzin@reddit | expats | View on Reddit | 121 comments
Hello all,
I'm an academician in Turkey and I might have a chance to go to the USA with the PhD scholarship I might get. They will grant me 60k USD per year and I will have a chance to get it for two years. Even without working, getting such money sounds quite nice, and considering that I'm struggling to live here in Turkey financially, this sounds way more interesting. Besides financial problems in the first place, I'm eager to do my PhD in the USA for my career.
But here my concern comes. If I was solo, I would never concern such a thing, but since I have a wife, she's afraid of the USA. I obviously asked her before I start the process, but still she's too concerned about life in the USA due to high violence and crime.
I'm not eager to stay in the USA either. After the PhD, I want to go to Europe anyway, but I really wanted to hear from you guys: do you think we will struggle a lot in the USA? Which cities are relatively safer so I might apply to universities in those cities to make our life easier? I really wanted to hear your thoughts on the topic.
Minute_Truth_8986@reddit
The law of the land in the US: it is always fine and good if you’re wealthy and healthy
If you make over 80k/year (as a single person, $160k/year for 2) and have good health, the US is the land of opportunity. The health care system is extremely costly and not very fast but you get generally good care. So if you can fork out the cash, it’s fine. People are nice, food is diverse (in cities) I’ve heard beurcratic processes here are faster than other countries and just less requirements People in cities are usually pretty progressive and are happy to meet people from other countries
There is no public transit except NYC and Chicago and there are busses in LA that smell like pee. All the transit smells like pee, actually.
You will drive everywhere for everything all of the time.
If you are chronically ill, have a physical disability, plan to ever become ill at any point beyond a cold or ear infection type thing, or plan to become poor or want long vacations or want to retire young, I definately don’t suggest the US.
If you’re wealthy, you don’t have to rely on the government for any level of care. Therefore much of their insane legislation won’t affect you, therefore you’ll be fine. If you get cancer but make $200k/year you’ll be ok. If you get cancer but make $80k/year, you’ll become very poor and also in both situations will likely lose your job if you’re unable to work for more than your PTO and FMLA so you will lose insurance and you’ll become reALLLY poor really fast.
In the US, the government offers 0 social safety nets at all. So if you can be your own fiscal safety net, you’ll be fine and will likely make lots of friends and enjoy your life.
No-Caregiver8049@reddit
I have no idea what this block of text is. “no public transit except NYC and Chicago” is just a blatant untruth.
“drive everywhere for everything” is just meaningless.
“0 social safety nets” is wrong (Snap, social security, Medicaid, SSDI, etc). 99 million people enrolled, and almost half of all children
“All the transit smells like pee”. Not even sure what that means, unless it’s the transit that only seems to exist in NYC and Chicago.
”Plan to become poor”? huh?
Positives: “diverse food”.
AresGameOfficial@reddit
Hi, I'd also like to move to the United States. I wanted to ask you which universities you applied to. I have several questions, so you can message me if you like. 🙃
Ghostmoth84@reddit
TA/RA pay varies wildly depending upon the university, even in the same state, but it’s all listed online if that helps your decision. Cost of living varies, too. Santa Cruz, for example, is more expensive than 87% of the U.S. To live comfortably as a family of 2, you’d need between $120k-$150k. In NYC, it’s $150k-$180k. Housing costs are a large part of that, so knowing whether you have housing is critical. You could reach out to the universities and ask them how grad students afford it. But those cities are expensive because people want to live there.
mavikat@reddit
What's your field of study? Your first priority should be to choose a university where you will have a supportive PI, and only after that, narrow down according to the state and location. Also, this sub tends to not favor the US so take what's said here with a grain of salt. Instead, find the Turkish professionals groups on LinkedIn or even FB and inquire there. Many universities also have Turkish student associations. Having the perspective of other Turkish international PhD students in America, or from working professionals will be more insightful than a bunch of Americans wanting to get out. American higher ed and doctorate degree with the network of the professionals from your background will go a long way. Good luck.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
My field is Media studies and these were the possibly universities I was thinking to apply:
mavikat@reddit
Excellent range (except I don't recognize the second one on your list). Also consider other UCs (uc san diego, Irvine, ucla). Maybe U Penn. What exactly is your focus in media studies? Are you leaning more toward technology or cultural studies? Have you looked into who on their faculty could be an advisor?
teberzin@reddit (OP)
To be specific I teach game design courses and I do have a game studio. My master was related to games and my Phd will be focused on game studies as well.
mavikat@reddit
Ok then usc, ucla, uc san diego, mit, Georgia tech, and maybe upenn... I'm tangentially in media studies but not in game design and hold a doctorate. You'll do just fine there. Seek advice of the current Turkish PhD students in the schools that interest you, and search the threads on Grad Cafe. Good luck and don't get dissuaded by the down votes on this sub.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Thanks a lot :')
Dry-Wear-9135@reddit
Some of the advice being given on this sub is not good, and a lot of commenters are seriously downplaying the cost of living and difficulty of getting into some of the schools you've chosen.
MIT is literally one of the hardest universities in the world to get into. Their acceptance rate is like something like 5%. If you managed to get in, your tuition would cost you over $65K alone, which is more than your scholarship. You'd also have to live near Boston, which is one of the costliest areas in all of America. You'd be living at poverty level with your budget if you didn't take on roommates and count pennies every single minute of your life.
UCs are also very hard to get into, and the application process is LENGTHY. You'd need to start applying for almost a year before you began attending. Then, if you managed to get into UCLA / UC Irvine / UCSD have to contend with the cost of living and the housing shortages in Southern California. Again, poverty level.
I suggest you do some rental searches on the US real estate site Trulia. If you did a search for, say, Culver City (in LA), you'd see that rent for a one-bedroom apartment could easily set you back $3k a month. If you're lucky. You could pay less, but you and your wife would need to be okay either living in a single room with a bunch of roommates or living in a 300 sqft studio in a dangerous area. Same applies to Cambridge, where MIT is.
If you're determined to still come here and don't mind the heat, you might also want to consider more in the South—like maybe Louisiana, Alabama, or Florida, which would have many universities to chose from. The cost of living would be lower in these areas, too, so long as you're not trying to live in Miami or somewhere similar.
Abu_Everett@reddit
RPI is the second one on the list and is an excellent engineering school. No idea why they even have a media studies PhD program.
blumonste@reddit
Madison is a very liberal city. You will love it.
HomeLifter@reddit
I'd suggest either Brown or Madison out of those places. The others are quite expensive to live in, and Urbana is a very very boring town. I'm an academic too and I lived in Providence for a year once. It's small but plenty to do, and it's charming. If you like the ocean even better. Winters are mild, but in Madison they are brutal. So, I really think you should do Providence and Madison as an alternate.
HighlightMelodic3494@reddit
Applications for these institutions (for funding, at least) are more than likely closed.
Also: universities such as UC Santa Cruz, NYU, Brown, and UW-Madison have slimmer slots available. (Not only that, but a lot of institutions are revising their immigration policies to ensure that international students are safe from the possibility of deportations. Unfortunately, a lot of universities are actually accepting fewer international candidates because of the possible risk-- not just for them & their funding, but for you and your bodily autonomy.)
blackkettle@reddit
Media studies is not a field I would expect to translate to different locales very readily. I would also argue that a US degree in that won’t carry much weight in Europe.
If we were talking about engineering then maybe different. Your wife very probably will also not be allowed to work.
If your goal is Europe why not just study in Europe.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Europe does not offer me 60k usd per year + TA/RA position.
blackkettle@reddit
Standard PhD stipends here at ETH Zurich start at like CHF80k.
tripletruble@reddit
ya but that's like the absolute highest in all of europe - by a pretty big margin. and it is not as if Zurich / Switzerland is cheap either
blackkettle@reddit
Half the places on OPs list have comparable COL to Zurich which means that 60k is gone pretty quick.
hotcakes@reddit
Merhaba! I’m actually visiting my brother in Bodrum right now. I love Turkey! I’m from California so I might be biased but my vote would be for California, but not USC because it actually is in a high crime area. So go with Santa Cruz. Everyone here saying don’t do it, but you’ve got to take some chances in life and it sounds like you have a good opportunity to take advantage of. Best of luck to you!
BornFree2018@reddit
She'll need double money for UCSC just for accommodations. My DIL is a student there.
BornFree2018@reddit
Santa Cruz is one of the most expensive rental markets in a very expensive state. Unless you have housing as part of your scholarship I wouldn't try.
LogicalAttitude7923@reddit
Something to consider with the US is that cost of living varies wildly by city/Region. 60k/year in Madison or in Georgia for a married couple would be modest but doable. 60k in Santa Cruz or New York City is a near-poverty wage. As for crime and the like, most university areas in the US are going to have property crime but less violent crime than the metropolitan area as a whole. Racism and racial profiling are definitely a consideration in all areas but especially common in areas with less diversity. If your wife happens to wear a Hijab, Islamophobia is likely to be a factor in less diverse areas as well. The US has a lot to offer but it can be challenging for folks who are not of European ancestry. This has always been true but is more pronounced in recent years. I say this from my lived experience as a white American with mixed-race children. I wish you and your wife the best of luck, wherever your studies take you.
Tricky_Condition_279@reddit
Sort of. You have to realize that these schools find a way to have graduate students despite cost-of-living issues. Often there is graduate student or married student housing. If a stipend is possible, on top of the $60K, this should be quite workable for 2 living as students.
LogicalAttitude7923@reddit
Yes, absolutely. I work for a “Big 10” university in the Midwest and we have graduate student housing as well. That said, if OP is going to go to one of the higher cost of living areas, making sure that it is available (ours is extremely limited) would be a consideration because alternative housing in some place like Santa Cruz is going to be obscene. Also just the cost of existing in NYC or California can be staggering-housing is not the only price index to consider. Groceries. Gasoline if driving. Transit costs if available. A movie night out. A cup of coffee. All of these things stack up differently in different places.
gadgetvirtuoso@reddit
$60k in most of these locations would be rough. You probably wouldn't struggle in at Urbana or Wisconsin. Any location in CA, would be really hard, as would Brown. You have to remember that there is no universal healthcare in the US, and healthcare plans by the universities aren't going to be great. If're you're reasonably healthy, then a couple of years in the US might not be terrible. I would avoid having children while you're in the country. Depending on the state, women's healthcare varies wildly. Don't think of the US as one country, it's really fifty. The laws can be pretty uniform for the most part, but there are a few areas where it is vastly different. Women's healthcare is probably one of the most different depending on the state you are in.
As for fear, you're seeing a lot of propaganda on TV about what's happening. Most foreigners aren't having those experiences, but the current administration is also purposely targeting states that didn't vote them in. What's happening in places in MN, is the exception and why it's getting so much news coverage.
Red-tailed_hawk-776@reddit
See my longer reply. All great schools and locations. For cost of living and personal safety I'd focus on #1, #5, #8 and #9 with the last two standouts.
dallyan@reddit
A lot of people are going you wrong information in this thread. I wouldn’t worry about crime or violence. Overall the US is quite safe in those regards. Yes, right now things are tough for immigrants but you should be alright on a legal visa.
As for the income, it really depends on where you’ll be living and if your wife can work.
bisousbisous2@reddit
Literal citizens are getting harassed and detained by immigration agents (and very occasionally killed). Why would a legal visa be any safer?
dallyan@reddit
People are still going to try to come to the US to pursue higher education. They have knowledge of what’s going on. If they decide to take that risk, then it’s understandable. I’m actually turkish as well and we generally have a different risk tolerance to most Americans. We’re more used to disasters and political conflict and terrorism, etc.
Tao-of-Mars@reddit
No idea why you’re getting downvoted but this is the absolute reality. I wouldn’t come to the US as a non-U.S. citizen at all. Unless you want to stay locked in your housing while ice is terrorizing your block.
AdamsDoomscrolling@reddit
Your wife's fears are correct. Go to Europe. This is not a safe country for brown people.
Academic-Balance6999@reddit
Turkish people are generally not “brown”— in the US they tend to be read as white. I have had multiple Turkish colleagues with pale skin, light hair and eyes. Now, in Germany, which has a lot of Turkish immigrants, there may be discrimination based on looks (if you have darker hair or features), or surname. Honestly day-to-day the OP is much more likely to face discrimination in parts of Europe due to prejudice against the Turkish diaspora there.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
We’re not brown at all, but I think he just wanted to make a racist remark, so I let it be
AdamsDoomscrolling@reddit
If you're white passing the you'll have an easier time up until you introduce yourselves as "Yusuf and Defne from Turkiye".
mavikat@reddit
Yes. Absolutely spot on. Thanks for acknowledging the challenges Europe is facing. Germany especially cannot be recommended as a safe alternative.
SoManyQuestions5200@reddit
Yea its kind of like being Jewish and considering a position in Berlin during the 3rd Reich. And no we're not being hyperbolic
Neuroticcuriosity@reddit
It's exactly like that
Top-Half7224@reddit
Universities in large cities on the west and east coasts will likely have the most accepting and diverse populations. Your wife, will probably be treated better in the US than in Turkey. Gun crime is a major problem, as is racism, but if you don't buy a gun, or get involved with gangs, your risk level decreases significantly. Look up "red" and "blue" states. Avoid the red ones.
Egosuma@reddit
60k in turkey is nice. 60k in usa is not so much.
dallyan@reddit
Not these days. Turkey is expensive af.
lithuanianbacon@reddit
Not sure why you’re getting downvoted, inflation is hitting Turkey like crazy.
dallyan@reddit
This sub is weird.
Informal-Intention-5@reddit
But it’s an “unbelievable” amount for graduate student stipend.
Informal-Intention-5@reddit
I feel like you should name this PhD scholarship because none of this is how this actually works. PhD are almost always funded by the university with a tuition waiver and stipend but this obviously happens after you are accepted into the program. They also tend to be more like $30K a year. PhD s are also generally 4 year programs (with 5 years not so uncommon). To the extent that it could be done in 2, it would require the applicant to already hold a masters degree. And if someone has a masters their PhD path is pretty much set and there isn’t a big list of possible disciplines
HighlightMelodic3494@reddit
I'd hold off until you receive the scholarship.
"Might" is a huge possibility in academia right now. Applications for grad jobs/positions have seen about a 30% increase across the board. With many people losing their jobs, being priced out of their industries, and trying to accommodate a steep rise in the cost of living, lots of people are trying to return to school right now.
bisousbisous2@reddit
This is a really good point too. Funding for academia is in a very bad place right now. I worked in academia for a decade and have so many former coworkers who got laid off in the last year, ranging from research assistants to professors.
broccolihead@reddit
I can't imagine why anyone would willingly move here unless you're white, rich and very conservative. If you have brown skin you're gonna be a target of ICE regardless of why you're here, visa or not, you're gonna get harassed by masked racists in uniforms. Do you watch the news, are you aware of the out of control Racism and Moral Corruption that's happening here? I'm a white citizen and I want to leave because of the way people are being treated, you can have my spot if you're lookin for abuse.
bisousbisous2@reddit
*brown skin, an accent, visibly non Christian, and/or a non western European name
schaapnootmies@reddit
On a completely different note. How on earth are you going to fund the remainder of your PhD if you only have 2 years worth of scholarship? A PhD takes 4 years, and if you are thinking of doing TA work, it will be longer. Having only half of the money is incredibly stressful, and the chances of securing funding these days is extremely low. While I understand it seems like a prestigious opportunity, I do think that you really have to ask yourself what you want to get out of it. You will not be able to save, nor will you have a good work/life balance, nor will you have better opportunities upon return with a half finished project. If you are ok with this and are happy to invest for 2 years and grind down and live super frugally because you are inspired to learn from a different research, team&perspective, then good luck to you and have a blast. But from your post it sounds like you see it as an opportunity to save money and enhance your career, which I think neither are very likely unfortunately.
doteka@reddit
I can’t speak to the US specifically but I do know cost of living in major cities is at least equal if not more than in major Western European cities. In the Netherlands, 60k a year is not enough to rent an apartment for 2 nearly anywhere in the country (average rental is 1800 a month and requires you to make triple that in a month). I struggle to understand why you think this is a good opportunity.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
I will not rely on the only 60k I will get. I will also be applying for TA/RA position in the university (she also will).
Catladylove99@reddit
TA/RA positions pay next to nothing. I used to have one. Seriously. With $60k plus two TA/RA jobs, you are going to seriously struggle to afford a place to live, food to eat, even the basics for two people in most places in the US with a decent university. And as others have said, the current administration has been canceling people’s valid visas for no reason. I would aim for Europe if I were you.
doteka@reddit
Listen, a PhD is a fulltime job, that’s the whole reason for this scholarship. It likely disallows being employed as TA on top of that, in fact it’s likely that the work of a TA is the actual funding mechanism - meaning you are expected to do this work as part of the PhD, not as a side hustle on top for extra cash.
Leaving all that aside: 60k in Northern Europe for two adults is not “such money”, it’s more like “if the car breaks down I’m gonna be short for rent this month” money. And the car is not optional because as I mentioned above, an apartment within walking distance is not in the cards unless you go for a room in student housing. If you were single it could be livable, sure. Don’t expect US to be any better
AllUserNamesTaken442@reddit
60k is nothing in the US. You'll be struggling just as much. Not worth it.
ltlearntl@reddit
I lived in the US for 12 from bachelors to PhD. Supporting my family at home at the same time. US is mostly safe. Yes there is gun crime, but it really depends on where you are. Turkey is a relatively high income country compared to mine, so my standards may be a bit different than yours.
I would definitely encourage you to go. 60k is pretty sweet to be honest for a PhD stipend, my stipend was only 17k for masters and 20k for PhD. You can look into GDP PPP per Capita for rough purchasing power concerns. I managed to save 10k per year to send home to support my family on 17k, so I think you can do it with some planning.
Cahill12354@reddit
Don't. Too dangerous.
Maleficent_Offer_692@reddit
Assuming it’s a large city, large enough to have a college with a PhD program, $60k likely won’t go far. You’ll end up needing a job or some other source of income.
The safer places are gonna be large cities. But they’ll also be more expensive, and $60k won’t go far.
Not to mention we might be facing a second civil war here pretty soon, so it might not be a good idea in general.
Separatist_Pat@reddit
Your main worry seems to be crime and violence in the USA. Relax. Only the bad news gets reported internationally. On a day-to-day basis the USA is a safe and comfortable place to live, especially college towns. You'll do great! And if you have to go back your US experience will be gold on your CV.
jsmith-az@reddit
I would like to travel to Turkey, but I’m afraid of the crime. I feel perfectly safe in the USA.
Maybe people are afraid of the unknown.
You can look up crime statistics for any city in the US and compare with Turkey to get an idea.
B_P_G@reddit
Every city has a few bad neighborhoods. List the schools with PhD programs that you're interested in and maybe someone here can tell you if they're in nice areas. But even if they aren't you can live in a suburb or something and commute.
With that said, if you're ultimately interested in working in Europe then I'd probably do the PhD in Europe too. That would probably be better for building connections in your field and securing a full time position after you graduate.
Mr_Lumbergh@reddit
Let me ask this: what is your course of study? Would your programme be good at any university?
CoL and your safety/acceptance will vary a lot based on where you actually end up.
DJTRANSACTION1@reddit
your not scared of ice harassing and detaining you?
SweetAlyssumm@reddit
You can't support a wife with that salary and she doesn't want to come to the US. Just go to Europe. It will be better for future networking too. And what will you do after two years? A PhD takes five years and sometimes longer.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Europe does not offer me 60k usd per year + TA/RA position. Better than nothing I guess. I will either stay in Turkey or will go to the USA so Europe is not one of the choices I have atm.
Beautiful_Resolve_63@reddit
Perhaps (if you feel safe to) you can share which reasons for Turkey you are leaving.
When I meet Turkish people abroad in the Netherlands, they all tell me that America sounds a lot like Turkey. When I knew Turkish families in America, they all told me lots of experiences of racism.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Just to get a better PhD education tbh.
Beautiful_Resolve_63@reddit
Then I think that's a bad idea. You are jeopardizing a lot for not a good pay off. Most PhD employees don't make crazy much more.
Dry-Wear-9135@reddit
Honestly, being a TA/RA is going to get you very little money, so I'd consider it extra money but not really factor it into your cost of living because it's not going to give you make or break kind of money. You'd probably make more working full-time at McDonald's.
Academics might be revered and paid loads in other countries like, say, Iceland, but in the USA they're known for being notoriously poor. Most anyone who becomes a teacher in the US does so with the understanding that they're going to be living their lives near the poverty line.
I'm not trying to be negative or dissuade you. I'm only trying to give you a realistic picture of what you and your wife are up against.
denada24@reddit
It depends on what you’re studying, where you plan to go, (different towns/cities in one state can be a vastly different experience). 60k is what a lot of teachers make here, and it is pretty livable (especially without kids) but, it is not enough for a lavish. Housing, utilities, and groceries are very high.
Virtual-Fly-5501@reddit
High violence and crime? . I don’t wanna go to Turkey because of the high violence in crime. lol
Is there a chance something stupid happens to you while you’re here?yes. There’s a chance of that anywhere you go.
Spare_Ad8851@reddit
go to Georgia IoT and you will have a great time
of all the cities on your list Atlanta is probably the most affordable and the area around the school is the safer part of the city
you can have a nice one bedroom for $1,500 and that leaves you plenty of money for everything else
also the weather is better than being somewhere in Albany or Wisconsin in the winter and there is lots of interesting history to explore in the region
awajitoka@reddit
I don’t know your situation in detail, of course, but I think you’d be crazy not to take this opportunity. Contrary to what you might hear in the media or on Reddit, the U.S. is generally quite welcoming.
As for location, do some real research into the climate you want and what each university can offer you academically and professionally.
This sounds like a great opportunity, and making a decision based on Reddit comments, mine included, is probably not the best approach. Look beyond social media and dig into credible, firsthand information.
The U.S. has its issues, like any country, but not to the extent you might be led to believe. It is safe, welcoming, and can offer strong returns for those willing to put in the work.
I wish you all the best.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Yeah but just wanted to hear the what redditors will say and I was already prepared for hate comments xD thanks for your kind words..
tripletruble@reddit
Most Americans have a complete fantasy version of what the incomes and budgets of households look in most of the world, including most of Europe. So do take what they are saying with a grain of salt. $60k is a reasonable amount of money for a couple in the vast majority of the country, especially if it is only for a temporary period
For sure, racism is a concern. But I am sincerely skeptical that you would experience less day to racism in say Western Europe or that the opportunities for you to integrate professionally and culturally would be as good
ICE is actually scary though and there is real potential for the country to degrade over the next couple years
Beautiful_Resolve_63@reddit
Right, but also be prepared to listen. America is racist. Every Turkish person I met in the US has told me horror stories about their weekly racism.
Anicha1@reddit
Hopefully it’s $60k in Nebraska. When I made that, I lived at home.
groucho74@reddit
The United States has areas that are very safe and very unsafe.
If you were getting a PhD in chemistry or engineering or physics I would think it was a good idea. A phd in media studies I just wouldn’t do. You won’t have any strongly sought skills and you will be arriving in a politically unstable country with strong anti immigrant sentiments. Now isn’t the time for that.
SoManyQuestions5200@reddit
Hey OP if you need anymore convincing not to come to the US here ya go
https://youtu.be/8d5PDrdRKh0?si=PPb3mluohEZdPlpN
Sea-Kaleidoscope-551@reddit
My thoughts go to social isolation. Make sure you (and your wife) speak English and are willing to get involved in univeristy activities (id even look into this when considering your choice of univeristy) also be prepared to join the local turkish community (and check there is one in the city you plan to go). Why? Because usa can be very isolating socially if you dont actively seek out social opportunities
Also you probably will need a car, so make sure to budget for that in the 60k.
ProbablyBsPlzIgnore@reddit
The cities are safe, what you see on tv and the internet is a caricature.
No one here has an opinion about Turkiye, people will think of you as European. There isn't a huge Turkish diaspora here like there is in Europe.
Oh and $60k is not a lot of money here, in some high cost of living cities that may just outright not be enough for food and rent
whatshouldwecallme@reddit
*Where* in the US is relevant, especially for cost of living. But as others are saying, nowhere is guaranteed to be safe from arbitrary detention/deportation to a 3rd country, including "disappearing" where it's not clear to anyone *where* in the world you are. It's not an irrational fear anymore, and I don't think your wife's quality of life would feel very high here because of that.
NodlBohsek@reddit
Anywhere but the US It is safe to not get deported for no reason
OLacAlmost@reddit
Dont
TravelingBop@reddit
There's no way to give an accurate picture of cost of living and crime without knowing where this will be. In general: 2 people can live on 60K but not in any major city. Crime is also not really an issue except in very specific cities.
BAFUdaGreat@reddit
Have you watched the news recently? The US isn’t exactly a welcoming place these days. And also: $60K per year is not a lot of money these days especially as you don’t mention where you’ll be going. If that’s in a major city the forget about it. If it’s in a no name tiny town in the middle of nowhere, even then you’ll be very hard up. I’d pass on this and see if you could get the same type of offer in the EU
teberzin@reddit (OP)
I will not rely on the only 60k I will get. I will also be applying for TA/RA position in the university (she also will).
BAFUdaGreat@reddit
Not sure what you’ve been told about TA/RA salaries but that’s not going to be a lot of money either. Maybe another $10K. And from your list of universities most of those are in high COL areas which means you’ll be spending a lot to live. Seriously: don’t do this.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
tbh I wasn't sure about the salaries of it... And it hurt me to hear that.
3yoyoyo@reddit
Here’s a more developed, assertive version that expands the reasoning and strengthens the tone without sounding aggressive:
Expanded, assertive revision: The cost of living in this area is undeniably high, and even a salary in the range of 80–90k would leave very little financial flexibility. Based on the factors outlined in detail below, this income level would make it difficult to maintain a stable and comfortable standard of living. The campuses in question are surrounded by upper‑middle‑class neighborhoods, where housing, transportation, and everyday expenses are significantly elevated. This environment drives up baseline costs in ways that are not easily offset by careful budgeting or lifestyle adjustments.
Given these realities, the proposed budget raises serious concerns. It does not align with the economic conditions of the surrounding community, and it would likely result in ongoing financial strain rather than long‑term sustainability. My 2ç. I would look into the EU. Also please consider the political situation. It’s getting worse as we approach midterms.
Academic-Balance6999@reddit
C’mon, you are a bot. Ridiculous answer.
3yoyoyo@reddit
how do you know!? it’s amazing!
mavikat@reddit
Of course, that's not true. You'll not ve rich and life will be expensive, but everything else will depend on your financial package (meaning, tuition, fees, health insurance, housing, summer stipend, research allowance..). The admission committee will offer you a package and you need to know what's covered. You need to also know what is the stimulation of the 60k . Is it for tuition or housing or travel or anything your heart desires? These are the specific details that I ly current PhD students can share from their own experience.
bisousbisous2@reddit
Is this offer to go anywhere in the US, not a specific university? I'm sorry to say that supporting two adults on 60k is actually going to be very limiting. You will be restricted to lower cost of living regions, which are often also the most hostile towards immigrants. Frankly I would not recommend following this opportunity.
Hutcho12@reddit
Easy to say that when you’re not in Turkey, which is an even more authoritarian regime than that of the US right now and is economically in a lot of trouble.
I’d never move to the US from where I am, but from Turkey I probably would with this opportunity.
bisousbisous2@reddit
I appreciate that the political and economic state of Turkey is overall worse than the US still. However, I suspect a native of Turkey in Turkey is going to be safer there right now than they would be as an immigrant in the US. Especially if their income wouldn't permit them to live in the higher cost areas that are relatively insulated from most of what's going on, and also tend to have less open hostility towards immigrants.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Yeah I will not rely on the only 60k I will get. I will also be applying for TA/RA position in the university (she also will).
ThisIsSpata@reddit
Depending on what visa she goes on -f2 dependent to your F1 - she won't be allowed to work unfortunately. You'd need to consider the J visa route, and that has restrictions that you need to look into before going that way (assuming the university is willing to accommodate as their default for PhD students will be F1)
teberzin@reddit (OP)
I will get J1
szayl@reddit
You won't be on a J1 if you're here to study.
Dry-Wear-9135@reddit
The ease of you and your wife's life in the USA could also depend where you settle.
I saw the potential universities on your list, and the cost of living for some of the areas around the schools are outrageously expensive, like USC and UCSC. California in general is expensive, but it's going to be more if you want to live by the coast. If you and your wife are only living off 60K, you might want to move inland or stick to smaller cities or towns. Even if you both had $60k, living off $120k in Southern California is not going to give you a plush life.
I don't know if your tuition will be covered in your scholarship (or if it's just for living expenses), but the international tuition fees for private universities like Brown and USC are around $35k per semester, so you're looking at about $70 - $75K a year alone just for schooling. So, if you're paying for any tuition, I'd avoid going private since you'd blow through your $60k before you even got off the plane.
If you're set on California and your tuition is covered, you could also look into UC Davis, though it (and all the UC schools) are highly competitive to get into. Sacramento State could be another option.
From your list, Wisconsin and Georgia would be a lot cheaper than California, though those areas might be more conservative. Although, areas around college campuses generally tend to be more liberally-minded, so you may not have an issue.
Beautiful_Resolve_63@reddit
I lived in the best state in the country (by almost every measure) in the states ranking. The US hate women. Don't come here. I needed to bring my husband to doctors to get help.
I was threatened by men whenever I made them angry by having an opinion they did not like.
I love in the Netherlands and finally feel safe.
60k is not enough to pay for two people to have a medium quality of life. You will have to make a lot of sacrifices and unable to do a lot of things.
You have no legal protections and you could be dismissed at anytime by your program. Racist americans regularly call Turks terrorists.
Really, not a good place or a good time to go. Maybe if this was in 2010, might have been okay. Or the 90's.
Where specifically?
Also you will develop a fear of being shot and have to just accept and edited your behavior because literally anyone could have a gun. Lots of mentally ill people are in public looking for problems.
prancing_moose@reddit
You want to immigrate to a country where its immigration police has murdered a mother in her car and executed an arrested, unarmed male nurse in broad daylight, in full view of the public and where the government sees no wrong whatsoever.
Not to mention to many hundreds of people who get detained in illegal razzia’s throughout the country, get dragged down to interrogation centres even while being American citizens or having valid visas (but just being the wrong ethnicity) and where people have “mysteriously” died while in custody.
And you think this is a great place to migrate to?
Academic-Balance6999@reddit
An American PhD from the right university can be quite prestigious, and should open up doors for post docs etc in Europe if that’s what you want. I would seriously consider this offer.
Real talk about money: $60K for two people is tough but graduate students do it every day. My stipend 25 years ago was about $18K/year, which is about $33K today. I didn’t have a ton of money for luxuries or travel but I could feed, house, and clothe myself. I had a fellow grad student who also supported his family in Argentina somewhat after the financial crisis.
Now— I would think carefully about cost of living wherever your target institution is. I was at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and I could afford a nice one bedroom apartment in an older building. My friends who went to New York or San Francisco had to have roommates. So your $30K will go much farther in some locations than others.
tzgq2m@reddit
If the US is making this offer, might some country in Europe offer something similar? IMHO, it's the last place you want to go and take your wife. Even a vacation there is a bad idea right now.
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
Ignoring the current political and human rights issues that the US is currently facing:
The cities that you can afford to live in with a $60k salary are not cities that have lots of ethnic diversity.
If you want to live somewhere that has a higher amount of acceptance of foreigners, you probably want to live in some of the larger metropolitan centres in areas that have more left-leaning politics and larger immigrant populations, like NYC, LA, Seattle, etc. $60k wouldn't support 2 people in these cities. For example, I wouldn't move to NYC as a couple unless you made more than $80k, and $80k would be a very low income for NYC (you would be living very lightly).
The cities that you could afford to live in with that income are going to be places like Houston, Phoenix, Indianapolis, etc. These aren't the kinds of cities where you'll find lots of acceptance of immigrants, and you might not find large communities of other Turkish people.
But the real thing I would be concerned about is that your visa could be cancelled, and you'll be deported. Since Trump took office, the US has cancelled the visas of over 100,000 people. I wouldn't go to the US if I were you. There's too much risk, even if the risk is that you become fearful and leave on your own accord.
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Uh even by getting scholarship from the USA to the university still is it a thing to my visa being canceled? Also I will not rely on the only 60k I will get. I will also be applying for TA/RA position in the university (she also will).
DonnPT@reddit
You should look into what happened with those visas. Maybe someone at your university would be well informed about it. I'm not going to pretend to know what's going on myself, it's hard to get a clear perspective even when living there and I am not. It's certainly an unsettled time, with some new risks. This administration is a circus with a new stunt every couple weeks, and presumably real plans being advanced under cover of the distractions.
That's all about the national government, though. You might be surprised how apprehensive Americans would be, to visit Turkey on a scholarship visa. America isn't anything like the war zone it's made out to be, the main problem is really that people work too much, eat too much and drive too much.
FinestTreesInDa7Seas@reddit
A startling number of student visas have been wrongfully terminated by the Trump administration in the past year.
https://www.visaverge.com/visa/stem-opt-crisis-leaves-international-students-facing-visa-status-loss/
That opens up your options much more. But I would still not risk moving to the US. The risk of you needing to leave the country urgently are too high. You would lose lots of money that you've invested in moving there, and probably set back your PHD progress by a huge amount.
Prahasaurus@reddit
I'm not a fan of living in the USA, but some of the best places to live are university towns, especially smaller towns which more or less evolve around the university. They also tend to be quite safe.
But there is huge variance. Better to find 3-4 possibilities and research each. You'll find a ton of info online, including crime/safety statistics.
Good luck!
AestheticBrilliance@reddit
As an "academician in Turkey" you're not being very smart FFS
teberzin@reddit (OP)
Okay.
mavikat@reddit
Ignore the noise.
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
You’re an ass. Obviously it’s a translation issue.
Red-tailed_hawk-776@reddit
Congratulations on the offer. This must make your family and friends very proud! Normally I'd say start packing and get ready for a great experience.
No more. In the past year, things are very bad here. If you don't look white like me there's a real risk of having immigration or other problems with secret police abducting people of color off the streets same if you have an accent. It has happened to people I know. If you are Muslim you're under even greater risk.
Depending on where you live $60k is not much money in most US cities except for a few in the south which I'd avoid bringing your wife. In a growing number of southern states it can be very difficult to find medical care for women even if you don't plan on children. Even emergency rooms will deny care to women with some health issues because doctors can go to jail. Childhood vaccines are increasingly difficult to obtain even for adults. Medical care is ridiculously expensive even if you have insurance and the main cause of personal bankruptcy.
Mass shootings are sadly not uncommon. I'd avoid states that allow open carry of weapons.
Sorry to have bad news but consider carefully or sadly come alone and not put her at risk.
I want to leave the US along with many I know. Hopefully this will be better in 3 - 4 years but highly uncertain and getting worse by the day.
Zolotows_Flange@reddit
You’re gonna have a bad time bro
teberzin@reddit (OP)
I'm asking reasons of it not the outcome of it.
AnchoviePopcorn@reddit
Merhaba ve hoş geldiniz! The US is huge. So while some cities have high crime, there are a million other places that are safer. I’d look at smaller college towns that have lower cost of living.
flushbunking@reddit
Cities are more welcoming by far, but the situation seems to be changing-day by day. You are probably resilient enough to make it, but you have to accept that it’s possible you may be temporarily detained. Thats just ICE & you took my job types. Then, random violence and crime is more prevalent in the cities. And it really is random in many of them, so you have to be comfortable with being always aware/ready to defend yourself. I have never felt so relaxed in Europe, even in higher crime areas. It doesn’t not even compete. But, ive never seen the same money in Europe, it doesn’t even compete. But i don’t need as much money in Europe… it goes on and on. If you come, unless something pulls you in (usually its money, a partner, etc) i suspect you’ll be mentally done in two years, ready to go home, or anywhere/somewhere else.
blumonste@reddit
UW Madison it Whitewater in Wisconsin. First is city. The second is rural. Rural should be safer.