Start with the offer letter, not the headline
When an advert says fully funded, it may mean tuition only, tuition plus a stipend, or tuition plus a grant that arrives after you have already paid costs. My first action was to put every benefit into a small table: tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance, visa, travel, and conference funding.
The three questions that changed my decision
- What is paid directly, and what is reimbursed? Reimbursement can be impossible if you do not have savings for a visa or flight.
- Is the stipend guaranteed for the full programme? Ask whether it changes after coursework or depends on teaching.
- Which costs are excluded? Moving, dependants, insurance, and registration fees can materially change the value of an offer.
My proposal structure
I used one page: the problem, why it mattered, the method I could realistically learn, and the local research fit. I named two papers from the group and one limitation I hoped to understand. That specificity made the proposal feel like the beginning of research rather than a generic personal statement.
Before you apply
Do not assume a fee waiver includes a living stipend. Save the official funding terms beside the event or scholarship deadline and request clarification in writing.