full time job during phd

• Working While you Study for Your PhD

Written by Hannah Slack

It's possible to work during a PhD with careful time management. You might choose to do this if you need a job to help cover the cost of a postgraduate degree. Or, you may want to learn industry-based skills to benefit your future career. This page will take you through the different types of work PhD students often undertake, and the pros and cons of maintaining a job alongside such an intensive degree.

Can you work during a PhD?

The simple answer is yes, you can work while studying a PhD and in fact, many do. The most common form of work is teaching during your PhD . But some students may also have part-time (or full-time jobs outside of the university).

Depending on the amount of work you plan to undertake, you will have to consider whether it would be better to do your PhD part-time or full-time. It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to do a full-time job alongside a full-time PhD. However, it is possible to work part-time alongside a full-time PhD (or vice versa).

What type of work can you do during a PhD?

There are many different types of work PhD students can apply for. When someone says that they work alongside their PhD, most will assume that they have a stable, permanent contract. However, many PhD students work short-term contracts.

Contract work

The most common job for doctoral students is teaching undergraduates. Most departments will offer teaching opportunities to second-year and above researchers, paying you for training, seminar time, prep work and marking. Usually, you'll be able to decide how many seminar groups you wish to take on, allowing you to schedule work around your research. Teaching is an excellent chance to experience the other responsibilities that come with working in academia .

Another popular type of contract work is assistance roles . Many academics run outreach programmes that require more hours than they’re able to put in. Usually, emails will be sent around the departments advertising a short-term role. Jobs often include data entry, content management and research assistance. Again, these can be a great opportunity to build up workplace specific skills and receive a small financial boost.

Permanent roles

Some PhD students may also work more permanent roles. Often, self-funded students have to seek employment in order to financially afford tuition and living expenses. These students usually work part-time in industry . This can be both within and outside of the university. The types of roles students may undertake include admin, hospitality and even marketing. It’s a good idea to search for roles that match up with your skill set and future career goals .

Given the academic pressures of a PhD, many universities advise students not to work more than 16 hours a week . Otherwise, they may find themselves falling behind on a full-time PhD programme.

Pros and cons of working during a PhD

Working during a PhD can be a great opportunity to learn new skills and refine your current ones for future job applications. In fact, many Research Councils often require their funded students to undertake some form of work experience in order to build industry related skills.

However, managing a job on top of your own research can be stressful and limit the amount of free time you have available. Here are some of the most important pros and cons to consider before applying for a job.

• Gain more industry related experience
• Helps reduce financial pressure
• Regular forced breaks from your research can help refresh the mind
• Make connections with work colleagues, reducing the isolation often associated with PhD research
• Less time in the week to work on your PhD
• Schedule clashes could mean you miss out on academic opportunities, such as conferences
• Potential feelings of isolation from the academic community if you’re committed to an industry job

Tips for working during a PhD

#1 prioritise workload management.

The main thing to consider before applying for a job during your PhD is how you’re going to manage the workload. The PhD already comes with a hefty amount of work and so adding to that can cause additional stress.

The key is to set your priorities and manage your time effectively , taking regular breaks. Just like a job allows you to take holiday, do the same for your PhD. If the workload gets too much, be willing to consider the necessity of your job or whether it would be possible to reduce your PhD from full-time study to part-time .

#2 Talk to your supervisor

You should also discuss your situation with your supervisor so they’re aware of your wider responsibilities and time restraints. They’ll then be able to better advise on your progress. Additionally, you should make your industry boss aware of your PhD commitments. They too may be able to assist you. This might mean offering flexibility to your hours in case of last-minute academic events or allowing extended holiday to prepare for the viva .

#3 Don't forget to get involved in the research community

Working while studying can be time-consuming, but it's important to stay in touch with the wider research community nonetheless! Make sure you still find the time to attend conferences, seminars and networking events. This will help you form academic connections and get the most out of your doctorate.

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5 Things to Consider Before Doing a PhD While Working

• By Nicholas R.
• August 19, 2020

Those interested in getting a PhD but dreading the several years of no income or a stipend that doesn’t meet their needs may consider a part time or even a full time job. That way, they can gain experience in the field, save up a little money and have a non-academic route they could later make use of. After all, if you’ve already made it to the point where you’re eligible to study at PhD level, you’ve already proven that you have great time management skills and that you can dedicate yourself to your studies, right?…

It might sound like a workable plan to many, but getting a PhD while working might not be as easy as you may think. Take it from many PhD students and postgrads who warn that it a slippery slope from a part time PhD to no PhD at all.

If you decide to go down this route, keep the following considerations in mind to give you the best chance of succeeding.

1. Know Your Programme

Some part time PhD programmes, especially the ones offered by online universities and distance learning schools, are well suited for those who want to work and study at the same time. Some aren’t as rigorous or time-consuming as others, and in some fields, the experience of working in industry through your current career will be a great benefit. A part time PhD will also have a more manageable workload , and supervisors will usually be more experience in providing support to working students. But keep in mind that some PhD part time programmes will not be eligible for financial aid or funding , at which point part time study may no longer be personally worth it.

2. Know Your Job

If your work is related to your field of study and your employers understand and support the requirements of your PhD, you will have a much less stressful few years. Therefore, one of the first things you’ll want to do is to get your employer on your side.

You can go about this by sitting down with them and explaining what your research will be about, how it will benefit your professional development and how it will benefit them as a business. You will also want to reassure them that you’ll be able to remain committed to your job during your studies, as this is likely to be their biggest concern. Don’t just stop at their verbal support, ask your manager to sit down with you to discuss the possibility of funding support, study days and the assignment of a mentor if your workplace has a doctorate holder.

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3. Know Your Situation

If you have young children, a sick parent, or generally any commitments that require hours of your time, it’s probably best to stay a full time student. If your field requires many publications or relies heavily on being able to network and interact with other researchers, keep in mind that you probably won’t be able to live up to their expectations if you already have work commitments you need to keep up.

4. Know Your Supervisor

Your supervisor should be supportive of the fact that you’re attempting to carry out a PhD whilst working part time rather than seeing it as a hindrance. As is to be expected, part time students generally struggle more than full time ones due to having greater external commitments, less contact time and a longer programme duration (beyond five years). You will want to find a PhD supervisor who is aware of these challenges, and if at all possible, try to get one who has taken this path themselves.

A good supervisor won’t only limit their support to physical help , such as introducing you to other researchers, suggesting relevant literature and facilitating data access, but also to emotional and mental support. A supportive supervisor maintains a good attitude and demonstrates concern for your research project. They should be keen to see you excel, help you refine your research skills and make you feel confident enough to experiment with your research approach and share your work whenever the opportunity presents itself, whether it is at a conference or in your place of work. Although you will be responsible for navigating yourself through your doctorate, a good supervisor will act as your safety net for when you get a little lost.

5. Know Yourself

Even the most organised people aren’t prepared for the workload that comes with a PhD. Make a time chart and be truly honest with yourself about how much time you have in the day, it might not be as much as you would think once you’ve factored everything in. Doing a part time PhD requires about 15-20 hours of commitment per week – will you have 15 hours to spare alongside your job, family and friends and other obligations? If not, then working and studying at the same time will most likely be out of your reach.

These considerations will hopefully put you in a better position to tackle a PhD while working part time (or dare I say it, working full time!). Even still, tackling a several year long PhD programme whilst working is probably one of the hardest things you will do, so if you decide to go down this road, much kudos to you.

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Frequently asked questions.

In short, yes, you can work while studying for your PhD.

The hard part to juggle is finding the time to do both. You may find that part-time study is more flexible for you but it takes longer to complete. An excellent way to combine work and study is to get a job within the university you are studying at.

Check out other sources of support for PhD Students .

There are several benefits to both full time and part time PhD study. It can be extremely difficult to juggle a full time postgraduate position alongside working. It’s not called full-time for nothing! This is intensive but you can complete a full time PhD faster than it’s part-time equivalent.

Studying for a PhD is a big commitment, either full time for 3-4 years or part-time for generally 6-7 years. If you want, or need, to be working and studying for PhD this could have an impact on your study: here are some of the things you may find it helpful to think about before starting your PhD.

Is funding for a PhD in the UK enough to live on?

If you are fortunate enough to have full funding for your PhD, your studentship should cover both fees and living expenses and be tax-free. The stipend levels for students studying for a PhD in the UK is set by UK research councils for their own studentships, and this is followed by Universities for their own studentships. These will provide enough to live on and not to have to be working and studying for a PhD.

If you are looking for PhD Funding, you can search for your ideal studentship from the many opportunities we have listed on Postgraduate Studentships. We have a section for Charities and Trusts who are set up to support students looking to get additional financial help with their studies.

How much work is included in a Graduate Teaching Assistantship?

Some PhD studentships are called Graduate Teaching Assistantships – this means that you will be teaching for a certain number of hours in each academic year and this is part of the conditions of the studentship. It is advisable to find out exactly how this works with the University advertising the opportunity. Will you receive separate payments or is this part of the studentship? How many hours will it involve and how will that relate to your PhD? Will you receive training?

If you are considering an academic career, there may be some advantage in getting some initial experience. However you may also struggle with working and studying for a PhD at the same time.

Should I study my PhD full-time or part-time if I need to work?

If you need to work and study, it’s important to think about how you will manage that. Can you study full-time and work at the same time and if so how much work can you do? A full-time PhD is regarded as a full-time commitment. So anything other than a supplementary job for a few hours per week is challenging. Some students start with a full-time PhD and then move to studying the PhD part-time. So you would need to discuss this with your university first.

Planning to study a part-time PhD takes longer overall but it may also give you the time to do your PhD and to make the money you need. If you do decide to study part-time you may already have a job that will allow you to have flexible hours. Think also about part time work in a field that relates to your study. If you need to look for a job that will help you do your PhD, your University is likely to have temporary or part-time jobs that students can apply for on campus – most universities have a database of these jobs for students so you can find out in advance what the pay rates are and if that would be enough.

Universities also have a range of part-time jobs which may be administrative or involve working in labs. If you apply for one of these jobs, especially in your own department, it’s important to make sure you work out how you will manage this. This way, you're prepared for when you are working on your PhD and when you are working on your job.

What if I am an International Student?

If you are an international student in the UK there will be restrictions on how many hours you can work. The UK Government has made some improvements to this. There are more opportunities now to study and work in the UK .

Talking to your University about your options

Your university wants you to succeed at your PhD. It has experienced students working whilst studying and works and what doesn’t. If you are planning to work whilst studying it’s a good idea to talk to your department. These questions may form part of your application process because your Supervisor will want to make sure you have the means to conduct your research as well as support yourself.

Many students study for a PhD and work for at least part of the time and complete their PhD successfully. If you look at the options beforehand, you can plan what works best for you. This way you can get the most from your PhD whilst working at the same time.

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How to Successfully Combine Work with a PhD?

However, the trend among PhD students over the last years was to either opt for a part-time PhD and a full-time job or completely dedicate to a full-time PhD programme, keeping open the possibility of having a job or some kind of paid collaboration that requires working for only a few hours a week.

A part-time PhD is another preferred option for those that have decided to study an online degree and this way, they don’t have to commute.

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In this article, you can find details about:

• Why most students choose a part-time PhD?
• Why working at the university is ideal for PhD students?
• Useful tips in combining a job with a PhD programme

Part-time PhDs are the best option if you want to have a stable job

A part-time PhD would mean that it will take twice as long to complete the programme, but it will also give you a few advantages: after graduation, you will not only have a PhD diploma, but you would have also added a few years of work experience to your resume.

On the other hand, you should not consider that a part-time PhD is actually easier compared to a full one. Students that have decided for part-time PhD studies often find it more challenging as this situation requires giving equal attention and importance to study and work. A PhD degree means intensive reading and research work that involves more hours of learning, compared to a Bachelor or Master degree.

The biggest challenge part-time PhD students have to face is not knowing which of the two (the job and the PhD course) is more important. You should also keep in mind that some more demanding jobs often require you staying late at the office, which leads to sacrificing the time that was supposed to be dedicated to studying for a PhD at the bottom of the list with “things to do”.

Another concern of PhD students that are employed is when to find the time to write for their PhD thesis. As they are busy with the job and always feel tired at the end of the day, they keep postponing the moment when they sit in front of their laptop or computer to start their research and writing.

With a little time management and organisation, a part-time PhD combined with a full-time job is not impossible. One useful tip is to try to make some of your research at the end of your working hours at the office, not when you arrive at home, when you will be already too tired. You will also have to sacrifice some of your free time during weekends and in the evenings to dedicate yourself to writing the thesis.

Work opportunities at universities are ideal jobs for PhD students

PhD students that had the opportunity to work at a university (the same university they were enrolled) whether as teaching assistants or in other positions, have declared it was not only a good work experience, but it was also pretty well-paid and usually flexible in terms of working hours.

Most universities post their job offers for students so it’s important to check out their announcements and apply in advance if you’re considering these kind of opportunities. Some jobs within universities involve administrative work, others are focused on lab work, and if you are lucky enough to find a job position that fits with your field of study, that is even better. You get to make the research for your thesis during your job and also get paid for it.

Useful tips

1. If you get a job or collaboration that is somehow related to your PhD, this situation will be very helpful for your overall learning performance. It will keep you focused on thinking and finding new ideas for your PhD thesis and it will increase the chances of being a top PhD student.

2. When you consider your PhD programme, pick a topic you’re passionate about that stimulates you. Any PhD degree involves a lot of hard work, but if you select a field you really like, you will not consider your PhD as a burden or as a difficult task in the long run.

3. Find the right supervisor for your PhD thesis. Ideally, you should choose a teacher that you really admired during your PhD programme or a previous degree and that you consider you would really enjoy working with.

The supervisor-student relationship is very important and will determine the success of your PhD thesis; a constant dialogue and a good communication with your supervisor are essential from keeping you stress free and it will enable a continued and stable progress in your learning.

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How to Get Real-Life Career Experience During Your PhD Program

Everything you do as a graduate student is building toward that time when you finally go on the job market (kind of like when you were in college).

And maybe you’re looking for options outside academia because you’ve heard how tough landing a tenure-track job is. Or, maybe you’re not sure what type of career you’d like and want to see what else is out there.

That’s why now is a perfect time to get some experience outside of academia. I know you might be thinking, That’s ridiculous. Between my research, course work, teaching, and the rest of my life, I don’t have time for that!

But consider this: I thought the same thing when I was wrapping up my graduate school program, and I ended up landing a role that lasted for a decade. Turns out, that was a much better move for me. And, I was able to make that choice because I’d gotten some traditional work experience during my time in school.

The truth is that you never know where you’ll end up and what’ll ultimately interest you. I know, you think you found your thing, but just in case you haven’t, getting a little bit of “traditional” work experience can make all the difference.

And the good news is that you don’t need to run out and get a full-time job. You don’t even need to get a part-time job. Below are ways to start getting some non-academic experience—from less-time intensive to most.

Start a Blog

Starting a blog can be very flexible, and you can control how much time and effort you invest in it.

Perhaps you like baking bread and posting pictures of the results on Instagram, so you start a blog with tips on how to take professional food photos. In just one post, you’ve already tried writing for a non-specialist audience, a skill you’ll need outside of academia, believe me. (Read this for more blogging tips .)

Take an Online Course

The beauty of online courses is that you can fit them in around your crazy schedule. And you don’t need to worry about grades! If you’ve started that blog on professional food photos and you want to up your design game with a little HTML and CSS, you can learn to code without leaving your couch. (Read this for some great online class recommendations .)

This could be walking dogs at your local Humane Society, for example. Maybe that humane society also needs someone to write some marketing content for their website or take photos of a local event. Or, they need someone to help organize their volunteer database. Suddenly, you’re learning more than just how to keep a dog on a leash.

Volunteering can be flexible and short-term, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make a contribution and grow your skills at the same time.

Join a Committee or Offer to Lead One

I was president of my department’s Graduate Student Organization, and in that role I learned tons about event planning—skills I used a lot in my first post-ac job. Helping set policy through an advisory board, helping your department decide who to admit to your program, or planning workshops on professional development give you leadership skills you can use in academia and outside it.

Present to a Community Group

Is a community group interested in your research? Or, maybe people love your Instagram bread photos and want to learn how to gain more followers for their own feeds.

Giving a talk to a group outside of academia helps you hone your presentation and public speaking skills because you learn to think of new ways to communicate to different audiences.

Create a Webinar or Email Class

Do you know how to use data mining tools? Are you great at teaching other people how to use them? You could create a webinar or an email class to get your tips out there for people to use. If you’re interested in careers in creating or managing content, or you’re interested in being an entrepreneur, this is great way to get experience.

Apply for an Internship

No, internships aren’t just for undergraduates—and yes, it’s possible to balance one with everything else you have going on. There are organizations that offer paid internships for PhD students, and some universities even provide funding for graduate students who do them. You may also be able to design your own internship and work with your department to get credit for it.

Find a Part-Time or Full-Time Job

A job can help you get hands-on experience very quickly while offering you a paycheck and, possibly, benefits. You might even find a fabulous post-academic career through part-time or full-time work.

The tradeoff is the time commitment. I wrote most of my dissertation while working full-time, and it was challenging to balance both. Unless you need extra income to help cover your expenses, only take a full- or part-time role that helps build the skills you need to land that fabulous non-academic job.

Getting non-academic experience while you’re still in a PhD program takes work and strong time management skills . Yes, you’ll give up some very precious spare time.

But imagine this: walking into your first post-ac job the week after you file your dissertation. Or, working with your first client in your new business. You can be successfully and happily employed post-PhD, and working on it now will help you find your next step more quickly.

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8 Tips for Balancing Grad School and Full-Time Work

By  Liz Wasden

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Every February, my graduate program welcomes newly admitted students to an open house event to sit in on classes, meet faculty and current students, network with other prospective students, and preview what life in the program will look like come the fall semester. This past February in particular, prospective part-time master’s and doctoral students asked me questions about balancing a full-time job on campus with graduate school.

Although I ponder this issue often as an academic adviser and doctoral student at the University of Maryland, College Park, my answer is never as thorough or comprehensive as I would like it to be. “How do you balance full-time work and graduate school?” is a hard question. The answer is subjective, personal and dynamic. Yet while I strongly believe that there is no one-size-fits-all, formulaic approach to succeeding at both work and grad school, I’d like to share eight strategies -- which I’ve discovered by trial and error, picked up from other students, or read about in op-ed pieces like this -- that have made my balancing act a bit steadier.

No. 1: Know the ebbs and flows of your work environment. Wherever you are working, analyze when you are busiest, both over the long haul and on a daily or weekly basis. If you don’t have a strong sense of the rhythm of your workload or are starting a new job, don’t hesitate to ask colleagues or your supervisor.

In advising, for example, my busiest times are those in the middle of the fall and spring semesters -- March through early May and October through early December. Thus, when I review the syllabus of each class, I set arbitrary deadlines for myself and carve out time to work on assignments during periods when I know I will have less hubbub at work. I have a document that maps out a yearly schedule of times when I am typically busy with tasks at work and times when I can focus more on assignments and readings.

No. 2: Work smarter, not harder. By that I mean: take advantage of the tools and resources that are available to you, approach assignments strategically, and work throughout the semester rather than a few weeks before the assignment is due.

For instance, in my Google Drive, I have a “Graduate School” folder, in which I create a subfolder for each class I take. Within those subfolders, I create a separate document titled for each forthcoming assignment I will have that semester and its due date -- for example, “Sept. 24 Policy Brief” or “Dec. 10 Literature Review” or “May 11 Research Paper.” To each document, I add the assignment’s prompt and any initial thoughts I have as to what topic I may want to explore for the assignment, and what theories, conceptual frameworks, researchers or literature could be relevant. Throughout the semester, I add quotes, sources and ideas to these assignment documents. By the time my draft deadline begins creeping up, I have a significant amount of content to work with -- sometimes even a complete draft.

Another helpful tool is a citation manager . You can upload and organize articles by class, topic area or assignment and within each one, highlight relevant quotes and take notes. In addition, my calendar and my to-do list have been my constant companions throughout graduate school. I have a Google calendar associated with my work email where I keep track of meetings and student appointments (this calendar is shared with my coworkers) and a calendar attached to my personal email, where I keep track of class deadlines and block off chunks of time to complete readings and assignments.

Similarly, Evernote is an online to-do list that allows you to create “notebooks” within which you can create notes using different templates (weekly schedule, to-do list and so forth). I have a notebook called “Work,” with reminders and training notes to be turned into training documents; one for “Travel,” with a note for each trip and vacation; and one for “Grad School,” with a note for each month of the semester with a separate section for each class. One of the most helpful functions of Evernote is that you can attach photos or files and link URLs to your notes. I like to link my Google assignment documents next to each to-do item for easier access.

No. 3: Work your classwork into your professional work, and vice versa. One of the most rewarding aspects of working full-time while completing graduate school is being able to put theory into practice and bringing real-world examples and issues to class discussions. Take advantage of your anecdotal evidence and professional experience to guide your writing and research. Use assignments to develop projects or policies you may actually be interested in addressing at work, to learn about a job you might be working toward in the future, or to explore a topic you are passionate about.

In my class on student leadership development, for example, we were asked to design a program to teach students about leadership development theories. I used the opportunity to create a class with an emphasis on building leadership skills and efficacy in underrepresented minority students. While the class itself never actually took place, I communicated several of the student development frameworks and ideas to our program’s faculty members, who then implemented them into their existing courses.

You can also incorporate themes and ideas you learn in class into your work. In every class, I try to think critically and intentionally about how class content is represented in my everyday tasks. The perspectives I gained from my class on college access and choice have made me a better adviser -- one who is more empathetic to the barriers students face when beginning or transferring to college and trying to complete it. Allow the barriers between your practice and learning to become more fluid. Your experience will not only help you in your graduate studies but also make you a more well-rounded professional.

No. 4: Reflect deeply after each class. What about this class did you enjoy? What aspects challenged you? What do you want to know more about? Such reflection can help guide your curriculum (if you have more flexibility as a doc student) as well as tell you more about what kind of worker you are and help you set goals based on what you like.

After each semester wraps up, take some time to think about what you learned and how the course content contributed to your growth as a student and as a professional. This has been especially helpful for me as I think about my intended dissertation topic and methods. At the end of each semester, once the dust has settled, I write down which aspects of the class were challenging for me or came more easily to me, which topics I found really interesting and engaging, and which topics left me somewhat uninspired. Not only has the amalgamation of these reflections helped me assess where I need to improve or where there may be holes in my coursework, it has also given me a default skeleton cover letter and teaching philosophy statement.

As you reflect on course content, think also about the research methods in the articles you read throughout the semester. I read an article in my Leadership in Higher Education course and was so struck by the textual analysis the researchers conducted that I decided to take a class on the topic the following semester.

No. 5: Create small wins or achievements to help motivate you. Midsemester is prime time for a slump in motivation. I usually hit a wall around week nine, and one of the best ways to motivate myself to keep going has been to plan things to look forward to or to reward myself after small achievements. Organizational theory tells us that small goals or achievements are effective tools for motivating employees, and the same goes for overscheduled students.

For instance, I might plan an “out of office” day, or arrange a weekend getaway to a nearby city, or make reservations at a restaurant with actual metal cutlery and a friendly, calming ambience. It can be incredibly difficult to balance work, grad school and time with family and friends, but using planned downtime or outings with loved ones as a way to motivate myself has been extremely helpful for completing assignments when I’m feeling overwhelmed or burned out. I also have weekly reserved time for relaxing. Every Friday evening after I’ve finished work for the day, I stay away from my computer and assignments and take time to recuperate.

No. 6: Collaborate with different people. In your professional life and on future research projects, you will have to work in concert with a multitude of people. The best place to start adapting to different work styles and learning to collaborate efficiently with others -- while the stakes are low and mistakes are encouraged -- is in graduate school.

For both class and work projects, try not to select the same co-worker or friend in your cohort for every project. Instead, branch out! You are cheating yourself if you work with the same people project after project. While it is important to build rapport with other students who may share similar research interests, and a strong support system is vital for surviving graduate school, you can learn so much from working with different colleagues. As an added benefit, others in your classes and cohort are probably working in multiple departments on the campus, giving you the opportunity to expand your network for future work-related needs.

No. 7: Be strategic about what and how you read. It took me years to accept that it simply would not be possible to read all the weekly required readings for my classes and work 40-plus hours a week. The advice I’ll share here is the same I give to the freshman students I teach in a one-credit “introduction to the university” course: read selectively and strategically. When reading for understanding or to participate in class discussions, the most informative pieces of a research study are usually the abstract, the first paragraph of the introduction, the first paragraph of the literature review, the first sentences of the methodology section, the discussion section and the conclusion. For crafting a discussion post, I read those same sections but pay particular attention to the introduction, discussion and conclusion, and I note several quotes that either boil down the main points of the study or contribute distinctly to the topic at hand. When taking down quotes, I always add an in-text citation in my notes to save time later when I post a discussion thread or write a paper.

For an annotated bibliography or a literature review, I typically spend more time reading and taking notes from an article than I do when reading for understanding alone. This is where tools like Google documents and citation managers are helpful. You can highlight and take notes within citation managers, and start adding to your future assignments in Google documents as you read, giving you a jumping-off point when you sit down to complete the presentation or paper.

No. 8: Ask your coworkers and professors about their grad school experiences. Many of the tips I’ve picked up and the strategies I’ve learned have originated from conversations with my professors and co-workers. Not only have I learned good ways to balance graduate school and work life, but I’ve also heard stories of tactics to avoid. For example, a co-worker told me that to finish their dissertation, they lived off protein bars for several months, writing from noon to midnight and sleeping from 2 a.m. to 11 a.m. -- a schedule I’m not sure I would ever recover from.

In my experience, professors and co-workers are happy to share their wisdom and to reminisce about their graduate school days. In addition to breaking the ice, if you are in a new position or program, or creating an opportunity for bonding, discussing grad school is also an opportunity to share some context about your professional development and continuing education. That may open opportunities to get involved in new creative projects at work.

In conclusion, what does balancing work and grad school look like to you? Does it mean completing all stipulated tasks and assignments, earning a 4.0 GPA, conducting original research, publishing at regular intervals in top periodicals, and being promoted within your organization during your time in your graduate program? My goal each semester has been (as advisery as this may sound) to do my best. Sometimes that has meant that I didn’t get the grade I had hoped for or didn’t attend the University Senate meeting I had wanted to attend. Other times, it has meant earning a promotion at work, serving as a teaching assistant for a favorite former class and presenting at conferences. I have tried to give myself grace throughout my graduate program to alleviate some of the pressure that comes with trying to do it all. Do not compare yourself to other graduate students -- this is your journey.

As you prepare to enter a graduate program this fall or to continue your graduate studies, start thinking about what strategies you will adapt from your undergraduate experience or the office to graduate school. Of all the tips listed above, the key to balancing academics and work has been planning ahead and staying organized. But always be sure to keep a pulse on your mental and physical health. Even the most effective strategies will not be successful if you don’t take care of yourself first.

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Can I work full-time (remotely) while doing a PhD in Science? [duplicate]

I will hopefully be starting a PhD soon, it will be in the sciences (so at least several hours a day will be spend in labs). It is a 3 year position, with a possible extension to 3.5 years, and it's in Europe.

It is possible that I will also start a job around the same time. It would be a remote job, in the same time zone as my PhD. It wouldn't be for the whole duration of the PhD, as the work position is limited to 6 months.

I know that a job and a PhD at the same time will definitely be difficult, but I really want to do both, and think it should be okay with good time management (e.g. my lab work will involve centrifuges a lot, so I could get some work done while the centrifuges run). Just want to get a second opinion to see if I'm being too optimistic about this?

• 1 this answer of mine on a different question might be also relevant . –  Anton Menshov Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 0:38
• 6 You don't specify the European country. Have you checked that your PhD funding even allows you to do this? –  user9482 Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 6:50
• Getting a job position for 6 months is not beneficial for your CV, you will not learn much, you will also not be so productive. The question is then: why? financial matters? –  EarlGrey Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 7:26
• 1 Would you stay in the lab observing the centrifuges, while you work a remote job for some company? –  Bernhard Döbler Commented Oct 23, 2021 at 23:19
• 1 @BernhardDöbler very good (and obvious, I missed it!) point ... put it even clearer and in indirect form: "If ou are the lab head, would you be happy your employee is doing another job while you expect him/her to work on the centrifuges (i.e. work and control, even if everything is running fine)?" –  EarlGrey Commented Oct 26, 2021 at 9:19

3 Answers 3

Yes, you are being too optimistic. As soon as anything goes wrong (i.e. your second job has some issues, or the centrifuges do not run as smooth as predicted) you will end up under huge stress.

And a PhD is already a lot of stress, especially in the first ... 4 years.

I'll focus on the formal/legal aspect of your question, as the issue of practical feasibility has been covered in other answers (in this and the linked-to threads). A second full time employment will most likely be impossible for formal/legal reasons alone.

In many places in europe a "PhD position" means you are an employee of the university. Sometimes these are part-time and sometimes full-time positions. If full-time, you have a contractual commitment to work 36-40 hours per week for your university, so this would absolutely preclude another job. If part-time, the contract would most likely require you to seek assent from your superiors, e.g. HR but de facto your supervisor, for any other employment you take on. The expectation with part-time "PhD positions" is that you work on your PhD project in your spare time and on your employment duties (teaching, research, administration) during your work hours, even if this distinction is often fictitious. You won't be able to do this if your spare time is consumed by another job. Thus you probably will neither receive assent for taking on a second position with any significant work hours nor have sufficient time for your PhD project anyway.

There is one exception, namely that the second job directly contributes to your PhD project. For example, industry internships in an applied/engineering filed, or government internships that allow you to conduct participant observation in political science are not uncommon. Nothing in your question suggests that this exception applies.

Moreover, the contract for your prospective second job will most likely also preclude you from taking on another full-time position.

You will have to talk to your supervisor about this, but it sounds very unlikely that you will be permitted and/or able to work full-time while being on a PhD position. If you are dead set on the second job, you could try to negotiate a later starting date of your PhD position and consider already enrolling as (self-funded) PhD student before. But even then, your chances of success are small, because your supervisor probably wants to fill the position soon.

• 2 @quantum Many PhD-students in Germany in MINT work under the public service contract framework TV-L in full-time. What's full-time varies for each state (Bundesland): oeffentlicher-dienst.info/tv-l/allg/arbeitszeit.html –  Stephan Z. Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 8:57
• 1 Yeah your assumption is right, my second job wouldn't contribute to my research. My PhD contract doesn't specifically disallow me to take on another full-time job, but I didn't think that my job contract could potentially do this (I haven't really worked before, part of the reason I wanted to do this), thanks for pointing that out! –  Isabelle Roth Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 9:32
• 5 @IsabelleRoth Note that the contract may not need to disallow this for it to be disallowed. For instance, the work contracts at German universities often only have 1-2 pages, but the 112 page public service contract framework is also binding. And even that doesn't disallow a second job, and only contains the clause that a second job needs to be authorized. And this authorization will not be granted if taking up the second job will make you violate the law stating the maximally allowed numbers of hours worked per week. –  DCTLib Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 10:11
• 4 @quantum Literally all PhD students employed by Dutch universities are on contracts of 36-40 hours per week (most choose to go for 40), as stipulated by the Collective Bargaining Agreement for Dutch university employees. –  user116675 Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 10:29
• 1 If you are in France and get a public funding, you need an explicit authorization of your lab and institute to be allowed to do something in parallel, and it is only allowed 1) on your free time or 2) during, but for very specific missions (teaching, outreach, expertise related to your PhD). –  Clef. Commented Oct 22, 2021 at 15:54

The link to other answers will tell you the same thing as I summarise in a few words: PhD is a full-time job. The relevant question you should ask is: can you do two full-time jobs?

Also, many works contracts in Europe prohibit a second job in written.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged phd job europe .

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Pros & Cons: Full Time vs. Part Time PhD

Part-time vs. full-time phd: which one is right for you.

Returning to school can be a huge decision, especially if you’re a working adult. There are many factors to consider, including how you’ll find the time to do the required work. Because of this, many people may struggle to decide between a full-time and part-time PhD program.

The good news is that the only true difference between the two types of programs is the length of time it’ll take you to complete your work. The coursework and other components are typically the same.

This guide will help you weigh the pros and cons of committing to a full or part-time PhD program so that you can decide which option is best for your goals and lifestyle.

What’s the Difference Between a Part-Time and Full-Time PhD?

The only notable difference between a part-time and full-time PhD is the amount of time it takes you to complete your degree. You’ll still be responsible for completing the required research and coursework. 

That being said, the experience of a part-time PhD program may feel significantly different from that of a full-time student because:

• Full-time PhD candidates have more time to spend on their research and coursework
• Part-time candidates may have other commitments competing with schoolwork
• Financial assistance opportunities may vary depending on your program choice
• Research for a full-time student might be more immersive 

The best choice for you is going to be the option that allows you to balance your educational commitments with the rest of your life. To give you a better understanding of what these educational obligations might be, let’s take a deep dive into full and part-time PhD programs.

The Ins and Outs of Full-Time PhD Programs

A full-time PhD program is similar to a full-time job. It’s typically an immersive experience with two main goals:

• Grow a student’s knowledge about an important topic
• Provide training to improve skills through research and collaboration 

The path to these outcomes can be quite lengthy. Although your specific road might look a little different based on the institution and field of study you choose, the typical PhD program includes: 1

• Coursework – You’ll likely begin your program by taking graduate courses in your field to expand your knowledge base. Courses in research methods and scholarly writing will also be part of your curriculum. These are important preparation for the writing you’ll be expected to do as you progress through your program.
• Research – The time you spend outside of the classroom will mainly be used to research for your dissertation. The skills you acquire through your coursework will help you unearth sources, conduct experiments, or perform other research tasks.
• Meetings – You’ll also have regularly scheduled meetings with your PhD supervisor. The frequency and length of these meetings will depend on your institution and program. Here, you’ll discuss your progress, review your research, and get advice about your work.
• Teaching or fieldwork – Some PhD candidates are required to teach a certain number of classes during their time with an institution. Others must complete an internship, fieldwork, or another project. Your requirements will depend on the program you’re enrolled in and the institution you attend.
• Writing the dissertation – The pinnacle of your PhD program is, of course, the dissertation. This can take years to complete and is often the factor that extends the length of time it takes someone to finish their studies. It’s the compilation of all of your hard work, research, analysis, and writing.
• Defending your dissertation – Once you make that final edit to your dissertation, you’re almost finished. However, there’s one crucial step remaining: your dissertation defense. This is an oral exam where you present and answer questions about your research to a committee. The committee then decides if you have passed or if corrections are needed.

After the defense and committee approval, you’ll submit the final copy of your manuscript and be awarded your coveted degree. 

Required Coursework

Every PhD program is going to look a little different depending on your field of study and institution. A very general example of required coursework for a full-time student might look something like this:

• Year 1 – Two full semesters of coursework, including some specialized courses in your areas of study. More generalized research design and research methods courses may take up a significant portion of your classroom time.
• Year 2 – The second year will also contain two full semesters of classes. You’ll take more courses focused specifically on researching and developing a proposal. This will prepare you to begin working on your dissertation.
• Year 3 – Your course load will be smaller as your dissertation research and writing begins. If teaching, clinical work, or lab work is required in your program, you’ll work on these tasks while also working on your dissertation.
• Year 4 and beyond – You might have a few remaining courses to take, but your time after year three is primarily dedicated to your research and writing until your dissertation is complete.

Weekly Commitment

A full-time PhD program can be an intense endeavor. It requires approximately the same amount of time as a full-time job each week—about 35 to 40 hours. The way those hours are distributed depends on where you are in your program. For the first two years, the bulk of your time will likely be spent in the classroom.

After that, you’ll likely be researching, writing, and completing other required duties. 

Completion Timeframe

According to the National Science Foundation’s “Survey of Earned Doctorates”, there were 55,283 completed doctorate degrees in the United States in 2020. 2 The median length of time from beginning to completion was 5.8 years. At a minimum, most PhD programs take about 4 years, but even full-time students can take longer.

The time it takes you to complete your PhD as a full-time student is heavily dependent on how quickly and effectively you complete your dissertation. Factors that can delay completion include:

• You struggle with your research
• Writing takes longer than expected
• Your dissertation requires significant edits
• Life circumstances interfere with your studies

It’s important to remember that taking longer to finish your degree doesn’t diminish the accomplishment. Don’t get discouraged if you need to make revisions or if your research isn’t finished as quickly as you’d hoped.

A Full-Time PhD Program Might be Right for You If…

Students who successfully enroll in full-time PhD programs do so with the understanding that it’s a significant time commitment. Full-time programs might be best suited for students who:

• Don’t hold a full-time job
• Have the financial support needed
• Can commit as many as 40 hours per week to their school work
• Have significant schedule flexibility to accommodate classes, research, and other obligations

You might also begin as a full-time student and later make the switch to part-time if your circumstances change.

The Ins and Outs of Part-Time PhD Programs

Part-time PhD programs can offer students a little more flexibility. In fact, no two part-time PhD students are likely to have a program that looks the same. However, there are a few common traits among part-time PhD programs, such as:

• More flexibility in coursework
• Less of a financial burden all at once since costs are spread out over a longer period
• Less disruptive of your other life commitments
• More time to research

In a part-time program, you’ll likely have more time to attend to your other obligations. The trade-off is that you’ll be a student for far longer than you would if you attend school full-time. The work you must do is the same as if you attend full-time, it’s just spread out over more years.

Some key differences in the time commitment include:

• Classroom time  – You’ll take the same classes as a full-time student but instead of finishing most of the core work in the first year or two, it might take you three or four years.
• Weekly hours – If you’re a part-time student, you’ll likely spend half the hours working. This equates to about 15 to 20 hours per week that you’ll need to dedicate to school. Of course, this time might change depending on how your program and institution define part-time.
• Years to complete – The timeframe for part-time students to complete a PhD varies. The “Survey of Earned Doctorates” doesn’t differentiate between part and full-time students in its completion data. Anecdotally, a part-time PhD student might take anywhere from 5 to 10 years or more to complete their degree. 3

The biggest takeaway about part-time PhD programs is that they’re highly variable, especially when it comes to completion times.

A Part-Time PhD Program Might be Right for You If…

Many students can benefit from the flexibility offered by a part-time PhD program. You might be the perfect candidate if you:

• Have a family
• Need time for other obligations
• Prefer to work more slowly

Keep in mind that you might be able to start slowly and increase your workload as you go through your programs and life changes.

Find Your Perfect PhD Match

A PhD program can be a challenging and time-consuming commitment, whether you’re a full-time or part-time student. In fact, there isn’t a significant difference between the two, other than the time it takes to finish your degree. A part-time option can allow working adults or those with other life obligations to work toward a doctoral degree at a slower pace that’s more conducive to their needs.

If you’re considering a full or part-time PhD program, Alliant International University might be the right choice for you. Check out our offerings today to see if we’re a perfect match for your educational goals.

Sources: 

•  “The PhD Experience: A Review of the Factors Influencing Doctoral Students’ Completion, Achievement, and Well-Being.” International Journal of Doctoral Studies. 2018. http://ijds.org/Volume13/IJDSv13p361-388Sverdlik4134.pdf . Accessed January 27, 2022.
•  “Survey of Earned Doctorates.” National Science Foundation. November 30, 2021. https://ncses.nsf.gov/pubs/nsf22300/data-tables . Accessed January 27, 2022.
•  “How Long Does it Take to Get a PhD Degree?” U.S. News and World Report. August 12, 2019. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/articles/2019-08… . Accessed January 27, 2022.

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Does it make sense to do a Phd while working a full time job?

I completed my Masters with both course work and an experimental research thesis in 3 years while working a full time job. I basically have a lot of fatigue tolerance and can work all day long so the last 3 years years didn't even burn me out and felt rather comfortable.

I want to do a Phd with a fellowship but I'm not sure if I have to choose between a job and a Phd. I don't want to create a hassle for my to-be supervisor so I would really like to have some opinions on whether I should make my mind about staying away from a job during the course of a Phd or not.

Get a head start in the first year of your PhD

Even a marathon begins with first steps, and so it makes sense to master motivation, set healthy habits and get writing early to reap the reward of a polished dissertation at the end of the PhD journey, writes Andreï Kostryka

Andreï V. Kostyrka

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How to do self-promotion without the cringe factor, write your phd dissertation before you’re ‘ready‘, emotions and learning: what role do emotions play in how and why students learn, creating inclusive spaces for inclusive events.

The first year of a PhD programme can be overwhelming. The success of a dissertation in many fields depends on the polish, iterations and revisions the research has undergone. So, what you do, what habits and routines you set up in the first year, will make a difference to the result at the end.

The first year is also crucial for learning – not least because neuroplasticity wanes as one grows older (as does the amount of time before the defence ). First-year doctoral students might be exempt from research-related events such as conferences, brown-bag seminars and faculty talks, yet there is no time for complacency.

Here are insider tips for making the most of the first 12 months. 

Start writing as soon as possible

Do not let provocative articles that explain how to write a PhD dissertation in three months delay the start of your writing. Unless you are John von Neumann or Paul Erdős (which you are not), it is impossible to write a proficient thesis in three or even six months.

• How to write an abstract for a research paper
• How to structure your PhD thesis
• What is your academic writing temperament?

Your early writing does not have to be grandiose or purposeful. It can begin with any thought related to your topic of study. In applied sciences, a good starting point is describing an output table or interpreting a few plots in simple language, as most applied research articles include a Discussion section where findings are explained in layman’s terms. If your work is more theoretical, any attempt at a derivation or a proof is valuable. Even a well-crafted email to your adviser can become the foundation stone. Generate as much material as possible, and you will have plenty to choose from for the thesis.

Iterations take time and effort. Reflection and re-evaluation are essential for shaping one’s ideas.

Give yourself the earliest opportunity to pick up the language appropriate for academia by receiving criticism and suggestions on your writing. Your first research poster will probably look amateurish, and your first empirical analysis will likely yield mixed conclusions – but this is not a cause for concern. Babies learn to walk by trying, falling, getting up and trying again.

Remember that chapters are not the endgame

Your PhD should reflect a deeper understanding of the subject, and this does not come overnight. It results from pumping large volumes of information into one’s head and allowing it to roam among the neurons.

Attend conferences, seminars and courses outside the university to hone your skills because the chapters are not the final goal. Presentations at informal seminars in front of one’s colleagues are a reliable way to build horizontal networks with postdocs, other students and specialists.

Keep a research diary

Document your methods, results and ideas in a research diary. If you are not writing the thesis in your native language, jot down ideas in your preferred language. A notebook of ideas is invaluable during meetings with your supervisor. It is easier for them to give feedback on clearly written statements.

Communication with your supervisor, positive or negative, can be a part of the research diary. It often takes extra effort to prove to a professor that their ideas need refinement. Reinforce your points with plots, tables and other printed material that will help you cast your mind back after a couple of years. Professors may lag behind the state of the art if the subject is outside their research interests – read the best practices in the field, take notes and share them during discussions.

Back up your work

Always make backups, even after small steps, because old versions and old results are valuable if you need to retrace your train of thought. The most convenient option is setting up a trustworthy cloud synchronisation service that automatically saves everything you write and stores multiple versions. If you do not trust those providers, synchronise your working folder with an external storage device every week or set up a self-hosted home cloud. Remember the 3-2-1 principle: have three versions of your data – two on different physical media and one on the server of your choice.

Work in small increments 

List small tasks for each day and set deadlines for yourself. It is normal to work harder on some days and make less effort on others. The flexibility of a PhD researcher’s job allows you to get the most out of your rushes of inspiration.

Punctuate stints of work with exercise breaks. Health directly impacts the clarity of thinking, so set a timer to stretch out and do sit-ups every hour (for example). There might be swimming pools, gyms or sports classes nearby. Student groups often organise collective events (like hiking or yoga) and provide free tickets for cultural events.

What to do when motivation flags

Other academic activities on campus may be more engaging than writing the thesis. With summer schools, conferences and workshops, it is easy to lose track of time and neglect your work. Writer’s block is another reason to postpone writing . Certain PhD students focus on teaching, believing that their foremost duty is to be helpful teaching assistants or exam invigilators.

Everything takes time, even if one considers Hofstadter’s law , which is why we present a list of tips on what to prioritise to free up time that would otherwise be wasted on non-thesis-related tasks.

• Write in plain text and do the formatting last. 
• Get a distraction-free plain-text editor that autosaves your input and restores it, even after a power outage.
• Type long passages instead of hand-writing to eliminate the need for retyping.
• Create figures using preferably free and open-source software; avoid relying on Microsoft Office.
• Use specialised software like JabRef or Zotero to arrange bibliographies and citations.
• Do not tolerate software quirks. Demand the right to install open-source tools from your IT team without needing support tickets.
• Do not try to solve bureaucratic or logistical problems outside your competence; there are non-research university personnel for those.

Writer’s block or frustration can result from stress. Being stuck at a certain point and without the courage to move forward is not uncommon in any job, including research positions. Should the stress pile up to the extent that it causes physical or mental unwellness, contact a healthcare provider and do not hesitate to book an appointment with a psychologist.

One possible remedy for writer’s block is switching to literature review. Prior reading is essential for smooth writing. The more you learn, the more you can say about the subject. Alternatively, you may try to process measurement data, prove a lemma, create a plot or engage in any other part of research that does not involve writing out words.

Finally, get enough sleep (at least on average). Force yourself to stop working in the evening and go home. If the crickets start chirping when you are still at your office, it is a sign to clock off.

Andreï V. Kostyrka is a postdoctoral researcher in the department of economics and management at the University of Luxembourg. 

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• Johns Hopkins University Human Resources
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• Student & Learner Health Benefits

PhD Benefits Overview

The following benefits are available to PhDs at Johns Hopkins University.

PhDs are auto-enrolled into individual medical coverage. The plan is administered by Wellfleet and utilizes the Cigna PPO network of providers. Prescription coverage is included in the medical plan. For more information about the plan, please visit: Wellfleet Medical Plan – JHU Human Resources

To enroll dependents into medical coverage, please visit: https://students.care26.com/login

PhDs are auto-enrolled into individual level dental coverage. The plan is offered in partnership with Delta Dental and utilizes the Delta Dental PPO + Primer network of providers. For more information about the dental plan, please visit: Delta Dental Plan – JHU Human Resources

To enroll dependents into dental coverage, please visit: https://students.care26.com/login

PhDs are auto-enrolled into individual level vision coverage through EyeMed on the Insight Network. For more information about the vision plan, please visit: EyeMed Vision Plan – JHU Human Resources

PhDs at the University are required to re-enroll their dependents each semester (Fall/Spring) or each Term (Term 1, Term 2, Term 3, and Term 4) for BSPH.

Effective 8/15/2024 , PhDs are eligible to be reimbursed for their dependent premiums if they enrolled a child or spouse/domestic partner that is not eligible to work in the US and does not have other insurance coverage. To complete the application for reimbursement, please follow this link.

PhDs submitting for reimbursement must do so within 90 days of payment and will need to upload a copy of their receipt for the student benefits office to review here .

As a PhD student, you can participate in a voluntary benefits program to purchase a discounted legal services plan. You can enroll during annual enrollment (7/1 – 9/15 each year).

The MetLife Legal Plan gives you access to a nationwide network of more than 12,000 attorneys, to help you and your dependents with vital legal matters such as estate planning, financial, and support with reproductive issues. You can receive a consultation over the phone or in person.

To enroll, please visit: phd.jhuvoluntarybenefits.com

As a PhD student, you can participate in a voluntary benefits program to purchase Pet Insurance. You can enroll in the program at any time.

Nationwide pet insurance helps you cover veterinary expenses so you can provide your pets with the best care possible without worrying about the cost.

For more information and to enroll into pet insurance, please visit: phd.jhuvoluntarybenefits.com

As a PhD student, you can participate in a voluntary benefits program to purchase Identity Protection. You can enroll in the program at any time.

With Allstate Identity Protection Pro Plus, you’ll get access to: identity and credit monitoring, dark web monitoring, social medical reputation monitoring, financial threshold monitoring, digital wallet storage and monitoring, data breach notification, and more.

For more information and to enroll, please visit: phd.jhuvoluntarybenefits.com

PhD students are eligible to be reimbursed for bus passes purchased through the MTA All Access College Program or through the U-Pass program. PhDs can be reimbursed for 2 passes at one time. Each pass is valid for 31 days. Reimbursement for passes will be processed through concur and must be submitted within 90 days of payment.

PhDs must opt-in to have their information shared with the MTA / U-Pass for discounted bus passes. To Opt-In, PhDs must complete this form.

To submit your receipt to Concur, please visit: https://login.johnshopkins.edu/concur

PhDs in full-time resident status will receive child subsidies of $4,500 per child per fiscal year for eligible children under the age of six (6) or $3,000 per child aged six (6) to eighteen (18), with a maximum of $12,000 per family per year.

Must be eligible dependents under the Student Health Benefits Plan (SHBP).

PhDs with adult dependents as defined by Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code will qualify for this benefit at a rate of $3,000 per dependent per fiscal year.

Dependents are defined as anyone for whom you provided more than 50% of the financial support for the year, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code, and who resides in your home at least one-half of the taxable year.

The subsidies will be paid in installments over the course of the fiscal year.

To apply for the PhD Dependent Subsidy, please complete the online application.

At the end of the application, you will be required to upload copies of your dependent verification documents (child’s birth certificate or passport that shows their date of birth, copy of J-2 visa with dependents name and date of birth, or copy of marriage certificate with spouse’s name and date of birth). Please upload dependent verification documents here .

Student Health & Well-Being (SHWB) Primary Care consists of three clinic locations (Homewood, East Baltimore, and Washington DC) that provide a variety of medical services for the evaluation and treatment of an illness or injury, preventive health care and health education to the Johns Hopkins University student and trainee population. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit: Primary Care (jhu.edu)

Mental Health Services supports the diverse community of Johns Hopkins University students and trainees through the provision of accessible, high-quality and compassionate mental healthcare resources. We are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice and prioritize these values in our approach to clinical care as well as every aspect of the work we do. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please visit: Mental Health Services (jhu.edu)

PhD students are eligible to receive no less than 8 weeks of fully-paid new child accommodations. For more information please visit: New Child Accommodations for Full Time Graduate Students and Postdoctoral Trainees (jhu.edu)

The following benefits are administered by JHU Benefits & WorkLife.

Locate Search Child Care by the Maryland Family Network   (eligible at any time)

Child Care Voucher Program (eligible as of the date of appointment, application required annually)

Child Care Scholarships to JHU Partner Centers (eligible as of the date of appointment, application required annually)

Please contact 410-516-2000, [email protected] or [email protected] if you have questions about these programs.

• Masters Programme
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Full-time PhD programme

The full-time PhD is a four-year program at our Maastricht Institute, ending with a Maastricht University doctoral degree upon dissertation defense.

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The institute currently hosts about 40 full-time PhD candidates, who are an integral part of the UNU-MERIT community. The programme provides advanced training in the knowledge and skills relevant to the UNU-MERIT research agenda.

Programme Information

Selection criteria, application process, tuition and fellowships.

Career Prospects

Code of Conduct

Life in maastricht, more information.

The first year of the programme (September 2024 – June 2025) :

During the first year, PhD fellows are introduced to the PhD trajectory with a course programme of required and elective courses, taught by leading scholars of UNU-MERIT and our partner universities. These courses are taught in English and spread across two semesters, starting in September. The first semester consists of a programme of  compulsory thematic courses , introducing the fellows to the core research areas of the Institute.  During the second semester PhD fellows also follow elective methods courses, which permit them to develop the skills necessary to excel in the research area of their interest.

Throughout the first year, PhD fellows are supported in the further development of their PhD research proposal by interacting with staff members and potential supervisors. Upon successful defence of the proposal, a PhD agreement is developed with the supervisors and the PhD director, setting out the personal development and research plan and additional training needs for the following years.

After the first year (September 2025 onwards)

The first year is followed by three years of dissertation research and broader professional skill development. PhD fellows are encouraged to participate in seminars and other research activities organised at UNU-MERIT and to present their work in international high-level conferences. As part of their trajectories, PhD fellows can contribute to the Institute with activities related to their PhD, such as tutoring in the Masters’ programmes at the Institute, project-based research or other activities such as providing assistance to conferences and workshops, seminar organisation etc., depending on their longer-term career interests, within or outside academia.

Admission requirements for our full-time PhD track:

• A Master’s degree from a relevant academic field, including economics, political science, social sciences, business administration, and computational social sciences, with a strong academic background in one of the core disciplines of the institute. Fellows who complete their Master’s degree in spring 2024 may also apply.
• Documented theoretical and practical understanding of one or more of the topics of interest specified in the introduction.
• The position requires spoken and written fluency in English, to be demonstrated through an approved test (see section application process) for applicants from non-English-speaking countries.

Desired Qualifications :

• Knowledge of both qualitative and quantitative research methods
• Knowledge of the design, development or use of data, modelling and simulation methods and their application in a topic of interest
• Proficiency in academic writing

Personal Characteristics :

We are searching for candidates who:

• Enjoy working independently as well as cooperating in interdisciplinary teams
• Enjoy being part of a multi-disciplinary and multi-cultural community
• Are willing to interact with societal stakeholders in shaping their research
• Are able to communicate information and results with clarity and ease, both orally and in writing
• Are in the earlier stage of their career. An indicative age limit of 32 years is softly applied.

We particularly encourage candidates from the Global South to apply.

Applicants for our full-time PhD programme must complete the  online application form . In addition, applications must submit the following:

• Application letter (1-2 pages) concerning your motivation for undertaking a PhD as well as your reflections on your suitability and ambitions for the position
• Research proposal (2-3 pages) where you present the idea for the PhD project you would like to carry out, including theoretical and methodological approach. The proposal’s focus must be linked to the above core disciplines of UNU-MERIT, but the emphasis within this is up to the candidate to suggest.
• A complete CV with information on education and previous research experience
• A copy of your passport (PDF or JPEG)
• Electronic copies of certified certificates and grades, and an explanation of the grading system. Upon selection, hard copies by postal mail will be requested.
• Applicants from non-English-speaking countries must document English skills by an approved test. Approved tests are TOEFL, IELTS and Cambridge Certificate in Advanced English (CAE) or Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English (CPE). We require a minimum level of 600 PBT / 240 CBT / 100 IBT for the  TOEFL  or 7.0 for the  IELTS  (native speakers of English and students who received their Bachelor’s or Master’s education in English are exempt). Maastricht University’s TOEFL code is 7102.
• One letter of recommendation (in English only) by a current or former professor or employer.

Application deadline: 15 February 2024 at midnight CET

All applications will be reviewed within two months, and a shortlist of candidates will be made based on the above selection criteria. All applicants will be notified of the outcome, and whether you are on the shortlist, by the end of April 2024. If you are on the shortlist, you may be invited for an interview with UNU-MERIT staff and the PhD director in April 2024. The final decision on all shortlisted candidates will be communicated by the end of May 2024.

To enrol in the PhD programme for the 2024-2025 academic year, the following tuition fees apply:

• First year: €9000 *
• Subsequent years: €7000 *

The tuition fee includes all programme-related costs. This excludes books, specific research costs, travel costs, accommodation, and visa or residence permit costs. *No rights may be derived from the fees published here.

UNU-MERIT PhD Fellowships

We award up to 10 PhD fellowships and waive tuition for selected candidates. This applies to the full-time track. The fellowship awarded consists of a monthly net fee of  €1650  provided by UNU-MERIT for a period of four years, conditional on satisfactory progress assessed at the end of the first year. In addition, as a fellow you will receive a research budget to cover costs related to your research, such as equipment or travel.

Due to the limited availability of fellowships, we also encourage motivated candidates to apply for other scholarships. For more information you can visit the  scholarships pages  of the university website. You can also check for grants and scholarships at  www.studyinholland.nl

The basic cost of living is around  €1300 per month . If you wish to join the PhD programme without a fellowship, we will ask you to indicate to us how you will fund the first 36 months of enrolment in the programme, as part of the acceptance requirement. You will not need to include this proof in your application; we will contact you in case we need this information.

Students from the USA

Students from the USA are now entitled to use the USA direct loan system when they apply to Maastricht University education programmes. This concerns Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD students. For more information, please visit  this link .

CareerProspects

Our programme gives fellows the skills to function as professionals in many challenging environments. Our PhD fellows typically go on to work as:

• Academics • Government staff • Political analysts • Policy specialists

Many of our alumni follow an academic career: roughly 65 percent of our alumni work in academia. Roughly 15 percent find jobs in international non-governmental organisations including the European Union, United Nations and World Bank. Others work in research institutes such as the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) and Overseas Development Institute (ODI).

For researchers and for the recruitment of researchers

The code of conduct for the recruitment of researchers consists of a set of general principles and requirements that should be followed by employers and/or funders when appointing or recruiting researchers. These principles and requirements should ensure observance of values such as transparency of the recruitment process and equal treatment of all applicants, in particular with regard to the development of an attractive, open and sustainable European labour market for researchers, and are complementary to those outlined in the European Charter for Researchers.

Institutions and employers adhering to the Code of Conduct will openly demonstrate their commitment to act in a responsible and respectable way and to provide fair framework conditions to researchers, with a clear intention to contribute to the advancement of the European Research Area.

Code of conduct for researchers

UNU-MERIT and its School of Governance adhere to the European Charter for Researchers as well as the Netherlands Code of Conduct for Scientific Practice. Staff, researchers and PhD fellows are expected to behave in line with codes of conduct for researchers.  The code contains principles that all scientific practitioners allied with a university should observe individually, among each other and towards society. The principles can be read as general notions of good scientific practice.

Maastricht is considered one of the most beautiful and safest cities in the Netherlands. It is also compact, lively and very international, which makes it a fantastic environment for students.

Residence Permit

PhD fellows who are not nationals of EU countries, Liechtenstein, Norway, Iceland or Switzerland, and stay longer than 90 days in the Netherlands are required before they come to the Netherlands to obtain a residence permit. This group of fellows often also need authorisation for temporary stay (MVV) to enter the Netherlands. Please note that not everyone who needs the residence permit also needs MVV. Nationals of one of the following countries do not apply for MVV: Australia, Canada, Japan, Monaco, New Zealand, the United States, Vatican City, and South Korea.

Should the residence permit be required, the  Knowledge Centre for International Staff  of Maastricht University will submit a request for authorisation to the Ministry of Justice and Security as soon as possible upon acceptance to the programme. Note that the residence permit will be only issued if the correct procedure was followed in the home country..

All PhD fellows coming from abroad and staying for more than 90 days in the Netherlands are required to report upon arrival to the municipality of Maastricht (‘aliens department’) in order to obtain a residence permit and for registration. The Knowledge Centre for International Staff will help you with these issues once you are registered at Maastricht University.

According to the Dutch law, all foreign PhD fellows must have health and liability insurance. PhD fellows may make their own arrangements (coverage by your home insurance) or opt to take  insurance offered via Maastricht University . This insurance covers, among other things, medical and dental expenses and liability.

If you have private healthcare insurance in your home country, you might want to find out whether your policy also covers your medical bills in the Netherlands. If not, you will need to take out Dutch insurance.

Average living costs The following is a realistic estimate of PhD fellow monthly expenditures (in euros).

Average living costs The following is a realistic estimate of PhD fellow monthly expenditures (in euro).

Contact PhD Programme Director: Dr.  Micheline Goedhuys PhD Programme Vice-Director: Dr.  Pui-Hang Wong

PhD Programme Coordinator (full-time track):  Julia Walczyk Phone: (+31 43) 388 4449 Email:  [email protected]

Address: Boschstraat 24 6211 AX Maastricht The Netherlands

Inside Biden’s Debate Disaster and the Scramble to Quell Democratic Panic

A s President Joe Biden was going over his final notes with his inner circle and getting ready to debate Donald Trump on June 27 in Atlanta, his wife slipped into a nearby meeting of the Democratic Party’s biggest donors. The Biden Victory Fund and the Democratic National Committee’s financial bigwigs had all assembled in the Ritz Carlton as part of a two-day political briefing that featured emotional pep talks and face-time with VIPs. “Joe’s ready to go,” Dr. Biden told the group. "He’s prepared."

Fact check: false.

Before midnight, Joe Biden would slog through 90 minutes of a debate against Trump that even Biden’s closest allies privately admitted was a disaster. Biden appeared every bit the 81-year-old grandfather that he is, stammering with a thin voice through unintelligible arguments and often staring blankly, mouth agape, as Trump lobbed one verbal attack after another. Biden froze up repeatedly and fumbled even some set-piece lines he had prepared in advance for the moment. When fielding a question about the national debt, his answer was incomprehensible as he seemed to be trying to argue for super-rich Americans paying more taxes. "We'd be able to help make sure that all those things we need to do—childcare, elder care, making sure that we continue to strengthen our healthcare system, making sure that we're able to make every single solitary person eligible for what I've been able to do with the—with, with, with the COVID. Excuse me, with dealing with everything we have to do with—look, if—we finally beat Medicare."

Panic is not too strong a word to describe the sentiment that coursed through the Democratic Party from top to bottom as the debate unfolded. “What the actual f— is happening?” one Democratic fundraiser texted. Across the room another sent along something of a distress call and a hostage video at once: “This won’t be as bad for voters as it is for us, right?” From progressive to pragmatist, the verdict among Democrats was perhaps the most united the party’s upper ranks have been in decades. “Unintelligible must have been the [closed captioning],” for the entirety of Biden’s performance, another senior Democrat strategist mused. “It would have been the most honest.” Almost immediately after it was over, Democrats started asking whether and how Biden could be convinced to bow out for the good of the party, for the nation, and for the candidate himself.

Biden loyalists rushed into the breach. Vice President Kamala Harris did a round of scheduled late-night cable hits, making her best effort at staving off party activists’ dreams of ditching Biden, and maybe Harris as well. Biden’s team publicly insisted that the night was just one of many, and that the candidate was absolutely, 100% up for another four years. As proof, they stuck to their plan for after the debate, sending him to a watch party at the Hyatt Regency on Atlanta’s Peachtree Street for 45 minutes of selfies before a midnight drop-in at a Waffle House on his way to an Atlanta airfield for a quick jump up to Raleigh, N.C., where he’d campaign the next day. Air Force One landed just before 2 a.m. The next day, the nation's most popular senior Democrat, Barack Obama, told his allies to back off Biden. "Bad debate nights happen. Trust me, I know," Biden's former boss messaged.

But the reality remains: everyone in America who tuned in to the debate could see for themselves how Biden has aged. Already locked into what is at best a neck-and-neck race with Trump, Biden’s path to victory suddenly seemed to be turning into a dead-end before Democrats’ eyes. That left the party asking two questions. Was there any way to get him off the ticket? And if not, was there any chance to stagger across the finish line with a deeply flawed candidate? Either way, it was nothing like what Biden and his team had plotted while secluded at the presidential retreat of Camp David in Maryland’s mountains for six full days of rehearsal in an airplane hangar and movie theater. For all the talk about the most successful first-term agenda ever and a history-defying midterm election, Biden's team spent the wee hours of Thursday and all of Friday trying to talk Democrats off a ledge.

When a candidate biffs, it’s expected that a loyal aide will take the fall. And few have more experience in throwing people under the bus than Joe Biden. When his first campaign imploded over the summer of 1987, a young aide and future Democratic National Committee Chairman named David Wilhelm took the blame for passing along a British Labor Leader’s speeches that Biden cribbed on a debate stage. When his third bid for the job finished in fourth place in lead-off Iowa, Biden removed his longtime aide and campaign manager Greg Schultz as the entourage slowly navigated icy New Hampshire roads on the way to a debate site. With the never-ending investigations about his son’s involvement with dodgy business partners, Biden blamed his staff for not flagging the potential conflicts of interest sooner. And when classified documents were recovered in his personal possession, it was again the help’s fault.

But this time, blame can only go so far beyond the president himself and his closest family members. No one can say that what happened in Atlanta was unexpected. Voters have been consistent in telling pollsters they’re worried about the ages of both candidates. Almost two-thirds of the nation thinks both Trump and Biden are too old for the job, according to Ipsos polling. Another one-quarter thinks Biden is too old. Separate polling from Gallup finds just 22% of Americans say they’re satisfied with the direction of the country, a number that puts Biden in the danger zone. Around this time in 2020, Trump was at 20% and lost while Barack Obama was at the same level at this leg of the 2012 marathon and kept his job. In 1992, as George H.W. Bush was seeking a second term as President, that number stood at 14%; he lost that three-way race.

And it’s not like no one had been trying to warn of this exact scenario. Senior Democrats had been telling their peers that Biden is missing a step and not the best version of himself. Obama insiders like David Axelrod and David Plouffe had been cautioning donors and operatives alike that Biden was a risky bet and the party needed new blood. But raising the age question was grounds for excommunication from the high command of the Biden orbit. Dark stories swirled among those with access to the Biden’s top advisors of one close aide who raised the issue of age and was summarily iced out.

Immediately after the debate there was talk of an uprising, with unnamed Hill Democrats, wary of their own electoral vulnerability, swearing that this time an intervention by party leaders would be unleashed. But if Biden had resisted talk of a one-term presidency when the opportunity gracefully to step aside was available, he was even better positioned to hold his ground now. The rules of the Democratic party make it almost impossible to replace Biden atop the ticket unless he voluntarily steps aside. Biden currently has 3,894 of the nearly 4,000 estimated pledged delegates so far, most of whom are required to stick with him through the first round of voting, which will be held virtually online ahead of the Democratic National Convention. Some 25% of delegates at the convention would be needed to hold a vote opening the way to another candidate’s chance to be the nominee. That remains very unlikely.

“Things are dark. No doubt about it,” says one hand who has been sitting in the West Wing since Day One. “But onward. That’s the only option that’s on the table.”

If Biden could be convinced to step aside there would be chaos inside the party unlike anything since 1968. Vice President Kamala Harris would start with advantages of incumbency, but her approval number is low and she would be vulnerable to a challenge. Prominent contenders, nominally jockeying for 2028 but all quietly talked about as possible Biden replacements in 2024, include Governors Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan, Gavin Newsom of California, and J.B. Pritzker of Illinois.

The Trump campaign, for their part, seems delighted with the status quo. "Democrats are stuck with Joe Biden whether they like it or not," says Alex Bruesewitz, a Trump-allied GOP consultant. That's probably true, and the former president's team was making the most of it in the wake of the debate. "Joe Biden forgot that 13 heroes died in Afghanistan and thinks there is an epidemic of sister-on-sister rape. He should not be anywhere near the nuclear briefcase. It's never been more clear that President Donald Trump's strength is needed back in the White House," Bruesewitz says.

To quiet the fears, Biden had to acknowledge the error. " Begrudgingly Biden isn’t really a yard sign I want," a donor-strategist put it on Friday. The campaign doubled down on its resolve, circulating positive reviews from allies. And they remain convinced that Trump is an unlikeable figure who won over no voters with his haphazard showing at the debate. In the cold light of morning, campaign chief Jen O'Malley Dillon dropped by the Atlanta Ritz to buck-up the donors. “The campaign leadership put it all in context and supporters left feeling better than last night,” says Noah Mamet, a former Ambassador to Argentina. “Supporters were telling each other it could have been better but no bed wetting, it’s time to focus.” In the upper ranks of the Biden orbit, there was no point adding gloss. "This election was never going to be won or lost in one rally, one conversation, or one debate," a senior adviser says. "We have a largely locked-in electorate and two well-defined candidates—and the voters who will decide this election are going to require consistent time and effort to win for November."

Biden went to work delivering that vision on Friday in North Carolina, telling his crowd he understood the panic inside the party and then firmly rejecting it. “Folks, let me close with this: I know I’m not a young man, to state the obvious,” Biden deadpanned in Raleigh as he launched into a mea culpa donors were demanding and strategists were hoping he understood. “I don’t debate as well as I used to. I know what I do know: I know how to tell the truth. I know right from wrong. I know how to do this job. I know how to get things done. I know what millions of Americans know: when you get knocked down, you get back up.”

True, Biden has been knocked down plenty in his career, but sometimes it's best to stay on the canvas. “Folks, I give my word as a Biden: I would not be running again if I didn’t believe with all my heart and soul I can do this job,” he said. For many Democrats who watched the debate, the problem is that what Biden believes is starting to look more and more at odds with reality.

— With reporting by Eric Cortellessa

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Write to Philip Elliott at [email protected]

FactChecking the Biden-Trump Debate

In the first debate clash of the 2024 campaign, the two candidates unleashed a flurry of false and misleading statements.

By Robert Farley , Eugene Kiely , D'Angelo Gore , Jessica McDonald , Lori Robertson , Catalina Jaramillo , Saranac Hale Spencer and Alan Jaffe

Posted on June 28, 2024

The much-anticipated first debate of 2024 between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump featured a relentless barrage of false and misleading statements from the two candidates on immigration, the economy, abortion, taxes and more.

• Both candidates erred on Social Security, with Biden incorrectly saying that Trump “wants to get rid” of the program, and Trump falsely alleging that Biden will “wipe out” Social Security due to the influx of people at the border.
• Trump misleadingly claimed that he was “the one that got the insulin down for the seniors,” not Biden. Costs were lowered for some under a limited project by the Trump administration. Biden signed a law capping costs for all seniors with Medicare drug coverage.
• Trump warned that Biden “wants to raise your taxes by four times,” but Biden has not proposed anything like that. Trump was also mostly wrong when he said Biden “wants the Trump tax cuts to expire.” Biden said he would extend them for anyone making under $400,000 a year.
• Biden repeated his misleading claim that billionaires pay an average federal tax rate of 8%. That White House calculation factors in earnings on unsold stock as income.
• Trump repeated his false claim that “everybody,” including all legal scholars, wanted to end Roe v. Wade’s constitutional right to abortion.
• Trump falsely claimed that “the only jobs” Biden “created are for illegal immigrants and bounced back jobs that bounced back from the COVID.” Total nonfarm employment is higher than it was before the pandemic, as is the employment level of native-born workers.
• Biden claimed that Trump oversaw the “largest deficit of any president,” while Trump countered that “we now have the largest deficit” under Biden. The largest budget deficit was under Trump in fiscal year 2020, but that was largely because of emergency spending due to COVID-19.
• Biden misleadingly said that “Black unemployment is the lowest level it has been in a long, long time.” The rate reached a record low in April 2023, and it was low under Trump, too, until the pandemic.
• Biden said Trump called U.S. veterans killed in World War I “suckers and losers,” which Trump called a “made up quote.” The Atlantic reported that, based on anonymous sources. A former Trump chief of staff later seemed to confirm Trump said it.
• Trump claimed that Biden “caused the inflation,” but economists say rising inflation was mostly due to disruptions to the economy caused by the pandemic.
• Trump grossly inflated the number of immigrants who have entered the country during the Biden administration — putting the number at 18 million to 20 million — and he said, without evidence, that many of them are from prisons and mental institutions.
• Trump claimed that “we had the safest border in history” in the “final months” of his presidency. But apprehensions of those trying to cross illegally in the last three full months of his presidency were about 50% higher than in the three months before he took office.
• Biden criticized Trump for presiding over a loss of jobs when he was president, but that loss occurred because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Trump falsely claimed that “some states” run by Democrats allow abortions “after birth.” If it happened, it would be homicide, and that’s illegal.
• Trump made the unsupported claim that the U.S. border with Mexico is “the most dangerous place in the world,” and suggested that it has opened the country to a violent crime wave. The data show a reduction in violent crime in the U.S.
• Trump overstated how much food prices have risen due to inflation. Prices are up by about 20%, not double or quadruple. 
• Trump boasted his administration “had the best environmental numbers ever.” Trump reversed nearly 100 environmental rules limiting pollution. Although greenhouse gas emissions did decline from 2019 to 2020, the EPA said that was due to the impacts of the pandemic on travel and the economy.   
• Biden said he joined the Paris Agreement because “if we reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius, and then … there’s no way back.” Limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees would reduce the damages and losses of global warming, but scientists agree that climate action is still possible after passing the threshold.
• Trump said immigrants crossing the border illegally were living in “luxury hotels.” New York City has provided hotel and motel rooms to migrant families, but there is no evidence that they are being placed in “luxury” hotels. 
• Trump falsely claimed that there was “no terrorism, at all” in the U.S. during his administration. There were several terrorist acts carried out by foreign-born individuals when he was president.
• While talking about international trade, Trump falsely claimed that the U.S. currently has “the largest deficit with China.” In 2023, the trade deficit in goods and services with China was the lowest it has been since 2009.
• Trump wrongly claimed that prior to the pandemic, he had created “the greatest economy in the history of our country.” That’s far from true using economists’ preferred measure — growth in gross domestic product.
• As he has many times before, Trump wrongly claimed, “I gave you the largest tax cut in history.” That’s not true either as a percentage of gross domestic product or in inflation-adjusted dollars.
• Trump contrasted his administration with Biden’s by misleadingly noting that when he left office, the U.S. was “energy independent.” The U.S. continues to export more energy than it imports.

The debate was hosted by CNN in Atlanta on June 27.

Social Security

Biden claimed that Trump “wants to get rid” of Social Security, even though the former president has consistently said he will not cut the program and has advised Republicans against doing so.

Earlier this year, Biden and his campaign based the claim on Trump saying in a  March 11 CNBC interview  that “there is a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting and in terms of also the theft and the bad management of entitlements.” As  we’ve said , in context, instead of reducing benefits, Trump was talking about cutting waste and fraud in those programs — although there’s not enough of that to make the program solvent over the long term.

“I will never do anything that will jeopardize or hurt Social Security or Medicare,” Trump later said in a  March 13 Breitbart interview . “We’ll have to do it elsewhere. But we’re not going to do anything to hurt them.”

During the GOP presidential primary, Trump also  criticized  some of his Republican opponents for proposing to raise the retirement age for Social Security, which budget experts  have said  would reduce scheduled benefits for those affected.

Some critics of Trump have  argued  that he cannot be expected to keep his promise because of his past budget proposals. But,  as we’ve written , Trump did not propose cuts to Social Security retirement benefits.

Meanwhile, Trump claimed during the debate that Biden “is going to single handedly destroy Social Security” because of illegal immigration. “These millions and millions of people coming in, they’re trying to put them on Social Security. He will wipe out Social Security,” Trump said of Biden.

As  we  and  others  have explained before, immigrants who are not authorized to be in the U.S. aren’t eligible for Social Security. In fact, because many such individuals pay into Social Security via payroll taxes but cannot receive benefits, illegal immigrants bolster rather than drain the finances of the program.

In referring to what seniors pay for insulin, Trump misleadingly claimed, “I heard him say before ‘insulin.’ I’m the one that got the insulin down for the seniors. I took care of the seniors.” Insulin costs went down for some beneficiaries under a limited project under Trump; Biden signed a more expansive law affecting all seniors with Medicare drug coverage.

Under Trump, out-of-pocket costs were lowered to $35 for some Medicare Part D beneficiaries under a two-year pilot project in which some insurers could voluntarily reduce the cost for some insulin products. KFF, a nonpartisan health policy research organization,  explained  earlier this month that under this model, in effect from 2021 to 2023, “participating Medicare Part D prescription drug plans covered at least one of each dosage form and type of insulin product at no more than $35 per month,” and “less than half of all Part D plans chose to participate in each year.”

But in 2022, Biden  signed a law  that required all Medicare prescription drug plans to cap all insulin products at $35. The law also capped the out-of-pocket price for insulin that’s covered under Medicare Part B, which covers drugs administered in a health care provider’s office. The caps went into effect last year.

STAT, a news site that covers health care issues,  reported  that the idea for a $35 cap for seniors initially came from Eli Lilly, the pharmaceutical company, which proposed it in 2019.

Trump on Biden Tax Plan

“He’s the only one I know he wants to raise your taxes by four times,” Trump said of Biden. “He wants to raise everybody’s taxes by four times. He wants the Trump tax cuts to expire. So everybody … [is] going to pay four to five times –  nobody ever heard of this before.”

Trump regularly warns of massive tax hikes for “everybody,” should Biden be reelected. That doesn’t jibe with anything Biden has proposed.

In his more than three years as president, Biden’s  major tax changes  have included setting a  minimum corporate tax rate  of 15% and lowering taxes for some families by  expanding the child tax credit  and, for a time, making it fully refundable, meaning families could still receive a refund even if they no longer owe additional taxes.

As  we wrote  in 2020, when Trump made a similar claim, Biden proposed during that campaign to raise an additional $4 trillion in taxes over the next decade, although the increases would have fallen mainly on very high-income earners and corporations. The plan would not have doubled or tripled people’s taxes at any income level (on average), according to analyses of Biden’s plan by the  Penn Wharton Budget Model ,  the Tax Policy Center  and  the Tax Foundation .

In March 2023, the TPC’s Howard Gleckman  wrote  that Biden proposed a 2024 budget that would, on average, increase after-tax incomes for low-income households and “leave them effectively unchanged for middle-income households.” The Tax Policy Center noted, “The top 1 percent, with at least roughly $1 million in income, would pay an average of $300,000 more than under current law, dropping their after-tax incomes by 14 percent.”

This March, Biden released his  fiscal year 2025 budget , which contains many of the same proposals and adds a few new wrinkles. But it still  does not contain  any “colossal tax hikes” on typical American families, as Trump has said.

Biden’s latest plan proposes — as he has in the past — to increase the corporate income tax rate from 21% to 28%, and to  restore  the top individual tax rate of 39.6% from the current rate of 37%. It would also increase the corporate minimum tax rate from 15% to 21% for companies that report average profits in excess of $1 billion over a three-year period. And the plan would impose a 25% minimum tax on very wealthy individuals. The plan also proposes to extend the expanded child tax credit enacted in the American Rescue Plan through 2025, and to make the child tax credit fully refundable on a permanent basis.

Trump is also mostly wrong that Biden “wants the Trump tax cuts to expire.”

As he has said since the 2020 campaign, Biden’s FY 2025 budget vows not to increase taxes on people earning less than $400,000.

In order to keep that pledge, Biden would have to extend most of the individual income tax provisions enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that are set to expire at the end of 2025. And that’s what Biden says he would do — but  only for  individual filers earning less than $400,000 and married couples making less than $450,000. (In order to pass the TCJA with a simple Senate majority, Republicans wrote the law to have most of the individual income tax changes  expire after 2025 .)

The Biden budget plan “would raise marginal income tax rates faced by higher earners and corporations while expanding tax credits for lower-income households,” according to a Tax Foundation  analysis  of the tax provisions in Biden’s budget. “The budget would redistribute income from high earners to low earners. The bottom 60 percent of earners would see increases in after-tax income in 2025, while the top 40 percent of earners would see decreases.”

Biden on Taxes Paid by Billionaires

In arguing that wealthy households should pay a minimum tax, Biden repeated his misleading claim that billionaires pay an average federal tax rate of 8%.

“We have a thousand … billionaires in America, and what’s happening?”  Biden said . “They’re in a situation where they in fact pay 8.2% in taxes.”

That’s not the average rate in the current tax system; it’s a figure  calculated  by the White House and factors in earnings on unsold stock as income. When only considering income, the top-earning taxpayers, on average, pay higher tax rates than those in lower income groups, as  we’ve written  before.

The top 0.1% of earners pay an average rate of 25.1% in federal income and payroll taxes,  according to  an analysis by the Tax Policy Center in October 2022 for the 2023 tax year.

The point that Biden tried to make is that earnings on assets, such as stock, currently are not taxed until that asset is sold, which is when the earnings become subject to capital gains taxes. Until stocks and assets are sold, the earnings are referred to as “unrealized” gains. Unrealized gains, the White House  has argued , could go untaxed forever if wealthy people hold on to them and transfer them on to heirs when they die.

Roe v. Wade

As he has  before , Trump wildly exaggerated the popularity of ending Roe v. Wade — even going so far as to claim that it was “something that everybody wanted.”

“51 years ago, you had Roe v. Wade and everybody wanted to get it back to the states,”  he said , referring to the 1973 Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to abortion, which was  overturned  in 2022.

Trump:  Everybody, without exception: Democrats, Republicans, liberals, conservatives. Everybody wanted it back — religious leaders. And what I did is I put three great Supreme Court justices on the court and they happened to vote in favor of killing Roe v. Wade, and moving it back to the states. This is something that everybody wanted. Now 10 years ago or so they started talking about how many weeks and how many this and getting into other things. But every legal scholar throughout the world — the most respected — wanted it brought back to the states. I did that.

In fact, a majority of Americans have disagreed with ending Roe v. Wade, including plenty of legal scholars, as we’ve explained  before . While some scholars criticized aspects of the legal reasoning in Roe, it did not necessarily mean they wanted the ruling overturned. Legal experts told us that Trump’s claim was “utter nonsense” and “patently absurd.”

Trump Wrong on Jobs

After Biden talked about job creation during his administration, Trump falsely claimed that “the only jobs [Biden] created are for illegal immigrants and bounced back jobs that bounced back from the COVID.”

In fact, as of May,  total nonfarm employment  in the U.S. had gone up about 6.2 million from the pre-pandemic peak in February 2020, according to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The increase is about 15.6 million if you count from when Biden took office in January 2021 until now — but that would include some jobs that were temporarily lost during the pandemic and then came back during the economic recovery.

Furthermore, there is no evidence that only “illegal immigrants” have seen employment gains.

Since Biden became president in January 2021, employment of U.S.-born workers has increased more than employment of foreign-born workers, a category that includes anyone who wasn’t a U.S. citizen at birth, as we’ve written before . BLS says the  foreign-born  population includes “legally-admitted immigrants, refugees, temporary residents such as students and temporary workers, and undocumented immigrants.” There is no employment breakdown for just people in the U.S. illegally.

In looking at employment since the pre-pandemic peak, the employment level of  foreign-born workers  was up by about 3.2 million, from roughly 27.7 million in February 2020 to nearly 30.9 million in May. Employment for the  U.S.-born population  increased by about 125,000 — from nearly 130.3 million in February 2020 to 130.4 million, as of May.

Conflicting Budget Deficit Claims

Biden and Trump accused each other of presiding over the largest budget deficit in the U.S.

After talking about Trump’s plans for additional tax cuts, Biden said Trump already had the “largest deficit of any president in American history.” When he got a chance to respond, Trump said, “We now have the largest deficit in the history of our country under this guy,” referring to Biden.

Biden is correct: The  largest budget deficit  on record was about $3.1 trillion in fiscal year 2020 under Trump. However, that was  primarily  because of trillions of dollars in emergency funding that both congressional Republicans and Democrats approved to address the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the pandemic, the largest budget deficit under Trump was about $1 trillion in fiscal 2019.

Meanwhile, the most recent budget deficit under Biden was about $1.7 trillion in fiscal 2023. As of June, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office  projected  that the deficit for fiscal 2024, which ends on Sept. 30, would be about $2 trillion.

Black Unemployment

Biden boasted that on his watch, “Black unemployment is the lowest level it has been in a long, long time.”

It’s true that the unemployment rate for Black or African American people reached a record low of 4.8% in April 2023, but it is currently 6.1%,  according to  the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which has data going back to 1972.

Also, the unemployment rate was low under Trump, too, until the pandemic.

Under Trump, the  unemployment rate for Black Americans  went down to 5.3% in August 2019 – the lowest on record at that time. It shot up to 16.9% in April 2020, when the economic effects of the pandemic took hold. When Trump left office in January 2021, amid the pandemic, the rate was 9.3%.

The rate has been 6% or less in only 29 months since 1972, and it happened only under two presidents: 21 times under Biden and eight times under Trump.

‘Suckers and Losers’

Biden  said  Trump called U.S. veterans killed in World War I “suckers and losers,” which Trump called a “made up quote … that was in a third-rate magazine.”

It was first reported by a magazine — the Atlantic — but Trump’s former chief of staff,  John F. Kelly , a retired four-star Marine general, later seemed to confirm it.

Biden was referring to a trip Trump made to France in November 2018, where he reportedly declined to visit the  Aisne-Marne American Cemetery  near the location of the Battle of Belleau Wood. “He was standing with his four-star general and he told him, ‘I don’t want to go in there because they’re a bunch of losers and suckers.’”

The Atlantic  wrote  about this alleged incident in 2020, citing unnamed sources. The magazine wrote that Trump made his remark about “losers” when he declined to visit the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, and his remark about “suckers” during that same trip.

The Atlantic, Sept. 3, 2020:  In a conversation with senior staff members on the morning of the scheduled visit, Trump said, “Why should I go to that cemetery? It’s filled with losers.” In a separate conversation on the same trip, Trump referred to the more than 1,800 marines who lost their lives at Belleau Wood as “suckers” for getting killed.

In October 2023, Kelly – who was on that trip and visited the Aisne-Marne Cemetery — gave a  statement to CNN  that seemed to confirm those remarks. CNN published Kelly’s statement.

CNN, Oct. 3, 2023:  “What can I add that has not already been said?” Kelly said, when asked if he wanted to weigh in on his former boss in light of recent comments made by other former Trump officials. “A person that thinks those who defend their country in uniform, or are shot down or seriously wounded in combat, or spend years being tortured as POWs are all ‘suckers’ because ‘there is nothing in it for them.’ A person that did not want to be seen in the presence of military amputees because ‘it doesn’t look good for me.’ A person who demonstrated open contempt for a Gold Star family – for all Gold Star families – on TV during the 2016 campaign, and rants that our most precious heroes who gave their lives in America’s defense are ‘losers’ and wouldn’t visit their graves in France.”

Trump said, “We had 19 people who said I didn’t say it.” One of those who said that he didn’t hear Trump make those remarks is John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser who was also on the trip and said he was there when the decision was made not to visit the cemetery.

“I didn’t hear that,” Bolton  told the New York Times  in 2020 after the magazine story first appeared. “I’m not saying he didn’t say them later in the day or another time, but I was there for that discussion.”

Biden Misleads on Jobs

Biden ignored the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic when he criticized Trump for employment going down over Trump’s time in office.

“He’s the only president other than Herbert Hoover that lost more jobs than he had when he began,” Biden said.

Job growth during Trump’s term was positive until the economy lost 20.5 million jobs in April 2020, as efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus led to business closures and layoffs. By the time Trump left office in January 2021, employment had partly rebounded, but was still 9.4 million jobs below the February 2020 peak,  according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics .

Trump repeatedly claimed that Biden “caused the inflation” and that “I gave him a country with no essentially no inflation. It was perfect. It was so good.”

It’s true that inflation was relatively modest when Trump was president. The  Consumer Price Index rose 7.6%  under Trump’s four years — continuing a long period of low inflation. And inflation has been high over the entirety of Biden’s time in office. The  Consumer Price Index  for all items rose 19.3% between January 2021 and May.

For a time, it was the worst inflation in decades. The 12 months ending in June 2022 saw a 9% increase in the CPI (before seasonal adjustment), which the  Bureau of Labor Statistics said  was the biggest such increase since the 12 months ending in November 1981.

Inflation has moderated more recently. The CPI  rose  3.3% in the 12 months ending in May, the most recent figure available.

Although Trump claims that Biden is entirely responsible for massive inflation, economists  we have spoken to  say Biden’s policies are only partly to blame. The economists placed the lion’s share of the blame for inflation on disruptions to the economy caused by the pandemic, including supply shortages, labor issues and increased consumer spending on goods. Inflation was then worsened by Russia’s attack on Ukraine, which drove up oil and gas prices, experts told us.

Indeed, inflation has been a  worldwide problem  post-pandemic.

However, many economists say Biden’s policies — particularly aggressive stimulus spending early in his presidency to offset some of the economic damage caused by the pandemic — played a modest role.

Jason Furman , a former economic adviser to President Barack Obama and now a Harvard University professor, told us in June 2022 that he estimated about 1 to 4 percentage points worth of the inflation was due to Biden’s stimulus spending in the  American Rescue Plan  — a $1.9 trillion pandemic relief measure that included $1,400 checks to most Americans; expanded unemployment benefits; and money for schools, small businesses and states.  Mark Zandi , chief economist of Moody’s — whose work is often cited by the White House — said the impact of the stimulus measure now “has largely faded.”

Economists note that the American Rescue Plan came after two other pandemic stimulus laws enacted under Trump that were  worth  a  total  of $3.1 trillion. That spending, too, could have contributed to inflation.

Immigrants Entering U.S. Under Biden

Trump grossly inflated the number of immigrants who have entered the country during the Biden administration — putting the number at 18 million to 20 million. The number, by our calculation, is about a third of that. Trump also claimed, without evidence, that many of those immigrants are from prisons and mental institutions.

“It could be 18, it could be 19, and even 20 million people,” Trump said of the immigrants who have entered the U.S. during the Biden administration. Later in the debate, Trump asked Biden why there had been no accountability “for allowing 18 million people many from prisons, many from mental institutions” into the country.

That’s a greatly exaggerated number. We took a deep dive into the immigration numbers  in February , and again in  mid-June , and we came up with an estimate of at most a third of Trump’s number.

Here’s the breakdown:

Department of Homeland Security data show nearly 8 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border between February 2021, the month after Biden took office, and May, the last month of available  statistics . That’s a figure that includes both the 6.9 million apprehensions of migrants caught between legal ports of entry – the number typically used for illegal immigration – and nearly 1.1 million encounters of migrants who arrived at ports of entry without authorization to enter the U.S.

DHS also has comprehensive data, through February, of the initial processing of these encounters. That information shows 2.9 million were removed by Customs and Border Protection and 3.2 million were released with notices to appear in immigration court or report to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the future, or other classifications, such as parole. (Encounters do not represent the total number of people, because some people attempt multiple crossings. For example, the recidivism rate was 27% in fiscal year 2021,  according to the most recent figures  from CBP.) 

As  we’ve explained before , there are also estimates for “gotaways,” or migrants who crossed the border illegally and evaded the authorities. Based on an average annual apprehension rate of 78%, which DHS provided to us, that would mean there were an estimated 1.8 million gotaways from February 2021 to February 2024. The gotaways plus those released with court notices or other designations would total about 5 million.

There were also 407,500 transfers of unaccompanied children to the Department of Health and Human Services and 883,000 transfers to ICE. The ICE transfers include those who are then booked into ICE custody, enrolled in “ alternatives to detention ” (which include technological monitoring) or released by ICE. We don’t know how many of those were released into the country with a court notice. But even if we include those figures, it still doesn’t get us to anywhere near 18 to 20 million.

And we should note that these figures do not reflect whether a migrant may ultimately be allowed to stay or will be deported, particularly since there is a yearslong backlog of immigration court cases.

Also, as we have  written   repeatedly , Trump has provided no credible support for his incendiary claim that countries are emptying their prisons and mental institutions and sending those people to the U.S. Experts tell us they have seen no evidence to substantiate it.

Earlier this month, we looked into  Trump’s claim as it relates to Venezuela, because Trump has repeatedly cited a drop in crime there to support his claim about countries emptying their prisons and sending inmates to the U.S. Reported crime is trending down in Venezuela, but crime experts in the country say there are numerous reasons for that — including an enormous out-migration of citizens and a consolidation of gang activity — and they have nothing to do with sending criminals to the U.S.

“We have no evidence that the Venezuelan government is emptying the prisons or mental hospitals to send them out of the country, whether to the USA or any other country,” Roberto Briceño-León, founder and director of the independent Venezuelan Observatory of Violence, told us.

Border Under Trump

Trump claimed that “we had the safest border in history” in the “final months” of his presidency, according to Border Patrol. But according to  data  provided by Customs and Border Protection, apprehensions of those trying to cross illegally into the U.S. in the last three full months of Trump’s presidency were about 50% higher than in the  three months  before he took office.

In fact, as we wrote in our piece, “ Trump’s Final Numbers ,” illegal border crossings, as measured by  apprehensions at the southwest border , were 14.7% higher in Trump’s final year in office compared with the last full year before he was sworn in.

But these statistics tell only part of the story. The number of apprehensions fluctuated wildly during Trump’s presidency, from a  monthly  low of 11,127 in April 2017 to a high of 132,856 in May 2019.

Back in April,  we wrote  about a misleading chart that Trump showed to the crowd during a speech in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “See the arrow on the bottom? That was my last week in office,” Trump said. “That was the lowest number in history.” But Trump was wrong on both points.

The arrow was pointing to apprehensions in April 2020, when apprehensions plummeted during the height of the pandemic.

“The pandemic was responsible for a near-complete halt to all forms of global mobility in 2020, due to a combination of border restrictions imposed by countries around the world,”  Michelle Mittelstadt , director of communications for the Migration Policy Institute, told us.

After apprehensions reached a pandemic low in April 2020, they rose every month after that. In his last months in office, apprehensions had more than quadrupled from that pandemic low and were higher than the month he took office.

Trump falsely claimed that “some states” run by Democrats allow abortions “after birth.” As  we have written , that’s simply false. If it happened, it would be  homicide , and that’s  illegal .

“No such procedure exists,” the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists  says  on its website.

The former president  has wrongly said  that abortions after birth were permitted under Roe v. Wade — the Supreme Court ruling that established a constitutional right to abortion until it was  reversed  in 2022. It was not.

Under Roe, states could outlaw abortion after fetal viability, but with exceptions for risks to the life or health of the mother. Many Republicans  have objected  to the health stipulation, saying it would allow abortion for any reason. Democrats say exceptions are needed to protect the mother from medical risks. We should note, late-term abortions  are rare . According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , less than 1% of abortions in the U.S. in 2020 were performed after 21 weeks gestational time.

In June 2022, after Trump had appointed three conservative justices to the Supreme Court, the court  overturned  Roe in a 5-4 ruling. Biden  supports  restoring Roe as “the law of the land,” as he said in his State of the Union address in March.

Trump Calls Border ‘The Most Dangerous Place’

In his focus on the U.S. border with Mexico, Trump  made  the unsupported claim that it is “the most dangerous place in the world.”

It’s true that unauthorized border crossings  can be dangerous  — 895 people died while doing so in fiscal year 2022, which is the most recent year for which the Customs and Border Protection has  data . Most of those deaths were heat related.

And the International Organization for Migration called calendar year 2022 “the deadliest year on record” for migration in the Americas, with a total of 1,457 fatalities throughout South America, Central America, North America and the Caribbean. The organization began tracking deaths and disappearances related to migration in 2014.

“Most of these fatalities are related to the lack of options for safe and regular mobility, which increases the likelihood that people see no other choice but to opt for irregular migration routes that put their lives at risk,” the organization said in its  2022 report .

Trump suggested that the border crossings imperil Americans when he went on to say, “these killers are coming into our country, and they are raping and killing women.”

But, as  we’ve written before , FBI data show a downward trend in violent crime in the U.S., and there’s no evidence to support the claim that there’s been a crime wave driven by immigrants.

Crime analyst Jeff Asher, co-founder of the New Orleans firm  AH Datalytics , told us in May that there’s no evidence in the data to indicate a migrant crime wave.

Similarly, Jeffrey Butts, director of the Research and Evaluation Center at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice,  told the New York Times  in February there was no evidence of a migrant crime wave in New York City after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott began busing migrants there in April 2022.

“I would interpret a ‘wave’ to mean something significant, meaningful and a departure from the norm,” Butts said at the time. “So far, what we have are individual incidents of crime.”

Also, it’s worth noting that the Institute for Economics and Peace’s  Global Peace Index  — which measures the safety of 163 countries based on 23 indicators, including violent crime, deaths from internal conflict and terrorism — said the “least peaceful country” is Afghanistan, followed by Yemen, Syria, South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In discussing inflation, the former president embellished the degree to which food prices have increased.

“It’s killing people. They can’t buy groceries anymore,” Trump said. “You look at the cost of food, where it’s doubled, tripled and quadrupled. They can’t live.”

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the Consumer Price Index for food has  gone up 17.5%  — not 100% to 300% — since January 2021. The Consumer Price Index specifically for groceries, or “food at home,” has  risen 20.8% .

Climate Change

During a short exchange about climate change, Trump boasted that during his tenure “we had the best environmental numbers ever.” It is not clear what he was referring to exactly, but he said if elected president he wanted to have “absolutely immaculate clean water and I want absolutely clean air — and we had it.” He might have been referring to a talking point that Andrew Wheeler, Trump’s former Environmental Protection Agency administrator, had recommended Trump mention during the debate: “CO2 emissions went down” during his administration, as  the Hill reported . 

Greenhouse gas emissions, which are responsible for global warming,  did decline  from 2019 to 2020. But that was “largely due to the impacts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on travel and economic activity,” according to the EPA. Emissions increased by 5.7% from 2020 to 2022, once the economy started getting reactivated again, the agency said. 

According to an  analysis by the New York Times , Trump’s administration reversed nearly 100 environmental rules, including 28 regulations on air pollution and emissions, and eight rules that limited water pollution. Reportedly, Trump  recently asked  oil executives and lobbyists to donate to his campaign, promising he would roll back other environmental rules that hurt fossil fuel interests. 

“He’s not done a damn thing for the environment,” Biden said in response, pointing out that Trump had  pulled the U.S. out of the Paris Agreement . “I immediately joined it because if we reach the 1.5 degrees Celsius … there’s no way back,” Biden said. 

As  we’ve reported , although reaching 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, of warming comes with a number of very serious impacts, it is not a point of no return. Scientists agree that every increment of global warming increases these negative impacts, but 1.5 degrees is not a magic number after which everything is doomed, they say. 

Immigrants Living in Hotels

During the debate, Trump  mentioned   twice  that while immigrants crossing the border illegally were “living in luxury hotels,” in New York City and other cities “our veterans are living in the street.”

While it is true that New York City has  provided   hotel   rooms  to migrant families as a temporary shelter solution, there is no evidence that immigrants are being placed in “luxury” hotels. 

In 2023, Mayor Eric Adams  signed  a $275 million contract with the Hotel Association of New York City to house 5,000 migrants. The deal was intended to help  struggling hotels  impacted by the pandemic and did not expect to include luxury hotels. “There are no gold-plated rooms that are being given away contrary to any reports that you may have seen,” the association president  told NY1  at the time. In January, the city  signed  another $77 million contract to shelter migrant families in hotels. 

In April, social media posts falsely claimed immigrants had stormed New York City Hall to demand luxury hotel accommodations. But as the  Associated Press reported , the immigrants were there for a hearing about racial inequities in shelter and immigrant services. 

In 2023, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness increased 7.4% from 2022, according to  data  from the Department of Housing and Urban Development. But homelessness among veterans has been declining in recent years, with a 4% overall reduction within the last three years alone. 

Terrorist Attacks Under Trump

While talking about Iran and terrorism, Trump falsely claimed that “you had no terror, at all, during my administration.” As  we’ve written , there were several acts of terrorism carried out by foreign-born individuals when Trump was in office.

For example, in October 2017, Sayfullo Saipov  used  a truck to run down people in New York City. He killed eight people,  including  Americans and tourists, in an attack carried out on behalf of the Islamic State.

Then in December 2017, Akayed Ullah  detonated  a homemade pipe bomb he was wearing inside a New York City subway station. Ullah  told  authorities he did it in response to U.S. airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and other places.

Then in  December 2019 , Second Lt. Mohammed Saeed Alshamrani, a member of the Royal Saudi Air Force, shot 11 people at Florida’s Naval Air Station Pensacola, killing three U.S. sailors. Trump’s own attorney general, William Barr,  called  it an act of terrorism in January 2020. “The evidence shows that the shooter was motivated by jihadist ideology,” Barr said in a statement.

China Trade Deficit

When discussing U.S. trade relations with China, Trump said “we have the largest deficit with China.” That’s false, as  we’ve written .

In 2023, the U.S. had a trade deficit with China in goods and services of roughly $252 billion,  according to  revised figures the Bureau of Economic Analysis  released  in early June. The deficit in goods trading was about $279 billion which was partially offset by a roughly $27 billion surplus in the trading of  services  — which can include travel, transportation, finance and intellectual property.

The trade gap with China last year was the lowest it had been since 2009, when it was $220 billion.

In fact, according to BEA data going back to 1999, the highest total U.S.-China trade deficit in goods and services was about $378 billion in 2018 — when Trump was president. Under Biden, the highest trade deficit with China was $366 billion in 2022.

Not ‘Greatest Economy’ Under Trump

Trump falsely said that prior to the pandemic, the U.S. had “the greatest economy in the history of our country. … Everything was locked in good.”

Trump’s boast about creating the “greatest economy in history” is ubiquitous in his campaign speeches. And it’s not true, at least not by the objective measure typically used to gauge the health of the economy.

As  we have written , economists generally measure a nation’s health by the growth of its  inflation-adjusted gross domestic product . Under Trump, growth was modest. Real GDP in Trump’s four years grew annually by 2.5% in 2017, 3% in 2018 and 2.5% in 2019 — before the economy went into a tailspin during the pandemic in 2020, when real GDP declined by 2.2%,  according to  the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

So, in the best year under Trump, U.S. real GDP grew annually by 3%. By contrast, the nation’s economy grew at a faster annual rate  48 times  and under every president before and after Trump dating to 1930, except Barack Obama and Herbert Hoover. The economy grew at more than 3% six of Ronald Reagan’s eight years, including 7.2% in 1984, and it grew 5% or more 10 times under Franklin D. Roosevelt, including 18.9% in 1942.  Under Biden , the GDP grew by 5.8% in 2021 — a post COVID-19 bounce-back — by 1.9% in 2022 and 2.5% in 2023.

Trump’s Was Not Largest Tax Cut in History

As he has many times before, Trump wrongly claimed, “I gave you the largest tax cut in history.” But saying this over and over, as Trump has for years, doesn’t make it any more true.

As  we have been writing  even before the 2017  Tax Cuts and Jobs Act  was enacted into law, while the law provided tax relief to nearly all Americans, it was not the largest tax cut in U.S. history either as a percentage of gross domestic product (the measure preferred by economists) or in inflation-adjusted dollars.

According to a Tax Policy Center  analysis , the law reduced the individual income taxes owed by Americans by about $1,260 on average in 2018. It also reduced the top corporate tax rate from  35% to 21% , beginning in January 2018.

The law signed by Trump was initially projected to cost $1.49 trillion over 10 years,  according to the nonpartisan Joint Committee on Taxation . It could end up costing substantially more if individual tax provisions are extended past 2025. Over the first four years, the average annual cost was estimated to be $185 billion. That was about 0.9% of  gross domestic product  in 2018.

That’s nowhere close to President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 tax cut, which was 2.89% of GDP over a four-year average. That’s according to a  2013 Treasury Department analysis  on the revenue effects of major tax legislation. Five more tax measures since 1940 had an impact larger than 1% of GDP, and the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget  includes  a 1921 measure as also being larger than the 2017 plan. That’s eighth place for Trump’s “biggest tax cut in our history.”

In inflation-adjusted dollars, the Trump-era tax cut is also less than the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012, which comes in at No. 1 with a $320.6 billion cost over a four-year average. And it’s less than tax reductions in 2010 ($210 billion) and 1981 ($208 billion).

Energy Independence

Trump boasted, as he  often does , that “on Jan. 6 [2021], we were energy independent,” implying that’s no longer the case under Biden. But by Trump’s definition, the country remains energy independent.

To be clear, under Trump, the U.S. never stopped  importing  sources of energy,  including crude oil , from other countries. What he likely means is that the country either  produced  more energy than it consumed, or  exported  more energy than it imported. During Trump’s presidency, after years trending in that direction, the U.S. did hit a tipping point where exports of primary energy exceeded energy imports from foreign sources in 2019 and 2020 — the first times that had happened since 1952,  according to  the U.S. Energy Information Administration. 

But contrary to Trump’s suggestion, that has continued in the Biden presidency. The U.S., during Biden’s presidency, has  exported  more energy,  including petroleum , than it imported, and it has  produced  more energy than it consumed. Also, the U.S. is producing record amounts of  oil  and  natural gas  under Biden.

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