Any of you folks go to work and do studies at the same time? I don't mean short courses but studies aiming to a degree.

Myself, I graduated as an electrical engineer (~B.Sc.) in 1993 and was quite happy to get out of the school at that stage after straight 17 years of studying. But in 1997, having moved from the town where I grew up to Tampere and having not many friends here and not much to do in the evenings, I decided to start taking courses at the "open university" (as in open to everyone, no entrance exams, just pay about $50 per course, but no right to get a degree) at the Tampere University of Technology (http://www.tut.fi/public/index.cfm?siteid=32). There are of course entrance exams but one route to studying is to complete 60 credits in the open university and pay for them and then you get a free entrance as a degree student and don't have to pay anything (*) for the studies anymore. And that's just what I did.

I was quite motivated to work during the day and study in the evenings and in October 2000 I got a M.Sc. in electrical engineering with software engineering as my major and communication networks and protocols as a minor.

Well, that was quite an ordeal but it seems that the eternal student in my isn't still satisfied and in Spring 2003 I decided to start doing post-graduate studies (again, in addition my dayjob) and aim to a Dr.Tech. degree. Well, I'm now 34 years and my goal is to get the dissertation and the degree done before I'm 40... We'll see if that ever happens.

So far I haven't really started doing anything for the doctoral thesis, just attending some seminars etc. The motivation isn't that high just at the moment. I need to complete 45 credits of studies and then do a 180 credit thesis. So far I've completed 20 credits and plan to do another 7 this autumn. I have already spoken with my boss at the work about the possibility of me doing some part-time work, part-time studies maybe in 2006 or so. So I could do maybe 3 days work per week and 2 days of research.

So, any other "eternal students" amongs the good people in these forums who share a similar destiny....?



(*) In Finland you can study all the way up to the highest level (Ph.D. / Dr.Tech) in any university you want (assuming you pass the entrance exams or get good enough grades from high school which will allow you to get right in) without paying anything... That's also a reason why many foreigners come to study to Finland...

So if you get into a Finnish (?) College, they will pay your way all the way up to Ph. D.? And this applies to foreigners? Hmm... are there any catches or any of that?

I'm trying to get into Northwestern for MBA/MMM. Hopefully I'll get in for next academic year.

I graduated from undergraduate studies in 1997. It has been 6 years out of school now and I want to get my degree before I have kids on the way. I can only fight my wife off for another few years. ;)

So if you get into a Finnish (?) College, they will pay your way all the way up to Ph. D.? And this applies to foreigners? Hmm... are there any catches or any of that?

Yes, you will be able to study up to a Ph.D. practically free. Well, there are some student union fees, but they are like $175 per year and for that you get free dental and health care! Many students get their teeth done at that stage. And of course there is the voluntary $50 per year membership fee for the athletic club that gives you free access to two gyms!!!

The catch might be this: "Basically all Finnish and international students wishing to study for a M.Sc. degree at Tampere University of Technology are required to pass the entrance examinations before admittance to the University."

But they are not that difficult to pass, my wife passed them last spring. Basically there is a math exam and then you can choose between a physics and chemistry exam and that's it. Depending on the degree program, you are required to have anything from 25% ... 50% correct in order to pass, it depends on the popularity of the degree programme.

I recommend that you check out this (http://www.tut.fi/public/index.cfm?MainSel=1601&Sel=1601&Show=1497&Siteid=32) page.

Look at the links on the left side of the page and there you'll find a good bit of information. There is a PDF-guide for foreign students and on that guide it says clearly: "There are no tuitition fees in higher education in Finland - except the tuition fee paid for the International University Programmes. However, the Student Union membership fee is compulsory for all students, except the post-graduate ones."

The International University Programs are some special stuff and I guess they cost something, but the normal undergrad and postgrad studies are FREE!

There are loads of foreign students studying e.g. here in Tampere. I've seen folks from Russia, China, Portugal, France...

I am currently working on a CPCU and a BS in finance at the same time. I have 2 more tests for my CPCU and I have earned about 5 other prof designations in p&c insurance

I start university here in the UK in a few weeks. I'm going to do a BSc in Biomedical Science. I started a degree in Applied Biology about 4 years ago, when I was 18, but unfortunately I had to leave due to kidney failure.

Gladly, all is back on track and my health is better (see my thread in general fitness for more info) and I can't wait to get back to uni.

Yeah, I'm back in school also. I'm 27 and graduate in May, with another B.S. This time in Building Construction Management. I found out about 3 weeks before school started that I received an Resident Assistant position, so that has really thrown a wrench into my whole workout schedule. With that, studying, and the 3 clubs I'm active in, I can hardly find time to crap! But hey, at least I'm having fun. Right? No really, I asking, am I having fun yet!!!?!?!?! :eek:

I going to ITT Tech for computer networking but then I got a job that pays more then I would make after school , so because of the hours I had to take sometime off school... gotta go where the money is :)