COMPLETING THE PHD - COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCES OF US AND FOREIGN-STUDENTS

Objective. This article examines the comparative success of U.S. and f oreign students in completing the Ph.D. at a select set of eleven inst itutions of higher education in the United States. Methods. We fit pro portional-hazards models to time-to-degree data on the experiences of more than thirty-five thousand students who entered graduate school in the arts and sciences between 1962 and 1986. The analysis examines di fferences between temporary and permanent U.S. residents, controlling for demographic, merit, and financial-support factors. Results. Foreig n students outperform their U.S. counterparts. Slightly higher fractio ns complete the Ph.D. (54 versus 50 percent), and the average completi on time is about one year less (6.1 versus 7.2 years). Proportional-ha zard rates of graduation for foreign students are between 20 and 40 pe rcent higher than those for U.S. residents, depending on the nature of the control variables. Conclusions. Foreign students do not lower the average effectiveness of graduate education, if effectiveness is meas ured in terms of the proportion of entry cohorts that eventually recei ve their Ph.D.s and how many years of study are needed to earn the deg ree.