Should I resign five days after starting a job after learning of a better career opportunity?

I recently started a new job at a government agency five days ago. Three days after starting, I received a notice that my Ph.D. scholarship application, which I submitted several months earlier and thought would get rejected, had been granted. One of the conditions for getting the scholarship is for me to start my research-based Ph.D. as soon as possible as a full-time student. After intense soul-searching, I’ve decided to pursue further studies, but I don’t know when exactly I should resign from work. If I resign as early as possible, i.e., tomorrow, I feel that I will have wasted the resources my employer has spent on processing my application. If, however, I wait for another three weeks before quitting so that I can do some work first, I may run out of time to prepare for my study, given how demanding my job is. My employer may also not have enough time then to look for my replacement. Should I resign as early as possible? Also, do I have to go into detail about my graduate study with my employer, or should I keep things vague?

Mar 9, 2025 - 08:30
 0
Should I resign five days after starting a job after learning of a better career opportunity?

I recently started a new job at a government agency five days ago. Three days after starting, I received a notice that my Ph.D. scholarship application, which I submitted several months earlier and thought would get rejected, had been granted. One of the conditions for getting the scholarship is for me to start my research-based Ph.D. as soon as possible as a full-time student.

After intense soul-searching, I’ve decided to pursue further studies, but I don’t know when exactly I should resign from work. If I resign as early as possible, i.e., tomorrow, I feel that I will have wasted the resources my employer has spent on processing my application. If, however, I wait for another three weeks before quitting so that I can do some work first, I may run out of time to prepare for my study, given how demanding my job is. My employer may also not have enough time then to look for my replacement.

Should I resign as early as possible? Also, do I have to go into detail about my graduate study with my employer, or should I keep things vague?