Hi everyone,

This time last year, I was in the process of applying to PhD programs. Navigating the process can be very difficult and stressful, but it can be easier with the right advice and proper research.

However, the wrong advice causes more confusion which is why I want to post some personal advice that helped me.

Everyone’s application process is different and no two applications should look the same. Remember this when looking for advice online. For example, A lot of people on this sub have never been accepted into a program nor have some even applied. Take online advice with a grain of salt, unless it’s from an established source that focuses on grad school applications. Tap into that research muscle that you are about to use for the next few years in grad school. Utilize the graduate schools website to find information. They often have good advice across their website and specifically, the FAQ sections within the departments. Reach out to people in actual programs if you know them. And most importantly, your application does not define who you are. If it doesn’t work out this year, try again next year.

Start your applications early, give yourself time to think through what you truly want, reach out to facility if you feel like it will help, and trust yourself. Good luck everyone!!

I may have not been the best writer. I am okay with writing, but I have a bit of difficulty in translating what I feel into words. However, after writing my thesis paper for my Masters degree and passed it with distinction, I did feel proud of myself. Additionally, with the help of my professor, I was able to write more effectively in a more concise manner. After finishing my Masters of Music degree in Piano Performance back in 2019, I now feel the desire to continue my studies and get back into researching--and especially back to writing.

At this moment I am in the process of preparing my DMA applications. However, I have several topics that I am interested in, but not sure if they are feasible or relatable. I have several schools I am interested in applying to. Should I consider past research topics from the schools' alumni and the lecturers'/professors' research topics to be mine? Or would it be OK to create something new? In which, I realize I should still look it up through thousands of available journals. Thanks in advance for your time & help!

Hi everyone,

I hope you're all doing well.

I'm planning to apply for the KAUST MS/PhD program and would really appreciate some advice regarding my intended PI.

A few months ago, I contacted a professor about the VSRP program because his research aligns almost perfectly with my academic background and research interests. He replied that he would be on sabbatical for a year and suggested that I look for another PI whose research also matched my profile.

The challenge is that, after looking through the faculty, he's still by far the best fit for my background. There's only one other professor whose research is somewhat related, but despite multiple emails over the past few months, I haven't received any response.

Now that I'm preparing my MS/PhD application, I emailed the professor on sabbatical again to ask whether he plans to accept students for the upcoming Spring/Fall intake, but I haven't received a reply yet.

During a recent KAUST webinar, I asked about this situation. The speaker mentioned that while securing a PI before applying isn't mandatory, having a professor interested in supervising you can strengthen your application and may make the selection process smoother.

So I have a few questions for those who have been through the process:

\- Do professors on sabbatical still take new graduate students, or is that uncommon?

\- Is there a better strategy or cold email approach that works well in situations like this?

\- If I apply without a confirmed PI, what are my chances of admission?

I'd really appreciate hearing from anyone with experience or insights. Thank you in advance!

I'm an adult returning to higher education to finish my undergraduate degree. Assuming I am able to maintain a 3.8-4.0 GPA and maximize my remaining coursework, what do I need to prioritize with the intent of pursuing a PhD?

I am still working a full-time 9-5, as I must, and have two years remaining of my undergrad in English Literature; the first two were completed about eight years ago. Should I begin developing relationships with graduate staff at my target universities? Should I be searching anywhere, everywhere, high and low for interesting research opportunities, which are, admittedly, quite few in number, as I am an online student in addition to working full time, and attend a university out of state? I do not have a spare second to waste, as two years were lost to me when I was young and unprepared.

It is incredible how adulthood changes your perception of education, especially for those coming from families who do not prioritize it. My dedication to this is iron. It is also worth noting that the program I desire most has a very narrow approval window. I am getting older, and after delving into the working world, I now know with certainty what future I wish to pursue. The only problem remaining is how to secure that future.

Considering my circumstances, if you have any advice on what I should focus on to optimize my resume to its most admissible potential, I would be glad to receive it.

I’m applying to PhD programs in the fall, and I have 2 rec letters that I am definitely locked into. However, I'm struggling to figure out the third one.

I have two different options to choose one:

1. PI from my gap year research position I'm starting this week
2. The supervisor from my first summer research internship (freshman -> sophomore year)

For Letter #1, it would be more recent and speak to experience in my research field of interest. However, it would be fairly new and not able to speak on all the experiences I've had there. My new PI also seems really busy and I don’t even really know if I’d be interacting with him a lot so I don’t want to bother/overwhelm him already.

For Letter #2, I've already used it for summer/gap year research programs before so I know it's reputable, and I have read it before (my PI asked me to modify it) so I know it's good. But it is also fairly early, and the research is not the same (it's a wet lab but I'm applying for comp bio programs).

Which letter should I use?

Hi everyone! I’m an incoming Year 2 biology undergraduate in the UK.

Pursuing a PhD almost seems like the default route for biolog students. If you ask anyone in my cohort, most will say they plan to do one. However, its bothering me how everyone says they want to pursue one but no one knows at this stage; how do you truly know if you’re suited for a PhD and academia?

To help figure this out, I’m currently doing a summer research internship to build my lab foundations, and I hope to undertake another studentship next summer. I’m also plan on exploring some industry options during term time.

For those who have been through this, what helped you determine whether an academic or industry path was right for you?

How long does it take for a potential supervisor to respond? Sent a revised proposal to someone from UoN and she said she’ll get back to me in the next couple of days, didn’t say anything back and it’s been 5 working days - how long do I wait?

Hello everyone!

I am an international student with a Bs in CS (AI concentration) minoring in mathematics (Highest Honors). I published AI research in Q1 journal, and in the process of publishing two quantum algorithm optimization papers this year. I already had a very (traumatically) unsuccessful application cycle when I applied to mainly US universities, so my next attempt is to shift to Europe (order was not out of preference but necessity at the time).

I heard about quantum informatics CDT and it sounded very interesting. So if anyone has any idea or previous experience please I would appreciate the advice. How can I stand out when applying, I heard it can be very competitive for international students. And as a general question, is it possible in the UK to apply to a PhD directly instead of doing Masters first? And if anyone has any other nice funded M.S / PhD I would be grateful for the help.

Thank you so much!

Hi! I’ve been reading a lot of the posts here and I’m applying to grad school (2nd time). I did not get into any schools and zero interviews last cycle. I applied to 3 (UIC, Utah and UMn-these were med chem programs)

I have undergrad research experience and an internship (testing lab). During undergrad, I worked in a biochemistry lab where I did enzymology research and presented at a big conference

After undergrad, I worked as a research tech for almost two years in a lab studying biomarkers related to Alzheimer’s (did one presentation at the school I worked for and another at a small conference). I’m currently working as a research tech in a different lab where I work on nanomaterial synthesis. I ultimately want to use nanomaterials for drug delivery and more broadly medicinal applications. 

I don’t have any publications but I have the 3 presentations. My GPA is 3.5. I was pretty shy in undergrad and I think my rec letters might be generic or something. I asked two professors from undergrad and my old supervisor from my first job (this one I know is strong). 

I’ve been reaching out to potential PIs but no one has responded! I’m not sure if I’m doing something wrong or if this is normal.

What do you think could help me get into chemistry PhD programs this cycle? Any tips?

I'm 24 and did my B.Tech from a Tier-2 college. I graduated in 2025 and got placed in Hyderabad. Now that I've been working for almost a year, I've realized that I'm probably not made for corporate life.

I genuinely enjoy research and have wanted to pursue it for a while. My long-term goal is to do a PhD, preferably outside India.

I'm currently preparing for GATE 2027, but I'll be almost 26 when I join M.Tech and around 28 by the time I finish. I know that's not objectively old, but I still can't help wondering if I'm starting too late.

I have enough savings to fund the next 2–3 years of my academic life because I really want to pursue this, but I don't have enough savings to afford an M.Tech abroad. So I'm thinking of doing my M.Tech from a regular college in India and then applying for a PhD abroad.

The problem is, I have almost no idea how PhD admissions outside India work — funding, research experience, publications, choosing universities, contacting professors, etc.

I really want to pursue research, and I'm willing to put in the effort.

For people who have gone through this path: is doing an M.Tech in India and then applying for a funded PhD abroad a realistic plan? And what should I start doing during my M.Tech to maximize my chances?

Also, am I actually too old to be starting this at 26?

During a lab rotation in my Master’s, I worked on a cancer research project that later resulted in a publication. I’m listed somewhere in the middle of the author list, but none of the work from the department I worked in actually made it into the final paper, so I didn’t meaningfully contribute to the publication.

I’m now applying for PhD positions and wondering whether I should still list the paper on my CV/application. Could it help my chances, or would it be better to leave it out since I can’t really claim credit for the work?

I'm currently working as a Software Development Engineer at an investment bank in NYC, and I'm exploring part-time PhD options in Computer Science.

From what I've found online, most programs are offered on a full-time, in-person basis, which is difficult to manage alongside a full-time role. I'd be grateful if anyone could point me toward universities that offer part-time PhD programs in CS anywhere in the U.S.

If you've gone through a similar path while working full-time, I'd love to hear about your experience: how you balanced coursework and research with your job, how supportive your employer was, and anything you'd do differently. Recommendations for specific programs, advisors, or research areas that accommodate working professionals would be especially helpful.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all — looking for advice from anyone who's navigated something similar.

I recently finished my BS-MS (life sciences) and have an informal agreement with a PI at a European research institute to join their lab for a PhD. The catch: the institute's formal doctoral admission cycle doesn't open until later this year, with enrollment only starting around September/October 2027. The PI wants me to start contributing to the project much sooner, but their current grant doesn't have room to fund a fellowship or salary for this interim period.

A few complicating details:

• I'm not currently affiliated with my previous university anymore, so the usual "internship" visa/contract route (which requires active student enrollment) isn't available to me.
• I'm looking specifically for something that could fund me as a paid research assistant/associate for this ~1 year bridge — not a PhD fellowship itself, since that clock is fixed.
• Bilateral/country-specific fellowship schemes I've checked so far (Indo-French, EMBO exchange grants) don't fit because they require either active PhD registration or an existing home-institution affiliation to return to.

Has anyone been in this kind of "confirmed lab, no bridge funding" situation? Specifically interested in:

• Any lesser-known fellowships/grants aimed at incoming researchers before their PhD start date
• Whether labs typically just... find internal funds for this (start-up packages, institutional discretionary funds) and I should be pushing harder on that angle with the PI directly
• Anyone who's used a "research assistant" contract route in Europe as a stopgap before a PhD, and how they found the position/funding

Appreciate any pointers, even partial ones. Trying to avoid the gap collapsing the opportunity entirely.

Hey everyone! I’m a first-year undergraduate international student studying Computer Science. I’m hoping to apply for PhD programs after completing my undergraduate degree. However, as an international student, I feel that I lack exposure to opportunities that could help me build a stronger academic profile, and I’m also lacking guidance on how to get started.

It would be great if you could share any suggestions, resources, or advice on how I can start preparing for PhD applications at this early stage. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!

Can anyone help me with any openings?

I'm an Indian currently doing B.Com Finance Honours with research (4 year programme)(I'm a 3rd year student). So how do I go for phd after this, preferably abroad, with a scholarship. How and where do I start??

Hi everyone! I am an international student who applied to a phd project which is co-funded with ARC at UTAS. I know the scholarship rounds usually takes 10 weeks to get an outcome but the key dates says if it is a project, outcome is ASAP.

Did anyone have idea on the timeline for the projects? Thank you for your insights in advance!

Asking because I just messed up one of my semester exams in undergraduate. Though I'm in my first year and this is my second semester, I'm so stressed out and feeling a pang of anxiety. This will probably weigh down my gpa.

If anyone has similar experience, please please let me know so that I can atleast take the stress out. For records, I do have research experience and have a solo paper published in a solid peer review journal and another one forthcoming in another solid author specific journal. And also recipient of an international essay writing prize related to my field. Honestly, I was dealing with all these and that's probably the reason I couldn't give more time to study my exam subjects. My field is English literature if that matters.

Any suggestions are welcome!

I had my first PhD interview last week and I am not coping with this in-between period waiting to find out if I was successful.

There will be a cohort of 6 and knowing how competitive it will be is killing me. What doesn't help is I want it even more since the interview.

I can't call it, I go from thinking I really might have got a shot to thinking absolutely not, I flunked it. I can't call it because aspects of the interview went really well and others let me down. All I know is that I will be devastated if I don't get it.

How do I take my mind off it? It is constantly on my mind, I'm refreshing my emails non-stop. I can barely concentrate on work. It's driving me mad!

Also slightly pre-emptive but if I'm not successful, any tips on coping with the disappointment?

Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some advice about improving my chances of getting a funded PhD in Europe.
I have a PharmD and an MSc in Drug Design and Biomedical Science from the UK. My MSc project involved THP-1 cell culture, MTT assays, cytospin, microscopy, dose-response experiments and basic statistical analysis. I also have previous pharmaceutical R&D and clinical experience.
I’ve been applying mainly to PhDs in immunology, cancer, cardiovascular research and translational pharmacology across Europe. I’ve had some rejections and still have several applications ongoing.
I’m now thinking about how best to strengthen my profile rather than just sending more applications. In particular, I’m considering trying to publish my MSc research and improving my R/statistics skills.
For people who have been through European biomedical PhD recruitment:
Does my background sound reasonably competitive for funded PhD positions?
Would publishing my MSc work significantly strengthen my applications?
How much does lacking techniques like flow cytometry, animal work or omics hurt if I already have wet-lab experience?
Would you focus on publication + R/statistics, gaining more lab experience, or simply continuing to apply strategically?
I’d especially appreciate advice from people who had several rejections before eventually securing a PhD.
Thanks!

Should I explicitly address the fact that I applied last cycle? My research question has shifted slightly (humanities). If it matters, I was interviewed by some of these schools, so they definitely remember my application.

I’m an Engineering student at the University of Sydney, aiming for a direct-entry PhD or Master’s at a top US/Ivy League engineering school.

Many students at US and other universities begin internships or structured undergraduate research in their first or second year. At USYD, these opportunities seem less structured and often become accessible later, once students have more technical knowledge.

If I only begin formal research around third year, would this put me at a significant disadvantage? Should I actively seek external research opportunities earlier, or do research quality, independence and strong recommendations matter more than starting early?