Table of Contents
Should you contact a PhD supervisor before applying?
Often, the answer is “yes” and some universities and education systems will actually prefer students to make contact with a supervisor before they apply for a PhD. Chances are it will say whether they’re interested in hearing from prospective students.
When should you contact potential PhD supervisor?
When you’re applying for a doctoral programme, it’s a good idea to email a potential PhD supervisor to discuss your research area and whether they’d be interested in supervising you.
When should you contact PhD supervisors?
In the US, almost all the new PhD students begin in the Fall session. So target a Fall session and start contacting them, You may contact them anytime. However, many times professor do not fund students in their first year. Usually, they are supported by/with department fellowships.
What do you talk about with potential supervisors?
Topics to discuss with your potential supervisor
- How many students are you currently supervising?
- How big is the lab/team I will potentially be joining?
- Could you provide names of current or former students who would be comfortable connecting with me to discuss their experience?
How do you email a potential PhD supervisor?
Here are some things to keep in mind when emailing potential PhD supervisors to increase your odds of getting a response.
- Keep it short. Professors are short of time and receive a ton of emails each day.
- Make a Connection.
- Have a Clear CTA.
- Introduce yourself.
- Have a Clear Subject Line.
- Thank them for their time.
- Follow up.
Should I contact professors for PhD?
You don’t have to email the faculty, but it can be extremely helpful, and we strongly recommend that you do it. In many programs (especially in Psychology), individual faculty play a huge role in determining which students are accepted into the PhD program.
Should you contact a potential PhD supervisor before applying?
It’s well known that contacting a potential PhD supervisor before applying to their position can greatly increase your chances of success. Unfortunately, it also works the opposite way. The good news is that leaving a great impression is much simpler than you would think; it simply comes down to how you structure your first email.
What qualities should you look for in a PhD supervisor?
To sum up, the qualities you should look for in a good PhD supervisor are that they have a strong understanding of your research field, demonstrated by regular and impactful publications, have a proven track record of PhD supervision, have the time to support you, and will do so by providing mentorship rather than being a ‘boss’.
Can I have multiple research interests and contact multiple potential supervisors?
It is OK to have multiple research interests and contact multiple potential supervisors. However, it is important that each contact should be carefully considered. Each email should be tailored to the PhD supervisor in question. Therefore, simply copy-pasting an email and sending it to multiple potential supervisors isn’t a good idea.
Can I Ask my supervisor for advice on my research project?
As a masters student, your research project will not be very comprehensive and your supervisor will probably know a lot about your topic, therefore you should be able to ask them for advice regarding any aspect of your research.