phd after undergraduate

Can you and should you do a PHD right after undergrad?

by Talha Omer, MBA, M.Eng., Harvard & Cornell Grad

In all posts.

In many parts of the world, the traditional route is that students must do a Master’s degree before they can do a PHD . However, in some countries, including the US, there is a non-traditional route whereby you can skip the Master’s degree and go directly for a PHD . Now the question arises, should you do a PHD right after your undergrad?

In this Article

Improves your chances of getting into a PHD program

Gain perspective, it will be helpful if you want to do your phd in europe, experience different universities, test the waters first, may save you time, can easily acquire funding , get straight to business, you don’t have to move again, it’s a massive adjustment, lack of research experience, doing a master’s and then phd.

Doing a Master’s first is the traditional route of acquiring a PHD. In many Asian and European countries, you cannot enroll directly in a PHD program right after your bachelor’s. You have to complete a one-year or a two-year master’s program before becoming eligible for a doctorate program. Let’s delve into some of the pros and cons of doing a Masters before doing a PHD.

Let’s suppose that you didn’t do very well in your undergrad. Since PHD admissions are far more competitive than masters , you will have a hard time getting directly into a PHD program.

Opting for a master’s degree first allows you to recuperate your chances of being accepted for a PHD because an admissions board will consider your master’s CGPA instead of your bachelor’s.

Moreover, by doing a master’s first, you will also acquire more research experience and build a strong relationship with professors who can write you stellar letters of recommendation , and believe me, LORs go a long way in getting you into a doctorate program.

Furthermore, an impeccable master’s record will allow you to apply to even more selective doctorate programs than you with your undergrad record.

You might be unsure about which field you want to do your doctorate in. By doing a master’s first, you get to experience your interests first without committing to a 6 to 7 year long doctorate program . If you find that your research interests lie somewhere else after doing your masters, then you have the option to explore and change your field for your doctorate .

If you are thinking about doing your doctorate from Europe and would like to keep your options open, there is no harm in doing a master’s first, as it will allow you to study abroad for your Ph.D. Even if you change your mind by the end of your master’s and decide to do your doctorate from the US, it will have no adverse effect on your prospects and help you because some fields such as public health and social work require a master’s degree before Ph.D.

Doing a master’s first also gives you the chance to experience multiple universities as you have the option to do your Ph.D. from another university. Each university has a distinct academic environment, and experiencing a different university can give you a broader perspective.

It might be the case that you are uncertain about pursuing a doctorate. If that’s the case, then a master’s degree can offer you ample time to make up your mind .

Unlike a Ph.D., it is rare that you would secure funding for a master’s program. Sure, you might be able to find some grants or scholarships, but they are rare and competitive. A lot more students apply to masters each year than they do to Ph.D.

Doing a Ph.D. directly

Students can enroll in a doctorate program directly in the US as most Ph.D. programs don’t require a graduate degree. However, this is the road less traveled when you compare the number of applicants with the traditional route. There are still some pros and cons to this route, which you can find below.

Many American Ph.D. programs do not offer any significant coursework reduction to students who have already done a master’s before their Ph.D. This means that undergrad students will end up doing 5 to 7 year Ph.D. on top of their 1 to 3-year master’s degree. If this is the case, then doing a doctorate directly after college can potentially save you multiple years.

You won’t have to worry about funding your Ph.D. because most doctorate programs either offer full or partial funding to students, and some even pay additional living stipend every month.

Moreover, doctorate students also have more funding options outside of their universities. Many national grants and fellowships favor Ph.D. work over master’s studies, which can help your funding situation.

Those students who are sure about their research interests can dive straight into their Ph.D. work without any delays. If you have already identified specific supervisors you would like to study under and are sure about your goals, why delay it with a master’s?

While it is true that doing a master’s first will expose you to an additional university environment, moving again and again is not exactly a pleasant experience. If you directly enroll in a Ph.D. program, you only have to move once, saving you a lot of time and money.

Going from an undergrad school’s relatively tame academic environment to a doctorate program isn’t exactly an easy undertaking. It is tough to get accustomed to the significantly different climate , course work, techniques, and relationships with the faculty. Students coming from graduate school would have already experienced all this and would fit right in.

A crucial part of a master’s degree is writing a research proposal for your thesis. This is where a student would submit an outline for a research topic, and it typically forms part of the Ph.D. application as well.

Students who apply directly to a doctorate program would have a tough time coming up with a research proposal as they would lack experience. On top of that, even when you submit a research proposal, the research may already exist , which will further cause problems and delays.

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Should You Go to Grad School Right After Undergrad?

Should you go to graduate school right after college? Or should you take time to get work experience and travel before you go? You’ll need to consider your goals carefully, and then work methodically toward achieving them. Graduate school is a marathon, not a sprint—and your race starts the moment you decide to pursue a graduate degree. Here are six things you should do to figure out your ideal moment to start grad school.

Insider Tip #1: Know Your Goals

Before you start graduate school—whether you opt to do that immediately after college or after a hiatus from school—you should have a clear career goal and realistic expectations of what you can expect to achieve. This is not to say that those things can’t change (they very likely will!), but without them, you’ll have difficulty launching and succeeding in your graduate studies in the first place.

For Academics

If your career goal is to become a professor, do your research to find out how many job openings there are in your field during any given year. Take a look, for instance, at the disparities between job postings and PhDs awarded in the field of history. This is not meant to discourage you from applying to graduate school—only to underscore how important it will be to ensure that you’re a competitive candidate in a tight job market. Do specific research on job placement for the programs you’re considering. (Many programs make job placement information available on their websites; if a program doesn’t, you should inquire!) If a particular program has a poor record of placing PhDs in tenure-track positions—and if landing such a position is your ultimate goal—then it may not be the right fit for you. If you need to accrue additional work or field experience to be a competitive candidate at a program with better placement rates, then take that time! It can make all the difference. You should also have realistic expectations about what achieving your goal may look like. Because PhDs are specialized by definition, there won’t be many openings in your specific field when you’re on the job market. Even if you land a tenure-track job, you are likely to have to relocate when you accept it. If you’re tied to a specific geographic area because of family commitments or personal preferences, then a tenure-track job may not be in your future. (You could probably get adjunct positions in your area with greater ease, but these often do not come with liveable salaries, job security, or health insurance.) Be clear about what you’re willing to do to get a tenure-track job—and then adjust your goals accordingly.

For Non-Academics

If your goal is to work in industry (e.g., pharma, data science, government, nonprofit, or a research institute), then you are likely to have a greater number of options after graduation. Still, long-term planning is key—and a product of the same mindset that will ensure your graduate-school success. Start by identifying several target organizations—places you’d be happy to work one day. Look at job postings on their websites. Find out what the qualifications are for the types of positions you hope to hold. Look up current employees on LinkedIn to get a sense of their career paths. Did they take time off between college and graduate school? If so, how did they spend that time? If not, were they able to acquire work experience during graduate school? Set up informational interviews with people who occupy jobs that Future You might have, and ask them about how they got from where you are to where you want to be.

Insider Tip #2: Understand How Graduate School Differs From College

In college, you probably had at least one advisor, as well as professors and TAs, who regularly checked in with you about your progress. This advisor would have helped to ensure that you were on track to graduate in your senior year—with all requirements for your major, minor, and core courses met or in progress. While you will certainly have an advisor in graduate school—and, in all likelihood, a Director of Graduate Studies—you will have to take much more initiative to ensure that you’re on track to meet your future career goals. Those advocates will likely offer insights into your academic work and remind you of major program deadlines, but they will not always tell you what to do and when to do it. For example, you’ll probably want to write (and publish!) academic papers that you’ll be able to adapt and use as part of your dissertation. Establishing the strategy and timeline for those papers will be up to you. You’ll also want to ensure that, to the best of your ability, you’re getting the right teaching experience for the field you hope to pursue.

Insider Tip #3: Know What Makes a Successful Graduate Student

This brings us to a crucial point. You’ll have a lot of (apparent) flexibility in graduate school—with very few requirements to be anywhere at a specific time. But you’ll also need to possess the maturity to know how to plan, on a long-term as well as a short-term basis. In the long term, you’ll need to figure out major benchmarks—research trips, conference presentations, publications, and chapter deadlines. In the short term, you’ll need to divide up each day so that you’re steadily, logically working toward achieving those longer-term goals. You’ll need to keep in mind that with the freedom to set your schedule comes the immense responsibility of executing reliable productivity.

Insider Tip #4: Remember That Finances Matter—Even If This Is Your Calling

Once you’ve done the work of figuring out your future career goals, you’ll know whether you need a terminal graduate degree—a doctorate (e.g., PhD) or terminal master’s (e.g., MFA)—or a non-terminal graduate degree (e.g., MA or MS). Many PhD programs provide funding for students—tuition scholarships, stipends for teaching, and fellowships for research. While master’s programs (whether for terminal degrees or not) may offer teaching opportunities (and accompanying stipends), they may not also offer scholarships and fellowships. You’ll need to weigh the cost of graduate school against your future earning potential, and then figure out how much you can afford to spend on your degree. Keep in mind that in addition to the out-of-pocket expenses of graduate school, you’ll also pay opportunity costs. The years during which you’re pursuing your degree(s)—even if you are fully funded—will be time during which you’re not collecting a salary or building your earning history. For a program whose duration is upwards of five years, you’ll pay a very high opportunity cost. Moreover, graduate studies can sometimes take a decade (or more!) to complete, and it’s unlikely that anybody will be making sure you’re on track to finish your degree within a specific number of years. You have to determine how long you can afford to spend finishing that degree. After all, funding—when you’re fortunate enough to procure it—is time-limited. You’ll want to plan your graduate research and writing so that it fits within your funding term—and so that you’ll be well positioned to find a new source of funding (in the form of a job or post-doc!) once you complete your degree. In some cases, getting into your dream program may require you to develop your résumé through a one- or two-year (non-terminal) master’s program. Keep in mind, however, that such master’s programs are not likely to come with funding. You would probably have to bear the considerable out-of-pocket costs of an MA or MS program. Then, assuming you landed a place in a PhD program thereafter (during which you’d probably earn another non-terminal master’s along the way), you’d still bear the costs—even if they’re just opportunity costs—of your further studies. Pursuing your calling is almost always worth the cost—but you should be as strategic as you can, as early as you can, to ensure that your calling will also earn you a living.

Insider Tip #5: Plan Ahead—Far, Far Ahead

Regardless of whether you decide to go to graduate school right away, you’ll need to plan your studies in advance. The further ahead, the better.

Application Timeline

If you’re reading this during your junior year or earlier, then you still have time to apply for graduate school immediately following college. Many graduate programs have deadlines as early as October, especially for doctorates. If you think you’ll want to go directly from college to graduate school, you’ll have to hit the ground running your senior year. You’ll need months (or more) of preparation to research programs and scholarships, study for and take the GRE , and get letters of recommendation. If your senior year has already started, or if you just don’t need the added stress on your plate, then you might strongly consider waiting that extra year (or more) to apply. 

GRE and Recommendation Letters 

Either way, don’t wait to take the GRE or ask for your recommendation letters. The longer you’ve been away from school, the harder these will be. Your GRE scores will be valid for five years, so you can take the exam while you’re still in “school mode”—as long as you plan to apply to graduate school within that five-year period. If you opt to take a year or more between college and graduate school, then you should decide—while you’re still in college—who among your professors you’d like to request letters of recommendation from. Mention your future plans to them, and keep copies of the work you did in their classes. When you ultimately decide to apply, ask for letters of recommendation (giving plenty of notice), and supply them with a brief list of your relevant accomplishments as well as copies of any assignments of which you’re especially proud. You may opt to get all of your materials ready in time to apply during your senior year of college—even if you do ultimately want to proceed directly to graduate school. Here’s an inside secret: If you’re accepted to start a grad program one year, you can ask to defer to the following year. The request is not a guarantee, however; it’s still up to your faculty advisor whether you’ll be permitted to defer. 

Graduate Program Research 

At this point, you should already have done research into which programs are likeliest to launch you into your desired future career. Next, try to meet with faculty members who are doing the most interesting work that aligns with your aspirations. See if you connect with these professors; as a graduate student, much of your time will be spent working directly for or with them and their other students. For many graduate degrees, your admission decision will be made by your prospective future advisor (and his or her available grant funding). Remember that not all graduate programs accept new candidates every year. It’s possible that your perfect advisor or program won’t be taking anyone at all next year. 

Insider Tip #6: Know That There Are Benefits (and Drawbacks) for Both Choices

There are positives—and negatives—no matter what you choose. Some are universal (if you start earlier, you’re likely to finish earlier), and some will be specific to you (how graduate school fits into your personal plans, for instance). You’ll need to consider all of the pros and cons carefully before you settle on a graduate school timeline.

Taking a Break

A break brings a number of benefits. In addition to getting a (perhaps much-needed) hiatus from school, it frees you up to do anything you want (so long as you can afford it). Perhaps you’ll want to work or travel, or work and travel. You can likely look forward to a steady income and free time. (No more studying on weekends!) You’ll also build your professional experience and gain a working-world model for how to organize your time into a 40(ish)-hour work week. If you end up taking time off between college and graduate school, you can try to pick up research-assistant work from a professor you hope to study with, volunteer, join community organizations, or complete your own creative projects to build relevant skills. All of these can be incredible experiences, and they’ll undoubtedly provide fodder for your future graduate school personal statements . Most of all, the time management skills you’ll cultivate are likely to help you immensely as you embark on your graduate studies. Still, taking time off can present challenges for returning to school. Taking extra time will also extend your studies further into the future. If, for instance, you’re planning on finishing a doctoral program, then it’s going to take a huge amount of self-discipline to get through those four to seven-plus years. In addition, as you get established in a career, your goals might change. On a personal level, you might meet your soulmate, and even decide to start a family. None of this means that you can’t still apply to graduate school later, but you’ve got to know yourself, and consider whether you would be disappointed if your goals ultimately change.

Going Directly to Graduate School

There are many benefits to pursuing graduate school immediately following college. As we said, the sooner you begin, the sooner you’ll finish. Graduate school is a long haul, and an early start can help reduce the effect of prolonged study on your personal life. You’ll also have momentum from your college days—and lots of current relationships with faculty members. Still, you may not have the experience, maturity, or time-management skills to succeed in graduate school. You may not (yet) have the credentials to gain admission. And even if you do get in, starting too soon may mean that you don’t finish at all. You’ll also be forgoing the opportunity to earn (and save!) money, and to get real-world experience before you go back to school. Even if you land a fellowship, those four to seven-plus years come with opportunity costs of their own: money not (yet) saved, and career experience not (yet) accrued.

A Final Word

The right time to go to graduate school is when you know you can be a successful graduate student. You’ll need to be an effective planner and initiative taker; you’ll need to have the maturity to rebound from disappointments and the stamina to complete a long project on your own, without much interaction or (potentially) direction. Above all, you’ll need to be mentally ready for the marathon of graduate studies. If you’re not ready yet, you can be in the future! With practice and commitment, you can learn to be great at anything. In the meantime, prepare for your future by keeping an eye on those top programs and deadlines. Think about where you want to go and how you’re going to get there. You’ll never be too old—or too young—to pursue graduate studies.

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How to Apply for PhD After Bachelors?

How to Apply for PhD after Bachelor's: USA continues to maintain its stronghold as the most preferred study abroad destination as numerous students from across the world apply to various programs in its universities every year. Universities for Ph.D. in USA for Indian students or any other international students offer a wide scope for research in their subject of interest. USA attracts a large number of foreign students wishing to pursue a Ph.D. in USA, as the country invests a lot in research and development. This is why international students prefer to study in the USA , especially for a Ph.D. after their bachelor’s degree. The USA holds an edge over several countries in a way that its universities offer PhD programs to students wishing to pursue PhD in USA soon after their Bachelor's degree. What's more, many of these universities offer students a master's degree en route to a Ph.D. degree. But how to apply for PhD directly after bachelor's? Read the full article to know how to apply for PhD abroad after bachelor's in USA. TOP EXAMS: IELTS | TOEFL | GRE | G MAT Country Guide: UK | Ireland | Australi a | Canada

Can students apply for a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s in USA?

What is a combined ms and ph.d. degree.

• How to apply for Ph.D. after a bachelor's degree?

Top Reasons to Pursue PhD after Bachelors

List of countries offering phd after bachelor’s.

While it is not the norm, there are quite a few universities in USA that allow students to opt for a Ph.D. after bachelor’s. However, while knowing how to apply for PhD after bachelors, the candidates must know that some of these universities do not let students skip their master's degree altogether. In fact, in most cases, the master’s program is clubbed with the Ph.D.

While some universities in USA let students apply for a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s, it is, however, a combined master's and Ph.D. program. Therefore, a student gets a master's degree on his way to a Ph.D. degree. The master's program goes on for 2-3 years and thereafter the student can continue with his Ph.D. studies. Interestingly, some universities automatically confer a master's degree upon admission while some others may require the aspirant to take a few extra credits of coursework to lead to the master's degree. The below table also mentions the details like how many years for Ph.D. after bachelor's.

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Top universities in the US for PhD after bachelor’s degree

(Not all the programs offered by the US universities cover combined MS and PhD. Check the individual sites of the universities for more information)

In case students want to do a PhD in America after their bachelor’s degree, remember that there is no definite list of universities in USA that offer a Ph.D. after a bachelor’s degree. But the good news is many universities do not insist on a master's degree to apply for a Ph.D. program. However the admission for Ph.D. requirements in USA for international students requirements varies between universities and even departments, so they will need to check the requirements before they apply. When applying for a Ph.D. degree after a bachelor’s degree, ensure that they have a strong application because they will be competing for a place in a Ph.D. program with candidates who may have a master's degree.

Know about study in abroad countries:

How to apply for Ph.D. after a bachelor's degree?

The application process of how to apply for PhD is similar to applying for any other degree in the university. The application can be sent online through the university website but before checking about how to apply for PhD, the candidates need to check a few requirements for PhD.

Requirements to pursue PhD after Bachelors

The entry requirements for a combined MS and Ph.D. program are similar to that of a doctorate, as most applicants for the combined program would not have an advanced degree or journal publications. Admission to a combined degree can also be very competitive with most universities accepting just 3-4 candidates in a session.

1. Strong GPA - Candidates must have an excellent grade point average (GPA) to qualify for the programs. Students from other boards can find the equivalent of the GPA to assess their eligibility.

2. Standardized test scores - Candidates have to score very high points in the standardized scores. Here the student will be asked to submit test scores.

GRE: GRE is mandatory for almost all Ph.D. programs, including management studies, after a bachelor’s in the USA. In the case of doctoral programs, most students are required to present GRE subject scores of the course as well.

GMAT: GMAT is taken for admission to management studies. Business schools offering Ph.Ds in business management accept GMAT scores for admission into a wide range of Ph.D. programs in management.

TOEFL: TOEFL is an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. For international students, a high TOEFL score is a must for admission to Ph.D. courses.

IELTS: IELTS is also accepted for international students' admission to Ph.D. programs. Like TOEFL, it is also an English proficiency test for students from non-native English-speaking countries. The IELTS test measures a candidate’s English language command in four different parameters- Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

3. Letter of Recommendation (LOR) - One of the most important elements for admission to direct PhD programmes is a letter of recommendation . The letter of recommendation is an independent assessment of a candidate's potential. Most universities require at least two to three recommendation letters. It is advisable for students to have letters of recommendation written by either their professors or employees

4. Statement of Purpose (SOP) - The statement of purpose is another important element of the application package for admission to direct Ph.D. programs in the USA. It reflects the student's commitment to the Ph.D. program and goals in his life.

5. Resume - At the Ph.D. level, many universities would require the student to submit a resume along with the application. The resume should contain the candidate's basic information like date of birth, academic qualifications, achievements and details of any previous work in his area of interest.

6. Research projects - It is always helpful if the aspirant has the Ph.D. as an elective subject in the final year of their bachelor’s. Also, one can get additional points if the application is accompanied by any research or journal publications or any projects in the related field.

7. Interview - Most of the universities for PhD in the USA offering direct PhD hold a separate interview round for the aspirants. As in most cases, the Ph.D. interviews are conducted by invitation only. The questions are general as well as specific to the subject the candidate wants to pursue.

• Saves Time - Pursuing a PhD is a long time-consuming process and commitment for years. So combining a master's with PhD does not totally skip the master's duration but enables to study without a break period.
• Early chance for Teaching - While continuing this PhD, students can work as assistant professor lecturers at a young age. Candidates can enjoy the benefits of teaching and learning at the same time.
• Expertise in the Field - Rather than focusing time only on the theoretical learning of masters, the candidates get an early chance to research and get experts in their chosen field.

For students who are looking forward to pursuing PhD after bachelors, there are many abroad countries that accept admissions. The process of how to apply for PhD more or less remains the same.

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Even though these countries provide courses for PhD after bachelors, every university has its own course specifications and eligibility. The candidates have to look up each university's PhD requirements individually before applying.

Frequently Asked Question (FAQs)

The cost of a PhD program varies between universities. The average cost can be between 12,000 to 150,000 USD per year depending on the program or the university. In addition living expenses can be anywhere between 20,000 to 40,000 USD per year.

International students have access to numerous scholarship options when pursuing a PhD program in the USA. They can also apply for assistantships, financial aid and work while studying to reduce their tuition cost for a PhD program.

The average length of a PhD program is between 4 to 6 years. This includes coursework, research projects and dissertation.

Many PhD courses in top universities will be provided with fully-funded scholarships in USA. Few of the PhD programs in USA which are fully funded are: PhD in Business at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, PhD in Anthropology at the University of Chicago, PhD in Chemical Engineering at Cornell University, etc. 

To apply for a PhD, the candidates must have completed a bachelor's or master's degree, along with good GRE scores and English proficiency test scores.

Based on the course program the PhD duration after bachelors will be varying from 5 years to 7 years.

Yes, there are many universities abroad that accept PhD admissions on the bachelor's education qualification. This criterion can change depending on the university and course so it is suggested the candidate to check the admission requirements of each course they wish to apply for. However, most of these courses integrate the PhD along with a master's. Here the candidate will complete both the master's and PhD in one go.

The integrated PhD courses that can be applied after completion of a bachelor's, have a course duration of 4 to 7 years. However, these courses also include the master's for 1  to 2 years in the initial phase of their degree.

It is possible to pursue a PhD without obtaining a Master’s degree. However, it depends upon several factors such as your individual background, the field of study you wish to pursue, the duration of the PhD program, and the geographical location. It is to be noted that the specific requirements for admission may differ from country to country.

It usually requires several years of focused study and research to obtain a PhD, usually lasting from 4 to 7 years or even longer. Nevertheless, there exist accelerated programs that enable exceptional students to finish their PhD in a shorter duration, usually within 1-2 years. Such programs usually require students to have already accomplished a substantial amount of pertinent coursework and research at the undergraduate and/or master's level.

The average annual salary for a PhD holder in India is approximately Rs. 24 lakhs. Nevertheless, this figure may vary depending on the employer, industry, and location of work.

Students who have successfully completed their eighth semester of their Bachelor's degree program (or are awaiting their results) and have achieved a minimum CGPA of 7.5/10 or an equivalent percentage are eligible to apply for direct admission to the Ph.D. program.

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9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

June 23, 2021 | 15 min read

By Andy Greenspon

The ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be

Editor's Note:  When Andy Greenspon wrote this article, he was a first-year student in Applied Physics at Harvard. Now he has completed his PhD. — Alison Bert, June 23, 2021

If you are planning to apply for a PhD program, you're probably getting advice from dozens of students, professors, administrators your parents and the Internet. Sometimes it's hard to know which advice to focus on and what will make the biggest difference in the long-run. So before you go back to daydreaming about the day you accept that Nobel Prize, here are nine things you should give serious thought to. One or more of these tips may save you from anguish and help you make better decisions as you embark on that path to a PhD.

1. Actively seek out information about PhD programs.

Depending on your undergraduate institution, there may be more or less support to guide you in selecting a PhD program – but there is generally much less than when you applied to college.

On the website of my physics department, I found a page written by one of my professors, which listed graduate school options in physics and engineering along with resources to consult. As far as I know, my career center did not send out much information about PhD programs. Only after applying to programs did I find out that my undergraduate website had a link providing general information applicable to most PhD programs. This is the kind of information that is available all over the Internet.

So don't wait for your career center or department to lay out a plan for you. Actively seek it out from your career center counselors, your professors, the Internet — and especially from alumni from your department who are in or graduated from your desired PhD program. First-hand experiences will almost always trump the knowledge you get second-hand.

2. A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.

Many students don't internalize this idea until they have jumped head-first into a PhD program. The goal is not to complete an assigned set of courses as in an undergraduate program, but to develop significant and original research in your area of expertise. You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master's degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors.

At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses. Grades are not critical as long as you maintain the minimum GPA requirement, and you should not spend too much time on courses at the expense of research projects. Graduate courses tend to be designed to allow you to take away what you will find useful to your research more than to drill a rigid set of facts and techniques into your brain.

3. Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

You are beginning your senior year of college, and your classmates are asking you if you are applying to graduate school. You think to yourself, "Well, I like studying this topic and the associated research, and I am going to need a PhD if I want to be a professor or do independent research, so I might as well get it done as soon as possible." But are you certain about the type of research you want to do? Do you know where you want to live for the next five years? Are you prepared to stay in an academic environment for nine years straight?

Many people burn out or end up trudging through their PhD program without a thought about what lies outside of or beyond it. A break of a year or two or even more may be necessary to gain perspective. If all you know is an academic environment, how can you compare it to anything else? Many people take a job for five or more years before going back to get their PhD. It is true though that the longer you stay out of school, the harder it is to go back to an academic environment with lower pay and a lack of set work hours. A one-year break will give you six months or so after graduation before PhD applications are due. A two-year gap might be ideal to provide time to identify your priorities in life and explore different areas of research without having school work or a thesis competing for your attention.

Getting research experience outside of a degree program can help focus your interests and give you a leg up on the competition when you finally decide to apply. It can also help you determine whether you will enjoy full-time research or if you might prefer an alternative career path that still incorporates science, for example, in policy, consulting or business — or a hybrid research job that combines scientific and non-scientific skills.

I will be forever grateful that I chose to do research in a non-academic environment for a year between my undergraduate and PhD programs. It gave me the chance to get a feel for doing nothing but research for a full year. Working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Division, I was the manager of an optics lab, performing spectroscopic experiments on rocks and minerals placed in a vacuum chamber. While my boss determined the overall experimental design, I was able to make my own suggestions for experiments and use my own discretion in how to perform them. I presented this research at two national conferences as well — a first for me. I was also able to learn about other research being performed there, determine which projects excited me the most, and thus narrow down my criteria for a PhD program.

4. Your current area of study does not dictate what you have to study in graduate school.

You might be studying the function and regulation of membrane proteins or doing a computational analysis of the conductivity of different battery designs, but that doesn't mean your PhD project must revolve around similar projects. The transition between college or another research job to a PhD program is one of the main transitions in your life when it is perfectly acceptable to completely change research areas.

If you are doing computation, you may want to switch to lab-based work or vice versa. If you are working in biology but have always had an interest in photonics research, now is the time to try it out. You may find that you love the alternative research and devote your PhD to it, you might hate it and fall back on your previous area of study — or you may even discover a unique topic that incorporates both subjects.

One of the best aspects of the PhD program is that you can make the research your own. Remember, the answer to the question "Why are you doing this research?" should not be "Well, because it's what I've been working on for the past few years already."While my undergraduate research was in atomic physics, I easily transitioned into applied physics and materials science for my PhD program and was able to apply much of what I learned as an undergraduate to my current research. If you are moving from the sciences to a non-STEM field such as social sciences or humanities, this advice can still apply, though the transition is a bit more difficult and more of a permanent commitment.

5. Make sure the PhD program has a variety of research options, and learn about as many research groups as possible in your first year.

Even if you believe you are committed to one research area, you may find that five years of such work is not quite what you expected. As such, you should find a PhD program where the professors are not all working in the same narrowly focused research area. Make sure there are at least three professors working on an array of topics you could imagine yourself working on.

In many graduate programs, you are supposed to pick a research advisor before even starting. But such arrangements often do not work out, and you may be seeking a new advisor before you know it. That's why many programs give students one or two semesters to explore different research areas before choosing a permanent research advisor.

In your first year, you should explore the research of a diverse set of groups. After touring their labs, talking to the students, or sitting in on group meetings, you may find that this group is the right one for you.

In addition, consider the importance of who your research advisor will be. This will be the person you interact with regularly for five straight years and who will have a crucial influence on your research. Do you like their advising style? Does their personality mesh with yours? Can you get along? Of course, the research your advisor works on is critical, but if you have large disagreements at every meeting or do not get helpful advice on how to proceed with your research, you may not be able to succeed. At the very least, you must be able to handle your advisor's management of the lab and advising style if you are going to be productive in your work. The Harvard program I enrolled in has professors working on research spanning from nanophotonics to energy materials and biophysics, covering my wide range of interests. By spending time in labs and offices informally chatting with graduate students, I found an advisor whose personality and research interests meshed very well with me. Their genuine enthusiasm for this advisor and their excitement when talking about their research was the best input I could have received.

6. Location is more important than you think — but name recognition is not.

The first consideration in choosing a PhD program should be, "Is there research at this university that I am passionate about?" After all, you will have to study this topic in detail for four or more years. But when considering the location of a university, your first thought should not be, "I'm going to be in the lab all the time, so what does it matter if I'm by the beach, in a city, or in the middle of nowhere." Contrary to popular belief, you will have a life outside of the lab, and you will have to be able to live with it for four or more years. Unlike when you were an undergraduate, your social and extracurricular life will revolve less around the university community, so the environment of the surrounding area is important. Do you need a city atmosphere to be productive? Or is your ideal location surrounded by forests and mountains or by a beach? Is being close to your family important? Imagine what it will be like living in the area during the times you are not doing research; consider what activities will you do and how often will you want to visit family.

While many of the PhD programs that accepted me had research that truly excited me, the only place I could envision living for five or more years was Boston, as the city I grew up near and whose environment and culture I love, and to be close to my family.

While location is more important than you think, the reputation and prestige of the university is not. In graduate school, the reputation of the individual department you are joining — and sometimes even the specific research group you work in — are more important. There, you will develop research collaborations and professional connections that will be crucial during your program and beyond. When searching for a job after graduation, other scientists will look at your specific department, the people you have worked with and the research you have done.

At the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Andy Greenspon talks with fellow graduate students from Harvard and MIT at an Ask for Evidence workshop organized by Sense About Science. He grew up near Boston and chose to go to graduate school there.

7. Those time management skills you developed in college? Develop them further.

After surviving college, you may think you have mastered the ability to squeeze in your coursework, extracurricular activities and even some sleep. In a PhD program, time management reaches a whole new level. You will not only have lectures to attend and homework to do. You will have to make time for your research, which will include spending extended periods of time in the lab, analyzing data, and scheduling time with other students to collaborate on research.

Also, you will most likely have to teach for a number of semesters, and you will want to attend any seminar that may be related to your research or that just peaks your interest. To top it all off, you will still want to do many of those extracurricular activities you did as an undergraduate. While in the abstract, it may seem simple enough to put this all into your calendar and stay organized, you will find quickly enough that the one hour you scheduled for a task might take two or three hours, putting you behind on everything else for the rest of the day or forcing you to cut other planned events. Be prepared for schedules to go awry, and be willing to sacrifice certain activities. For some, this might be sleep; for others, it might be an extracurricular activity or a few seminars they were hoping to attend. In short, don't panic when things don't go according to plan; anticipate possible delays and be ready to adapt.

8. Expect to learn research skills on the fly – or take advantage of the training your department or career center offers.

This may be the first time you will have to write fellowship or grant proposals, write scientific papers, attend conferences, present your research to others, or even peer-review scientific manuscripts. From my experience, very few college students or even PhD students receive formal training on how to perform any of these tasks. Usually people follow by example. But this is not always easy and can be quite aggravating sometimes. So seek out talks or interactive programs offered by your department or career center. The effort will be well worth it when you realize you've become quite adept at quickly and clearly explaining your research to others and at outlining scientific papers and grant proposals. Alternatively, ask a more experienced graduate student or your advisor for advice on these topics. In addition, be prepared for a learning curve when learning all the procedures and processes of the group you end up working in. There may be many new protocols to master, whether they involve synthesizing chemicals, growing bacterial cells, or aligning mirrors on an optical table. In addition, the group may use programming languages or data analysis software you are unfamiliar with. Don't get discouraged but plan to spend extra effort getting used to these procedures and systems. After working with them regularly, they will soon become second nature. When I first started my job at Johns Hopkins, I felt overwhelmed by all the intricacies of the experiment and definitely made a few mistakes, including breaking a number of optical elements. But by the end of my year there, I had written an updated protocol manual for the modifications I had made to the experimental procedures and was the "master" passing on my knowledge to the next person taking the job.

9. There are no real breaks.

In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." You might be in the lab during regular work hours or you might be working until 10 p.m. or later to finish an experiment. And the only time you might have available to analyze data might be at 1 a.m. Expect to work during part of the weekend, too. Graduate students do go on vacations but might still have to do some data analysis or a literature search while away.

As a PhD student, it might be hard to stop thinking about the next step in an experiment or that data sitting on your computer or that paper you were meaning to start. While I imagine some students can bifurcate their mind between graduate school life and everything else, that's quite hard for many of us to do. No matter what, my research lies somewhere in the back of my head. In short, your schedule is much more flexible as a PhD student, but as a result, you never truly take a break from your work.

While this may seem like a downer, remember that you should have passion for the research you work on (most of the time), so you should be excited to think up new experiments or different ways to consider that data you have collected. Even when I'm lying in bed about to fall asleep, I am sometimes ruminating about aspects of my experiment I could modify or what information I could do a literature search on to gain new insights. A PhD program is quite the commitment and rarely lives up to expectations – but it is well worth the time and effort you will spend for something that truly excites you.

Contributor

Andy greenspon.

• EXPLORE Random Article

How to Prepare for a PhD as an Undergraduate

Last Updated: September 1, 2021 References

This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. This article has been viewed 77,390 times.

Getting a PhD is highly rewarding and equally tasking. You should get to know as far in advance as possible that there is a good amount of prep work to do. That said, you can begin planning for your PhD as early as freshman or sophomore year of undergrad. Preparing for a PhD requires you to plan, work hard and study hard, and getting to know the people around you.

Choosing the Path You Want

• Don't approach any professor at random. Look at the department you’re interested in, review who is teaching what, what their specific area of study is, and then contact them. For example, if you’re interested in linguistics you would go to the linguistics department website and look under the faculty tab. Here you will find a bio for each professor that can help you choose one or two professors to talk to.
• If you send an email, start with “Dear Professor Smith,” then ask if you can meet to ask questions about pursuing a PhD in linguistics. Sign the email with a cordial closing like “sincerely" and your name.
• If you go to their office hours, show up when the hours begin, politely knock on the door (even if it’s already open), and introduce yourself. You can say something like, “Hello Professor Smith, I am John Public and I’m interested in getting a PhD in linguistics. I’d like to ask you a few questions about the process. Is this a good time for you?”
• Don’t try to talk at length with the professor after class. They likely have another class or something already scheduled. What you can do, however, is inquire about setting a meeting, and then follow up with an email about the details.

• A good way to meet a current grad student is to contact a professor and ask for a list of people who would be willing to meet up with you. Then you can email the student directly to ask if they would be free to meet up over lunch or a cup of coffee. During the meeting be sure to thank them for taking the time to meet with you. Most importantly, you need to come with a list of questions you have about grad school, and also be open to listen to any advice they have to give that isn’t on your question list.
• For example, you might ask “how much does grad school cost, and how do I pay for it?”, or inquire about what is required of them. You might also ask, “what are the best and worst things about grad school?” And also, “how do you handle the workload?”

• Make sure you also think about whether you want to get a PhD to work as an academic (i.e. a professor) or in the private sector. [2] X Research source Both paths can be rewarding, but the prep work can be wildly different. For example, an associate professor teaching psychology at a university will require a significant publication record, but going into private practice or working for the government requires much less.

Performing Well Academically

• Do you remember the semester you decided to take the extra class, suffered the loss of your childhood pet, or thought sleeping through geology was a good idea? The group of professors on the selection panel will understand one or two grade discrepancies on your transcript. After all, they were undergrads too. The panel will be less likely to overlook frequent or repeated bad grades and withdraws (classes marked by a W on your transcript), even if they are in non-major courses or general prerequisites.
• To work as hard as you can, do homework and study on a daily basis. When you don’t understand the material, go to your professor’s office hours with specific questions and examples of what you don’t get. Also, don’t be afraid to go to the tutoring center or hire a private tutor. This will provide detailed, first-hand help with the course material.

• General education classes are designed to provide a well-rounded, general education that gets you ready for more specific courses. These classes are required at the University level for all students to complete. For example, you’ll likely need to complete freshman level English classes, a few science courses, and perhaps writing classes.
• Major classes are more specific courses that the major or department requires. If you’re a language major, you’re likely required to take a general linguistics class, several survey courses in literature and culture, and depending on the state you go to school in, you’ll have to pass a language-specific written and oral test. These requirements are put in place to make sure that you will be ready to take graduate-level courses and perform well.
• Many universities also offer cross-listed classes, which are courses open to both graduate and undergraduate students. Take a few of these to get an idea of the work you’ll be doing. This is also a great way to meet grad students and make your introduction.

• There are several ways to prepare for the GRE or other important entrance exams. The most obvious but often overlooked is to work hard throughout your undergrad education. This means study early for each class and study often.
• Many people find it helpful to buy test preparation materials to study for the exam. For example, you can purchase GRE prep manuals from Kaplan, ETS, or The Princeton Review. You can usually find online or in-print materials available. Often the materials can be used in conjunction with a class that is meant to prepare you for the exam. These same companies also likely have courses available.
• If you’re looking to seal the deal, try hiring a tutor who is trained in test preparation. There are several national companies like Wyzant, Varsity Tutors, and Sylvan who have tutors trained in this area. It’s also likely that there are many local companies who offer the same services. Finally, check with your college or university’s student services center, as they may have several on-campus options.

• You need to ask the right person. Ask a full-time faculty member who is an assistant, associate, or full professor. Many times the person teaching your introduction course, the principles of economics class, or the first 4 or 5 semesters of most language courses is a graduate teaching assistant, and their letter will not carry as much weight as would that of a faculty member. Ask for letters of recommendation usually toward the end off your junior year, when you’re filling out the applications.
• Give the person at least three weeks to write the letter if possible. Professors usually have to teach, perform research, grade, serve on multiple committees, advise students, and go to department meetings, so providing sufficient time is best. However, if an important grant or new opening at a PhD program comes up and you’re in good standing with your psycholinguistics professor, go ahead and ask politely for a letter of recommendation. The worst thing they could say is no.

Gaining Experience

• Several options exist for learning a new language. One of them is to take classes in a language at the university you are already attending. You can also take courses at private language schools in your area, study with language learning software like Rosetta Stone or Fluenz, use a language learning app on your phone like Duolingo or Babbel, or hire a private language coach.
• Regardless of which option you choose, be sure to bolster your skills with practice. You can practice your language skills by watching movies, listening to music, joining a local club or society, and hiring a conversation partner.

• You can get research experience by applying for part-time positions in a laboratory, department, or a related job outside the university. For example, if you want to study cognitive development, you can apply to work in a psychology lab, a medical center that specializes in cognitive disorders, or even volunteer in the psychology department.
• Other opportunities include paid or unpaid internships, which can be found in a variety of places. For example, legal offices, court houses, large medical centers, museums, and many more places usually have many openings. Be careful though, these positions may fill fast, so be on the look out.

• There are a lot of ways to improve organizational skills. For example, focus on a few skills at a time, like improving time management. [5] X Research source You can also work on learning to set priorities, doing what’s more important first and saving less crucial tasks for later. [6] X Research source

Expert Q&A

• Hold out for a top choice, instead of settling for a program that doesn't meet your needs. If you don't get in one year, wait and try again. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• You don't have to carry straight on from your undergraduate degree to postgraduate studies. Consider other alternatives, like take a year out to travel or spend some time in the work force. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Graduate school can be all about research. Once you've met the GPA requirements for your school, research credentials carry extra weight. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• It takes a lot of mental strength to cope up with the demands of graduate school, like the grueling pace, taking large amounts of well-intended criticism, or meeting pushy people. For that reason, every college and university has a student services center that provides counseling services, usually free for students, or already covered under most health insurances. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Getting a PhD is a huge time commitment. Make sure you’re committed and passionate. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1
• Make sure you are certain a PhD is for you. It may sound like fun and being able to put Dr in front of your name may sound great, but this time-consuming process may be too expensive. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.academics.com/prepare-for-a-phd
• ↑ http://blogs.plos.org/thestudentblog/2014/04/22/faqs-about-non-academic-jobs-jane-hu/
• ↑ http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/The-Advantages-of-Being-Bilingual/
• ↑ https://www.postgrad.com/advice/phd/how_to_prepare/top-tips/
• ↑ http://www.briantracy.com/blog/time-management/mastering-time-management-and-organizational-skills-to-increase-productivity/
• ↑ http://www.mtdtraining.com/blog/how-to-improve-organisational-skills-to-reduce-stress.htm

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• PhD/Master's Application Process

Who is Eligible to Apply? 

If you have completed your undergraduate degree (bachelor's or equivalent) or will have completed it prior to your intended matriculation date at Yale, you may apply to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

A Master's degree is not required to apply for a PhD at Yale, although some programs give preference to applicants with post-baccalaureate training. Consult your program of interest directly for information on how it evaluates applications.

We value diversity of all kinds at the Graduate School, and we encourage students from all backgrounds to apply if Yale is a good fit for your intellectual and professional goals. All are welcome to apply, without regard to citizenship or immigration status, socioeconomic level, race, religion, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability, etc.

Requirements for All PhD and Master's Degree Applicants

You will need to provide the following with your application for admission:

• A statement of academic purpose. You will find the prompt for the statement of purpose in our Application Question FAQs . 
• A list of all the prior colleges or universities you have attended, accompanied by unofficial transcripts from each school. Unofficial transcripts should be uploaded with your application. Official or paper transcripts are not needed at this time. 
• Three letters of recommendation. Enter the names of your recommenders directly in the application and they will receive a link to upload a letter on your behalf. 
• $105 application fee or fee waiver. 
• Standardized tests . GRE requirements vary by program. TOEFL or IELTS are necessary for most non-native English speakers. 
• Resume/CV . 
• Some programs have additional requirements, such as a writing sample . You can find information about any specific requirements on the program's website. 

Where Do I Begin?

Decide whether you will apply for a PhD or a terminal Master’s (MA, MS) in one of the programs available at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences . (Note that you will earn one or more Master's degrees en route to a PhD.) Learn about the program: its faculty, course offerings, and resources. Read the faculty's research publications. If you can identify and articulate why the program is a good fit for you and show how your preparation and interests align well with it, you will have a strong application.

A note to students applying to one of Yale’s professional schools or programs:

• If you are applying for a PhD in Architecture, Environment, Investigative Medicine, Law, Management, Music, Nursing, or Public Health; for an MS in Public Health; or for an MA in Music, be sure to use the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences PhD/Master's application.
• If you are applying for any other degree at one of the University’s professional schools (Art, Architecture, Divinity, Drama, Environment, Global Affairs, Law, Management, Medicine, Music, Nursing, and Public Health), visit that school’s website for further instructions. Those programs have separate admissions policies and processes that are administered by the professional schools, not GSAS.

Application deadlines vary by program, so please see Dates & Deadlines for information about your program of interest. 

All new students matriculate in the fall. The admissions process begins nearly a year in advance of matriculation.

Some PhD and Master’s degree programs require Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Check your program's standardized testing requirement before you apply. 

In addition, applicants whose native language is not English may need to take an English Language test (TOEFL or IELTS).

The application for Fall 2024 entry is closed. The application for Fall 2025 entry will be available starting in mid-August 2024. 

Be sure to complete and submit the application before your program's application deadline. 

Your application fee or an approved fee waiver is due upon submission of your application. 

Your letters of recommendation do not need to be received before you will be able to submit your application. However, since programs begin reviewing applications shortly after the respective application deadline, please be sure that your letters of recommendation are submitted promptly.

What Happens After I Submit My Application?

The faculty admissions committee in each department and program begins reviewing applications shortly after their application deadline. Led by the director of graduate studies (DGS) or director of graduate admissions (DGA), the committee will recommend students for admission to the Graduate School. Once confirmed by the deans of the Graduate School, the admissions office will release final decisions to applicants.

Unlike undergraduate admissions, the admissions office and staff of the Graduate School maintain the application, the application process, and other administrative transactions, but the admissions staff does not review applications or make admissions decisions. That responsibility is handled by the faculty of each department or program.

Most admissions decisions are provided between February and early March. You will receive an email notification when your admissions decision is available.

If you are accepted for admission, you will need to decide if you wish to accept our offer by April 15. We abide by Council of Graduate School's April 15 Resolution , regarding graduate financial support. 

Ready to apply? Begin your application today.

PhD/Master's Applicants

• Why Choose Yale Graduate School?
• Dates and Deadlines
• Standardized Testing Requirements

Non-Degree Program Applicants

Looking for non-degree programs? In some cases, it is possible to enroll at the Graduate School as a non-degree student. Non-degree students receive a transcript and many of the benefits of being a Yale student, but do not earn a degree upon completion of their enrollment. We offer three types of non-degree programs.

• Non-Degree Programs

Master’s First or Straight to PhD?

So you know you want to do a PhD someday. Let’s assume you already have a Bachelor’s degree and that some of the PhD programs you are considering don’t require candidates to already have Master’s degree for admission. Do you do a Master’s first or apply straight to PhD programs? There are advantages (and disadvantages) to each option.

Master’s then PhD

This is the traditional route to earn a PhD and is still widely used in Europe.

• Time commitment -The initial time commitment for a Master’s degree (one to three years) is shorter than the PhD (three to seven years).
• Not as competitive -In general, admission for Master’s programs isn’t as competitive as for PhDs. This can benefit students whose undergraduate performance wasn’t strong enough to be admitted into PhD programs right away. By doing a Master’s degree they can get more research experience, add to their CVs, and build relationships with professors who can write better letters of recommendation. An outstanding Master’s record might even allow the student to apply to more selective PhD programs than they could straight out of undergrad.
• Explore your interests -For students that don’t have a clear idea of what they want to study at the PhD level, a Master’s is a great way to explore their options and figure out where their research interests lie. Doing a Master’s degree can also help someone who wants to change fields for their doctorate. By gaining research experience in their new field they will be a more competitive candidate for PhD programs.
• Might be required for PhD admission -In some fields such as public health and social work a Master’s degree is required or recommended for admission to a PhD program. Additionally, students intent on pursuing a PhD in Europe will need to to have a Master’s to meet the admissions requirements the majority of European PhD programs.
• Experience at multiple universities -Each university has a different academic environment and its own approach to research. An advantage of doing a Master’s and then a PhD is the exposure to academic life at an additional university.
• Get rid of doubts - If a student has any hesitations about pursuing a doctorate, a Master’s degree is a way to test the waters before committing to a PhD.

Disadvantages

• Funding -Depending on the field of study, funding for a terminal Master’s degree can be more difficult to come by. Sometimes there are grants, scholarships, or teaching positions available to these students to partially cover the cost, but not to the same extent as for PhD students.

Straight to PhD

In the United States, a Master’s degree is not required for admission to most PhD programs. It is possible and not unusual to be admitted to a PhD program straight out of undergrad. The number of direct entry PhD programs has started to rise in Canada as well, though earning a Master’s and then PhD is still more common. In Canada, it is also possible for academically promising students to begin a Master’s degree and then “fast track” or transfer to the PhD program without completing the requirements of the Master’s degree.

• Time commitment -Many American PhD programs do not offer significant coursework reduction for students who already have Master’s degrees. This means that they will have to do a five to seven year PhD on top of their one to three year Master’s. If this is the case, then starting a PhD directly out of undergrad is the faster choice.
• Funding -Funding is one of the top advantages of a direct entry PhD program. Most PhD programs offer students partial or full funding for their studies and many even pay them a stipend on top of a tuition waiver. There are also a greater number of external funding opportunities available to PhD students such as national grants and major fellowships which favour PhD work over Master’s studies.
• Long-Term Projects -The shorter time constraints of a Master’s degree make it difficult for students to set up and run the kind of long-term projects which might be necessary to properly address their research questions. It is more common for PhD students to go more in-depth and do multi-year experiments, lengthy studies, or a year of fieldwork as part of their degree.
• Start working right away -Students who have a clear understanding of their research interests and have already identified potential supervisors might prefer not to delay their PhD work by obtaining a Master’s first.
• Moving only once -While doing a Master’s first exposes a student to academic life at multiple universities, the flip side is that it requires moving twice: one for the Master’s and once for the PhD. Moving can be time consuming and expensive—especially if one or both degrees are done abroad.
• Will still earn a Master’s -Students in direct entry PhD programs will usually be awarded a Master’s degree along the way for course work completed during their doctorate.
• Withdrawing from the program -If the student decides to permanently withdraw from a direct entry or fast track PhD program they may be leaving without any degree. Depending on when in the program they withdraw it may be possible to be awarded a Master’s for coursework already completed, but this is dependant on the policies of the program.

Ultimately the decision about whether to do a Master’s first or apply directly for a PhD is a personal one that you have to make on your own. Take some time to think about these pros and cons as well as your own goals and priorities. Good luck with your applications!

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Application requirements for all doctoral programs (phd).

All of our doctoral programs are designed to develop outstanding educational researchers who have a deep understanding of the scientific, practical and policy issues they study. All require full-time study, and we promise five years of full-time financial support for every student we admit. Our doctoral programs are small, typically ranging from about 25 to 35 new students a year. The small size of our doctoral cohorts creates big educational advantages for students: the classes are almost always small, students receive individualized attention from their advisors, and they have many opportunities to develop close collegial relationships with fellow students.

It is extremely important to demonstrate in your statement of purpose that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Other doctoral applicants will certainly do this, and if you don't, you will forfeit an important competitive advantage to them. 

If you wish to contact faculty, please read our Which Degree Which Program article, by Professor Eamonn Callan, which outlines the appropriate process for contacting faculty with whom you share research interests. 

• Program website:  Degrees and Programs/PhD
• Length of Program:  5 years (average length)
• Tuition: fellowship/assistantship salary and tuition guaranteed for first five years of the program (autumn, winter and spring quarters) for all students, including international students. Funding includes two summers.

Application Requirements:

Application form.

Complete and submit Stanford's graduate online application .

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 , is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline.

Application Fee Waivers

Stanford offers three types of application fee waivers for which GSE applicants may apply and be considered:

• GRE Fee Reduction Certificate-Based Waiver
• Diversity Program Participation-Based Waiver
• School-Based Waiver

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for instructions, deadlines, and the fee waiver application form.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is required. Your statement should be typed, single-spaced and should be between one to two pages . Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. What's a Good Statement of Purpose?

A resume or CV  is required of all applicants, depending on which document is most appropriate for your background. There is no page limit for resumes or CVs, though we typically see resumes of one page in length. Please upload your resume or CV in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation . In the online application, you will be asked to identify your recommenders and their email addresses. Please notify your recommenders that they will receive an email prompt to submit their recommendation online. You can submit your request for letters of recommendation through the system without submitting the entire online application.  Stanford GSE only accepts online recommendations through the application system ; Stanford GSE cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed recommendations.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in an academic, employment, or community service setting. We very strongly recommend that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at Stanford GSE.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation are submitted through the system by the application deadline , so please work closely with your recommenders to remind them of the deadline.

College and University Transcripts

Transcripts are required from every college and university you have attended for at least one academic year as a full-time student. When submitting your online application, transcripts should be uploaded to the application as a scanned copy or PDF ; this is sufficient for the application review process. Please refrain from sending a secured PDF/transcript with a digital signature as our system cannot upload these properly. The best way to ensure we receive an upload-able document is for you to print out the secured transcript, scan it, and upload the scanned copy (not to exceed 10MB) as a PDF. 

If you earned a degree at the institution from which you are submitting a transcript, please ensure that the degree conferral date and the degree conferred is clearly visible on the document. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Only if admitted will we contact you with instructions on sending two copies of your official transcripts to our office. We cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed copies of your transcripts during the application process. Please note: the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Stanford Graduate Admissions Office website differ from this Stanford GSE requirement.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program

If the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions

If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.

If your transcript does not include your degree conferral date and the degree conferred , please submit a scanned copy of your diploma, a conferral statement, or a conferral document in addition to your transcript . If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The GSE requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required. Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Required Exams  page on the main Stanford Graduate Admissions website. You may register for the TOEFL test directly at the ETS website .

TOEFL Dates and Deadlines

PhD applicants who are required to take the TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test and have official TOEFL scores sent electronically to Stanford at institution code 4704 (department code does not matter) no later than November 1 . This will give your official TOEFL scores time to be sent from ETS and be received by our system in time for the December 1 deadline. PhD applicants to Knight-Hennessy Scholars should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test no later than October 16 so your scores can be received by our system in time for the November 16 KHS GSE deadline. Please note that the TOEFL may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline.

Does Stanford accept tests other than TOEFL?

No. We accept only TOEFL scores; we do not accept IELTS or other test scores.

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Is it possible to get a PhD position with only a Bachelor's degree?

I have done a Bachelor's (4 years) and my GPA is quite low. But I have research experiences (more than 3 years) and few publications in some good journals. I want to do a Ph.D. in biology or a related field. Is it possible to get a position (e.g. in the USA or Europe) when research experience is the only strong point? Or should I go for a Master's first?

• graduate-admissions
• career-path

• 5 What about just finding an advisor and stapling those good papers of yours to a cumulative thesis? –  Oleg Lobachev May 23, 2020 at 20:31
• 1 It may be more helpful for you to mention which countries you are considering, so you can get more specific answers about how likely it is to be accepted to a PhD only with a Bachelor's degree. –  DimP May 24, 2020 at 23:36
• @DimP: ...and a low GPA... –  Bob Jarvis - Слава Україні May 25, 2020 at 12:45
• @OlegLobachev I think it's a bit disingenuous to refer to a ~5 year long PhD process as "just stapling those papers to a thesis". –  Stack Tracer May 25, 2020 at 21:11
• @StackTracer: The key question is if OP wants to obtain a PhD as fast as possible or to acquire the grad student experience. Judging from the question, OP already has a few journal publications. If those papers have a common idea/research direction beihind them, they are stapl'ble into a staple thesis. If those assumptions are correct, OP already has those papers. No more than a few papers are needed for a thesis material. Writing an introduction is not much work. The details will be told by an advisor, if OP finds some. In total, this sounds like a fast track to a defence, just what I said. –  Oleg Lobachev May 26, 2020 at 20:47

7 Answers 7

In the UK a PhD (or DPhil) typically starts after a 4-year undergrad program: so yes, it's normal to do a PhD right after your undergrad.

At a top-level research institution in the USA (at least in the sciences, and biology is what you said you want to pursue) a Masters is something that you would normally only get if you dropped out of a PhD program: so yes it's normal to do a PhD right after your undergrad.

In Canada, for some reason the majority of the people think they have to do a Masters before a PhD, but there is no university in Canada that requires a Masters to do a PhD in biology. In fact NSERC funding for your PhD will last only 3 years if you have a Masters, and 4 years if you do not: so yes, there is a way for you to start your PhD right after your undergrad .

People have mentioned that it's normal in Denmark and Australia too.

Some European universities (for example some, but not all, universities in Germany) you might require a Masters.

Now for some advice:

But I have research experiences (more than 3 years) and few publications in some good journals. I want to do a Ph.D. in biology or a related field. ... should I go for a Master's first?

You have more publication experience than some people have after their first post-doctoral position. A "few publications in some good journals" is what PhD students aim towards for graduation.

Masters programs can take 1 to 3 years (longer if your experiments don't work out). Why not instead do a 3-year PhD program in UK or most of Europe, or a 4-year "direct" PhD program in USA or Canada, and get Doctor beside your name for the rest of your life?

If you're going to do research for the next 6 years, would you rather:

• Earn a Masters salary (e.g. ~$25,000/year in Canada) for 2 years, then a PhD salary (e.g. ~$35,000/year in Canada) for 4 years, or
• Earn a PhD salary (e.g. ~$35,000/year in Canada) for 3-4 years, then a post-doc salary (e.g. $40,000-$70,000/year in Canada) for the remaining 2-3 years?

These days, it is getting harder and harder to get a stable job while our bodies are still in their prime condition for raising a family (or doing whatever else we enjoy). There still are PhDs getting permanent or tenure-track jobs in their 20s, but it's becoming common for people to reach 40 by the time this happens, because there's more humans to compete with than any time in our history. Do you really want to delay your life by 2-3 years by getting a Masters, when your goal is to get a PHD?

I am of course not listing the advantages of doing a Masters rather than a PhD, since you said you want to do a PhD eventually, and you seem to be a very strong candidate for a PhD position, so with no other information, I am certainly happy to encourage you to go straight to a PhD position. If you do want to know the reasons why one would choose a Masters rather than a PhD, the reasons do exist, but to explain them might double the size of this answer, and I would only do it if there was some reason why you were still considering a Masters even though you now know that it's not abnormal to go straight to a PhD: perhaps in that case you could describe what you want and the reasons for it, in a separate question).

• The University of Ottawa requires a MSc to be admitted for a doctorate in biology catalogue.uottawa.ca/en/graduate/doctorate-philosophy-biology/… . . McMaster also requires a MSc for admission to PhD program in biology gs.mcmaster.ca/program/biology Are you sure no university in Canada requires a MSc to do a PhD? –  Cell May 26, 2020 at 1:09
• @Cell the McMaster URL you provided does not say what you say it does. The UOttawa site does say that a Masters is required for PhD, but if you scroll further down it says that there's a "fast-track PhD program" in which you don't have to finish the Masters to move into the PhD program. Based on the information we have available, OP has enough publications that they could find a supervisor willing to take them as a PhD student, except formally they have to apply to the Masters program and then "transfer" to the PhD program after a year, if they're in good standing. Direct PhD can be like that. –  Nik May 26, 2020 at 1:16
• "UK ... typically starts after a 4-year undergrad program" -- but doesn't that 4-year undergrad program typically award you a Masters, not a Bachelor's? If so, you just need to check whether or not a 4-year US Bachelor's degree is valid in place of the local 4-year undergrad MSc, which frequently will be more specialised than a typical US 4-year undergrad program. My 4-year MMath degree was all mathematics courses, all the time, as you'd expect in the UK. No minor subject, no Spanish 101, as you might get in a US undergrad degree ;-) –  Steve Jessop May 26, 2020 at 1:19
• @SteveJessop You're right about everything, except I started a DPhil at Oxford directly after my 4-year undergrad in Canada. –  Nik May 26, 2020 at 1:20
• 1 Perfect. It's basically either they accept the application or they don't, and if they did for you it sounds like it's allowed... –  Steve Jessop May 26, 2020 at 1:25

It's certainly possible -- in fact, in the USA it's more common to start a PhD directly after a Bachelor's than after a Master's. In Europe, having a Master's first is a more typical requirement, but I have known some people to start PhDs straight after their Bachelor's (in physics, in the UK). Having significant research experience and published papers will certainly help your application a lot.

Why not apply for PhD and Master's positions at the same time? That way, you may get accepted to a PhD, in which case great, if not then you will likely have the Master's to fall back on.

• 4 And some programs allow you to be considered for both (with preference for PhD) in the same application. –  GoodDeeds May 23, 2020 at 11:37
• 13 In Germany, I think you need a masters to apply for a doctoral position. In general, anyway, if not universal. –  Buffy May 23, 2020 at 11:43
• 2 @Buffy: that's true for those who did their Bachelor/Master in Germany - but for foreign students there may be exceptions decided on a case-to-case basis. I had a colleague who came with a BSc from Southeast Asia to do a PhD in Germany. She had to take some exams to show that she's up to the requirements. (The same may happen if you apply for a PhD in a field that is totally unrelated to your MSc). –  cbeleites unhappy with SX May 23, 2020 at 19:55
• I thought this was more true outside the USA. On this site if a PhD student talks about taking classes they're normally studying in the USA. In Australia you go straight from a 4 year bachelor's to a PhD. –  curiousdannii May 25, 2020 at 6:02
• 3 @Buffy: In Germany, my university cooperated with a British university to get a PhD with a Bachelor... It's not that it's not possible in Germany, but only "real" universities may grant them, and I studied at a "Hochschule", which is translated to university in English as well, but is more practice-oriented. Therefore, "real" university professors are being overrun by students wanting a PhD in Germany. So the very first challenge here is not to PhD, but to find a German "doctor father", which is made even harder if it's only a Bachelor's degree. You really have to have a name to get there. –  Jessica May 25, 2020 at 6:28

I'm starting a PhD program in January. I won't have technically finished my Bachelor's at that point as due to some scheduling issues I'll still have one module left.

If you get the grades and can persuade the supervisor you'll be a good fit for the role, anything is possible.

I'm in the UK.

In Denmark, at least at the University of Copenhagen, they have a 3+5 and 4+4 PhD programs :

In the 3+5 system, you start on an integrated Masters and PhD process straight after graduating with your Bachelors.

It exists at the Aarhus University as well, see section "I'm doing/have a Bachelor's degree". The other Danish universities may have something similar, you can google.

Some programs that don't accept people without a master's degree into their PhD program have a "bypass" mechanism where you can essentially decide after completing the first part of your program that you want to treat your completed work as the first part of your PhD program rather than completing the requirements for the Master's degree. (For example, here's the description from the University of Alberta nursing programme .) You usually need to have performed up to some standard and have the agreement of your supervisor, but the requirements are generally not onerous. ( This web page says this is a Canadian thing; it existed at my previous institution (a top research university in the US) when I was there 15 years ago, but seems to have disappeared since then.)

Why not? In Australia, only Bachelor is officially required for PhD. There is no such thing as a master degree requirement in the country.

I have done exactly that, I had a Bachelor from Switzerland and did a PhD in the UK. I think it is more common in the US than in Europe. In Europe you might be more successful in getting a PhD position in a field where your research experience is relevant. I ended up with a PhD position in a group I had previously collaborated with. They had to invest a lot less time into my training and I got a PhD out of it, so it worked out for everyone.

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Frequently Asked Questions for PhD Applicants

If you have questions about the application process, please consult the Application FAQ

Program FAQ

• When is the application deadline?  December 7, 2024 11:59 PM PST is the application deadline for Autumn 2025-2026.
• I will have just earned my bachelor’s degree before starting graduate study at Stanford. Should I apply to the MS or the PhD program?  You should apply to the degree program that can fulfill your ultimate degree goal. For example, if obtaining a PhD is your ultimate goal, you should apply directly to the PhD program.
• Do I need to have a master’s degree before applying to the PhD program?  No; the minimum degree requirement is a bachelor’s degree. Students who enter the PhD program may opt to pursue the master’s degree along the way to earning the PhD.
• If I apply to the PhD program but do not get admitted, will I be considered for the MS program?  The Electrical Engineering Department does not consider PhD applicants not admitted into the PhD program for the MS program. 
• If I am admitted and enrolled in the MS program, may I enter the PhD program later?  Admission to the PhD program is possible only through the  annual general admissions process . Current MS students must reapply through this process to be considered for the PhD program.
• May I apply for a start term other than autumn? No; applications are reviewed on an annual basis for autumn quarter start only.
• How long does it take to complete the PhD?  Typical completion time for the PhD program is 5-7 years.
• How important is it to contact faculty before I apply?  Contact with faculty members is not a required part of the application process nor does it guarantee admission to our graduate program. Admissions decisions are made by the Admissions Committee, not by individual faculty members.
• Is financial assistance available for PhD students?  Yes; all PhD students who maintain satisfactory academic progress receive full financial support for the duration of the doctoral program. For more information, please see  Financial Assistance for PhD Students .
• What are the minimum GPA requirements for admission?  Applicants do not need to meet any minimum grade point average (GPA) to secure admission, and we do not release information about average GPAs of admitted students. As a guideline, successful applicants typically earn undergraduate cumulative GPAs among the top of their class. However, please keep in mind that admission to our graduate programs depends on a combination of factors, and all areas of a student’s application are weighed when applications are reviewed.
• Am I eligible to apply if my undergraduate major is not Electrical Engineering?  Yes; students who meet the minimum degree requirements with a strong technical background in engineering, physical sciences, or mathematics are welcome to apply. A bachelor's degree in electrical engineering is not strictly required.
• Are specific prerequisite courses required for admission?  No; we advise prospective applicants to review the  EE Graduate Handbook  and the  Stanford Course Catalog  to evaluate what prerequisites are needed for graduate-level courses in your area(s) of interest.
• What is the minimum level of study required of international applicants from an academic institution outside of the U.S.?  Please refer to  Stanford Graduate Admissions | International Applicants  for eligibility guidelines related to study outside of the U.S.
• What is the process for transferring to the PhD program from another institution?  Students who wish to transfer to our PhD program from another institution must complete the same application procedure as new applicants. If you are admitted and enrolled, you may request to transfer up to 45 units of coursework from your previous institution toward the PhD degree requirements at Stanford, by following the procedures for  Graduate Residency Credit . Students must complete one quarter at Stanford before requesting to transfer units, and all transferred units are subject to approval by the Registrar’s Office.
• If I am admitted to a EE graduate program, can my admission be deferred?  The Department greatly discourages deferral of matriculation dates.  Deferrals are granted only to PhD applicants, and only in exceptional circumstances such as for US military service or visa issues for students arriving from designated countries.  Admitted students wishing to defer admission must send a written request (along with documentation if possible) to  [email protected] . Requests will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee. MS and Coterm applicants cannot defer admission dates.

Return to Program Overview:

Ways to Prepare for a PhD in Undergrad

Since beginning my college career in the fall semester of 2016, I knew I wanted to pursue graduate school . However, I always envisioned applying to a master’s program first, and then potentially moving toward a PhD afterwards. After spending a semester at the University of Oxford, my entire academic future shifted. I fully realized my passion for European history, knowing it was something I wished to pursue in graduate school. In addition, I gained a better understanding of what a PhD program truly entailed. Earning a PhD directly after my undergraduate career became incredibly appealing to me. I learned from colleagues of the benefits of fellowships, along with the convenience of earning both a master’s and a PhD within the same program. After returning to the States, I sat down with my academic advisor ready to begin the road to graduate school. Thus, my search for graduate programs commenced. 

In the past year, I have learned so much more about the process of applying to PhD programs while still completing an undergraduate degree. I’ll be honest; it’s not easy, yet it is achievable. I wish to share with you my story, my process, and my tips from start to finish of application season.

Talk to your academic advisors early:

My first piece of advice is to start the process ASAP. Whether you’re a freshman or in your final year of college, the sooner you start, the better. I remember sitting down with my academic advisor after returning from England in my second semester of junior year. He told me to take the GRE as soon as possible, to begin my list of programs, and to begin thinking of my proposed dissertation topic. While it may be overwhelming to hear at the start, the sooner you begin the process, the less stress you’ll find yourself carrying towards the end. Remember, you can always change your mind. Beginning the process does not mean you are “married” to your dissertation topic in any regard; simply get the ball rolling in the right direction.

Finding the right programs:

The first step I recommend taking is to formulate a list of programs that interest you. Whether you begin your search by region, by school, or by faculty, having a list to work with is very helpful. Look for program requirements, program funding, average duration, key professors and faculty, and application fees. You may find that some PhD programs are more appealing than others. My list changed constantly in my first few months of the process. Another major tip I have for you is to set a deadline for your list. It is very easy to get caught up in this first step as you look at new programs each day. By the end of September, I sat down, finalized my list, and told myself to move to the next step. I wrote each school’s name on my whiteboard with the application deadline in red ink. That list has remained the same ever since, and I’m very proud of it.

Taking the GRE:

This one hits close to home, as I just completed my second round of GRE testing on the same afternoon I wrote this article. The GRE is a standardized test that is required for most programs, but not all. It is important to take a look at your individual program’s requirements. Some schools will list the GRE as a requirement for their graduate school, yet the application to a specific PhD program will reveal that it is not required. Take note of these to ensure you’re saving time and money if you don’t need to take the exam. However, if you’re applying for a PhD, odds are that you will have to test. My biggest advice is not to overthink it. Standardized testing has always been a struggle of mine, and the GRE seemed to be a big, daunting task in my road to grad school. Once I broke down my study guides (Kaplan and Quizlet will be your best friends), I realized that I already had all of the tools I needed to succeed on the exam. It truly is a test of reading, comprehension, and analysis. In one study guide, the “day before test day” chapter emphasized the importance of staying calm. It said to think of the exam as a way to show graduate programs how great you are and to show off your strengths. With this mentality, the GRE is not as daunting as it may appear in the beginning of your grad school process.

One final note on the GRE: Testing during the academic semester isn’t fun, but it can be done. I took my tests in October and November of my senior year. While I would suggest taking it sooner, such as over the summer before senior year begins, I still had plenty of time to take the test twice before my graduate school deadlines approached. The key is—as you probably know—time management. Treat your GRE study time as a job; block out 2-3 hours in the library JUST for GRE material. Try to separate it from your coursework as much as possible; that helped me tremendously.

Asking for Letters of Recommendation:

I encourage you to ask for your letters of recommendation as soon as possible. The more notice you can give your recommenders, the more they will appreciate it. To be honest, I asked my recommenders before finalizing the list of programs I was applying to. And that’s perfectly fine. Keep your recommenders updated on your journey; share with them your writing samples and let them know both when you decide on new programs and when you will be taking the GRE. If you ask the right people, you will truly see how much they care about your academic success. My professors have supported each decision I’ve made thus far and guided me forward when I began to get lost in the big picture. It is far too easy to get overwhelmed as you think of the big, daunting task of applying to PhD programs while still in your undergraduate degree program. I have had many days where I did not know where to begin to further my progress: Do I study for the GRE? Do I begin the application itself? Do I work on my statement of purpose ? Your recommenders are there to guide you, support you, and keep you on track. To my own recommenders: If you’re reading this article, I cannot thank you enough.

Confidence:

Confidence is a huge factor in this process. I often find myself doubting my abilities and saying I won’t get into any PhD programs. With a negative mindset, the process becomes so much harder. Not to be cheesy, but confidence is truly key in this process. Applying to these programs and balancing work and school is a lot for anyone. Be kind to yourself; allow for days off, and take time to relax with friends. The road to graduate school changes constantly, and you must learn to be okay with the evolution of your path. Life has a way of overwhelming you at once. Having confidence in yourself and your capabilities will greatly enhance your productivity toward achieving your goal.

No matter what happens, remember that PhD programs will always be there. If you do not get into the program of your dreams, know that you can apply again the following year. Be proud of all you accomplished during your final year of undergrad. You had the strength and motivation to complete the PhD application process, all while juggling upper-division coursework. And that’s something to be proud about regardless of the end result.

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If you are interested in getting involved in our Student Ambassador program, contact Erin Pettus at  [email protected] .

Learn More About Dominican University of California:

Dominican University of California’s mission is to educate and prepare students to be ethical leaders and socially responsible global citizens who incorporate the Dominican values of study, reflection, community, and service into their lives. The University is committed to diversity, sustainability, and the integration of the liberal arts, the sciences, and professional programs

Monica Barry is a fourth-year student at Dominican University of California double majoring in English, with a Creative Writing emphasis, and History with a minor in Visual Studies. She is originally from Los Angeles, CA, and has resided in sunny San Rafael, CA, since 2016. She is a member of Dominican University’s Office of Admissions Student Ambassador team, Vice President of Dominican University History Club, and manager of the Tuxedo Literary Arts Journal. In Fall of 2018, she studied world history at the University of Oxford.

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April 10, 2024

Applying to PhD Programs: When, Where, How, and Why?

So, you are thinking you might want to pursue a PhD. That’s great! However, it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether to really go for it. Maybe you are weighing the time commitment required or the prospect of leaving a job you love. Maybe you are wondering whether you are prepared for such an undertaking or whether you’d even have a shot at getting in. When considering such an important move, it’s good to adopt a methodical approach to the decision-making process. 

This article is designed to help you think through some key factors in making important decisions about graduate school. You might ask yourself the following key questions:

• When should I apply?
• Where should I apply?
• How do I get in?
• Why do I want to go? 

Let’s consider these questions one at a time.

Question 1: “When should I apply?”

The right time to apply to graduate school is when your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know for certain you want to further your knowledge and skills in a specific field. Read on for some signs that these experiences are, in fact, aligned.

In your personal life

Think about when you were first introduced to your field of study. What made you want to keep learning about it? Is that drive to know more about your field of study still there? If the answer is yes, then you might be personally ready for graduate study. Memorable personal experiences – and the lessons you have learned from them – can also make you personally ready for graduate study. 

For example, perhaps you were diagnosed with a condition and have spent the past decade managing it. The psychological strain of this experience has made you highly empathic toward patients suffering from chronic conditions. You’re now committed to studying the effectiveness of various approaches to promoting mental health among this population.

Or maybe one of your fondest childhood memories is birdwatching with your dad, who taught you all about various species and their migration patterns. This experience led you to pursue ornithology, and you still get excited about learning about birds.

Something doesn’t have to be profound to others for it to be deeply meaningful to you.

In your academic life

You’ve demonstrated – via high grades or assignments on which you went above and beyond the basic requirements – that you have a strong grasp of the technical aspects of your intended field. You’ve done more than memorize core concepts and theories; you’ve contemplated how they relate to the broader aims of the field. You’ve taken more advanced classwork, completed an independent project, or did professional work that involved innovation and research. And you now want to apply those theories and concepts in graduate school and your career.

Let’s say you majored in civil engineering. You’ve excelled in all your engineering courses, as well as in chemistry, math, and physics. In the process, you’ve learned how to apply the core principles of each field to design resilient infrastructure that does not fail in extraordinary events and is socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.

In your professional life

Whether you’ve worked/volunteered in a relevant setting for six months or six years, you’ve learned about and contributed to the rigorous research process. Ideally, you’ve taken on multiple roles, each one more demanding than the previous one. But at every stage, you’ve taken your responsibilities seriously, because you understand that each task, no matter how seemingly trivial, must be performed diligently, lest you risk compromising the data and ultimately the findings of the entire study.

As an undergraduate research assistant, you might have begun with basic responsibilities, such as data entry and cleaning in Excel. After demonstrating that you are reliable and diligent, you were able to help conduct studies and maybe even run some of your own analyses using the data.

Then, by the time you entered your current role (the one you’re in when you apply to PhD programs), you are able to not only evaluate all the variables being assessed but also identify other variables that aren’t being measured and articulate why they should be included in future research. At this point, you’re able to generate your own research questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and even design a hypothetical study in which the findings are interesting regardless of whether your hypotheses are supported.

When you’ve identified these signs in your personal, academic, and professional experiences, you’re ready to apply.

Question 2: “Where should I apply?”

To identify the right program(s) to apply to, it is crucial to  look beyond the school’s ranking or reputation . The “2024-2025 Best National University Rankings” by  U.S. News & World Report  should not be your primary source for one simple reason: PhD programs are very idiosyncratic. Even if you have chosen a field of study (ideally, the field in which you received your undergraduate and/or master’s degree), there are likely many research areas within that field and even more specific topics within each area. The right research area for you will depend on your previous research experience, as well as on the specific topic(s) you want to investigate.

For example, within  the field of psychology , there are many areas, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, evolutionary psychology, personality psychology, and social psychology. Then, within, say, social psychology, there’s a vast array of specific topics, such as attitudes, aggression, decision-making, emotion, prejudice, and prosocial behavior, to name a few. As you can imagine, these topics are not mutually exclusive. In fact, combining topics can generate unique findings. Therefore, when thinking about where to apply, you might prioritize programs where the faculty are studying combinations of topics you find particularly interesting.

Another factor to consider is that programs differ as a function of the research methods they employ. Thus, when thinking about where to apply, in addition to identifying programs where the faculty are researching the specific topics you are most interested in, it’s necessary to consider whether those faculty members are using methods that you would like to apply in your future career. Do you want to master advanced statistical techniques? Do you want to work with state-of-the-art technologies? Do you want to interact with people? Do you want to observe phenomena in the “real world” or in experimental settings? It’s not only about what you’re researching; it’s also about  how  you’re researching it.

Once you’ve identified programs based on those considerations, it’s time to  identify prospective faculty advisors within your chosen programs . After all, you’re not just applying to PhD programs; you’re applying to work with specific faculty members, and they are the ones who will be reviewing your application and deciding whether to accept you. Based on the faculty members’ professional biographies (which you can usually find on the program’s website), you’ll probably be able to identify the professors whose interests are most like your own.

But it is not enough to be confident that you want to work with a given faculty member. Next, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with that professor’s recent work by reading research papers they’ve published in the past couple years. As you’re reading, ask yourself whether this faculty member writes and thinks clearly and presents arguments and evidence in a compelling manner. You will be mentored by this person for five years (or more!), so it’s crucial that you find someone you admire and are motivated to learn from.

In sum, the steps in deciding where to apply for PhD study are as follows:

• Choose your field of study.
• Identify your preferred area(s) within that field.
• Discover the specific topics you find most fascinating.
• Consider what methods you want to employ.
• Evaluate the merits of prospective faculty advisors.

Question 3: “How do I get in?”

Once you’ve determined that you’re ready to apply, and you know  where you want to apply , the focus shifts to whether you’ll be accepted. Getting into a PhD program is largely  a matter of fit . The faculty members who evaluate your application want to know what insights you can offer to their current and future research studies, how your interpersonal style will contribute to their lab or research hub dynamics, and whether you are committed to extending their research in a meaningful way after you obtain your doctorate. You can convey all this crucial information in your statement of purpose.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of your statement of purpose. You might have an exceptional CV, but if your statement of purpose is lackluster and fails to convey to your prospective faculty advisor that you are the right fit, then you are unlikely to be accepted. Conversely, you might have a modest CV, or even a weakness, such as a low GPA, but nevertheless be accepted if you convey in your statement that (1) you have taken (and will continue to take) concrete steps to become more prepared for PhD training, and (2) you possess unique skills and knowledge that are highly relevant to your prospective advisor’s research area but that might not be reflected in traditional metrics of achievement (e.g., your CV, GPA).

To  write a compelling statement of purpose , you need to articulate everything relevant to Question 1: “When should I apply?” You have already reflected on how your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know that you are ready to apply. But it is not enough  for you  to know that you are ready. You need to convince  your prospective advisor  that you are. 

This is where Accepted can help .  The most valuable service we offer is essay consulting. We can teach you how to craft a narrative about your journey that is coherent, authentic, and distinctive. During each consultation, we will challenge you to think more deeply and clearly than you ever have about where you’ve been and where you’re going. You will learn how to identify and effectively convey the reasons your prospective advisor should accept you.

Question 4: “Why do I want to go?”

A PhD is an academic degree that prepares you to conduct original research, perform advanced statistical analyses, interpret empirical results, and evaluate competing theories. You will be trained to become an academic – that is, a university professor who directs a research lab and teaches students the nuances of a specific field. The skills you acquire during your doctoral training can be applied to industry, governmental, and nonprofit settings; however, doing so should not be your primary goal. Your prospective advisor will want to know that you are committed to the work of an academic. It is great if your research has important implications for those other sectors, so long as you are still committed first and foremost to the production and dissemination of knowledge in your field. The thought of conducting original research in a university setting should make you excited to get started.

Thus, the best reasons to pursue a PhD are intrinsic. After all, a PhD is a Doctor of  Philosophy . You get a PhD because you are passionately drawn to the philosophy of your chosen field. You can’t help but think about it in your everyday life, because you see it everywhere. It is a lens through which life makes sense. Discovering its guiding principles, subject matter, and potential applications allows you to identify patterns in the world around you – and sometimes within yourself as well. So why should you pursue a PhD? Because you can’t  not .

Vanessa Febo has ten years of experience teaching academic and professional writing at UCLA, with a special certification in teaching writing techniques. She has drawn on this expertise to guide clients to placements at top institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and USC. Before joining Accepted, Vanessa coached UCLA students through the application process for graduate programs, major grants, fellowships, and scholarships, including the Fulbright, Stanford Knight-Hennessey, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship. Additionally, Vanessa has extensive experience successfully guiding clients through applications for a diverse range of programs, including those in business, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Want Vanessa to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources

• Get Accepted to PhD Programs in the Humanities , podcast Episode 568
• How to Apply Successfully to STEM PhD Programs , podcast Episode 566
• Graduate School in Psychology: PsyD or Psy Phd, Which Is Right for You?

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• PhD Careers – What to Do After a PhD

Choosing what to do after your PhD isn’t always easy, particularly when you’re not sure if you want to work in academia. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t plenty of career opportunities that come with a PhD – and a good chance it’ll increase your earning potential.

This page contains an overview of some jobs you can do after a PhD. We've covered routes into academia , including postdocs and fellowships , as well as permanent academic positions . We've also expored some non-academic career options for PhD graduates .

To help you make the best decision, we also have guides on PhD employability and earnings , and how you can decide if PhD study is worth it .

We've answered some of the most frequently asked questions about PhDs, covering course types, applications, funding and the benefits of further study.

Will a PhD help you get a job or earn a better salary? And what are your career prospects in and outside of academia?

Everything you need to know about part-time and full-time work as a student or recent graduate in the USA.

Everything you need to know about part-time and full-time work in Germany as a student or recent graduate in Germany.

Academic careers

If you’re completing or applying for a PhD, it’s likely that at some point you’ll consider working in academia. Academia is the career path of researchers who work to advance teaching and research in institutes of education. While most academics are employed by universities, institutes could include government-funded experiments or sites of historical preservation, for example.

The main objective of academia is to produce original research. Though not all academics work in university, this page shall focus mainly on the university progression path.

How much do academics earn?

According to official data produced by HESA, in 2021-22 most full-time academics employed by a university in the UK were salaried between £47,419 to £63,668 . The second largest salary range, with just over 33% of academics falling into, was £35,326 to £47,419.

Average pay, however, will depend on the department. For example, those working in Biological, Mathematical and Physical Sciences are more likely to earn between £34,000-£45,000 . Whereas, surprisingly, in the Humanities, Language Studies and Archaeology a higher percentage of academics were earning above £45,000 . This, however, is likely because the sciences tend to have more job opportunities for early career researchers, thus lowering the average rate of pay.

How to become an academic

To become an academic in the UK it’s increasingly expected that candidates will have a doctoral degree . In order to obtain a doctoral degree at least an upper second-class undergraduate degree will be needed, and usually a Masters as well.

After finishing a PhD there are two different routes that can be taken to achieve a permanent position:

• The first route focuses more on teaching . After completing a PhD, graduates might take up part-time teaching roles. The experience gained will make them more competitive candidates to apply for research or teaching fellowships and permanent lecture positions.
• Alternatively, PhD graduates looking to focus on research might apply for at least one post-doctoral position. Having completed a postdoc, you will then be able to apply for fellowships and lectureships.

Candidates are not always expected to have completed a fellowship to apply for a lectureship. These roles can be obtained after completing a postdoc or teaching experience.

Postdocs and fellowships

Both postdocs (post-doctoral positions) and fellowships are fixed term contracts of research that employ recent PhD graduates. Usually contracts will be between one to four years and applicants will be expected to have completed their PhD no more than five years prior.

The main difference between postdocs and fellowships is the level of responsibility and control granted over a research project.

What is a postdoc?

A postdoc is a temporary funded research position at a university or in industry. Postdocs work under the supervision of a research group or established academic and are considered an employee, unlike PhD students. Some roles will include teaching responsibilities and assistant supervisory roles to students. Responsibilities will also include grant writing, funding applications and administrative duties.

Sometimes postdocs can be referred to as Postdoctoral Research Assistants or Postdoctoral Research Fellows. A postdoc, however, is not the same as a fellowship.

What is a fellowship?

Research fellowships are competitive and prestigious positions. Unlike postdocs, you will be funded to complete your own research project. Some positions will also guarantee a permanent academic role after completion. To successfully achieve a fellowship, you’ll need an interesting and viable research project, a history of academic excellence, and experience in writing successful funding or grant applications.

The other type is a teaching fellowship . These roles are not always for early career academics and will be offered to senior researchers so make sure you check the job description.

Do you need a postdoc or fellowship to work in academia?

Technically you do not need to have completed a postdoc or fellowship to work in academia, but it is becoming increasingly expected.

Employment in academia is more competitive each year as the number of PhDs rewarded is increasing, whereas the available permanent academic positions are not. The experience gained from completing one or more temporary positions can help you increase the competitiveness of your CV, make connections and build a positive reputation within the academic community.

Permanent positions and tenure

If you’re able to demonstrate a high level of skill in research through publications and successful funding applications, then you may be eligible for a permanent position.

Lectureships

Lecturing jobs are an entry level permanent position. Sometimes referred to as Assistant Professors, lecturers are required to teach, conduct independent research and administrative duties.

Usually lecture jobs have a probationary period of three to four years before the job is considered permanent. This period will also require successful completion of various training programmes.

The next level of academic rank is Senior Lecturer or Reader . Traditionally a senior lecturer’s position focuses on teaching whereas a reader will conduct more research. Reader positions, however, are becoming less common. Senior lecturers can also be referred to as Associate Professors, a title which is more commonly used in America.

To qualify for a promotion, you’ll usually be required to provide evidence of significant progression to a panel. Evidence could include publications, grants and contributions to teaching. Though there is no expected time frame, lecturers are often successfully promoted to senior roles after four or five years.

Professorships

Professor is the most senior position in academia. They are expected to have extensively contributed to their research field, usually having multiple published monographs, and to have taken advanced leadership roles within their department.

What is tenure?

Tenure is a form of employment security common in North America that protects lecturers from being fired without proper cause. In the UK, however, academics in permanent roles receive the same employment security offered to every worker, though the details can change depending on the hiring institution.

Non-academic careers

Not all PhD students remain in academia after graduation. Many PhD graduates are able to thrive in industry roles because of the skills gained throughout their degree.

According to the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) just over 70% of PhD holders are no longer working in academia three and a half years after finishing their PhD, so you certainly won’t be in the minority if you decide that this is the best route for you!

You will have developed plenty of transferrable skills and hands-on experience during your PhD. These will serve you well when it comes to finding a job and help distinguish you from Bachelors and Masters graduates.

You’ll find PhD holders in all walks of life. From pharmaceuticals to the public sector, PhD graduates are not short of options. You also don't have to begin your industry career straight after graduation. You could go from academia to industry (or the other way around) at any point in your career.

If you're interested in the type of industry work you may be qualified for, here are some illustrative examples of PhD jobs:

• A PhD in the Arts and Humanities demonstrates excellent written communication, presentation skills, creativity and analytical thinking. You may be suited to work for jobs in the Publishing industry , Digital Marketing or Civil Service .
• A PhD in Biological and Medical Sciences builds specialist subject knowledge, data proficiency and collaborative skills. This will compliment work in industries such as Pharmaceuticals , Genomics or Clinical Care .
• A PhD in Business and Finance will help build organisational and data experience that could benefit careers in Accountancy , Data Science or Consultancy .
• A PhD in Chemical Sciences will provide you with laboratory skills and an advanced understanding of chemistry needed to benefit jobs in Chemical Engineering , Industrial Chemistry and Food Technology .
• A PhD in Earth Sciences could set graduates up for careers in Construction , Environmental Protection or Mineral Surveying , utilising analytical skills and strong subject knowledge.
• PhDs in Engineering have a strong emphasis on project management and practical construction. This could aid jobs in Management Consultancy and Finance as well as more practical fields such as Aeronautics .
• The specialist knowledge gained from a PhD in Law can enable students to comfortably enter industries such as Investment . Additionally, soft skills gained in communication will help in careers such as Teaching or Public Engagement .
• A PhD in Maths and Computing could benefit jobs in Finance , Investment or Web Development , complimenting skills in logic, problem solving and data.
• A PhD in the Physical Sciences demonstrates experience with software and data. This could set graduates up to work in Software Engineering , Data Science or even Sound Engineering .
• A PhD in Social Science and Health requires a deep understanding of human society on a macro or micro level. Graduates may find themselves working in Epidemiology , Public Health or Social Work .

You may be inclined to apply for jobs relating to the subject of your research or previous studies. But a PhD is a versatile enough qualification that you can often look outside your discipline area.

Non-academic PhD graduate jobs in STEM subjects

A PhD in a STEM subject can be used in a broad range of non-academic contexts, from industrial research settings to the public sector. Industry careers for STEM PhD holders could involve intellectual property, regulatory matters, big data, pharmaceuticals or consultancy.

Non-academic PhD graduate jobs in the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

If your PhD is in an Arts, Humanities or Social Science (AHSS) discipline, the skills you have to offer differ from STEM PhD holders.

Your aptitudes as a AHSS PhD graduate are likely to be suited for industries where communication skills are necessary. The ability to research and write about complex topics will be in-demand across any number of leading companies and sectors. Also, creative thinking will be highly valued by employers in strategic planning or industries such as marketing.

Making the transition to a non-academic career

You should invest some time during your PhD for personal and professional development (this is true if you want to stay in academia too!).

Even if you attend none of the formal training courses offered by your department, your PhD itself will provide you with many skills. When leaving academia, you'll need to translate your skills so they make sense to the industry and commercial employers. Think outside the box and take stock of what you are good at or have experience in.

Some translation examples include:

• The dissertation shows you're capable of presenting and organising large amounts of information.
• Having published papers shows you can communicate information across a range of formats.
• If you did interviews for your PhD project, you might graduate with skills in questionnaire design, sensitivity and data analysis.

There’s always a way to link your academic experience to the commercial world. Be prepared to do this in any upcoming job interviews.

It’s also a good idea to move away from the long, multiple page academic CV that you might be used to. Employers won’t read them. They also won’t be interested in scanning a lengthy list of articles. Instead, you should mention that you’ve had several publications without detailing every instance.

Want to find out more about PhD careers?

Check out our guide to PhD employability and earnings . Then, head to our course listings to find your perfect PhD opportunity .

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• Life After a PhD: What Can You Do?
• After a PhD

So, you’ve passed one of the biggest milestones in your life so far (or at least in your academic life!). You’ll have spent at least 7 years at university on a journey that’s taken you from sitting in your first lecture as an undergraduate student to finally handing in your PhD thesis and making it through the viva. This is a time for celebration and of excitement of what the future holds. But it can also be a time of uncertainty, where you’re presented with so many options for your immediate next steps that you’re not sure where to start.

Here are some thoughts we’ve put together to help you in your decision making in case you are wondering what to you with your PhD.

A common option used by fresh PhD graduates is to stay on within their lab environment for the first month or two, but this time in a part- or full-time teaching capacity. This will ensure you have some money coming in now that the stipend payments have finished and can be an excellent way to build up some teaching experience (although you’re likely to have done this throughout the course of your time as a PhD student).

If your department or institution has teaching opportunities available, then it should be a fairly straightforward transition to this new role; you’ll already be familiar with the environment and know the team well.

Keep in mind though that whilst you may gain experience working within your old lab or department, you might gain more from taking up a teaching post within a new setup that you’re not familiar with. This could be a good way to widen your network and learn more about how things are done in different departments, even within the same university.

The key thing is to view this teaching role as a temporary position while you explore your options for the next big step in your career development.

A natural progression for someone just having completed their PhD (and in particular someone keen on developing their career in academia) is to take on a post-doctoral role either within your current lab or a different one.

Post-docs positions usually last between one and three years, and most researchers gain experience by completing several positions at different institutions. The roles are funded, offering a generous step-up from your PhD stipend and are a good way to start developing your own ideas and thoughts as to which direction you want to take your research in.

Post-docs publish quite a bit and present at conferences; this is also an excellent opportunity to work more collaboratively with senior academics within your field.

Know that securing a post-doc job can become very competitive, particularly in the leading universities within your area of research. This is definitely a time where building a strong network can pay dividends – a strong CV with a developing track record of publications is also valuable.

Life Outside of Research

You may be one of a growing number of people that decide at the completion of their PhD that a career based in research and at a university is not for you. You can have a great sense of freedom when you know what you want out of life.

Just because you decide on a path outside of academia, does not mean that your years of study have been for nothing. In fact, the opposite is true – in completing your PhD, you’ll have built a set of skills and knowledge that are highly sought after by many employers.

Your CV will show that you’re self-motivated, able to work well both within a team and individually, keep to deadlines and can present complex ideas.

Highly educated, skilled people are in high demand by the commercial sector; you should have no trouble tailoring your CV to something very appealing to them.

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4-year UG Degree Holders Can Now Get Direct Admission to PhD: UGC

Curated By : Education and Careers Desk

Trending Desk

Last Updated: June 16, 2022, 13:22 IST

The UGC regulations 2022 are likely to be announced by end of June (Representational Image)

According to the UGC regulations, candidates who have completed their 4-year-undergraduate programme (FYUP) with a minimum 7.5 CGPA will be eligible to apply for PhD admissions

The University Grants Commission (UGC) has released the new regulations allowing the 4-year-undergraduate programme students to directly pursue PhD after graduation. According to the UGC regulations, candidates who have completed their 4-year-undergraduate programme (FYUP) with a minimum 7.5 CGPA will be eligible to apply for PhD admissions without completing a master’s programme.

According to a leading news daily, the UGC Chairperson M Jagadesh Kumar said that this new rule will help improve the research ecosystem in our HEIs. It will also help the UG students to have a research bent of mind. He added that UGC will be permitting four-year UG students who have a CGPA of 7.5/10 or above to be eligible for PhD admission. Those who have a have a CGPA less than 7.5, will have to do a one-year master’s degree to be eligible for PhD admissions.

Also read|  UGC to Develop Framework to Allow Top-ranked Foreign Universities to Open Campus in India

This step has been welcoming for the students who do not have to complete a two years master’s degree after FYUP. The regulations state that the minimum CGPA required for candidates with a four-year or eight-semester bachelor’s degree is 7.5/10 in order to apply for the doctorate programme, however, the commission has given a relaxation of 0.5 CGPA to the reserved categories as well as economically weaker applicants.

The UGC regulations 2022 are likely to be announced by end of June. The new regulations were added in the PhD draft in March and were sent for the feedback and comments of the stakeholders. As now the regulations have been approved, they are expected to be in practice from academic session 2022-23.

Read|  Nearly 50 Foreign Universities Interested to Set-Up Campuses, Offer Dual Courses with Indian Colleges: UGC

Furthermore, as per the new regulations, students will be admitted to the PhD programmes through a national-level test. While 60 per cent of seats will be filled through a national-level examination, 40 per cent will be based on a university-level or state-level test.

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New Delhi: Students who have completed a four-year undergraduate course will be eligible for direct admission to a doctorate programme, the University Grants Commission (UGC) said in its revised PhD regulations notified earlier this week.

The new PhD regulations — “University Grants Commission (Minimum Standards and Procedures for Award of PhD Degree) Regulations, 2022” – says a candidate should have a minimum of 75 percent marks in “aggregate or its equivalent grade on a point scale wherever the grading system is followed”.

In case the candidate does not have 75 percent marks in a four-year undergraduate program, she has to pursue a one-year master’s programme and score at least 55 percent.

The new admission rules further say, “A 1-year master’s degree programme after a 4-year bachelor’s degree programme or a 2-year master’s degree programme after a 3-year bachelor’s degree programme or qualifications declared equivalent to the master’s degree by the corresponding statutory regulatory body, with at least 55% marks in aggregate or its equivalent grade in a point scale wherever grading system is followed.”

No more publishing in peer-reviewed journals 

The UGC has removed the clause, “publishing paper in a peer-reviewed journal”, as mandatory for a PhD.

PhD regulations of 2016 had said that PhD scholars “must publish at least one (1) research paper in a refereed journal and make two paper presentations in conferences/seminars before the submission of the dissertation/thesis for adjudication”.

Talking about this, UGC chairperson Professor M. Jagadesh Kumar said, “Publication of research papers in peer-reviewed journals may not be mandatory anymore, but it does not mean PhD scholars should stop doing that altogether.”

He added: “Focussing on high-quality research will lead to publications in good journals, even if it is not mandatory. It will add value when they apply for employment or post-doctoral opportunities.”

Part-time PhD allowed with clause 

For a PhD, individual institutions can also hold their own entrance tests to admit students, the new rules state. The candidate then need not write the National Eligibility Test (NET) or similar exams. The “entrance test shall consist of 50 percent research methodology and 50 percent subject specific,” the rules say.

The commission was  planning on reserving 40 percent seats for students who qualified through NET, but that clause did not make it in the final notification as there was no consensus.

Apart from this, the commission has also allowed candidates to pursue a PhD through part-time mode, “provided all conditions are fulfilled”.

As per the rules, the institute will require a “No Objection Certificate (NOC)” from the appropriate authority in the organisation where the candidate is employed.

The NOC should clearly mention that she is permitted to pursue studies on a part-time basis. “His/her official duties permit him/her to devote sufficient time for research; if required, he/she will be relieved from the duty to complete the course work,” the new rules say.

The regulations are applicable with immediate effect from the date of notification. Any PhD registered after 1 July, 2009 shall be governed by the regulations of 2009 or 2016, the notification further adds.

Also read: Only 34% Indian schools have internet access, less than 50% have functional computers, shows data

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What Is an Undergraduate Degree?

Use this guide to learn about undergraduate programs: where to begin, factors to consider, choosing a degree, and how to maximize your potential.

Undergraduate degrees are a form of post-secondary (after high school) education that many students pursue to further their academic and professional pursuits. You can take many different career paths after high school graduation, but pursuing an undergraduate degree can open up career opportunities tailored to your talents and interests. In this article, we'll discuss what undergraduate degrees are, who they might be right for, and how you can get started.  

What is an undergraduate degree? 

An undergraduate degree is a credential you typically pursue after high school. In the United States, undergraduate degrees include associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees . Three main institutions typically offer undergraduate degree programs: universities, liberal arts colleges, and community colleges .  

Undergraduate vs. graduate degrees 

Undergraduate degrees provide a foundational education within your field of study while allowing you to build on your knowledge of general subjects outside your major. As an undergraduate student, you’ll often get the chance to build a community of people from different backgrounds while pursuing your educational goals. 

Graduate degrees , however, allow you to specialize in a field of study that interests you and helps you build expertise in that field. Your work as a graduate student will revolve around specific coursework in a much smaller environment. You’ll be able to pursue a graduate degree after earning an undergraduate degree. Graduate degrees include master's degrees and doctoral degrees . 

4 benefits of an undergraduate degree

An undergraduate degree is a great way to become more marketable once you enter the workforce. Consider the following potential benefits of pursuing an undergraduate degree:

1. Better job prospects 

It's estimated that nearly two-thirds of jobs require postsecondary education [ 1 ]. With an undergraduate degree, you can prepare for a more specialized career in an evolving job market. Having this competitive edge as a job candidate could create opportunities for roles that support greater professional growth. 

2. Higher salaries

Undergraduate degree-holders tend to earn more money [ 2 ]. While the median annual earnings for high school graduates is $35,630, the median yearly wages rise to $42,860 for associate degree holders and $59,130 for bachelor's degree holders, according to 2019 data collected by the National Center for Education Statistics [ 3 ]. 

3. Ability to build on your interests 

Undergraduate degree programs typically allow you to design an education around your interests. While pursuing an undergraduate degree, you have the opportunity to build upon your passions and turn them into a fulfilling career. 

4. Professional network

Whether you decide to complete a two-year or four-year undergraduate program, furthering your education is a way to maximize your potential and find a fulfilling career path. While pursuing an undergraduate degree, you will encounter a network of people—professors and peers alike. These connections can often lead to future career opportunities.

Learn more: 11 High-Paying Jobs You Can Get with a Liberal Arts Degree

How long does it take to finish an undergraduate degree?

Undergraduate degrees typically span two to four years depending on your field of study. They will also grant you different qualifications. 

Two-year programs : A two-year undergraduate program is commonly known as an associate degree. Prepare for an entry-level role or to enter a more specific field of study at a four-year college or university with an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science , the two most common types of associate degrees. An associate degree typically requires 60 credit hours, which you may be able to transfer to a four-year university. 

Four-year programs : A bachelor's degree is typically a four-year program . An estimated 2,278 colleges and universities in the United States allow students to complete a four-year program to earn their bachelor’s degree [ 4 ]. Four-year bachelor’s programs center around your major and other curriculum requirements, which will vary from school to school. To get a bachelor’s degree , you typically must complete 120 to 128 credit hours. 

Read more: Can You Get a Bachelor's Degree at Community College?

How much do undergraduate degrees typically cost?

The cost of an undergraduate degree will vary depending on where you receive your education. Community colleges, in-state public schools, out-of-state public schools, and private colleges may all charge different amounts for an undergraduate degree. Here's a look at average annual tuition and fees in the United States for the 2019-2020 school year by type of institution, according to the National Center for Education Statistics [ 5 ]: 

Public community college: $3,900

Private nonprofit community college: $18,000

Private for-profit community college: $15,800

Public college or university: $9,400

Private nonprofit college or university: $37,600

Private for-profit college or university: $18,200

Learn more: Is a Bachelor’s Degree Worth It?

Choosing the right degree 

A vital step in pursuing an undergraduate degree is choosing the right degree for you. Here are some steps to help you find the best fit: 

Narrow down your career choices. 

The first step in choosing your degree is narrowing down your options. Basing the decision on your skills, interests, and chance of employability is a great place to start. 

Learn more: What Should I Major In? How to Pick Your College Major

Consider the cost. 

Once you have a better idea of which career path you want to take, it is always wise to look into cost-efficient options that are the best fit for you. Be sure to take into consideration your own financial standing as well as the greater economy to make the most financially rewarding decision. 

Learn more: Jobs to Pay for College

Ask your peers.

Ask for an outside perspective from those you trust. Going to a peer for insight will help you decide what path might be best for you. Peers are more likely to understand the position you’re in and may be able to offer helpful insight. 

Learn more: 10 Most Popular College Majors

Investigate online. 

When in doubt, look it up. Once you have a clear idea of what you want to get out of your undergraduate degree, you’ll be ready to start looking into programs that might be a good fit. 

Learn more: 10 Surprising Benefits of Online Learning

Can I earn a degree online? 

Online degree programs can be a flexible, efficient, and cost-effective way to pursue an undergraduate degree from the comfort of your home. Online education has grown in popularity because it offers access to higher education to an increasing number of people. If you’re an adult learner or someone already in the workforce looking to further your education, an online degree might be the right choice.

Keep in mind that research is vital when choosing the right online degree . Be sure to look into the post-secondary institution’s accreditation , ratings and reviews, student resources, education costs, and how their students fare after graduation.

Alternatives to an undergraduate degree 

There are many alternatives to college should you find that an undergraduate degree isn’t for you:

Get an entry-level job to gain professional work experience in a low-stress environment. 

Earn certification or a professional certificate to validate your expertise.

Attend a trade or career school to help you hone a new skill. 

Apply for an apprenticeship and learn from a successful businessperson. 

Apply for an internship in your desired field to learn the trade and make yourself more marketable in future job searches. 

Start your own business and learn how to be your own boss. 

Learn more about what it's like to earn an online undergraduate degree from a top global university on Coursera. Should you need more information to decide which direction to go, consider taking online courses on topics you're interested in until you find the right fit. 

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Does the program you choose in college matter ‎.

Yes! Though it may be relatively easy to switch programs at a four-year college or university, it is important to choose a program catered to you: your skills, interests, and career ambitions. Choosing the right undergraduate program for you typically prepares you for a more fulfilling career. 

Read more: What Should I Major In? 5 Things to Evaluate ‎

What is the difference between a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS)? ‎

Although some overlap exists between a BA and a BS, a Bachelor of Arts usually focuses on studies in art, history, literature, writing, philosophy, and religion. In contrast, a Bachelor of Science generally (but not always) focuses on studies in math and science. 

Read more: What Is the Difference Between a BA and a BS Degree? ‎

Is a bachelor's degree more valuable than an associate degree? ‎

That will depend on your goals. An associate degree will provide foundational studies before entering a four-year undergraduate program. A bachelor’s degree typically requires 120 semester hours of study and can usually be finished in four years of full-time study.

With a bachelor’s degree, you could be able to move on to more specialized education or find greater job opportunities. Depending on your career ambitions, interests, and financial standing, an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree might benefit you.  ‎

Article sources

Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. " Recovery: Job Growth and Education Requirements Through 2020 , https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/recovery-job-growth-and-education-requirements-through-2020/." Accessed February 6, 2023.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “ Education Pays, 2021: Career Outlook , https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2022/data-on-display/education-pays.htm.” Accessed February 6, 2023.

National Center for Education Statistics. " Digest of Education Statistics: Table 502.40.Annual earnings of persons 25 years old and over, by highest level of educational attainment and sex: 2019 , https://nces.ed.gov/programs/digest/d20/tables/dt20_502.40.asp." Accessed February 6, 2023.

National Center for Education Statistics. " Characteristics of Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions , https://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe/indicator/csa."  Accessed February 6, 2023.

National Center for Education Statistics. " Tuition costs of colleges and universities , https://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76." Accessed February 6, 2023.

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Coursera’s editorial team is comprised of highly experienced professional editors, writers, and fact...

This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

What was supposed to be one of Jeric Rivas’ most special days, turned out to be a heartbreaking one after his parents did not show up to his college graduation ceremony. Rivas graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminology from La Concepcion College in San Jose Del Monte Bulacan in the Philippines. Rivas, who did not grow up wealthy, left his hometown of Sibuyan Island in the province of Romblon to seek a better life elsewhere. While studying at the prestigious school, the college student had to work odd jobs in order to afford his tuition such as being a factory worker, a fast food service crew member, and a housemaid. Some of Rivas’ professors noticed him struggling and offered him food and even provided shelter for him. Against all odds, Rivas graduated as the top student from his university. In a Facebook post , Rivas shared his experience on his graduation day, saying all he wanted was for his parents to be in attendance, but sadly they did not show.

Rivas shared in the post that his parents had never been there to support him in the past. Rivas recalled a time in elementary school when he received a medal for earning top honors in his class. A family member was supposed to present Rivas with the medal at the ceremony. But no one showed up, so he didn’t even bother going on stage to accept the award. At another ceremony in high school, he got one of his friends to send their parents up with him.

One of Rivas’ kind professors accompanied him on stage when his name was called to receive his scroll. “One of my other professors were standing there on stage waiting for me and gave me a hug. While that moment took some of my sadness away, I still ended up crying in front of everyone,” said Rivas in the post. Rivas thanked all of his kind professors who supported him throughout his college experience, and ended the post with a message to his parents. “To my parents, who could still not accept me in their life, if you’re reading this, this is me now and I hope I made you proud.”

No diploma: Colleges withhold degrees from students after pro-Palestinian protests

CHICAGO – Graduation is an important moment for many Americans. More than just pomp and circumstance, the ceremonies mark when students are handed the most coveted testimonial in academic life: A diploma.

But for some college students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests, campus activism has cost them their degrees – at least for a while.

“Four years and just a criminal record, nothing else,” said Youssef Hasweh, one of four students at the University of Chicago who have had their degrees withheld pending an investigation into a protest encampment. “A decade of (high school and college) work down the toilet because I decided to express my free speech.”

Students being denied conferment – some of whom have faced arrests, expulsions, suspensions and other disciplinary action – say they're in limbo and are being made into examples. As they await appeals processes and the results of university investigations, they're preparing for an uncertain future. In the worst-case scenario, they'll be saddled with debt and will have no degree to show for it.

But while the stakes are high, they told USA TODAY that none of them regret their part in campus protests over Israel's military campaign in Gaza.

"I have these punishments and have to work through this stress, but it's incomparable to the plight of Palestinians," said Devron Burks, a Vanderbilt student who was arrested and expelled following the occupation of a campus building. "I don't regret it, and I don't think I ever will."

'We’ll be degreeless and jobless'

Hasweh, who has been active in pro-Palestinian protests since the Israel-Hamas war broke out, received an email about a week before graduation that his degree would not be conferred.

"I recently received multiple complaints regarding the quad encampment that report issues related to disruptive conduct. In investigating the matter, you have been identified as an individual that may have been involved," Jeremy W. Inabinet, an associate dean of students, wrote Hasweh in a May 24 email. "Given the fact that you will be involved in the Disciplinary System for Disruptive Conduct and in consultation with the Faculty Chair, your degree will not be conferred until the resolution of this matter occurs."

Hasweh was allowed to participate in graduation ceremonies on Saturday but received only "an empty diploma case," he said.

Hasweh is a political science student who has family in the West Bank. He suspects the university singled him and three of his classmates because they were among a group arrested on trespassing charges for participating in a pro-Palestinian sit-in in the fall. The arrest led to an eight-month school investigation that ended with warnings for the students. Hasweh fears they won’t be let off the hook again.

“Everything is on the table again, and we’re gambling with expulsion,” he said. “We’ll be degreeless and jobless and put in this impossible situation.”

While the university did not answer specific questions about the arrests, it said in statement on disciplinary proceedings that “degrees can be conferred expeditiously, depending upon the resolution.”

Vanderbilt student loses job offer after diploma withheld

Burks, the expelled Vanderbilt student, is preparing for a frightening scenario: No degree and a lot of student debt.

The 21-year-old, along with about two dozen other students, occupied an administration building for more than 10 hours before campus police broke up the demonstration. Most of them were placed on interim suspension, while Burks and two others were arrested on an assault charge and later expelled. In a statement , the university said the three students pushed a community service officer and a staff member as they forced their way into the building – a claim Burks denies.

Burks, who uses they/them pronouns, spent hours in a holding cell before being released. Barred from campus, Burks was evicted from their apartment and for the last several weeks has slept in Airbnbs and on friend’s couches.

Instead of being applauded on stage at a 30,000-seat soccer stadium, Burks celebrated graduation a few days early at a backyard in Nashville. In front of a few dozen students, faculty members and local activists, Burks received a mock diploma and a superlative: “Most likely to go on a date after this.”

Now at home in Georgia, Burks is looking for work while in the midst of an arduous appeal process to obtain their degree. The psychology student already has had one job offer rescinded.

“This has been the most stressful time,” Burks said. "Without my degree conferral, I can't move on with my life."

Harvard will not confer degree until at least 2026, student says

Harvard University barred several students who participated in pro-Palestinian protests from graduating, according to a statement from student organizers.

Syd Sanders, a senior who may not receive his degree until May 2026, told USA TODAY he was "shocked" by the university's decision, and added he and his fellow students were being punished to deter others from protesting.

"It's insane," Sanders, 22, said. "This was really sneaky of the school, and I think it reveals where they stand on free speech."

Jonathan Palumbo, a spokesperson for Harvard, said in an email that the university does not "comment on specific student disciplinary matters."

Sanders said his family was upset at the school and disappointed they couldn't see Sanders walk on commencement day. Back in Belfast, Maine, where he became one of the nation’s first openly transgender high school valedictorians, Sanders is looking for work as a labor organizer.

“I'm going to move on with my life," he said. "I'm filing my appeal so I'm going to try to get my diploma, I guess. But right now I really just am excited to be away from that place."

Degrees of two Princeton students in jeopardy

At Princeton University, the degrees of two seniors have been thrown into uncertainty pending the results of an investigation into a protest that broke out at an annual event for alums.

During President Christopher Eisgruber’s address on May 25, protesters stood up, raised up their red-painted hands and shouted pro-Palestinian chants, videos show. After a few minutes, the demonstrators walked out and continued to protest outside.

Khari Franklin, one of the two seniors who's not received his degree, was inside the auditorium but did not participate in the demonstration, he told The Daily Princetonian . He said he decided to leave to avoid any possible discipline since he was among a group of students arrested in late April when police broke up a sit-in. Franklin and the other students received summonses for trespassing and were temporarily barred from campus.

“It is standard University practice that when seniors are involved in alleged disciplinary violations soon before Commencement, their degrees are held pending the conclusion of a disciplinary investigation," said a statement by Jennifer Morrill, a Princeton University spokesperson.

"The University continues to enforce viewpoint-neutral time, place, and manner rules during end-of-year events. A wide range of protest activity is permitted, including walking out of an event. Significantly disrupting University operations and events is not permitted.”

On Monday, Franklin received an email telling him that while he could attend the commencement, he would not be given a diploma until the investigation is concluded.

“It's very surreal. Because on one hand, I have not quite processed that the university would have gone this far, and been this drastic ... without any indication or warning or reasonable expectation that a rule had been broken,” he told the student newspaper. “But at the same time, I also am not surprised.”

Disciplinary actions linger into summer break

At several schools, the threat of suspensions and other disciplinary action looms over dozens of students.

Columbia University administrators gave more than 30 students interim suspensions that could become permanent, according to Columbia University Apartheid Divest, a coalition of pro-Palestinian student organizations. Barnard College students protesting at Columbia also were suspended, the group said.

Neither Barnard nor Columbia, which has been at the epicenter of college protests for months, replied to requests for comment.

In Florida, administrators at New College, a progressive public liberal arts school that state Republicans have been reshaping into a conservative institution, said students who interrupted the May 17 commencement with “boos” and chants of “free Palestine” could have their degrees withheld and face suspension .

"We support and protect the right of free speech while resolutely insisting upon civil discourse,” a statement from the school said. “Disruptive activities by a few individuals at a ceremonial event attended by hundreds is not representative of either of these principles.”

'I'd do it a thousand times over'

Hasweh, the University of Chicago student, had fantasized about attending the prestigious college for years before he was accepted. Now the graduation weekend he had long anticipated will be imbued with frustration, not only for him but for his family, too.

“How can a mother not be enraged that a school meant to take care of her child was the one that brutalized him,” Hasweh said.

Still, Hasweh’s resolve is intact.

“Even if I don't get my degree, I'd do it a thousand times over,” he said.

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested and suspended after barricading inside Stanford University president's office

More than a dozen pro-Palestinian protesters at Stanford University were arrested — and some immediately suspended from school — Wednesday after they briefly took over the president's office, authorities said.

In the latest provocative campus action calling for divestment from Israel in the wake of the country's war with Hamas , students and alumni entered President Richard Saller's office about 5:30 a.m. PT, according to the group’s spokesperson.

They vowed to "remain inside the building and are refusing to leave until their demands are met," the spokesperson said in a statement.

But within three hours, the building appeared to be back in university control after campus police and Santa Clara County Sheriff’s deputies took action, officials said.

"We are appalled and deeply saddened by the actions that occurred on our campus earlier today," according to a joint statement from the university president and Provost Jenny Martinez.

A campus police officer was injured by protesters during the clear-out, and damage was "done inside the building" along with "extensive graffiti vandalism on the sandstone buildings and columns of the Main Quad," the Stanford administrators said.

"This graffiti conveys vile and hateful sentiments that we condemn in the strongest terms," the officials continued. "Whether the graffiti was created by members of the Stanford community or outsiders, we expect that the vast majority of our community joins us in rejecting this assault on our campus."

The school took immediate action against students involved.

Thirteen people were arrested inside the building and any "who are students will be immediately suspended" and seniors among the group "will not be allowed to graduate," the officials said.

It wasn't immediately clear if "will not be allowed to graduate" meant students would be barred from commencement ceremonies or kicked out of school entirely without being able to claim a degree.

Wednesday is the last day of classes for the spring term with graduation ceremonies set for June 15 and 16 .

"We have consistently emphasized the need for constructive engagement and peaceful protest when there is a disagreement in views," Stanford spokesperson Dee Mostofi said. "This was not peaceful protest, and actions such as what occurred this morning have no place at Stanford."

The protesters are demanding that the school divest itself of any financial interests in any companies "that provide material and logistical support to Israel's current military campaign," according to the group.

College students across the nation staged campus protests this spring, demanding that their schools withdraw any investments they say are helping Israeli forces in their military operations in the Gaza Strip.

Israeli forces have been attacking the Palestinian enclave since Hamas invaded Israel on Oct. 7.

The most prominent U.S. campus action against Israel was taken by Columbia University students who took over a key building, Hamilton Hall.

The protests led to campus leaders bringing in New York City police officers to take back the building and clear a protester encampment. On-campus graduation ceremonies had to be moved to a football stadium 100 blocks off campus.

David K. Li is a senior breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

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Father of Baraboo, Wisconsin, high school graduate seen pushing superintendent during ceremony

A video from Baraboo High School's graduation last week showing a man pushing the school district superintendent away before he can shake hands with his daughter has sparked intense commentary, with some describing it as racist.

A citation from the Baraboo Police Department shows that the father was charged with disorderly conduct and is required to make an August appearance in the Sauk County Circuit Court. A judge has also ordered the man to have no contact with Superintendent Rainey Briggs after a temporary restraining order was filed; a hearing is set for June 14.

The Journal Sentinel is not naming the man to avoid identifying his daughter.

It's not clear what motivated the incident, but it has prompted accusations of racism, as the father is white, and Briggs is Black.

State Rep. Francesca Hong, D-Madison, posted on X that "no one should have to endure this type of gross & racist conduct."

In an interview with the Journal Sentinel, Hong, who does not represent the district but has met the superintendent, said she weighed in on the incident because it was "a very racist attack on a superintendent."

"Unless there was another deliberate reason to why he would do that, there was nobody else he pushed out of the way," Hong said.

Hong said the incident speaks to how "prevalent and problematic" racism is in Wisconsin.

There has been controversy in the school district in recent months. School board president Kevin Vodak is facing a recall effort , with organizers saying he's misused taxpayer dollars by increasing salaries for Briggs and another district administrator.

Vodak was also onstage for Friday's graduation. The man who interrupted the ceremony did not prevent his daughter from shaking Vodak's hand.

In a June 4 statement, the Baraboo Board of Education said it does not condone "engaging in threatening, intimidating, or physically harming behaviors against anyone in our school district community."

"We understand that there are many folks who care deeply about the education of students, and who come together with different understandings and ideas about how best to provide that education. We value the civil discourse that allows us to have conversations about those ideas; that's at the cornerstone of our democracy," the statement reads. "As we prepare our students to engage as citizens and community members, the adults in their lives should provide models of how to engage in productive civil dialogue."

The statement continued, addressing the father's behavior directly.

"That this adult felt emboldened to behave in this way in front of hundreds of students and other adults should deeply trouble us all; this type of behavior will not be tolerated."

Baraboo is a city of about 12,500 people near Wisconsin Dells, and the county seat of Sauk County.

More: Baraboo schools chief apologizes for Nazi salute photo, calling it 'hateful, frightening'

More: Lawsuit by former student alleges racist culture at Baraboo School District

Video shows man moving school official away

A recording of the May 31 graduation ceremony from MAX TV, a local television station, shows the event.

In the video, a high school graduate is seen smiling as she receives her diploma and shakes the hands of Vodak and other school officials. As she approaches the end of the line, a man, whom the district identified as the graduate's father, is seen pushing Briggs out of the line.

In the restraining order against the man, Briggs wrote that the man told Briggs he was "not going to touch my (expletive) daughter."

The graduate is seen pausing with a confused look for several moments before she moves her tassel to the other side of her graduation cap and leaves the stage. Other officials watch as others walk onstage and appear to begin to assist in managing the incident.

In a statement, the School District of Baraboo said there was an active investigation into the incident and couldn't comment on specific details.

In the statement, a district spokesperson confirmed that the man in the video was the father of a graduate; that he interrupted the ceremony by “charging the stage”; and that a school resource officer, with two off-duty police officers, assisted in “managing the situation to ensure the safety of everyone present.”

The statement also said the man was escorted out of the venue.

“Our primary focus remains on celebrating the achievements of our graduates,” the statement said. “We want to ensure that the significance of this milestone and the hard work of our students are not overshadowed by this unfortunate event.”

The school district spokesperson had not responded to a Journal Sentinel request for an interview with the superintendent at time of publication. Attempts to reach the school board president were unsuccessful.

Stanford protesters arrested, seniors won’t be allowed to graduate, officials say

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Stanford University plans to immediately suspend students who were among 13 pro-Palestinian protesters arrested Wednesday morning after a brief occupation of the president’s office. College officials said activists illegally entered a building, injured a law enforcement officer and carried out “extensive damage” to buildings in its historic quad.

Before 6 a.m. on the last day of spring classes, a small group of students and alumni barricaded themselves inside President Richard Saller’s office , vowing they would not leave until administrators met their demands to divest from Israel.

The occupation lasted less than two hours. At around 7:30 a.m. — as protesters outside chanted “Free, Free Palestine” — law enforcement officers broke open a door with a crowbar and entered the building.

By 8 a.m., police from the Santa Clara Sheriff’s Office and Stanford University Dept. of Public Safety had cleared the building of protesters. Stanford University announced that 13 students were arrested, the building had been cleared and a public safety officer was injured by protesters, who shoved the officer as they “interfered with a transport vehicle.”

The Stanford Daily reported that one of its reporters was among the detained.

In a statement , the university said the activists “unlawfully entered” the building that houses the offices of the president and provost.

“We are appalled that our students chose to take this action and we will work with law enforcement to ensure that they face the full consequences allowed by law,” university spokesperson Dee Mostofi said.

“All arrested students will be immediately suspended and in case any of them are seniors, they will not be allowed to graduate,” Mostofi added. “We have consistently emphasized the need for constructive engagement and peaceful protest when there is a disagreement in views. This was not peaceful protest and actions such as what occurred this morning have no place at Stanford.”

The student protesters, in turn, claimed police used excessive force.

Liberate Stanford, an autonomous group of Stanford University students that organized the occupation, accused law enforcement of “violently assault[ing] a peaceful student protester” as officers prepared to enter the building. It posted a video on Instagram showing a sheriff’s deputy in a helmet and tactical gear shoving back a student with a baton.

After the students were arrested, the university shut down activists’ encampment at White Plaza, which officials had allowed to remain even though they said it violated university policies on overnight camping, equitable access to the plaza and use of amplified sound.

“The situation on campus has now crossed the line from peaceful protest to actions that threaten the safety of our community,” Saller and provost Jenny Martinez said in a statement . “In the interest of public safety, the encampment has been removed.”

Wednesday’s occupation began before dawn as students barricaded themselves inside and renamed the building “Dr. Adnan’s office” in honor of Dr. Adnan al-Bursh, a leading Palestinian surgeon who died in April in an Israeli detention facility .

“THE STUDENT INT1FADA IS GROWING,” Liberate Stanford wrote in a statement on Instagram early Friday morning as the building was occupied. “We refuse to leave until Stanford Administration and the Stanford Board of Trustees meet our demands and take action to address their role in enabling and profiting from the ongoing genocide in Gaza.”

The protesters — who call themselves an autonomous group of students unaffiliated with any official student group — called on Stanford to add the divestment bill submitted by Stanford Against Apartheid in Palestine to the next Board of Trustees meeting, with a recommendation by Saller to support the bill, disclose finances from fiscal year 2022, and drop all disciplinary and criminal charges against pro-Palestinian students arrested on previous protests.

“If these demands are met, we will leave your office, President Saller,” an activist wearing sunglasses, a mask and a kaffiyeh said as she sat at a wooden desk inside the building in a video posted on Instagram by Liberate Stanford.

“I want you to think about your legacy,” she added. “No one is going to remember your historical research or your eight months as president. What they will remember is your silence and complicity in this genocide.”

After students occupied the president’s office, about 50 students — most wearing black with their faces wrapped in kaffiyehs — linked arms and surrounded the building in solidarity as the students occupied the building.

Some held a banner that read: “While Gaza bleeds Stanford stalls. Divest. Disclose. Amnesty.”

“We love you,” protesters shouted and cheered at the arrested activists as law enforcement escorted them from the building with their hands zip tied behind their backs.

“We see you! We love you!” they chanted. “We will be here to free you!”

Divisions swiftly emerged among the protesters after sandstone columns and buildings on the university’s historic main quad were spray painted and vandalized with slogans such as “DE@TH 2 ISR@HELL,” “Kill cops” and “PIGS TASTE BEST DEAD.”

In a statement, Liberate Stanford condemned activists who they claimed “took it upon themselves to spray paint or vandalize the outside of these buildings.”

“These are not the principles we abide by and these actions are disrespectful to the souls of the Palestinians who passed in their just struggle,” Liberate Stanford wrote . “The intentions of this movement are not to create unnecessary labor for service workers, and we refuse to have our uprising hijacked by unknown agitators.”

University leaders also spoke out against the graffiti, saying it conveyed “vile and hateful sentiments that we condemn in the strongest terms.”

The occupation comes after months of protests and negotiations between Stanford officials and pro-Palestinian activists. Last year, protesters set up a sprawling encampment, Sit-in to Stop Genocide, in White Plaza, which became the longest sit-in in Stanford history, until administrators enforced a camping ban in February “out of concern for the health and safety of our students.”

In April, activists set up another encampment in White Plaza. On May 20, a small group of demonstrators attempted to occupy a mechanical engineering building, blocking entryways with barricades and furniture. Saller told the faculty senate that students involved in that occupation faced “immediate suspension and the inability to participate in commencement” and may be subject to criminal charges.

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Jenny Jarvie is a national correspondent for the Los Angeles Times based in Atlanta.

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