how to become phd scholar

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

It may come as a surprise, but when you’re applying for a PhD the difficult part isn’t always getting offered a place at the university. I found this out the hard way!

Instead, securing the funding to support your research can often be the biggest barrier to starting a PhD. Securing a fully funded PhD scholarship can be a great means of funding your research because it offers you lots of academic freedom.

It took me several tries (see my applications timeline and PhD application failures ), but after a few years I was eventually able to secure a fully funded PhD scholarship at my first-choice university.

Now I want to help guide you through how to get a fully funded PhD scholarship for yourself.

Is it Hard to Get a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship?

There are a lot of different types of PhD funding. In fact I’ve written a full post about the PhD funding landscape which you can read here .

Any PhD funding is better than none, yet there is a hierarchy and scholarships sit at the top:

Scholarships and fellowships are typically the most prestigious types of PhD funding and usually come with the highest PhD stipends, therefore they can be tough to secure. As a side note if you’re interested in learning more about how much PhD students typically earn, check out my post here .

PhD scholarships and fellowships are pretty similar (and roughly interchangeable), so to keep things simple I’ll just refer to them both as scholarships going forward.

Project-specific funding comes about when a supervisor is awarded a grant by a funding body and uses this money to employ researchers and carry out the research as outlined in the grant application. If you go with this type of project there are usually restrictions on how much you can change the PhD topic.

Similarly to bursaries, PhD scholarships and fellowships are awarded to the individual student rather than a specific project grant. You therefore have far more academic freedom and scope to tailor a project to your own interests, without having to worry about whether it fits the theme of a certain grant.

Since scholarships are the most lucrative they are usually the most difficult type of PhD funding to get. Your CV and application will therefore need to be stronger than when applying for project-specific funding.

My Journey to Securing a PhD Scholarship

It took me several years to secure PhD funding:

Over this period I decided to work as a research assistant at a few different universities. Firstly this was so that I had a job and was earning money. Secondly, it was relevant experience which would help boost my chances of success when reapplying for a PhD.

It turned out that this work experience would be a big part of how I secured my PhD scholarship. Later in this post I’ll be mentioning papers I authored and prizes I played a part in winning and I want to make it clear that I didn’t do all of this as an undergraduate.

In fact, I did none of it as an undergraduate!

Outstanding undergraduate students may already have names of papers, patents, prizes or something else to show research prowess, but that wasn’t me.

If you’re struggling with securing PhD funding, getting a job as a research assistant in the meantime can be a great idea. Along with building up your research credentials it can also help you to understand whether you’d enjoy a career in research prior to committing to a PhD.

How I Got a PhD Scholarship at Imperial

When I was looking for PhD projects at Imperial I got in contact with a potential PhD supervisor who had advertised a PhD online and we discussed different funding routes.

Before applying for the scholarship I eventually got, there were a few other potential funding options on the table:

• Project-specific funding already in place. This is what initially got me chatting with the supervisor. I had previously learned my lesson that seeing a project advertised online doesn’t mean it is automatically funded!
• An in-progress grant application to a research council which would have funded my PhD. We did also eventually get this grant.
• The prestigious President’s PhD scholarships which funds 50 projects per year at Imperial. I did apply for this but was unsuccessful with the application and didn’t make the short list. This scholarship was more prestigious than the one I eventually won.

During these discussions I got told about the possibility of applying for another scholarship, which was the one I went on to get awarded. This highlights the value of having several applications on the go for different funding pots.

Had I not engaged directly with a supervisor who was within the university I would have never found out about the scholarship, since as far as I know it wasn’t ever advertised online.

Applying for the PhD Scholarship

The first I heard about the PhD scholarship was when I got told that the department was considering putting me forward for it. It turned out that the scholarship would fund one PhD across the entire university, and each department could only put forward one student to apply.

Just one PhD project across the whole university! Even just getting selected to represent the department would be tough.

This all sounded extremely intimidating to me. We’ll shortly come onto things you can do to boost your chances of success.

Here is what I had to provide for the application:

• A copy of the standard university online application: form, CV, personal statement, undergraduate transcript
• PhD scholarship proposal
• Two references
• A statement from the Supervisor / Head of department in support of the scholarship application

How Long Does it Take to Get a PhD Scholarship?

Here is the timeline to me securing my scholarship, from finding a PhD advert through to getting the all important scholarship offer.

• Mid December 2015 – I found an advert for a fully funded PhD project.
• 4th January 2016 – I emailed the potential supervisor with my CV and a cover letter attached, saying that I was interested in the project.
• 15th January – Response from the supervisor: “You have a very strong cv and I think you should apply for a PhD scholarship, have you considered this? Have a look at the details for the President’s scholarship. With a first class degree and several papers I would say you have a strong chance of winning one.”
• 18th January – First chat with supervisor on the phone. We discussed how I had already applied for a PhD in the past (got the place but no funding) with someone who turned out to be a close collaborator of his. We decided this person would be my second supervisor if we got funding.
• 25th January – Supervisor sent me a PhD scholarship project proposal that he and the co-supervisor wanted to propose to me. Yes, they basically wrote it for me. Yes I got lucky.
• 26th January – Received feedback on my personal statement from the supervisor, and got pushed to submit the online application.
• 9th February – First I heard about the scholarship . Since I had been in contact for a few weeks and they had my CV, the supervisor had been speaking about me to support staff. I got told that the department wanted to put me forward for the scholarship: I would be the department’s top choice. Eek!
• 12th February – Deadline to submit the scholarship application. Because I’d already been applying for other funding, this mostly just needed the statement of support from my supervisor and finalisation of the PhD proposal.
• 10th March – Unofficial email from supervisor saying we were successful
• 11th March – Official email notifying me that I’d be awarded the PhD scholarship :

I got the PhD scholarship and was elated! 🎉

From initially speaking to the potential supervisor to getting the scholarship took about 9 weeks. From finding out about the scholarship to getting it took just over 4 weeks.

I certainly don’t expect I was the smartest person to be put forward, even just from the department let alone the whole university. My application included my mediocre A level results (AABC) and not-so-committed marks in the first couple of years of my undergraduate degree.

Even so, I was successful. Let’s now dive into what you can do to get your own PhD scholarship.

How to Get Your Own Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

Step 1: identify available scholarships.

To find potential PhD scholarships I suggest looking on the university website and searching online for funding relevant to your domain. For instance Google has its own PhD fellowships .

The best thing you can do is start chatting with potential supervisors. They will know the funding landscape at that specific university very well and will have a good idea of the best routes for PhD funding.

Also, having a supervisor such as mine who was willing to help so much with the application is incredibly useful to boost your chances of success. It is also a very good indicator that they will be supportive throughout your PhD.

I remember when I was first cold emailing potential supervisors: most replied but some never even acknowledged my message: a good sign that maybe they wouldn’t be the best supervisors to work with…

With all PhD funding it is really important to check your eligibility. There are sometimes some limitations to be aware of, for instance:

• Nationality / Citizenship. Some funding is not available to overseas students. Thankfully this isn’t usually the case with scholarships since they aim to attract the best students.
• Background, including undergraduate marks. There are sometimes minimum requirements for the grade you achieved during your prior degree(s). Of course to get a scholarship you’re competing against other students so we’ll shortly come onto how to stand out.

Step 2: Put Together an Outstanding Application

The bits of your scholarship application you can control usually revolve around:

• Your CV – showcasing why you’re a good choice (see my full post on writing a CV here and examples of other researchers’ CVs here )
• Personal statement – your motivation for wanting to start a PhD
• PhD scholarship proposal – what you would like to spend the scholarship money on

I won’t go into depth now on the actual writing of the application, but let me know if you’d like a separate post about how to compose the personal statement and scholarship proposal.

Generally in order to put yourself in a good position make sure to:

• Give yourself as much time as possible
• Incorporate feedback from your potential PhD supervisor(s)
• Be ready to pester your referees to make sure they submit your references on time

Right, now let’s move onto what you can do to bolster your application in order to give yourself the best chances of winning a PhD scholarship.

How to Improve Your Chances of Securing a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

Imagine you’re in the position of awarding PhD funding. How do you decide which candidate to pick?

A good starting point would be looking at how much research experience candidates have and what outcomes they achieved. If someone already has a track-record of conducting research it takes away some of the risks during a PhD and is reassuring for funders that they’ll probably do a good job during the PhD.

The more research experience you can evidence in your application, the far stronger you’ll make the PhD scholarship application.

Some of the main traits that the scholarship committee could be looking for in a PhD student include:

• Research competence
• Enthusiasm for research & outreach
• Academic potential and a thirst for knowledge
• Technical knowledge
• Interpersonal skills

Let’s look at what you can do to evidence each of the above.

Demonstrating Research Competence

1. undergraduate research projects.

Hopefully during your degree(s) you’ve had some research experience. Perhaps this is what got you thinking about starting a PhD.

Being able to use this experience to illustrate your interest, experience and competence in research is extremely beneficial in your funding application. Bonus points if you submitted your work to a journal or conference, as we’ll come onto in a moment.

Examples of undergrad projects could be:

• Individual projects e.g. final year project as part of your degree
• Group projects as part of your degree
• UROP outside of term time

Experience working on your own is great for demonstrating independence while group projects can be useful for showing that you can work in a team. Both are useful but being able to work on your own is definitely the more important of the two.

In your application be sure to focus on what you did, what was novel about it and any interesting experimental or analytical techniques you used: especially if they could be applied to the PhD.

Here is what I had on my CV when I applied for my PhD scholarship:

UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PROJECTS Fourth year project: Optimal design of orthoses for treatment of intermittent claudication Conducted motion analysis capture of human joints to test effectiveness of commercially- available orthoses with EMG technology and muscle activation data Analysed test results, concluding in recommending the most appropriate orthoses for individual participants Progressed validation of a physical artificial leg model and OpenSim software model Third year project: 3-D printing of multi-scale porous biocement scaffolds for ligament attachment Prototyped novel magnesium calcium phosphate biocement scaffolds to investigate 3-D printing parameters for optimum implant integration Analysed parts under SEM to verify multi-scale porosity and XRD for detecting phase changes and composition Conducted a statistical analysis of variance study in sample porosity using optical microscopy and deduced the optimum printing parameters to maximise porosity Wrote a technical report and presented results during an oral presentation and viva Part of my CV at the time I applied for the fully funded PhD scholarship

2. Peer-Reviewed Publications

It is often said that papers are the currency of academia. The advantage of having papers starts with your PhD application.

It’s important to say that you don’t need to have papers to get offered a PhD position. You might not need them to get offered funding via a bursary or CDT, unless it is very competitive. But having any papers published will greatly enhance your chance of being offered a PhD scholarship because it’s so much more competitive.

For more on papers see my publishing series here .

How Many Publications Did I Have When I Applied for My PhD Scholarship?

When I was awarded my PhD scholarship I had on my CV:

• 1 x accepted journal paper
• 3 x abstracts from conferences published in the supplementary sections of journals
• 1 x paper under review at a journal (and clearly described as such)

Of these, I was the first author of just one of the published abstracts.

Just being part of the team showed that I was participating in projects which helped the research community.

Publication Tips to Get a PhD Scholarship:

• If you’re interested in a PhD and are offered the chance to get involved with some research which could result in a publication, do it. It will massively help. Even if it doesn’t end up being published any extra research experience is helpful.
• With the rise of arXiv it is now more easy to share early work and protocols. Sure, it isn’t the same as getting something accepted to a peer-reviewed journal or conference but it if you don’t yet have a complete paper ready to go through peer review, you could use arXiv to demonstrate that you’re working on research outputs.
• Already got publications? Here is a direct quote from my PhD supervisor, a professor at Imperia l: “I would also add the quartile and impact factor of the journals (the people reviewing will be non expert in your field).  You can get the journal quartile rankings here  http://www.scimagojr.com/index.php . Anaesthesia and Journal of Colloid and Interface Science [where I had some of my stuff accepted] are both Q1 and Impact factors of 3.5 and 3.4 respectively which is excellent and should be highlighted.”

3. Attending & Presenting at Conferences

As well as journal articles, another way researchers share their work is by presenting work at conferences. They’re an important part of academia and you’ll undoubtedly attend conferences as a PhD student.

A low stakes way of boosting your prospects of securing a fully funded PhD scholarship are by attending conferences, workshops, symposiums or other meeting points for research. If you’re attending conferences prior to applying for a PhD it can show that you have more than a passing interest in research.

Attending a conference is good for many reasons:

• Learn about potential PhD topics
• Meet current PhD students and ask advice for getting started
• Network with potential PhD supervisors
• Add it to your CV / application and it is something relevant to discuss in a PhD interview

Bonus points if you’re going to a conference which is relevant to your PhD research area. If your CV is looking a little thin I’d suggest highlighting any and every conference you’ve attended. Even small scale research symposiums at a university can be a good way to show that you broadly know how research gets presented.

Going to conferences is great but even better is submitting research to one and ideally presenting it yourself. The cherry on the top is if you, or the person from your group presenting the work, win a prize:

It is particularly useful when accepted abstracts get published as proceedings in a journal. This means that:

• You get a publication out of it
• People not at the conference can see your work, either for PhD interviews or citing it

I wouldn’t worry too much about the prestige of a conference. Showing that you have any experience attending one is great.

I also wouldn’t worry about posters vs oral presentations. Again, experience with either is fantastic.

Conferences on my CV when applying for my PhD scholarship

When I applied for my scholarship funding I’d been to a few different conferences and had some work accepted.

I was very fortunate that when I was applying for a PhD my CV looked like this, with three prizes from conferences:

Burton, M., Heyman, J.,  Clark, J. , Owens, D. (2015) Ventilation problems in a shared airway: the effect of the compression of the endotracheal tube during tonsillectomy. Unpublished poster presentation at:  All-Wales Airway Group , 15 May 2015, Newport, Wales. [Poster presented by co-author and  awarded first prize ] Clark, J. , Short, A., Chawathe, M., Francis, J., Saxena, N., Bogod, D., Girotra V (2014) Development of a realistic epidural simulator – a translational research project.  Anaesthesia ; s4 69: 1-9. [Presented by co-author at AAGBI Annual Congress 2014 and  awarded first prize  in Original Research category] Hamlyn, V.G., Bruynseels, D.,  Clark, J. , Hall, J.E., Collis, R.E. (2014) Assessment and training on a new epidural simulator.  International Journal of Obstetric Anesthesia  2014; S34 23: 44. [Presented by co-author at OAA Obstetric Anaesthesia 2014 and  awarded first prize  in Training poster category] My CV when applying the PhD scholarship I got awarded

It’s important to highlight that I didn’t present any of the work myself.

I was first author for one of them but since it was an anaesthetics conference we figured it would be better for an anaesthetist to present…

Always be truthful with who actually presented, especially if there was a prize involved. Even if you aren’t the presenter, it is easy to see how someone associated with prize-winning work sounds like a good bet to the scholarship committee.

4. Other Research Competence

This could be things such as:

• A year in industry or other work experience. Bonus points if is is a research-orientated environment. Don’t just think R&D for a pharmaceutical company, this could include computational modelling for a car company or analysis in a finance company.
• For data science / AI / ML people: entering Kaggle competitions . Bonus points for doing well.
• Volunteering on a citizen science project.

I didn’t have any of this stuff on my CV when applying for the scholarship.

Demonstrating Enthusiasm for Research & Outreach

Beyond typical research outputs, it can go in your favour if you can show your eagerness to communicate research to others.

• Setting up a research paper reading group at your university
• Starting a podcast and discussing new research or interviewing researchers
• Traditional outreach: exhibiting science to the public, probably through your undergrad university
• Creating YouTube videos
• Writing articles, for instance on LinkedIn or medium.com
• Starting a science website or blog
• Explaining research on Twitter, Instagram, TikTok or anywhere else

All of these show:

• You are the type of individual to go above and beyond to help others to understand research. Funding bodies are starting to care more and more about public engagement.
• Communication skills.
• That you can probably do a decent job at distilling complicated topics into something which is easy to understand. This is a very useful skill.

The handy thing with a lot of these is that you don’t need access to a lab or even to still be affiliated with a university. You can do as much or a little of them as you want.

I’ve written a whole post about STEM volunteering opportunities which I suggest you check out for some ideas for how you could demonstrate enthusiasm for research and outreach:

STEM Volunteering Opportunities in the UK

Any amount is better than none, especially if your CV is otherwise looking a little thin.

What outreach did I have on my CV when applying for my scholarship?

All I had done was manage an academic department’s blog. I actually didn’t start the website you’re reading this on until I was already working towards my PhD.

However, if I had not already had my research assistant experience I certainly would have considered starting something earlier to boost my application.

Demonstrating Academic Potential

Moving on from research, the committee will broadly want to judge your academic potential. Are you a committed student? Can you do well when you apply yourself to a topic? Do you have certain experience which could stand out?

Useful things to have on your CV include:

• Decent grades. Having good grades in relevant modules/units to your potential PhD topic and in research projects throughout your degree help. An impressive overall percentage for the degree (eg 85%) is even better. Me? I just scraped a 1st with 70.5%, see more details in the blue box below.
• Dean’s list, for being one of the top students during your undergraduate degree
• Academic prizes for doing well in certain topics
• Exchange schemes to other universities. Regrettably you get bonus points if it is a big name university, not least because this suggests that it must have been competitive to secure.
• For programmers: sharing coding projects on GitHub, GitLab etc. Bonus points if they’re popular open source projects.

Do You Need Good Grades to Get a PhD Scholarship?

In order to have a competitive application for a fully funded PhD scholarship you will need to have a minimum of a 2.1 overall for your undergraduate degree. However, you certainly don’t need to be top of your class, or having outstanding grades all the way back to school.

My marks? GCSEs: 7A*s, 3As, 1B A-levels: AABC. Which wouldn’t be enough to get into Imperial as an undergrad! Undergrad degree: 1st class. But only just, with my final average at 70.5%. My transcript showed modules with 48% and 54%. Yes, really. The scholarship committee will have seen those grades if they looked closely.

As you can see, I didn’t have a blemish-free stellar track record. However, thankfully, there are plenty of things you can do about it!

Demonstrating Technical Knowledge

Distinct from academic potential is your technical knowledge.

What’s the difference?

• Academic potential is about how you can apply yourself to any topic and do well.
• Technical knowledge relates specifically to your chosen PhD field or topic.

Thankfully, being an expert in your field certainly isn’t a requirement when you’re starting a PhD. I’d go as far as to say that PhD supervisors and funding committees are much more keen to find someone with academic potential and a willingness to learn.

How much technical knowledge do you need?

You do generally need to have at least some knowledge of the field.

For instance, a friend of mine studied human physiology for undergrad and wanted to move into neuroscience for her PhD. Without any technical knowledge in this area she couldn’t convince the committee that she would be able to confidently complete the PhD so she got rejected. Don’t worry, she did go on to get a PhD but in something which she could demonstrate a little more technical know-how in.

If you want to do start a PhD project which falls within the broad category of your undergrad degree, you’re fine. For instance, want to do a project which would be defined as a chemical engineering project and you have a degree in chemical engineering? You’re fine. Usually there is a good amount of latitude too: in this example if you alternatively had a degree in a chemistry or another engineering sub discipline you may also be fine.

You do not need to specifically know lots about your PhD area of focus before you start. Of course, the more specific technical knowledge you can demonstrate certainly won’t hurt your chances, especially for a PhD scholarship.

The exception to all of this are CDTs where you get a year of training to bring non-specialists up to speed in a discipline different to their undergrad.

Demonstrating Interpersonal Skills

Sure, your PhD will involve a lot of lone working but you will also have to interact with other people. Therefore, demonstrating interpersonal skills is a great asset for PhD scholarship applications.

Interpersonal skills include:

• Team work . From basics such as being courteous and respectful to other lab users through to working well with others on joint projects, so things like delegating and splitting tasks up.
• Communication skills. Getting comfortable presenting to a broad audience and discussing ideas with others. In particular showing that you can deal with people from other disciplines and speaking a common language.
• Showing initiative and initiating collaborations . This can involve networking and a motivation to seek out people with complimentary skills to achieve more impactful research projects.

These could be demonstrated by undergraduate projects, work experience, volunteering or even things like sports. Basically try to add in examples of any time you’ve worked with other people.

Do You Need to Tick Every Box to Get a Fully Funded PhD Scholarship?

No, not necessarily. There are loads of ways to impress the committee. For instance, I hadn’t really done any outreach.

When I first sent my CV to my PhD supervisor he immediately highlighted two things which would stand out to the scholarship committee:

• Being named on publications in reputable journals
• Being associated with some prizes at conferences, even though I wasn’t the presenter

I would highly suggest that if you get the opportunity to work on research which could result in a publication, take the opportunity!! Publications are really a golden ticket to a PhD, so do as much as you can to get your name on them.

Don’t be disheartened if you don’t already have experience in lots of these areas, instead focus on ways to gain experience to bolster your CV and boost your chances. This could be either through taking a job temporarily as a researcher (like I did) or proactively doing things outside of work to show your suitability, such as submitting a review article or starting a reading group.

My Top Tips for Getting a PhD Scholarship

For those currently at university:

• Try to get involved with some research and if possible try to present that research somewhere. Saying that you’ve presented at a conference makes you sound like a fully fledged PhD student before you’ve even started. Even better would be to get your name on a paper accepted to a peer-reviewed journal.

For everyone:

• Work with a potential supervisor to perfect your application. Often for scholarships you’ll have to name a supervisor should you get the award. The supervisor should be a great resource for improving your application to give you the best chance of success. If the supervisor doesn’t seem interested in helping you, I’d suggest that they’re probably not someone you want to be working with for the next 3-4 years of your life during a PhD.
• If your CV is looking a little light, consider adding to it with some things you can do in your free time such as research communication: writing articles online, informational YouTube videos etc.

Summary: How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship

In your application and interview try to demonstrate:

Providing as much evidence as you can include for each of these topics will put you in the best possible position for securing a fully funded PhD scholarship.

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

Best of luck with your PhD funding applications. I hope this post has given you some pointers to increase your chances of securing a fully funded PhD scholarship. If you think I’ve missed anything, please do let me know.

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2 Comments on “How To Get A Fully Funded PhD Scholarship”

A holder of a Master of science education degree in wood science and technology I need help to get a full funded phd programme. Currently am teaching in one of the school in Zimbabwe. Also assist on what programme is do i embark on for PHD

Hi Qhubani thanks for your comment. It sounds like you’re on a great path and are picking up useful experience. I would suggest starting to reach out to potential PhD supervisors. They will be best placed people to give you specific advice about PhD programmes relevant to you. See my post about finding supervisors . Best wishes! Jeff

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• Guide to Applying for Graduate School

The process of preparing for and applying to a PhD program can be overwhelming. The University of Pennsylvania has created this webpage to help prospective PhD students think through the process so you can put together a strong application.

A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest degree one may obtain within a particular field of study. This ranges from studies in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields; Social Science fields such as Education, Economics, Political Science, and Sociology; as well as Humanities fields such as English, History, Music, Philosophy, and more. The PhD degree aims to prepare people to think critically, develop research, and produce scholarship that may be used for further research or implementation . The PhD historically prepared students to take on faculty roles in colleges and universities, and that is still the goal for many students pursuing the PhD. However, today the PhD is a sought-after degree in many other industries including pharmaceutical research, arts organizations and other nonprofits, publishing, government policy, big tech, finance, and more.

• Who can apply to a PhD program?   PhD education is available to people from various educational, occupational, socioeconomic, and demographic backgrounds.
• Who should get a PhD?  People interested in uncovering new ideas, solutions, or processes within a specific area of study through conducting independent research.
• Why is it important for diverse candidates to become PhD holders?   Our world thrives on heterogeneous ideas and experiences, which is why it is indispensable to include students with diverse perspectives in our PhD programs. These students will generate important and original research.

Most PhD programs are fully funded, meaning that for a specific number of years, the program will pay for your tuition and fees and health insurance, as well as provide you with a stipend for living expenses . The structure of this funding varies by field. Below is an outline of general funding information as well as trends according to field of study.

• Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships: Part-time service that provides teaching and research training opportunities within your area of study.
• Funding packages provided through faculty research grants: Many STEM fields fund students through research grants awarded to faculty. In these cases, students perform research alongside the faculty. 
• Fellowships: Internal or external merit-based funding. Some fellowships require an application while others are given via nomination. Educational institutions typically have a resource listing fellowship opportunities. Winning a competitive fellowship looks good on your resume.
• Grants: Requires an application with supporting materials of either your grades, scholarly work, and/or anticipated research. These are available through internal and external means. Grants greatly vary so be sure to always understand the requirements. Educational institutions typically have a resource listing grant opportunities. Winning a competitive grant looks good on your resume.
• Employment: For example, serving as a residential advisor, on-campus jobs, etc. Some PhD programs restrict additional employment, so be sure to check before applying for jobs.
• The funding opportunities described here often can be combined.

Choosing a school or program that provides the most potential funding may be a challenging decision. The value of the same amount of funding will differ depending on the cost of living in different geographic locations. Admitted applicants should investigate cost-of-living tools (available on the web) and be sure to understand how their funding will be structured. Ask questions when you are admitted, such as: 

• Could you share more about your program’s funding mechanism?
• For how long is funding guaranteed? How does that compare to the average time-to-completion? Historically, what percentage of students have received funding beyond the guaranteed funding package?
• Does funding cover tuition, fees, books, health insurance?
• Does the funding rely on teaching, research, or other service? How much and for how long? 

Choosing a program for your studies is a personal decision that should reflect not only your research interests, but your work style, and interests outside of the classroom. Here we have identified five key tips to consider when selecting schools. 

• Ask about which programs are strong in your area of interest, which have high completion rates, and which have career outcomes that align with your goals. 
• Explore the websites of the professional academic associations in the field(s) that interest you. Many will have a directory of doctoral programs and other resources for graduate students. For example, see the American Economic Association’s list of graduate programs and their preparing for graduate school page .
• Conduct a general internet search with terms related to your research interest.
• Determine your geographic and personal preferences. Does the area meet your community needs? Is it important that the university aligns with your sociopolitical values? Do you prefer a large city or a smaller/college town? Is there a particular region(s) that has better access to resources needed to conduct your research?
• Access your current or former university career center. These services are often still available for former students!
• As you narrow your choices, try to identify at least 3 faculty in the programs of interest with whom you’d like to study. Also note how many of them have tenure. If relevant, research which of those faculty are taking on advisees in your year of matriculation.
• Read articles from faculty with similar research interests.
• Note the number of awards, publications, and service activities of faculty.
• Identify research opportunities funded by both your program and university at large.
• Connect with current and former students in the program for informational interviews.
• Connect with campus Diversity Offices.
• Whenever possible, before submitting your applications, make an appointment to visit the campuses and department(s) that interest you.
• Use  LinkedIn  to see what graduates of your program are doing and how they are involved in their communities.
• Estimate your feasible cost of living by geographic location and compare to the funding package offered.
• Consider availability of health insurance, childcare, housing, transportation, and other fringe benefits.
• Connect with a local bank or your prospective university’s financial services office for budgeting, savings, and other financial wellness advice.
• Research the career outcomes for PhD graduates from the institutions that interest you in your specific field.
• Your First Year in a Ph.D. Program
• What Does Academic Success Mean and How to Achieve it?  (STEM)
• Pathways to Science  (STEM)
• 7 Advantages PhDs Have Over Other Job Candidates  (Industry)
• During your undergraduate/master’s education, you should pursue coursework and/or research that will prepare you for the higher expectations of a PhD program; for example, taking a research methods course, pursuing a summer research experience, or conducting research with a professor at your home institution.
• Identify instructors who could write a letter of recommendation. Share with those instructors your interest in doctoral studies; faculty can be excellent resources for advice as well as recommendations!
• Experiences outside of higher education can also strengthen your PhD application. These may range from project management to volunteer work.
• Develop soft or hard skills. A soft skill that is most useful from the first day of your PhD program is networking. This is necessary not only for meeting other students but also to find collaborators with similar research interests and selecting faculty for your dissertation committee. Learning how to negotiate will also serve you well when approaching collaborative projects. Hard skills related to your field might include learning statistical analysis software, economic theory, a foreign language, or search engine optimization. In short, identify a few soft and hard skills that you can familiarize yourself with prior to your program’s start date.
• Finally, prepare by identifying leading researchers and practitioners in your field , exploring peer-reviewed literature and/or publications, and gain familiarity with research methods.
• Typically, PhD applications are due 10-12 months in advance of the program’s start date (i.e. apply in November to start the following September). A good rule of thumb is to begin your application process 6 months before the deadline. 
• The availability of reduced application fees or fee waivers varies and sometimes depends on financial status and/or experiences (AmeriCorps, National Society of Black Engineers, attending certain conferences, etc.). If you are interested in a reduced fee or waiver, reach out to the program coordinator for details.
• Be sure to address all the specific questions/topics in the statement prompt. 
• Clearly state why you want to pursue a PhD.
• Propose your research interest.
• Identify the faculty you’d like to study under. 
• Discuss the unique qualities/experiences you offer to the program/school.
• Outline what you hope to do with your degree.
• Ask for recommendation letters early in the process, at least 2-4 weeks before the deadline. A good letter takes time to write!
• Provide recommenders with your resume, information about the program, your statement of purpose and/or information about your research interests and research goals.
• Consider your current/former instructors, supervisors, colleagues. These should be people who can speak to your work ethic, academic abilities, and research interests.
• Test scores (i.e. TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, etc.) may or may not be required.
• All transcripts including those for coursework completed abroad and transfer credits. Some programs require official transcripts, which take longer to procure.
• Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Writing sample (field dependent): Include a graduate-level sample and update any statements, statistics, etc. as needed. It is highly encouraged that you edit your previous work.
• Diversity statement: Many institutions offer an optional short statement where students can expand on their diverse backgrounds and experiences that may contribute to the diversity interests/efforts of the school.
• Dress professionally, even if the interview is virtual. You don’t necessarily need to wear a suit but dress pants/skirt and a blouse/button down shirt would be appropriate.  
• Develop an engaging elevator pitch, a 30-60 second summary of your research interests and what you hope to gain by becoming a student at that particular university. Practice your pitch with a career counselor, faculty advisor, or friends, and ask for honest feedback.
• Prepare 2-3 questions to ask during the interview. These could include questions about program expectations, the experience and success of their PhD students, and (academic/financial/mental health) support for PhD students.
• Some interview programs will include multiple activities including a social event. Be sure to maintain a professional attitude: do not drink too much and keep conversation on academic/professional topics.
• This is also your opportunity to decide whether this campus is a good fit for you.
• Academia Insider  is a good resource. 

Unlike undergraduate and master’s level education, coursework is just one component of the degree. A PhD comes with additional expectations: you must independently conduct scholarly research in your field of study, train in specific activities such as teaching or lab/field research, pass “milestone” requirements along the way, such as comprehensive exams, and complete the process by writing a dissertation. Furthermore, some fields require you to write multiple articles (number varies by field/program) for conference presentation and/or peer-reviewed publication.

There are other important elements as well:

• Student/Advisor relationship. This is one of the most valuable relationships you can have as a PhD student. Your faculty advisor not only assists you with learning how to approach your research topic, but also typically serves as the lead supervisor of your dissertation research and writing, and ideally mentors you throughout the PhD experience. The selection process of choosing your advisor varies so be sure to know what is expected of you as a student and what is expected of the faculty member. Whenever possible, it is important to align your personality and work style with that of your faculty advisor. Many universities publish expectations for the PhD student/faculty advisor relationship;  AMP’ed  is Penn’s guide.
• Other relationships: Your faculty advisor is far from the only important person during your PhD career. Other faculty members will also serve on your dissertation committee and be potential mentors. Students in your program can also provide good advice and guidance along the way.
• Coursework: Most programs have a number of required courses all students must take regardless of research interests. Once you have finished this requirement, the classes you choose should closely align with your research topic. Choose courses that will help you learn more about your dissertation topic and research methods. It is a good idea to discuss elective course selection with your advisor. 
• The dissertation is a large-scale, written document that explores a narrow research topic of your choice. It is the final step before receiving your degree and must be presented and “defended” to your dissertation committee (made up of faculty members) for approval. Defending means that you have to answer in-depth questions about your topic. While this might sound daunting, the dissertation is simply a demonstration of all the knowledge and expertise you have acquired through your PhD education. 
• Networking comes in many forms and includes connections with your fellow classmates, faculty members, and scholarly community. Formal networking events typically take place at academic conferences, where scholars and students present research. Increasing your academic circle will not only allow you to have study buddies, but offer you the opportunity to collaborate on articles or even gain employment. Your school’s career center can provide best practices for effective networking. 

Explore  graduate programs at the University of Pennsylvania  and click on the programs that interest you to learn more about admissions and academic requirements.

Upcoming Penn recruitment events include:

• Fontaine Fellows Recruitment Dinner (by invitation only): every March
• IDDEAS@Wharton  (Introduction to Diversity in Doctoral Education and Scholarship): April 18-19, 2024. Deadline to apply is January 31.
• DEEPenn STEM  (Diversity Equity Engagement at Penn in STEM): October 11-13, 2024. Application opens in March 2024.
• DivE In Weekend  (Diversity & Equity Initiative for Mind Research): Fall 2024

National conferences to explore:

• The Leadership Alliance  supports students into research careers
• McNair Scholar Conferences
• SACNAS , the largest multidisciplinary and multicultural STEM diversity event in the U.S.
• ABRCMS , the annual biomedical research conference for minoritized scientists
• The PhD Project  for students interested in business PhD programs

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How to Find Success as a PhD Scholar

We interviewed PhD students from several schools around the country to find out about their experiences getting in, getting adjusted and getting the most from their programs. These students are from a diverse range of fields. All are recent PhD recipients or current PhD candidates. Here's what they had to say about how to succeed as a phd scholar, in grad school and beyond.

What was the smartest move you made during your program? What do you wish you had done differently?

• Art history : Stay open–minded and honest enough to constantly reevaluate your goals, motivations, interests and happiness. In choosing a program , consider that a department or school that prioritizes teaching, mentorship and community may have advantages over one with a more prestigious name or roster of professors. Foster sociability and solidarity among your fellow graduate students rather than succumb to competitiveness. Your peers will provide you with feedback, moral and intellectual support and a social network that will keep you sane during grad school and keep you in the loop once everyone has graduated and is dispersed throughout academia.
• Bioengineering : I think my smartest move was getting to know several faculty members on campus besides my own research advisor. Not only do other faculty members often have great insight into research problems, they can also be reference–letter writers–and most academic jobs require four or five references! Looking back, I wish I had not stressed so much about first-year classes and general exams. They really had no bearing on the success of my PhD program.
• Computer science : I wish I had gotten my classes out of the way as soon as possible. If you're coming straight out of college, you might be tired of classes and eager to get involved in research, but, later in your career, you will find it tiresome to continue taking classes.
• Sociology : My smartest move was getting involved in a brand new research project from the start. Finding an engaging project with good faculty is a great way to develop intellectual ideas, get access to data, find funding and gain valuable practical research experience. I do wish I had come in with a more concrete sense of what I wanted to study. A clearer sense of academic interest from the start would have streamlined my path through graduate school, and maybe put me on track to finish six months to a year sooner.

Read More: Graduate School Application Timeline

Are there any special perks of being a PhD student that you recommend taking advantage of?

• Bioengineering : Attending research conferences becomes a great excuse to travel the world. I have had the chance to see places that I never would have had I decided to go straight into industry instead of pursuing a PhD.
• Religious studies : Theoretically, being a PhD student could help with the ladies, but that hasn't been my experience. It has been my experience, however, that it helps win over their mothers. One of the best things about being a PhD student is how much free money you're entitled to. We get to travel to Asia for free every summer, just because we're PhD students.
• Sociology : There are a lot of unique cultural events and opportunities on and around college campuses that you don't really find elsewhere. Student life is also remarkably flexible in terms of time. You set your own hours, so if mornings aren't your thing, work afternoons and evenings. The flexibility issue has a downside, though. Because you could be working at all times, on all days, you may often feel like you should be working at all times, on all days. It can be a rather overwhelming sensation, and you can find yourself working long, hard hours without feeling like you're making a lot of progress. This is a tension that lots of graduate students deal with during their graduate careers.

Do you have any tips for post-graduation job placement success?

• Art history : Start insanely early and build your resume with publications and speaking engagements. Go to all relevant conferences and network as much as possible.
• Bioengineering : Your advisor plays a key role in your post-graduation job placement success, especially if your goal is to land a job in academia. Often the only difference between the candidate who gets the job and the one who doesn't is that the hiring committee knows the successful candidate (or his or her pedigree) better than the other. For this reason it is so important for your advisor to help get your name out to his or her colleagues and create a "buzz." Of course, at the end of the day, you have to prove there is substance behind the hype.
• Computer science : It's important to have publications at the big conferences and to meet influential people in your field.
• Sociology : I would say it's very important for you to work on your public speaking skills well before you go into the job market. A brilliant idea presented poorly is not going to get you a job in a tight market, especially at departments that see junior faculty members as potential teachers of introductory courses that need to attract undergraduate majors.

Read More: What are Good GRE Scores?

What are non-academic careers that graduates of your program pursue?

• Art history : Museums, commercial galleries, and publishers (of art criticism or other subject matter) offer the primary career alternatives. However, an MA rather than a PhD would suffice for these. There is no point in writing a dissertation if you do not want to teach and research at the university level.
• Bioengineering : The biotechnology sector is rapidly expanding, providing many opportunities in industry for PhD graduates.
• Computer science : Research labs (e.g., Sun, IBM) are a frequent target.
• Religious studies : Graduates of my program who haven't gone into academics have ended up at NGOs, working for the CIA, and as translators for various organizations, most of them religious.
• Sociology : I can't think of any good specific examples at the moment, but I know of people considering jobs in think-tanks, politics (campaigns, Congressional staff positions, elected positions), government work (the Census Bureau), and even marketing and consulting jobs.

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How to Find PhD Scholarships and Grants

Financing your PhD studies can be challenging, but it's essential to your academic journey. Scholarships and grants can ease this burden, although finding and securing them may seem daunting. 

Navigating your financial prospects can present a challenge, but scholarships and grants are there as available resources. In this blog, we will explain the opportunities to fund your PhD. We’ll also provide practical advice to help you find the right funding options for your PhD. Our guidance aims to give you a strong foundation for success.

Finding Doctoral Scholarships and Grants

Finding funding for graduate studies can be stressful, but scholarships and grants are available if you know where to look. 

• University Funding: Universities often offer scholarships and research grants to PhD students. For instance, the SMU provides various funding options for doctoral students through the Moody School for Graduate and Advanced Studies.
• Professional Associations: Depending on your field of study, grants are often available from professional associations. Have a look at your specific discipline’s association website or reach out to them directly.
• Government and Non-Government Organizations: Both government and non-government organizations offer grants to encourage research in various fields. Explore resources like Grant.gov and The National Science Foundation.
• Industry Partners: Companies often work with universities to fund research in their industry, supporting specific projects or areas of study.
• International Scholarships: International students can find PhD scholarships in the USA, like Fulbright and DAAD .

Essential Scholarship Application Tips

• Start Early: Keep in mind that securing funding takes time, so don’t wait to start your search. The application deadline is often way before the program application deadline.
• Be Thorough and Organized: Keeping track of deadlines, application components and other details can be overwhelming. Create a system that helps you keep everything organized and in one place.
• Tailor Your Applications: Tailor each application to the specific sponsor to maximize its appeal. Remember to show why you’re a perfect fit for their funding.
• Leverage Your Network: Don't hesitate to use your academic network. Professors, colleagues, and alumni can be valuable resources for scholarship and grant opportunities.

Grants and Scholarships for PhD Students vs. Other Forms of Aid

Initially, most students think of scholarships as a lifeline for PhD funding , but it's surprisingly uncommon for students to fund their PhD with scholarships alone. Can you get a scholarship for a PhD? Absolutely. But scholarships for doctoral students can be quite competitive.

In reality, most PhD students utilize a variety of funding sources. PhD programs commonly offer doctoral assistantships and fellowships, which are typically more widely available. Some students even explore additional routes like postgraduate loans, employer support, crowdfunding, and research council grants.

Knowing the ins and outs of each type of funding can help you make a decision that best suits your academic and financial needs. 

Scholarships

Scholarships, financial awards you don't need to repay, often reward merit or specific factors like demographics or career aspirations.

• Doesn't require repayment
• No obligation to perform services

Potential drawbacks:

• High competition
• May need exceptional qualifications

Grants operate much like scholarships in that they do not need to be repaid. They are frequently awarded based on need, although some may also take into consideration academic merit or field of study.

Benefits: 

• Doesn’t require repayment
• Can offset a significant amount of educational expenses

Potential drawbacks: 

• Competition can be fierce
• May have to meet eligibility criteria or conditions

Assistantships & Fellowships

Assistantships and fellowships are also common ways to pay for a PhD.  Assistantships involve providing services to the university by undertaking teaching or research roles, usually in exchange for a stipend and tuition waiver. Fellowships, like scholarships, are merit-based and don't require repayment or work in return. Fellowships usually offer generous resources and are specific to the student's field of study.

• Provide hands-on experience in teaching or research (assistantship)
• Accompanied by generous funding and resources (fellowship)
• Fellowships often provide greater freedom for research compared to assistantships
• Time commitment can impact personal studies (mainly assistantships)
• High competition may require exceptional qualifications or research proposals

While fellowships, assistantships, grants and scholarships for PhD programs aim to reduce the financial burden, they’re understandably different in their commitments, benefits, and application process. 

Discover PhD Funding at SMU

Finding and securing the right funding for your PhD is crucial in shaping a stress-free and productive doctoral journey. Remember, scholarships and grants, while beneficial, are just pieces of a wider resource puzzle that may include assistantships or fellowships. 

These funding options are aimed to ease your financial commitments, so explore opportunities for each, align them with your academic goals, and pave your way towards a rewarding PhD experience .

For more helpful resources or information about SMU's Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, contact us — we're here to help you on your academic journey!

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This page outlines the differences between Visiting Student Researchers, Visiting Scholars, and Postdoctoral Scholars, as well as the policies and application processes associated with each of these categories.

A Stanford postdoctoral scholar is a trainee in residence at Stanford University pursuing advanced studies beyond the doctoral level in preparation for an independent career. Postdoctoral Scholars are appointed for a limited period of time (minimum stay of 9 months) and may participate on Stanford research projects and/or may be supported by external awards or fellowships. Sponsoring faculty must be active members of the Stanford Academic Council. Prior to beginning the postdoc appointment process, the prospective postdoc must have their diploma in hand or a letter from their university's registrar (not the department) clearly stating that ALL degree requirements have been completed.  Sponsoring faculty are responsible to ensure that minimum Stanford funding package for postdoctoral scholars (including salary/stipend and benefits) is met by a Stanford fund or an external award/fellowship.

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Funding Options

• (Preferred method)  The funding is directed to the GSE as a sponsored project, with a principal investigator (PI) identified, and provides a budget that includes all expenses (salary/stipend, full benefits, postdoctoral registration fee and indirect costs).  Please be advised that the cost of benefits can be upwards of 30% of salary/stipend and may depend on the level of coverage.
• In the event that the external source of the funding will only pay the postdoctoral fellow directly, then the funding letter must state the amount of salary/stipend and specify funds that will be used by the postdoctoral fellow to cover full benefits and any other related fees required by Stanford University.  Please be advised that the cost of benefits can be upwards of 30% of salary/stipend and may depend on the level of coverage.  In cases where the postdoctoral fellow will be paying for his/her benefits, the arrangement must be reviewed and approved by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs prior to the appointment.

Benefits Given to Postdoctoral Fellows

• Official affiliation with Stanford University (Stanford ID, $20 fee to be paid at ID card office)
• Stanford computer account
• Library privileges
• Medical plan through Blue Shield of CA
• Dental and vision coverage
• Leave benefits
• Use of recreational facilities
• Graduate student housing, only if available after matriculated students are housed
• Access to off-campus housing information
• Audit university courses without fee, subject to permission of the instructor
• If a Postdoctoral Scholar wishes to take courses for credit, the Scholar is responsible for tuition and additional fees.
• Campus parking privileges for a fee (arranged through Parking & Transportation Services)

More Information

In all cases, postdoctoral appointments at Stanford are for the purpose of advanced studies and training under the sponsorship of a Stanford faculty member. Individuals interested in postdoctoral study should make their inquiries directly to the faculty with whom there are overlapping research interests. Faculty members are expected to respond to all correspondence regarding possible postdoctoral status, to determine whether the area of interest is appropriate for study at Stanford, and whether there is sufficient office/laboratory space and other resources needed to support the Scholar. Please note that the standard visa for a GSE postdoc is a J-1. Requests for other types of visas will be considered on a case-by-case basis only. If you would like to hire a postdoctoral scholar, please contact Jeremy Edwards  three months in advance of the anticipated start date in order to begin the application process. No appointment is finalized until approved by the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs. More information for faculty can be found here , and more information for postdocs can be found here . See also the Postdoctoral Scholars website for more information, including minimum salary and funding requirements, appointment terms, etc.

A Visiting Scholar is a scholar established in his or her field (must hold a Ph.D. or be considered a field expert) who visits Stanford from an outside institution or organization and is funded by external or personal sources (cannot be funded by Stanford). Visiting Scholars are not employees or students of the University, and therefore are not entitled to Stanford compensation or other benefits available to regular staff, faculty or students (including health insurance).

Visiting Scholars must be recommended by a faculty member in the School for a fixed-term designation of Visiting Scholar. Faculty will recommend the appointment for approval by the Area Committee and the Deans. A limited number of appointments are available each year. Interested scholars should contact specific faculty directly regarding the possibility of such an appointment, and faculty can work with the Academic Affairs Officer to begin the appointment process. See also the Research Policy Handbook regarding visiting scholar appointments.

Please see the "For Visitors" page on Health Alerts regarding current COVID-19 safety responsibilities.

The benefits given to visiting scholars are as follows:

• Official affiliation with Stanford University (Stanford ID) issued to Visiting Scholars who are in residence for a minimum of one quarter. ($25 fee to be paid at the ID card office)
• Audit University lecture courses without fee, subject to permission of the instructor (Classes that require individual instruction and participation, such as laboratory and language courses, studio and performance courses, or creative writing courses are not authorized for auditing.)

Off-campus Housing Resources for Visiting Scholars

• Faculty Staff Housing

In limited instances, it is to the benefit of Stanford faculty to permit persons who have not yet obtained a Ph.D. (or its foreign equivalent) to engage in research on the Stanford campus using Stanford research facilities. Such instances might include students at other universities who are engaged in graduate-level research in a field of interest to the faculty member, a person doing a laboratory rotation as part of a larger research study or grant, or employees of companies who are conducting research which requires specialized equipment available only at Stanford. Invitations can be extended for up to four quarters.

In order to be a Visiting Researcher at Stanford GSE, one must be invited from a Stanford GSE faculty member by an official invitation letter that includes the amount of time for which the visitor will be conducting research (no appointments are finalized until approved by the Office of the University Registrar and confirmed by the GSE Office of Academic Affairs). Interested researchers should contact specific faculty directly regarding the possibility of such an appointment, and faculty can work with the Academic Affairs Officer to begin the appointment process. Please note that the appointment process can span up to three months, and the process will depend on various factors (student status, citizenship, etc.).

Visiting Student Researchers must be registered as “Non-Matriculated Graduate Students.” They are charged a registration fee of $1,224/month (for the 2022-2023 academic year). There is no prorating of the fee, so corresponding the start and end dates of the appointment with the quarter start and end dates is important. In addition, international students must show proof that they will have a quarterly estimated living expense of $4,529/month while here on campus (this can be a fellowship, personal savings, etc.). All visiting researchers must show proof of health insurance or buy Cardinal Care through Stanford while they are appointed. The Cardinal Care fee is $6,768 for the 2022-2023 academic year. Students must also pay the quarterly campus health fee of $241.

International visiting student researchers will need to have their visa paid for by the faculty sponsor. Stanford charges a $125 fee for preparation of the initial and transfer DS-2019 documents for J-1 Visiting Scholars and family members, which the faculty member may request to be reimbursed by the Visiting Researcher upon arrival at Stanford GSE.

The benefits given to Visiting Student Researchers are as follows:

• Official affiliation with Stanford University (Stanford ID, $25 fee to be paid at ID card office)
• Access to Vaden Health Center (campus health fee applies: $241/quarter)
• Not permitted to enroll in or audit any classes. If VSR wish to take classes at Stanford, they should contact the Office of the University Registrar and request an application for nonmatriculated graduate student enrollment status.

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How to Become a Scholar

Last Updated: July 12, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Arash Fayz . Arash Fayz is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of LA Tutors 123, an academic consulting and private tutoring company based in Los Angeles, California. Arash has over 10 years of educational consulting experience, managing the tutoring of students of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds to score higher on standardized tests and gain admission to their target schools. He has a BA in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of California, Los Angeles. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 320,392 times.

Whether you want to be the next Bill Nye (with tenure!) or you just want to learn as much as you can, being a scholar is easier than it sounds. With some work and determination, you too can bring learning into your life. Read the article below to find out how!

Read a lot.

• There are also loads of books in the public domain, which you can get free digital copies of to keep. Project Gutenberg is the most famous, but you can also get many through Amazon's Kindle program.

Teach yourself.

• This can often take a lot of determination but you can do it! Don't give up!

Try online schools.

• Try using College Board or Khan Academy to help you learn common subjects or to prepare for the SAT or ACT.
• You can also learn languages online for free. Good sites include LiveMocha, Duolingo, and the Foreign Service Institute's online resources.

Learn more than one language.

• Skills in 1 or 2 foreign languages may be helpful as well, in order to read older scientific papers that haven't been translated into English. The most helpful languages to learn include French, German, Spanish, Italian, Latin and Russian.
• You may need to learn Arabic, Persian and Turkish. Many scientists and scholars have passed in Arabian Peninsula, Southeast Asia, Ottoman Empire and Persia (Present day Iran).

Question everything.

Fully form opinions.

Change your mind.

Avoid bias.

Take classes.

• You can also talk directly to the professor and try to work something out between the two of you.

Learn from other people.

• This works better for skills than academic subjects, but you might still be able to find someone sympathetic enough to recommend some good books or other ways to learn.

Spread the knowledge you have.

• When you work in academia, you will usually be required to continue researching in your field, writing papers and books at regular intervals.
• Sometimes you will be allowed to take a sabbatical, or a paid, year-long break in order to work on your research.

Do more than the minimum level of schoolwork.

Get good grades.

• Get extra help from your teachers and communicate with them often if you want to help boost your grade.

Get good test scores.

• Don't feel like getting a bad or average score will keep you from doing the things you want. You can always start at one college and transfer to a better one.
• Set up a quiet study area without any electronics or distractions so you're able to focus.

Have specific goals in school.

• It's okay to change your mind of course, this can just really help.

Spend time studying.

• Get help when you need it. You can ask your classmates, make use of the tutoring center, or you can get help from your professor or the TA.

Befriend your professors.

• You can also get to know your professors by being engaged in class. Sit near the front, answer and ask questions, and be good about participating in general.
• You can also just talk to them and ask for advice. They want to see you succeed and should be more than happy to give you some pro tips about working and getting ahead in the field.

Get all of your necessary degrees.

• Doctoral programs take about 6 years to complete after obtaining a bachelor's degree. This may includes time used for earning a master's degree and completing a dissertation.
• Don't get scared about this though. Graduate school is very different than normal school and, in some ways, it's easier. If you can get in, you can probably handle it.

Stay on top of the latest research in your field.

• Networking with the experts in your field will also bolster your own research endeavors.

Attend conferences.

• Believe us, conferences are more fun than what they sounds like. Realistically, most are just a bunch of scholars getting drunk together.

Study psychology and philosophy.

Do postdoctoral research.

Teach classes.

Do other scholarly activities.

Be curious.

Love learning.

Keep learning.

• Try getting other degrees. Sometimes scholars will go back to school and get degrees. This is often so that they can get further in their career, or if their research area overlaps with another field.

Community Q&A

• Libraries will often have someone who specializes in a particular topic. This person can help you learn more and send you to the best books for what you want to learn. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Take elective courses (while earning the Bachelor's degree) in collateral areas. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
• Go to conferences offered by the national organization for the discipline that interests you to continually expand your knowledge. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

• Being a scholar or typically requires lots of patience. There are equal chances of failure as that of success, hence you should be ready to accept the results as they come. Thanks Helpful 28 Not Helpful 3
• It may be difficult to balance cultivating a strong family life while conducting extensive research. Moving to places to meet job opportunities can also take a toll on your family. Thanks Helpful 19 Not Helpful 3
• Don't base your decision on where to teach solely by prestige of university. Some smaller universities can be top-notch niches in certain fields, and others can have excellent faculty and resources to work with. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 2
• Be wary of online schools that require money. Make sure that they are accredited and that their reputation is good. Thanks Helpful 17 Not Helpful 3
• Due to the larger number of PhD candidates for professorship and commercial positions, prospective scientists and scholars may find themselves having to take a series of postdoctoral positions before landing a permanent position. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 4
• The pay is not always great, and the work can be isolating. When you seek the tenure track, the first 6 years on the job are intense. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0

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About This Article

To become a scholar, try to question everything you hear or read instead of taking it at face value. If information seems wrong or questionable, do your own research to find the facts. Also, try to cultivate your curiosity since scholars are always on a quest to learn new things. Since a scholar is someone who is learning all the time, try to read as much as you can, and attend classes or take online courses to broaden your horizons. To learn how to get good grades in school and get into college, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Top Fully Funded PhD Programs

Karla Ibarra is a content writer at Scholarships 360. She has worked as an English teacher and writing tutor. As a writing tutor, she has experience editing scholarships and college application essays. Karla graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Communication and a minor in English.

Learn about our editorial policies

Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.

Fully funded PhD programs offer students seeking their doctor of philosophy degrees the ultimate experience. With the average cost of a PhD at nearly $100,000 , students are able to focus on their studies without worrying about paying for their degrees or living expenses. Keep reading to learn about some of the top fully funded PhD programs in a variety of majors.

What is a “Doctorate of Philosophy” degree?

A “doctorate of philosophy” degree, better known as a PhD, is among the highest level degrees in the United States. A PhD is awarded after the successful completion of an extensive research and writing project known as a dissertation. Students can earn a PhD in a variety of fields, with most majoring in the humanities or social sciences. 

Further reading: What is a PhD?

How we chose the fully funded PhD programs on our list

We looked for programs that have stellar reputations in their respective majors. It makes sense that the most reputable programs offer the resources that are most important to  PhD students. Working with distinguished professors in their field and having access to outstanding libraries, PhD students will be immersed in the ideal learning environment. 

Opportunities to learn under and network with the most well regarded academics is invaluable for students’ future careers. Finally, we looked for fully funded programs that include not only full tuition coverage, but also living stipends and health insurance. A few of the programs might require students to “give back” in the way of graduate assistantships , so keep that in mind as you read the fine print on each website. 

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The top fully funded phd programs.

The following list is in alphabetical order with no preference for one particular program. We included a variety of majors in different regions, but remember, this is just the start of an exhaustive listing of fully funded PhD programs across the USA and the world!

Boston College’s PhD in English

The PhD in English Program at Boston College prepares students for careers in academia or other English related fields. With a focus on critical thinking, writing, and research, the program explores  literature through abstract, cultural, and historical contexts. Students are able to focus on various literature periods, creative writing, and literary theory.. Working closely with renowned faculty, the program offers abundant resources and support services including fellowships and publishing opportunities. 

• Location: Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
• Focus of study : Creative writing, critical theory, and literary and cultural studies
• What is included : Full tuition remission, health insurance, and a living stipend

Brown University PhD in Computer Science

Brown University offers a PhD program in Computer Science for students interested in a strong foundation in computer science theory and applications and opportunities to conduct research in collaboration with faculty and peers. Brown’s computer science department has research strengths in artificial intelligence, data science, cybersecurity, computer graphics, and theory. The program is designed to provide students with the skills and knowledge needed to conduct independent research in computer science and to prepare them for academic or industrial careers.

• Location: Providence, Rhode Island
• Focus of study : Algorithms, artificial intelligence, computer systems, databases, and more
• What is included : Full tuition, health insurance, and living stipend

Cornell University PhD in Chemical Engineering 

Cornell University offers a PhD program in Chemical Engineering to provide students with a broad foundation in chemical engineering principles and their application to solving real-world problems. The program aims to train students in core courses in chemical engineering, including transport phenomena, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering, while providing them with opportunities to conduct original research. Students in the program have access to state-of-the-art research facilities, funding opportunities, and a supportive community of faculty and fellow students.

• Location: Ithaca, New York
• Focus of study : Chemical engineering principles and research topics including biotechnology, energy, materials science, and process systems engineering
• What is included: Full tuition waiver, stipend, and health insurance

Duke University PhD in Literature

Duke University’s PhD program in literature prepares students for careers in academic research and teaching. The program offers a variety of courses in literary theory, criticism, and methodology, as well as opportunities to specialize in specific genres, periods, and cultures. The program also encourages interdisciplinary work, with opportunities to collaborate with scholars in other fields across the university. Graduates of the program have gone on to careers in academia, publishing, journalism, and other areas.

• Location: Durham, North Carolina
• Focus of study : Literary theory, research methods, and a range of cultural and literary texts
• What is included : Five years of living stipend, tuition, and fees support as well as six years of health and dental insurance

Harvard University PhD Program in Biological Sciences in Public Health

The PhD program in Biological Sciences in Public Health at Harvard University is designed for students who want to pursue research in the field of public health with a focus on biological sciences. The program focuses on the intersection of biology and public health, specifically emphasizing understanding the biological mechanisms underlying disease and developing strategies to prevent and treat illness. PhD students receive a rigorous education in both biological and public health sciences, preparing them to become leaders in advancing our understanding of human health and disease.

• Location: Boston, Massachusetts
• Focus of study : Cancer biology, environmental health, genetics, global health and infectious diseases.
• What is included : Competitive funding packages, including tuition waivers, stipends, and health insurance

Johns Hopkins University PhD in Nursing

The PhD in Nursing program at Johns Hopkins University is designed to prepare nurse scientists who will conduct research to advance nursing science and improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. The program is designed to be interdisciplinary, integrating knowledge from nursing, social and behavioral sciences, and biostatistics. PhD students may work as nursing faculty members, researchers, or policymakers, contributing to advancing nursing practice and developing nursing knowledge.

• Location: Baltimore, Maryland
• Focus of study : Aging and dementia care, cardiovascular and chronic care, community and public health, health systems and outcomes, and more
• What is included: Full tuition with a stipend for the first three years of study

New York University PhD in Education

New York University offers a PhD in Education through its Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development. The program provides a solid foundation in education theory and research methods, including coursework, research apprenticeships, and independent research. Upon graduation, students are well-prepared to pursue careers in academia, research, policy, and leadership in educational organizations. They are also equipped with the skills and knowledge to contribute to developing and implementing policies and practices in education.

• Location: New York, New York
• Focus of study : Learning sciences, educational policy, educational technology, and curriculum development. 
• What is included: Annual stipend, tuition coverage for required course work, and health insurance through the fifth year

Princeton University PhD in Mathematics

Princeton University offers a PhD program in mathematics that is designed to prepare students for careers in academia, industry, or government. The program aims to provide a rigorous and comprehensive mathematics education, emphasizing both the theoretical foundations and applications of the discipline. Students take advanced courses in various mathematical fields, such as algebra, geometry, analysis, topology, and applied mathematics. Princeton’s program in mathematics is widely regarded as one of the world’s most prestigious and rigorous programs.

• Location: Princeton, New Jersey 
• Focus of study : Algebraic geometry, mathematical physics, number theory, and topology
• What is included: Full tuition and student health plan coverage

Rice University PhD in Business

Rice University offers a PhD in Business through its Jones Graduate School of Business, designed to prepare students for academic careers and research-oriented positions in industry and government. Students in the program take courses in microeconomics, econometrics, statistics, research methods, and business ethics. In addition to coursework and research, students in the program are encouraged to work as teaching or research assistants. Rice University’s PhD program provides students with a strong foundation in business theory and research methods, with opportunities to work with world-class faculty on cutting-edge research projects.

• Location: Houston, Texas
• Focus of study : Accounting, finance, management, marketing, and strategic management
• What is included : Waived tuition fees, a stipend to cover living expenses, health insurance, and may be eligible for research and travel funding to support their research projects

University of Chicago PhD in History  

The PhD program in History at the University of Chicago is a demanding but rewarding experience that prepares students for a career in academia as scholars or teaching in the field of history. The program focuses on developing students’ knowledge of cultural, intellectual, economic, political, and social history under the guidance of highly qualified faculty advisors. PhD students also have the opportunity to present their research at conferences and publish articles in academic journals.

• Location: Chicago, Illinois
• Focus of study : Ancient, contemporary, early modern, medieval, or modern history 
• What is included: Tuition, student health insurance, and a stipend for living expenses and research support

University of Michigan PhD in Engineering 

The PhD in Engineering at the University of Michigan is a top-rated program that prepares students for research and academic careers in various engineering disciplines, including biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, civil and environmental engineering, electrical engineering, and many more. PhD students are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to conduct independent research, develop new technologies, and advance the engineering field. The University of Michigan has a strong reputation for research and innovation, and the PhD program in Engineering provides students with ample opportunities to collaborate with faculty and industry partners.

• Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan 
• Focus of study : Materials science, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and computer science.
• What is included: Tuition waiver, monthly living stipend, and health insurance 

University of North Carolina PhD in Media and Communication  

The PhD program in Media and Communication at the University of North Carolina provides students with advanced knowledge and skills in media and communication theories, research methods, and critical analysis. Students can tailor their studies to their research interests by choosing from a variety of electives and seminars offered by the department. Graduates of the program have gone on to work in academia, media organizations, research institutions, and other industries where communication skills and media literacy are highly valued.

• Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina 
• Focus of study : Media and politics, journalism studies, digital media, global media, media effects, and cultural studies
• What is included: Tuition and fees for three years, health insurance, a $20,000+ annual stipend, and support for research and travel

Frequently asked questions about fully funded PhDs

What does 'fully funded phd' mean, can international students apply for fully funded phds, how long does a fully funded phd program take, do i need to have a master's degree to apply for a phd, what is the difference between a phd and a professional doctorate.

Keep reading: PhD vs. Doctorate: Everything You Need to Know

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 19 steps to becoming a college professor.

Other High School , College Info

Do you love conducting research and engaging with students? Can you envision yourself working in academia? Then you're probably interested in learning how to become a college professor. What are the basic requirements for becoming a college professor? What specific steps should you take in order to become one?

In this guide, we start with an overview of professors, taking a close look at their salary potential and employment growth rate. We then go over the basic college professor requirements before giving you a step-by-step guide on how to become one.

Feature Image: Georgia Southern /Flickr

Becoming a College Professor: Salary and Job Outlook

Before we dive into our discussion of salaries and employment growth rates, it's important to be aware of the incredible challenge of becoming a college professor.

These days, it is unfortunately well known that the number of people qualified to be professors far outnumbers the availability of professor job openings , which means that the job market is extremely competitive. Even if you do all the steps below, the chances of your actually becoming a college professor are slim —regardless of whether you want to teach in the humanities or sciences .

Now that we've gone over the current status of the professor job market, let's take a look at some hard figures for salary and employment growth rate.

Salary Potential for Professors

First, what is the salary potential for college professors? The answer to this question depends a lot on what type of professor you want to be and what school you end up working at .

In general, though, here's what you can expect to make as a professor. According to a recent study conducted by the American Association of University Professors , the average salaries for college professors are as follows :

• Full professors: $140,543
• Associate professors: $95,828
• Assistant professors: $83,362
• Part-time faculty members: $3,556 per standard course section

As you can see, there's a pretty huge range in professors' salaries , with full professors typically making $40,000-$50,000 more per year than what associate and assistant professors make.

For adjunct professors (i.e., part-time teachers), pay is especially dismal . Many adjunct professors have to supplement their incomes with other jobs or even public assistance, such as Medicaid, just to make ends meet.

One study notes that adjuncts make less than minimum wage when taking into account non-classroom work, including holding office hours and grading papers.

All in all, while it's possible to make a six-figure salary as a college professor, this is rare, especially considering that 73% of college professors are off the tenure track .

Employment Rates for Professors

Now, what about employment rates for professor jobs? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the projected growth rate for postsecondary teachers in the years 2020-2030 is 12% —that's 4% higher than the average rate of growth of 8%.

That said, most of this employment growth will be in part-time (adjunct) positions and not full-time ones. This means that most professor job openings will be those with the lowest salaries and lowest job security .

In addition, this job growth will vary a lot by field (i.e., what you teach). The chart below shows the median salaries and projected growth rates for a variety of fields for college professors (arranged alphabetically):

Source: BLS.gov

As this chart indicates, depending on the field you want to teach in, your projected employment growth rate could range from 0% to as high as 21% .

The fastest growing college professor field is health; by contrast, the slowest growing fields are social sciences, mathematical science, atmospheric and earth sciences, computer science, and English language and literature. All of these are growing at a slower-than-average pace (less than 5%).

Law professors have the highest salary , with a median income of $116,430. On the opposite end, the lowest-earning field is criminal justice and law enforcement, whose professors make a median salary of $63,560—that's over $50,000 less than what law professors make.

College Professor Requirements and Basic Qualifications

In order to become a college professor, you'll need to have some basic qualifications. These can vary slightly among schools and fields, but generally you should expect to need the following qualifications before you can become a college professor .

#1: Doctoral Degree in the Field You Want to Teach In

Most teaching positions at four-year colleges and universities require applicants to have a doctoral degree in the field they wish to teach in.

For example, if you're interested in teaching economics, you'd likely need to get a PhD in economics. Or if you're hoping to teach Japanese literature, you'd get a PhD in a relevant field, such as Japanese studies, Japanese literature, or comparative literature.

Doctoral programs usually take five to seven years and require you to have a bachelor's degree and a master's degree. (Note, however, that many doctoral programs do allow you to earn your master's along the way.)

But is it possible to teach college-level classes without a doctoral degree? Yes—but only at certain schools and in certain fields.

As the BLS notes, some community colleges and technical schools allow people with just a master's degree to teach classes ; however, these positions can be quite competitive, so if you've only got a master's degree and are up against applicants with doctorates, you'll likely have a lower chance of standing out and getting that job offer .

In addition, some fields let those with just master's degrees teach classes. For example, for creative writing programs, you'd only need a Master of Fine Arts.

#2: Teaching Experience

Another huge plus for those looking to become professors is teaching experience. This means any experience with leading or instructing classes or students.

Most college professors gain teaching experience as graduate students. In many master's and doctoral programs, students are encouraged (sometimes even required) to either lead or assist with undergraduate classes.

At some colleges, such as the University of Michigan, graduate students can get part-time teaching jobs as Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) . For this position, you'll usually teach undergraduate classes under the supervision of a full-time faculty member.

Another college-level teaching job is the Teaching Assistant or Teacher's Aide (TA) . TAs assist the main professor (a full-time faculty member) with various tasks, such as grading papers, preparing materials and assignments, and leading smaller discussion-based classes.

#3: Professional Certification (Depending on Field)

Depending on the field you want to teach in, you might have to obtain certification in something in addition to getting a doctoral degree. Here's what the BLS says about this:

"Postsecondary teachers who prepare students for an occupation that requires a license, certification, or registration, may need to have—or they may benefit from having—the same credential. For example, a postsecondary nursing teacher might need a nursing license or a postsecondary education teacher might need a teaching license."

Generally speaking, you'll only need certification or a license of some sort if you're preparing to teach in a technical or vocational field , such as health, education, or accounting.

Moreover, while you don't usually need any teaching certification to be able to teach at the college level, you will need it if you want to teach at the secondary level (i.e., middle school or high school).

#4: Publications and Prominent Academic Presence

A high number of publications is vital to landing a job as a professor. Since full-time college-level teaching jobs are extremely competitive, it's strongly encouraged (read: basically required!) that prospective professors have as many academic publications as possible .

This is particularly important if you're hoping to secure a tenure-track position, which by far offers the best job security for professors. Indeed, the famous saying " publish or perish " clearly applies to both prospective professors and practicing professors.

And it's not simply that you'll need a few scholarly articles under your belt— you'll also need to have big, well-received publications , such as books, if you want to be a competitive candidate for tenure-track teaching positions.

Here's what STEM professor Kirstie Ramsey has to say about the importance of publications and research when applying for tenure-track jobs:

"Many colleges and universities are going through a transition from a time when research was not that important to a time when it is imperative. If you are at one of these institutions and you were under the impression that a certain amount of research would get you tenure, you should not be surprised if the amount of research you will need increases dramatically before you actually go up for tenure. At first I thought that a couple of peer-reviewed articles would be enough for tenure, especially since I do not teach at a research university and I am in a discipline where many people do not go into academe. However, during my first year on the tenure track at my current institution, I realized that only two articles would not allow me to jump through the tenure hoop."

To sum up, it's not just a doctorate and teaching experience that make a professor, but also lots and lots of high-quality, groundbreaking research .

How to Become a Professor: 19-Step Guide

Now that we've gone over the basic college professor requirements, what specific steps should you take to become one? What do you need to do in high school? In college? In graduate school?

Here, we introduce to you our step-by-step guide on how to become a college professor . We've divided the 19 steps into four parts:

• High School
• Graduate School (Master's Degree)
• Graduate School (Doctorate)

Part 1: High School

It might sound strange to start your path to becoming a professor in high school, but doing so will make the entire process go a lot more smoothly for you. Here are the most important preliminary steps you can take while still in high school.

• Step 1: Keep Up Your Grades

Although all high school students should aim for strong GPAs , because you're specifically going into the field of education, you'll need to make sure you're giving a little extra attention to your grades . Doing this proves that you're serious about not only your future but also education as a whole—the very field you'll be entering!

Furthermore, maintaining good grades is important for getting into a good college . Attending a good college could, in turn, help you get into a more prestigious graduate school and obtain a higher-paying teaching job .

If you already have an idea of what subject you'd like to teach, try to take as many classes in your field as possible . For example, if you're a lover of English, you might want to take a few electives in subjects such as journalism or creative writing. Or if you're a science whiz, see whether you can take extra science classes (beyond the required ones) in topics such as marine science, astronomy, or geology.

Again, be sure that you're getting high marks in your classes , particularly in the ones that are most relevant to the field you want to teach in.

• Step 2: Tutor in Your Spare Time

One easy way of gaining teaching experience as a high school student is to become a tutor. Pick a subject you're strong at—ideally, one you might want to eventually teach—and consider offering after-school or weekend tutoring services to your peers or other students in lower grades.

Tutoring will not only help you decide whether teaching is a viable career path for you, but it'll also look great on your college applications as an extracurricular activity .

• Step 3: Get a High SAT/ACT Score

Since you'll need to go to graduate school to become a professor, it'll be helpful if you can get into a great college. To do this, you'll need to have an impressive SAT/ACT score .

Ideally, you'll take your first SAT or ACT around the beginning of your junior year. This should give you enough time to take the test again in the spring, and possibly a third time during the summer before or the autumn of your senior year.

The SAT/ACT score you'll want to aim for depends heavily on which colleges you apply to.

For more tips on how to set a goal score, check out our guides to what a great SAT / ACT score is .

• Step 4: Submit Impressive College Applications

Though it's great to attend a good college, where you go doesn't actually matter too much—just as long as it offers an academic program in the (broad) field or topic you're thinking of teaching in.

To get into the college of your choice, however, you'll still want to focus on putting together a great application , which will generally include the following:

• A high GPA and evidence of rigorous coursework
• Impressive SAT/ACT scores
• An effective personal statement/essay
• Strong letters of recommendation (if required)

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to work on your applications so you can submit the best possible versions of them before your schools' deadlines .

If you're aiming for the Ivy League or other similarly selective institutions, check out our expert guide on how to get into Harvard , written by a real Harvard alum.

Part 2: College

Once you get into college, what can you do to help your chances of getting into a good grad school and becoming a college professor? Here are the next steps to take.

• Step 5: Declare a Major in the Field You Want to Teach

Perhaps the most critical step is to determine what exactly you want to teach in the future—and then major in it (or a related field) . For instance, if after taking some classes in computer science you decide that you really want to teach this subject, then go ahead and declare it as your major.

If you're still not sure what field you'll want to teach in, you can always change your major later on or first declare your field of interest as a minor (and then change it to a major if you wish). If the field you want to teach is not offered as a major or minor at your college, try to take as many relevant classes as possible.

Although it's not always required for graduate school applicants to have majored in the field they wish to study at the master's or doctoral level, it's a strong plus in that it shows you've had ample experience with the subject and will be able to perform at a high level right off the bat.

• Step 6: Observe Your Professors in Action

Since you're thinking of becoming a college professor, this is a great time to sit down and observe your professors to help you determine whether teaching at the postsecondary level is something you're truly interested in pursuing.

In your classes, evaluate how your professors lecture and interact with students . What kinds of tools, worksheets, books, and/or technology do they use to effectively engage students? What sort of atmosphere do they create for the class?

It's also a good idea to look up your professors' experiences and backgrounds in their fields . What kinds of publications do they have to their name? Where did they get their master's and doctoral degrees? Are they tenured or not? How long have they been teaching?

If possible, I recommend meeting with a professor directly (ideally, one who's in the same field you want to teach in) to discuss a career in academia. Most professors will be happy to meet with you during their office hours to talk about your career interests and offer advice.

Doing all of this will give you an inside look at what the job of professor actually entails and help you decide whether it's something you're passionate about.

• Step 7: Maintain Good Grades

Because you'll need to attend graduate school after college, it's important to maintain good grades as an undergraduate, especially in the field you wish to teach. This is necessary because most graduate programs require a minimum 3.0 undergraduate GPA for admission .

Getting good grades also ensures that you'll have a more competitive application for grad school, and indicates that you take your education seriously and are passionate about learning.

• Step 8: Get to Know Your Professors

Aside from watching how your professors teach, it's imperative to form strong relationships with them outside of class , particularly with those who teach in the field you want to teach as well.

Meet with professors during their office hours often. Consult them whenever you have questions about assignments, papers, projects, or your overall progress. Most importantly, don't be afraid to talk to them about your future goals!

You want to build a strong rapport with your professors, which is basically the same thing as networking. This way, you'll not only get a clearer idea of what a professor does, but you'll also guarantee yourself stronger, more cogent letters of recommendation for graduate school .

• Step 9: Gain Research and/or Publication Experience

This isn't an absolute necessity for undergraduates, but it can certainly be helpful for your future.

If possible, try to gain research experience through your classes or extracurricular projects . For instance, you could volunteer to assist a professor with research after class or get a part-time job or internship as a research assistant.

If neither option works, consider submitting a senior thesis that involves a heavy amount of research . Best case scenario, all of your research will amount to a publication (or two!) with your name on it.

That being said, don't fret too much about getting something published as an undergraduate . Most students don't publish anything in college yet many go on to graduate school, some of whom become college professors. Rather, just look at this as a time to get used to the idea of researching and writing about the results of your research.

• Step 10: Take the GRE and Apply to Grad School

If you're hoping to attend graduate school immediately after college, you'll need to start working on your application by the fall of your senior year .

One big part of your graduate school application will be GRE scores , which are required for many graduate programs. The GRE is an expensive test , so it's best if you can get away with taking it just once (though there's no harm in taking it twice).

Although the GRE isn't necessarily the most important feature of your grad school application , you want to make sure you're dedicating enough time to it so that it's clear you're really ready for grad school.

Other parts of your grad school application will likely include the following:

• Undergraduate transcripts
• Personal statement / statement of purpose
• Curriculum vitae (CV) / resume
• Letters of recommendation

For more tips on the GRE and applying to grad school, check out our GRE blog .

Part 3: Graduate School (Master's Degree)

Once you've finished college, it's time to start thinking about graduate school. I'm breaking this part into two sections: master's degree and doctorate .

Note that although some doctoral programs offer a master's degree along the way, others don't or prefer applicants who already have a master's degree in the field.

• Step 11: Continue to Keep Up Your Grades

Again, one of your highest priorities should be to keep up your grades so you can get into a great doctoral program once you finish your master's program. Even more important, many graduate programs require students to get at least Bs in all their classes , or else they might get kicked out of the program! So definitely focus on your grades.

• Step 12: Become a TA

One great way to utilize your graduate program (besides taking classes!) is to become a Teaching Assistant, or TA, for an undergraduate class. As a TA, you will not only receive a wage but will also gain lots of firsthand experience as a teacher at the postsecondary level .

Many TAs lead small discussion sections or labs entirely on their own, offering a convenient way to ease into college-level teaching.

TAs' duties typically involve some or all of the following:

• Grading papers and assignments
• Leading small discussion or lab sections of a class (instead of its large lecture section)
• Performing administrative tasks for the professor
• Holding office hours for students

The only big negative with being a TA is the time commitment ; therefore, be sure you're ready and willing to dedicate yourself to this job without sacrificing your grades and academic pursuits.

• Step 13: Research Over the Summer

Master's programs in the US typically last around two years, giving you at least one summer during your program. As a result, I strongly recommend using this summer to conduct some research for your master's thesis . This way you can get a head start on your thesis and won't have to cram in all your research while also taking classes.

What's more, using this time to research will give you a brief taste of what your summers might look like as a professor , as college professors are often expected to perform research over their summer breaks .

Many graduate programs offer summer fellowships to graduate students who are hoping to study or conduct research (in or outside the US). My advice? Apply for as many fellowships as possible so you can give yourself the best chance of getting enough money to support your academic plans.

• Step 14: Write a Master's Thesis

Even if your program doesn't require a thesis, you'll definitely want to write one so you can have proof that you're experienced with high-level research . This type of research could help your chances of getting into a doctoral program by emphasizing your commitment to the field you're studying. It will also provide you with tools and experiences that are necessary for doing well in a doctoral program and eventually writing a dissertation.

Step 15: Apply to Doctoral Programs OR Apply for Teaching Jobs

This step has two options depending on which path you'd rather take.

If you really want to teach at a four-year college or university, then you must continue on toward a doctorate . The application requirements for doctoral programs are similar to those for master's programs . Read our guide for more information about grad school application requirements .

On the other hand, if you've decided that you don't want to get a doctorate and would be happy to teach classes at a community college or technical school, it's time to apply for teaching jobs .

To start your job hunt, meet with some of your current or past professors who teach in the field in which you'll also be teaching and see whether they know of any job openings at nearby community colleges or technical schools. You might also be able to use some professors as references for your job applications (just be sure to ask them before you write down their names!).

If you can't meet with your professors or would rather look for jobs on your own, try browsing the career pages on college websites or looking up teaching jobs on the search engine HigherEdJobs .

Part 4: Graduate School (Doctorate)

The final part of the process (for becoming a college professor at a four-year institution) is to get your doctoral degree in the field you wish to teach . Here's what you'll need to do during your doctoral program to ensure you have the best chance of becoming a college professor once you graduate.

• Step 16: Build Strong Relationships With Professors

This is the time to really focus on building strong relationships with professors—not just with those whose classes you've taken but also with those who visit the campus to give talks, hold seminars, attend conferences, etc. This will give you a wider network of people you know who work in academia, which will (hopefully) make it a little easier for you to later land a job as a professor.

Make sure to maintain a particularly strong relationship with your doctoral advisor . After all, this is the professor with whom you'll work the most closely during your time as a doctoral student and candidate. Be open with your advisor : ask her for advice, meet with her often, and check that you're making satisfactory progress toward both your doctorate and your career goals.

• Step 17: Work On Getting Your Research Published

This is also the time to start getting serious about publishing your research.

Remember, it's a huge challenge to find a job as a full-time professor , especially if all you have is a PhD but no major publications. So be sure to focus on not only producing a great dissertation but also contributing to essays and other research projects .

As an article in The Conversation notes,

"By far the best predictor of long-term publication success is your early publication record—in other words, the number of papers you've published by the time you receive your PhD. It really is first in, best dressed: those students who start publishing sooner usually have more papers by the time they finish their PhD than do those who start publishing later."

I suggest asking your advisor for advice on how to work on getting some of your research published if you're not sure where to start.

• Step 18: Write a Groundbreaking Dissertation

You'll spend most of your doctoral program working on your dissertation—the culmination of your research. In order to eventually stand out from other job applicants, it's critical to come up with a highly unique dissertation . Doing this indicates that you're driven to conduct innovative research and make new discoveries in your field of focus.

You might also consider eventually expanding your dissertation into a full-length book .

• Step 19: Apply for Postdoc/Teaching Positions

Once you've obtained your doctorate, it's time to start applying for college-level teaching jobs!

One option you have is to apply for postdoctoral (postdoc) positions . A postdoc is someone who has a doctorate and who temporarily engages in "mentored scholarship and/or scholarly training." Postdocs are employed on a short-term basis at a college or university to help them gain further research and teaching experience.

While you can theoretically skip the postdoc position and dive straight into applying for long-term teaching jobs, many professors have found that their postdoc work helped them build up their resumes/CVs before they went on to apply for full teaching positions at colleges .

In an article for The Muse , Assistant Professor Johanna Greeson at Penn writes the following about her postdoc experience:

"Although I didn't want to do a post-doc, it bought me some time and allowed me to further build my CV and professional identity. I went on the market a second time following the first year of my two-year post-doc and was then in an even stronger position than the first time."

Once you've completed your postdoc position, you can start applying for full-time faculty jobs at colleges and universities. And what's great is that you'll likely have a far stronger CV/resume than you had right out of your doctoral program .

Conclusion: How to Become a College Professor

Becoming a college professor takes years of hard work, but it's certainly doable as long as you know what you'll need to do in order to prepare for the position and increase your chances of securing a job as a professor.

Overall, it's extremely difficult to become a professor. Nowadays, there are many more qualified applicants than there are full-time, college-level teaching positions , making tenure-track jobs in particular highly competitive.

Although the employment growth rate for professors is a high 11%, this doesn't mean that it'll be easy to land a job as a professor . Additionally, salaries for professors can vary a lot depending on the field you teach in and the institution you work at; you could make as little as minimum wage (as an adjunct/part-time professor) or as much as $100,000 or higher (as a full professor).

For those interested in becoming a professor, the basic college professor requirements are as follows :

• A doctoral degree in the field you want to teach in
• Teaching experience
• Professional certification (depending on your field)
• Publications and prominent academic presence

In terms of the steps needed for becoming a college professor, I will list those again briefly here. Feel free to click on any steps you'd like to reread!

• Step 15: Apply to Doctoral Programs or Apply for Teaching Jobs

Good luck with your future teaching career!

What's Next?

Considering other career paths besides teaching? Then check out our in-depth guides to how to become a doctor and how to become a lawyer .

No matter what job (or jobs!) you end up choosing, you'll likely need a bachelor's degree—ideally, one from a great school. Get tips on how to submit a memorable college application , and learn how to get into Harvard and other Ivy League schools with our expert guide.

Need help finding jobs? Take a look at our picks for the best job search websites to get started.

Hannah received her MA in Japanese Studies from the University of Michigan and holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Southern California. From 2013 to 2015, she taught English in Japan via the JET Program. She is passionate about education, writing, and travel.

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Phd candidate vs student, published by steve tippins on may 19, 2020 may 19, 2020.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 03:03 am

You make the transition from PhD student to PhD candidate after you complete all your coursework and your comprehensive exams (if required). A PhD candidate’s sole task is to conduct their research and write their dissertation. 

In other words, a PhD student is still completing their coursework. They could be on the first day of their PhD program. A PhD candidate has completed all of the requirements for their degree except their dissertation (yes, that’s the infamous “ all but dissertation ” status).

PhD candidacy means you’re a PhD in training. Now you’re ready to spread your wings a little–with some guidance.

Your time as a PhD candidate is your chance to demonstrate that you are ready to be an independent scholar. It’s also your chance to screw up and have that be okay–to have support. Your committee will help you. Since it’s the first time you’ll go through the process of creating and performing a study on your own, there’s no reason to believe you’ll be perfect at it.  That’s why the process is designed so that your committee can give you guidance.

But besides the simple definition above, what are the implications of being a PhD candidate vs student? Turns out, there are many important differences. Without keeping these in mind when you become a PhD candidate, it’s easy to spin out and get off track and not understand why. 

PhD Candidate vs Student: What Are the Differences?

While “PhD Student” and “PhD Candidate” are both steps on the journey to getting a PhD, there are significant differences between them. Here are some of the differences between PhD candidate vs student.

Lack of Structure

When you’re doing coursework, there is structure; there are assignments and deadlines. Of course, in graduate coursework teachers aren’t on top of you to turn in assignments like they would be in an undergraduate program. However, there is a deliverable (final project, test, etc) that you have to complete each quarter. You have things to complete by a certain time in order to move forward. 

Once you become a candidate, there’s no syllabus and there are no due dates. It’s completely up to you to move forward in the process.

Some people find it hard to make the transition to the lack of structure that comes with being a PhD candidate. 

Academic Writing

Academic writing skills become really important when writing your dissertation –more important even than they were during the coursework phase of graduate school. Academic writing is essentially a new language, with very specific meanings and requirements. 

For example, you can’t just say “people believe x or y,” you have to say who they are and how you know that, giving citations to back it up. Many words (like “significant”) have very specific meanings and can’t be used the way you might use them in speech. 

As a PhD student, your professors should be teaching this language to you, so that as a PhD candidate, it will come as second nature.

How Many People Do You Have to Keep Happy?

Here’s another difference between being a PhD student vs PhD candidate: as a PhD candidate, you reduce the number of people that you have to keep happy. 

As a student, you have to keep in mind the requirements from each professor teaching your classes, as well as matriculation requirements from the department, preferences and advice given by your advisor, and even the research interests of the people for whom you’re writing papers. 

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Once you become a candidate, it’s just your committee that you have to keep happy, meaning that those are the people who will hold you accountable and outline the requirements for completion of the degree. For that reason, you’ll want to choose your committee members with care.  

Hopefully, by the time you need to choose your committee, you’ll have encountered professors who are intrigued by your research interests and with whom you feel personally and professionally compatible.

Freedom to Choose

When you become a PhD candidate, you get to work on what you want to work on. You can pursue the topic that interests you instead of whatever goes with the course you’re in. It’s a time to really apply all those skills you were accumulating in the classes. For example, the statistical procedures you learned in stats classes and theories you learned in the courses for your discipline.

This is the stage of culmination, when everything you’ve learned becomes not the goal, but the foundation for your own body of work. It’s one of the exhilarating (and sometimes intimidating) parts of being a PhD candidate vs a student.

Expectations and Support

Faculty often use the “go wander in the woods” approach for PhD candidates. It’s essentially like hearing, “Go find things and come back to me when you’ve got something.” They’ll usually tell you when it’s not enough, but they might not give you much direction about what they’re looking for beyond that.

The reason for this is to encourage independent scholarship. They want you to have the opportunity to build your own case for why and how this topic should be studied.  But this first foray into academic independence can be quite a challenge.

When they tell you to “go wander in the woods,” they’re not even telling you what kind of tree to look for. Sometimes you get specific directions, but sometimes you get vague answers like “go look for more.” This can be frustrating. Many clients come to me because they need more direction, which is understandable.

In your coursework, you were often given studies to read or asked to find studies on particular topics that relate to the course topic.  Dissertation research is more nebulous.  Your committee members want you to decide which directions to go in and which kinds of studies best relate to your research questions.

They won’t be asking you for the “right answer.” They’ll be asking you, “Why? Justify what you did or plan to do.”

Here’s another difference between PhD candidate vs student: a PhD candidate can put “PhD(c)” after their name, indicating that they have achieved status as a PhD candidate. However, I suggest using caution with this designation. The APA has expressed concern that its use may be misleading to the general public and cause people to believe you have a PhD.

PhD Candidate vs Student: An Interview With a PhD(c)

Did you notice a change in how professors viewed you, once you moved from “student” to “candidate”?

Yes.  It actually happened during my comprehensive exams.  Before that, when I had been asked a question, the professor already knew the answer and was asking to see if I knew also. In my comprehensive exams, I had become the expert and my committee members were actually asking questions out of interest. 

We were all pieces of a puzzle at that point. Instead of them saying, “tell me about John Dewy’s influence on education in the 1920s,” they asked, “How do you think Dewey influenced the school system’s openness to parental involvement in schools?”  The professor who asked that was genuinely interested, because she was an expert in educational history but had not specifically studied parent involvement in schools, as I had. 

That moment represented a big shift for me; it meant that as a PhD candidate, I had to then take responsibility for my own learning, because nobody knew as much as I knew about that particular thing.

It’s exhilarating on one hand, because you suddenly realize you’re the expert. On the other hand, it’s scary because we’re used to somebody else knowing the answer, being able to correct us if we’re wrong.

A Narrowing of Scope

It sounds like your topic was centered on something very particular, so maybe not a lot of other people have studied what you want to study?

Yes, that’s true.  When you go through a PhD program your research area is pretty narrow. You start out with a general interest in something, but as you go through your classes, specific areas start to stand out.  

I started out with an interest in egalitarianism in public education, but my own past experience combined with some seminal texts to direct me toward parent involvement in schools, specifically.  Some books and articles showed me that how schools treat parents can be an indicator of egalitarianism, maybe a clearer one than any rhetoric about the students.

So, there’s this winnowing effect, as you move forward.  Your professors love to watch this, too.  Especially in the smaller, seminar classes, they seem to be waiting to see what makes your heart beat faster.

Speaking of your heart beating faster, is one distinction of the candidacy phase to have more passion about the work you’re doing?

I think that’s ideal, for sure.  It doesn’t always happen, because some professors are really after students who will jump onto their research platform, because they can piggyback on the students’ research to get more publications. Good committee chairs, though, will want you to find your own path toward something you can happily spend a lifetime studying.

I suspect that one of the reasons people don’t finish their dissertations is because they weren’t really passionate about the topic in the first place.  It’s only one possible reason, but it should give a doctoral student pause.  

It’s really hard to finish a PhD, so you want to knock down any barriers to finishing.  Being passionate about the topic will keep you going when things feel onerous.  It’s like marrying someone with a sense of humor — even when you’re not getting along very well, there’s something you can always appreciate about your spouse.

Imposter Syndrome

What about “ imposter syndrome ”?  Does that come into play when you become a candidate?

It sure did for me!  To be one of the only people who’s an expert in that field feels like a huge responsibility because people are depending on you. Your research has to be accurate because people will be making policies based on your conclusions.  

Even with good intentions, your conclusions can be erroneous, and there are plenty of historical examples of policies being made on the basis of erroneous conclusions.  The consequences can be enormous.  And that’s all on you! 

So then the questions become, “Am I really up to this?”  “Who am I to drive policy?”  “I’m just a fallible human being, so why would (or should) anyone listen to me?”  Especially right after comps, I was thinking, “How could I be the expert? Nothing really has changed about me; I’m still the same person.  Yesterday, I was a student, but today I’m an expert?” 

My observation is that this happens with women more than men, probably because women in authority positions are more often questioned than are men. But even for men, this seemingly sudden transformation can make you worry that you’re not qualified for the responsibility you’re being given.

The thing is, It’s not really as sudden as it seems. You’ve been studying something for, say, four years, so you have a claim to expertise. And you’ve been narrowing your interests all along the way, so you’ve been slowly building up your expertise.

Besides, in many good schools, you get warned a lot about how easy it is to make a mistake in research and how easy it is to make false conclusions. They beat that into you so much that it can become a constant doubt. 

In most primary and secondary schools, and sometimes even in college, they teach you to sit down, shut up, and learn something. For people to suddenly be saying, “tell me what you think,” can be challenging. I suspect that that’s another major reason people who finish their coursework don’t complete their dissertation: they’re not sufficiently prepared for this shift in roles.

Suggestions for PhD Candidates

Having been through this shift yourself, do you have any advice for students in this stage of their process?

Mostly, I think it’s a matter of taking personal responsibility and seeing yourself in a new light.  It helps me to consider this process as a transformation — like a caterpillar into a butterfly.  The “student” stage is the caterpillar stage, where you’re eating the milkweed, the knowledge, to nourish you.  

Then there comes a time when you’ve got to stop being a consumer and transform into a real researcher.  That’s like the metamorphosis stage when the caterpillar is in the chrysalis, melting down.  (And I have had plenty of meltdowns myself in this stage!)  That’s when you’re on your own, writing the dissertation.

That chrysalis stage is a real slog.  You try as hard as you can, and your proposal still gets rejected — twice.  Or the IRB wants you to structure the study differently, after your committee has already approved it.  Or you can’t get enough participants for your quantitative study or enough data for your qualitative study — whatever.  It’s the biggest challenge of most people’s life!

But if you stick with it, you actually do get this huge reward.  As a butterfly, or a PhD, you bring something unique to the world.  You have an important role in society that can potentially change the course of history — even if you don’t envision that in the beginning.

And that’s why the committee makes the process arduous.  They want to be sure you’re great at what you do, because there is potentially an awful lot riding on your shoulders.  I’m actually grateful for the rigor they demand.  I want to feel ready for the role I’m taking.

Ultimately, candidacy is time in the chrysalis.  It’s a time of transformation, built on one’s time as a student.  It’s a time in the dark and alone, which makes it challenging, for sure.  But I trust I’ll eventually emerge strong enough to spread my wings.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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A Ph.D. for me? Really?

If you are a CPA with recent practical experience and a love for the profession, the academic accounting community is ready to embrace your talents.

Still don’t know what you want to be when you grow up? Based on the number of emails and phone calls I receive, you are not alone. Sure, you landed your first accounting job (or maybe your second or third), and your career opportunities look limitless, but the little voice in the back of your mind is telling you that there is something more out there. You may even be contemplating returning to school to pursue a career as an accounting faculty member. That idea isn’t crazy—in fact, it’s an excellent career move.

There’s a serious shortage of accounting faculty right now. Faculty retirements are on the uptick (the average age of a tenured accounting faculty member in the United States is 60), enrollment in accounting programs is increasing, and demand for accounting graduates is at an all-time high. Initiatives such as the Accounting Doctoral Scholars Program have been created to address the shortage, but the problem persists.

The reality is that if you are a CPA with recent practical experience and a love for the profession, the academic accounting community is eager to embrace your talents. These qualifications are the beginnings of a solid application to a doctoral program. With a few more additions (e.g., a strong GMAT score, meaningful recommendations, etc.), you could be golden. Now may be as good a time as ever to take a step back, rethink your future, and seize this opportunity.

Here are some things to consider in assessing whether to go back to school to earn a doctorate:

• A Ph.D. is a research degree. If teaching is the only side of the faculty equation that interests you, you may want to pursue a different avenue to the classroom. For instance, many universities seek lecturers and adjunct faculty to meet classroom demand. Seek an opportunity to meet with college and university accounting program administrators to investigate potential teaching opportunities.
• What disciplinary area of accounting interests you? Tax? Audit? Managerial accounting? Accounting information systems? Financial accounting? Since different programs have different areas of expertise, making this decision early will help you determine which programs to apply to.
• Doctoral programs usually take four to five years to complete. Can you commit this time?
• You won’t necessarily have to live on ramen noodles again. Many universities offer fellowships and assistantships to help offset the costs of a doctoral education.

Now is a great time to consider pursuing a Ph.D. in accounting. A career in academia may be right around the corner for you. Before you commit, take the time to explore this option to ensure it is the right path for you.

Still unsure? The toe almost in the water? Why not explore? Attend Steve Matzke’s session on all things Ph.D., including how to apply and what kinds of salaries accounting professors receive, on Aug. 7 at the  AICPA E.D.G.E. Conference  in San Antonio.

Steve Matzke  is the director–Faculty & University Initiatives at the AICPA. The Edge e-newsletter, is dedicated to providing tips and tools of interest to young professionals, including articles on building career resiliency, networking for success, and de-prioritizing the immediate to focus on the important. Watch for it in your inbox.  Subscribe now .

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How to Become a Rhodes Scholar

Recipients of this prestigious award must exhibit academic excellence, leadership and a commitment to service.

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To become a Rhodes scholar, students are typically encouraged to apply during their junior year of college.

Because of its prestigious reputation, the Rhodes scholarship draws applications from thousands of the world's top college students each year. But only a select few who best demonstrate academic excellence, a commitment to others and character traits like courage and kindness are chosen for the scholarship, which allows students to study at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

There's a level of cachet that comes with being a Rhodes scholar, but that's just one aspect that draws students to apply.

"It's an honor that will be mentioned in every introduction to every speech they give for the rest of their life, and will be mentioned in their obituary decades from now," Doug Cutchins, director of global awards at New York University Abu Dhabi, wrote in an email. "It means being connected to other extraordinary young people at Oxford for several years, and then being introduced into a global alumni community of amazing people who are working for the common good. It can open doors that they don't even know exist right now."

What Is a Rhodes Scholarship?

The Rhodes scholarship is managed by the Rhodes Trust, a British charity created to honor the wishes of Cecil Rhodes, a British businessman and politician who established the scholarship in his will. The first scholars arrived at Oxford in 1903, making it the oldest international scholarship.

Each year, the Rhodes Trust selects roughly 100 students from around the world, including 32 Americans, through an intensive application and interview process. The organization doesn't reveal the number of applicants.

The scholarship covers tuition and fees for at least two years of study at Oxford, where scholars can earn a second bachelor's degree, a master's degree or a doctorate degree in one of various subjects.

Scholarship winners must still apply for admission to Oxford, and the scholarship covers application fees. The scholarship also covers the fee for a student visa, flights to and from the U.K., health care coverage and an annual stipend for living expenses – nearly $25,000 for the 2023-2024 academic year.

The total amount of the scholarship varies but can reach about $250,000, representatives at the Rhodes Trust say.

Eleanor Wikstrom, a senior at Harvard University in Massachusetts and winner of a Rhodes scholarship to begin studying at Oxford in fall 2024, says the value of the Rhodes goes beyond the doors it will open. A social studies major with a focus on colonialism, she plans to earn a master’s degree in global and imperial history at Oxford. The ability to study that period of history in the U.K. with students from around the world was a major draw for the scholarship, she says.

“I also think that Rhodes offers this really amazing cohort that is not quite as prevalent with any other scholarship,” Wikstrom says. “Of course, you’re going to be part of an amazing legacy no matter what you do, but the Rhodes scholarship being expressly global and also having this locus at Oxford allows you to interact with scholars from other backgrounds, and it facilitates that much more fluently than the other scholarships would.”

Who Can Apply for a Rhodes Scholarship?

Requirements vary by country, but in the U.S., students must be at least 18 years old and not have passed their 24th birthday on Oct. 1 of the year in which they are applying.

In some instances, older applicants who completed their undergraduate degree later than usual may apply up to age 27, according to Babette Littlemore, director of communications at the Rhodes Trust. Applicants also must have completed or will have completed a college or university undergraduate degree with a GPA of 3.7 or higher.

The scholarship's eligibility requirements for U.S. students have been expanded in recent years to include legal permanent residents and DACA recipients, which refers to an immigration program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals.

The list of countries from which students can apply has expanded, as well. "With the arrival of the Global Rhodes Scholarships, individuals from any country across the globe are now able to apply," Littlemore wrote in an email.

Applicants are chosen by "constituency," which is the country, region or district where they live. Applicants who have dual citizenship or have lived in multiple countries should choose the country they have the strongest connection to, such as where they have citizenship or where they've lived the longest, according to the Rhodes Trust website.

U.S. states and territories are grouped into 16 districts. U.S. applicants typically choose the district in which they have a permanent residence or have spent the most time.

Who Should Apply for a Rhodes Scholarship?

Because of the competitive nature of the applicant pool, successful applicants typically possess at least a 3.9 GPA, says Kyle Mox, associate dean of national scholarship advisement at Arizona State University . But strong academic chops are just one part of the equation, experts say.

The scholarship has continued to promote largely the same values and qualities over the course of its existence, including leadership and public service. The selection committee is looking for applicants "that are going to provide value to the world," Mox says.

“It is intensely service-driven,” he says. “Any students that I’ve worked with who have succeeded, progressed and have been offered the award were passionately motivated by a desire to serve the world. They were high-achieving but not for the sake of being high-achieving. They were high-achieving because they had things they wanted to fix. That’s got to come through in the application."

Because applicants must still apply to Oxford after being awarded the scholarship, the committee looks for well-rounded students who would be easily admissible, Cutchins says.

"They have to have excelled in multiple areas, and at least ticked the box in most if not all of the major facets of student life: athletics, service , the arts, etc.," he says. "Someone smarter than me once said that Rhodes scholars are 'well rounded with a bump.' They are good at everything, and exceptional in one or more dimensions."

Students should take an honest look at their achievements and determine if they meet the criteria, he says. He encourages students who are on the fence to apply, even though "the vast majority of students who apply for the Rhodes – 98%+ – are not going to win."

The application and interview process can be an immensely beneficial experience for students as they embark on their professional life, he says.

"I usually set a low bar, asking students if they are feasible, realistic, plausible candidates," he says. "If a student wants to be a Rhodes scholar, then I think they should make someone else say no to them, rather than them saying no to their own goals."

Rhodes Scholarship Application Process

To become a Rhodes scholar, students are typically encouraged to apply during their junior year of college , experts say. The online application opens in early July each year and closes in early October.

Individual schools often set varying internal deadlines for different checkpoints within the application. While students are explicitly prohibited from receiving help on the personal essay, many schools help guide them through various aspects of the application, such as interview preparation.

1. Required Application Materials

While several pieces of the application are consistent across all constituencies, some details among them change, Cutchins says. All selection committees require a 750-word, original personal statement and a 350-word academic statement. Applicants must also supply an official transcript, a full resume and five to eight letters of reference.

"All constituencies ask that some of the letters are written by people who can comment on the student's academic ability and others serve as character references," he says. "Some constituencies detail the exact number of each kind of letter that should be submitted."

The personal essay should be an incredibly strong and original piece of writing, experts say.

2. University Endorsement

To be considered for the scholarship, applicants must first be nominated and endorsed by their university. Then applicants compete with others within their constituency, or district.

During the endorsement round, many universities organize a nomination committee, which typically consists of faculty members, staff and, if possible, Rhodes scholar alumni, Mox says.

When students are nominated, the university produces an endorsement letter signed by the university president or a high-ranking dean. This endorsement should include confirmation that the student has satisfied or will satisfy the requirements to receive a bachelor's degree in the year following the submission of the application, if the student is an undergraduate.

3. National Round and Interviews

Shortlisted candidates must attend a district reception and interview in November, after which each district committee selects a maximum of two winners.

Wikstrom says she was alerted roughly two weeks prior that she was selected for an interview. In that interim, several fellowship advisers at Harvard conducted intense mock interviews and held a mock reception.

Though the reception is not an official part of the selection process, “if you say something during that reception, it is fair game during the interview,” Wikstrom says, so it's worth preparing for.

The Importance of Being Authentic

While it's wise to prepare, experts say the selection committee values authenticity. Wikstrom says some of the feedback she got during mock interviews was to be less "canned" and show her natural personality more. She spent the final days leading up to the interview re-reading her favorite books, pieces she wrote and essays she wrote in class.

"I wanted to steep myself in those materials that meant a lot to me and were really formative for the way I thought about things. There’s nothing that you can do in that last week or last two weeks that will save you. There’s no new fact you’re going to learn. There’s no new method that’s going to save you. You are the sum of everything you’ve done up to that point. You just kind of have to trust the muscle memory will be there when you need it to be there."

- Eleanor Wikstrom, Harvard University Class of 2024, Rhodes scholar

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PhD student receives fellowship from Apple Scholars program

Nataliya Nechyporenko, a computer science Ph.D. student, has received a PhD fellowship in AI and Machine Learning (AIML) through the Apple Scholars program . The program was created by Apple to recognize the contributions of emerging leaders in computer science and engineering at the graduate and postgraduate level. 

The fellowship provides Nechyporenko support for her research and academic travel for two years, internship opportunities and a two-year mentorship with an Apple researcher. 

Let's learn more about Nechyporenko's research aims and her perspective on the future of robotics research: 

What research do you hope to accomplish through this fellowship?

Think about how you might manually feel around an object to understand its shape, weight, and texture. Or if something is in your way, you'd just push it aside without overthinking it. If you drop something, you'll persistently keep trying to pick it up from different angles until you get it. As you're doing these everyday tasks, you're constantly building up an intuitive sense of your surroundings through trial-and-error. That's the kind of resourceful, flexible, multi-sensory approach I want robots to have when manipulating things – rather than just blindly following a fixed routine. 

The goal is for robotic arms to move and behave with that same kind of curious, improvisational, problem-solving spirit we take for granted as humans. As an Apple AIML scholar, I hope to gain insights into this problem with the help of a fresh network of mentors and collaborators.  

Is this an extension of work you are already doing in your lab? If so, how?

Driven to establish contact-rich planning as a dominant feature in robotics, I focused the first two years of my PhD on analyzing the methods used by state-of-the-art planners and solving the shortcomings leading to the lack of physical robot interaction. 

I have started to extend this work by integrating the empirical formulation of machine learning with model-based algorithmic approaches. I believe this is the path to making robots more adaptable to chaotic human environments. I will continue this work as an Apple scholar. 

What do you think of the current hype around AI and ML? What do you wish people understood about this research area?

The AI and machine learning hype trains have been barreling full steam ahead lately. But robotics? That's an entirely different beast that doesn't follow the overnight disruption narratives. It's a synergy of achievements in areas like materials, manufacturing, sensing, controls theory, and others aligning to reshape the physical world. 

The robotics future will reshape industries and labor concepts, but it will be catalyzed through the patient advancement of many disciplines.

How did you come to study at CU Boulder?

I spent a couple years in the trenches, getting my hands dirty actually building and deploying robots in industry. But after a while, I got this craving -- like there was so much more potential waiting to be unlocked if I could really dive into the deep scientific questions around robotics. That's why I decided to take the plunge back into academia.

What is one of your plans or hopes for the future, either professionally or personally?

I hope to be an expert, a leader, a thinker and a builder. Outside of research endeavors, I aim to be a leader and educator for the robotics and the AI community. Previously, I’ve led volunteering activities, mentored students, and co-organized events that foster discussions around AI. I hope to continue to do so in the future at a larger scale. 

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University of Houston Lands 18 Programs in Latest QS World University Rankings

By Shawn Lindsey — 713-743-5725

• University and Campus

The University of Houston is, once again, demonstrating its strength as a global leader. UH has 18 programs ranked among the top in the world according to the 2024 edition of the QS World University Rankings by Subject , released today by QS Quacquarelli Symonds.

UH’s hospitality programs in the Conrad N. Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership led the way with a world rank of No. 35. The petroleum engineering program in the Cullen College of Engineering also ranked in the top 100 worldwide (51-100).

In its annual list, QS evaluated 55 narrow academic disciplines and five broad faculty areas by analyzing the reputation and research output of almost 5,000 institutions worldwide. In total, it provides independent comparative analysis on the performance of more than 16,400 individual university programs in 96 locations around the world.

“We are pleased to have yet one more accolade confirming the quality of our programs. Our faculty members are at the forefront of groundbreaking research spanning various fields, positioning UH as a global leader in advancing societal progress and fostering innovation,” said Diane Z. Chase, senior vice president for academic affairs and provost.

In addition to the 18 individual subjects that were ranked, UH’s earned an overall world ranking in three of the five broad disciplines: engineering and technology, natural sciences, and social sciences and management.

Using five key metrics— academic reputation, employer reputation, research citations, research impact and cross-border research collaboration. Of the almost 5,000 institutions evaluated, fewer than a third of the institutions earned a published world ranking. The U.S. led the rankings with 213 institutions, followed by the United Kingdom (103) and China (101).

“QS’ analysis of performance trends across nearly 16,000 university departments worldwide continues to illuminate factors influencing the quality of higher education institutions globally,” said QS senior vice president Ben Sowter. “An international outlook remains paramount, manifested through diversity of students, faculty body and research relationships. Additionally, universities experiencing upward mobility have benefited from sustained, targeted investment, highlighting the importance of government support. Meanwhile, the development of partnerships with industry correlates with improved performance in employment and research.”

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   - Education                                                    

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   - Petroleum Engineering                                  

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   - Medicine                                                      

   - Biological Sciences                                        

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How jurors will be selected in Trump’s legal cases - a criminal law expert explains

Professor of Law, Harvard University

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Every defendant is entitled to a fair and impartial jury.

But the process to find one can be long and taxing, particularly in a high-profile trial such as the one in New York, in which Donald Trump stands accused of fraud in his efforts to cover up his relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels by paying her US$130,000 in hush money.

In this case , Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump entered a plea of not guilty.

Since then, Trump has unsuccessfully tried to delay the trial , including a last-minute attempt on March 18, 2024, when Trump’s lawyers claimed in a motion that he needed more time because of “prejudicial” publicity that made it nearly impossible for Trump to receive a fair trial.

Despite those attempts to postpone the trial, jury selection is scheduled to begin on April 15, 2024. Once the members are selected, the trial is expected to feature testimony from both Daniels and Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen , who has admitted making the unlawful payments to Daniels.

In an unusual move, Judge Juan Merchan, who is overseeing the case, had already released the questionnaire for potential jurors and said he would use an anonymous jury. In his ruling on March 7, 2024, Merchan cited “a likelihood of bribery, jury tampering, or of physical injury or harassment of jurors.”

Given all the news coverage of Trump’s legal woes and antics, just how does the court select a fair and impartial jury?

An imperfect system

Regardless of how long it may take, selecting an impartial jury is fundamental to a defendant receiving a fair trial and is enshrined in the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution :

“In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed …”

In order to select an impartial jury, judges and lawyers engage in what is called “ voir dire ,” a French phrase taken from the original Latin that means “to speak the truth.”

A civil or criminal trial presents the opportunity for the judge, prosecutors and defense lawyers to ask potential jurors questions to ensure that each meets the constitutional requirement of being impartial and able to deliver a decision free of any prejudice and based on the evidence.

A popular misconception is that an impartial juror is one who does not know anything about the case before them.

That is inaccurate.

Through a series of questions asked by judges, prosecutors and defense attorneys and answers from potential jurors, the judge will ultimately have to decide whether a prospective juror can put aside any beliefs, biases or preconceptions and render a verdict based only on the evidence presented at trial and in accordance with the judge’s rulings.

The process often starts with potential jurors completing a questionnaire before a trial starts. Typical questions include whether a potential juror has been involved in a criminal case either as a defendant or victim. Another question might ask whether a potential juror has been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony.

Once the questionnaires are reviewed by the judge and attorneys on both sides, the pool of potential jurors is reduced by certain automatic disqualifications, such as no longer residing in the jurisdiction or being related to a court officer involved in the case. Once those disqualifications are completed, the judge and lawyers can then ask questions of potential jurors in the courtroom until they agree on 12 jury members and one or two alternates.

In the case against Trump, lawyers may ask questions that would allow the lawyers to draw inferences about the ability of the prospective juror to be fair and determine which jurors are more disposed to vote for their side of the case.

They could include questions such as: “What station do you watch for your news?” “What newspapers and magazines do you read?” “What part of town do you live in?” “Did you attend the ‘Stop the Steal’ rally?” “Did you attend the ‘Black Lives Matter’ rally?” “What clubs and organizations are you in?” “Do you believe that the election was stolen?” “Do you believe Biden is the lawfully elected president?” “Do you believe Trump is being treated unfairly by the legal system?”

Potential juror disqualifications

There are two ways that prosecutors and defense attorneys can remove a prospective juror from the jury pool.

The first is disqualifying a juror “ for cause .” This is permitted when a potential juror responds to a question in a way that makes the court believe that the juror cannot be impartial. For example, a juror may say that he has made up his mind on the case from media accounts and no amount of evidence could sway his opinion. Such a juror would be disqualified for cause.

The second way to remove a juror from the pool is known as a peremptory challenge , in which a potential juror can be disqualified for almost any reason, even if the juror is otherwise eligible and not susceptible to be removed for cause. One important limit on the peremptory challenge is that the Constitution forbids the use of race as the basis for excluding a juror.

Significantly, while the number of “for cause” strikes is unlimited, each side is given only a few peremptory strikes to use.

In the New York case, for instance, the lawyers on both sides will look for political affiliations, among other factors, in order to determine whether to exercise their peremptory strikes. The prosecutor might reasonably infer that a prospective juror who watches Fox News, reads the local conservative newspaper and volunteers as an organizer for the Republican Party is pro-Trump. Because of that, the prosecutor might exercise a peremptory strike.

The same is true for the defense lawyers. If many details about the prospective juror’s life suggest they are a liberal Democrat, then the defense lawyer would consider a peremptory strike, even if that juror swore under oath that they could be fair.

The role of a judge

As a longtime criminal law scholar and a practicing criminal defense attorney, I have seen how judges tend to be more concerned with quickly empaneling a jury than making sure potential jurors are able to be impartial. Consequently, judges tend to rehabilitate borderline jurors by asking them questions that nearly always elicit a “yes” answer.

A conversation like the following is not uncommon:

Judge: Mr. Smith, even though you told us that you have followed this case closely on the news and firmly believe that the defendant is guilty, can you set aside those beliefs and render a verdict based on the evidence produced at trial?

Juror: Yes.

Judge: I find this juror qualified to serve.

Judges often limit and restrict lawyer questioning during voir dire. This disserves the criminal legal system. If lawyers were more involved in the questioning, they would ask more probing questions and expose disqualifying biases. But to do a full and robust voir dire takes a long time.

The point here is that the voir dire process is imperfect, even if it does work to ferret out the deepest and most strongly held biases.

We can and should do better. The Constitution demands nothing less.

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