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How the PhD Program Works

Program Overview

Completing your doctorate at Wharton requires 5 years of full-time study. The first 2 years in the program prepare you for admission to candidacy by taking courses, qualifying exams, and starting research projects. In the last few years, you are primarily conducting research full-time including writing and defending your doctoral dissertation.

Admission to candidacy.

You begin by taking courses required for your program of study. All programs requires a preliminary exam, which may be either oral or written.

Some programs may have further requirements, such as an additional exam or research paper. If you enter with a master’s degree or other transfer credit, you may satisfy the formal course requirements more quickly.

Beginning the Wharton PhD Curriculum How the first two years of the Wharton program helped students discover their interests, learn the tools of the profession, and fuel their passion for teaching.

The Doctoral Dissertation

Upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, you are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies.

Your doctoral dissertation should contain original research that meets standards for published scholarship in your field. You are expected to be an expert in the topic you choose to research.

You are admitted to candidacy for the dissertation phase of your studies upon successful completion of coursework and passing a preliminary examination, but you can start thinking about and working on research of relevance at any time.

The dissertation process culminates with a “defense,” in which you defend the proposal orally before your dissertation committee.

While working on your dissertation, you interact extensively with Wharton faculty. Together with interested faculty, you create your own research community that includes your dissertation advisor and dissertation committee.

Policies and Procedures

Get more detailed explanation of course requirements, academic standards, the Teacher Development Program, time limits, and dissertation procedures and requirements.

Sample Program Sequence

Years 1 & 2.

Coursework Examination Research Papers Research Activities Field-Specific Requirements

Directed Reading & Research Admission to Candidacy Formulation of Research Topic

Years 4 & 5

Continued Research Oral Examination Dissertation

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PhD completion: an evidence-based guide for students, supervisors and universities

Senior Lecturer in Management, Fellow of the APS College of Organisational Psychologists, Swinburne University of Technology

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Timothy Colin Bednall does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Swinburne University of Technology provides funding as a member of The Conversation AU.

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Many students enrol in a Master or PhD postgraduate research degree, but few complete them. From 2010-2016 , 437,030 domestic and international students enrolled in postgraduate research programs in Australian public universities. Only 65,101 completed within the same six year period.

This discrepancy does not necessarily mean postgraduate research students “failed” their degree. Common reasons not completing a degree include changes of career goals, work-family conflicts, poor health or financial strain. Alternatively, some students remain enrolled in their degree for long periods without making significant progress.

Even so, the discrepancy is large enough for universities to be concerned. Nobody wants a student to suffer through years of hard work and frustration without achieving their goal.

What does research say about completion rates?

Research has identified several factors that make students more likely to persist with their degrees. These factors are related to the students themselves, their supervisor, and the university environment.

Psychological studies of postgraduate students find the more successful ones tend to perceive themselves as competent and be intrinsically motivated . These are students who enjoy their topic area, perceive their postgraduate studies as a valuable learning experience, and who strongly identify with being a career researcher. Students who are motivated by external factors (such as pursuing a prestigious academic role) are more likely to say they want to quit.

Scholarship holders are more likely to complete their degrees. This is likely because they are academically stronger than non-scholarship holders and are less vulnerable to financial strain. Students can support themselves financially through teaching, research assistant roles or other work, but this must be balanced carefully. Part-time students are less likely to complete their degrees.

Students’ field of study also affects completion rates. A higher proportion of students in sciences tend to complete their degrees than those in arts and humanities. This is likely because students working in the sciences are more often involved in laboratory-based work in teams, where there is greater social support and knowledge exchange. People studying humanities more often work on their research alone.

A positive student-supervisor working relationship is critical. A good supervisor should be an expert in the student’s subject of choice and a supportive mentor. They should help the student navigate through the frustrations and uncertainties of writing a thesis, and help students adjust to the world of academia.

Students are also more likely to finish their research degrees if they have strong connections with their peers . Such connections help students develop their professional identity as researchers, as well as providing opportunities for social support and informal learning .

The quality of associated coursework is also important. Ideally, postgraduate programs should provide students with a sound foundation of research skills and content knowledge, and facilitate ongoing communication with their faculty.

Involvement in formal and informal professional activities is also important. Students who complete tend to participate in departmental events, such as research seminars and professional development workshops. They also tend to participate in academic conferences. These events allow students to learn and expand their networks.

What students and their supervisors should do

First, given the importance of the student-supervisor relationship, universities can provide advice to students about locating and approaching a suitable supervisor. Specifically, students should consider the research area they wish to work in and locate a supervisor with relevant expertise. They should approach supervisors with an openness to negotiating a research topic.

Read more: Ten types of PhD supervisor relationships – which is yours?

Both students and supervisors should be upfront about their expectations about how the supervision will work. An excellent starting point for discussion is the Expectations in Supervision questionnaire. Students and supervisors sometimes have mismatched expectations about how often they should meet, the amount of feedback the supervisor should provide on drafts, and how much counselling and emotional support the supervisor should provide.

Supervisors have an important role in providing a realistic preview of academic life. One useful exercise is to review an academic competency model, such as the Vitae Researcher Development Framework , to discuss which skills academics need. In addition to knowledge of their topic area and research methods, academics increasingly need to be good at managing complex projects, working in multidisciplinary teams, and engaging with industry and media.

This discussion should enable supervisors and students to plan how students will develop their capabilities. Alternatively, it could prompt some students to opt out of a research degree if they think an academic role is not compatible with their goals.

What universities should do

As well as providing research training, universities can also increase the capabilities of students by helping them understand self-handicapping patterns. These include busyness, procrastination and disorganisation.

Students can be guided to replace these with more helpful actions such as scheduling dedicated writing time, reframing difficult tasks as learning opportunities, and developing a work routine. This could be done as part of a workshop or supervisory relationship.

Universities should also encourage greater connectedness between research students to build social support. This could be accomplished through team-based activities or face-to-face events.

For instance, some universities offer Three Minute Thesis , a research communication competition where students present their work in under 180 seconds.

Some universities organise Shut Up and Write sessions, which turns writing into a social experience and limits distractions. These activities can be complemented by encouraging students to become involved in supportive online communities and blogging .

Read more: The rise of writing events gives PhD students the support often lacking in universities

Finally, universities should be dedicated to helping academics develop as supervisors through ongoing training and coaching. Departments could consider tracking the progression of students and ensuring supervisors have the time and skills to take on new students.

Completing a dissertation can be richly rewarding, but it’s the endpoint of a process that’s often long, frustrating and uncertain. Helping students achieve their research aspirations makes academic life a better experience for all involved.

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PhD Completion Process

Congratulations!

As a PhD student, you have spent spend significant time at the University of Rochester taking courses, completing research in your field, completing milestones and are now ready to complete your degree.

The final requirement in earning a PhD degree is the completion and defense of the doctoral dissertation. Understanding the steps and associated deadlines in the dissertation submission and degree conferral process is necessary to establish a successful plan. For complete descriptions of the process, please review the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

The page below is organized by before, during and post-oral defense. Please read the page in it’s entirety and email questions you have to [email protected]

Doctoral Qualifying Exam / Admission to Candidacy

All PhD programs must administer a qualifying examination as part of the PhD program requirements. The qualifying examination may be either written or oral or both, at the discretion of the department/program, and must be passed at least six months before the final examination may be taken.

The associate dean of a school certifies that a student has passed the qualifying examinations and is recommended for candidacy.

For more details, please review page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students .

Planning for the Final Oral Exam / Dissertation Defense

At least six months before you plan to defend your dissertation, you should contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the submitting the defense. During the months leading up to the anticipated defense, your graduate coordinator will walk you through the process and explain any department specific nuances.

Pay careful attention to the five PhD degree cycle deadlines. In each degree cycle, there is a deadline for the last day to complete your degree requirements.  There are no exceptions to the deadlines. If a deadline is missed, your name cannot be approved by the Council on Graduate Education and presented to the Board of Trustees until the following degree date.

The oral exam/defense/dissertation is approved at multiple levels of the University. Starting with the program, oral exam/defense/dissertation committee, school graduate deans and the University Dean of Graduate Education. You will receive emails a few days before your defense confirming that the approvals for the defense have all been received.

PhD academic calendar

PhD students can reference their specific academic calendar in the drop-downs below.

To enable review by the Graduate Education Offices in the Schools and University Graduate Education, online dissertation committee and program director approvals must be completed the following number of working days before the defense:

• SMD and SON: At least 10 working days before the defense
• AS&E, Warner and Simon: At least 15 working days before the defense
• ESM: At least 20 working days before the defense

A minimum of five working days must elapse between the approval of the candidate’s School Dean to advance the record to University Graduate Education and the day of the defense. This time has been included in the schools’ lead times listed above.

Defenses may be held during regular business hours on any University working day with the exceptions listed below. See calendar below for additional non-working days.

Monday, May 27:  The University is closed in observance of Memorial Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, June 19: The University is closed in observance of Juneteenth. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Thursday, July 4: The University is closed in observance of Independence Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Friday, August 23, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an August 2024 degree conferral.

Monday, August 26: Fall semester begins.

Saturday, August 31: August 2024 PhD date.

Wednesday, August 28, 4 p.m.: Last day for students who have completed defenses to submit final corrected dissertation for October 2024 degree to the ProQuest website without having to register for Fall 2024. AFTER THIS DATE, SUBMISSION OF DOCUMENTS FOR DEGREE COMPLETION REQUIRES REGISTRATION FOR THE FALL SEMESTER.

Monday, September 2: The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day

Thursday, September 26, 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for an October 2024 degree. NOTE: Students must be registered for the Fall 2024 Semester if submitting documents after August 28.

Friday, October 4: October 2024 PhD conferral date.

Monday, September 2:  The University is closed in observance of Labor Day. This day cannot be counted as a working day.

Wednesday, November 27 through Friday, November 29: The University is closed in observance of Thanksgiving. These three days cannot be counted as working days.

December 2024 PhD conferral date to be updated in late spring 2024.

Tuesday, January 2: Defenses this day must have been registered/approved by University Dean of Graduate Education by December 15, 2023.

Wednesday, January 17, 4 p.m.: Last day for students who have completed defenses to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website without registering for Spring 2024 semester. After this date, submission of documents for degree completion requires registration for spring semester.

Monday, January 15:  The University is closed in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  This day cannot be counted as a business day.

Thursday, February 22, 4p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a March 2024 degree.

Friday, March 1: March 2024 PhD conferral date.

Friday, April 26 , 4 p.m.: Last day to submit final corrected dissertation to the ProQuest website to fulfill degree requirements for a May 2024 degree.

Friday, May 17:  University Doctoral Commencement

Additional Information about Planning for your Defense

Writing your dissertation.

The dissertation process webpage offers several writing resources to help you get started, meet your goals, and complete your thesis/dissertation on time.

You also will want to take full advantage of internal reviews of the dissertation before uploading the thesis for defense registration, in order to minimize the number of errors in the registration version.

Final Oral Examination Committee

Page 11 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail about the make-up of the committee.

PhD Committee Matrix

Approval Process for Non-Standard Committee Membership

Approval must be obtained in writing, based on a petition that includes a rationale for the request and a CV of the proposed nonstandard member.

Contact your Graduate Coordinator to start the petition process.

Page 12 of the Regulations and University Policies Concerning Graduate Students (“Redbook”) goes into detail.

Scheduling your Defense

Contact the graduate coordinator of your program for details regarding the scheduling the defense.

Click here to Download a checklist of information needed to schedule defense

Rubric for Oral Defense

Click here to download the Oral Defense Rubric.

After the final oral exam / defense

Submitting your final dissertation.

Approximately, 24 hours after oral exam, an email is sent that details out the next steps. Including uploading the final abstract and dissertation to ProQuest®, submitting a UR Research authorization form, and completing two required surveys.

UR Research Form

The libraries at  University of Rochester, electronically store and publish the dissertations based on a students embargo restrictions.

You can access our database of dissertations on the UR Research page hosted by the library.

Survey Completion

There are two required survey’s for completion of the PhD Process. The University of Rochester PhD Survey and the national Survey of Earned Doctorates. The links to completing these surveys will be included in the completion memo sent post-defense.

We use a service called ProQuest to administer the electronic final thesis/dissertation (ETD) submission. ProQuest provides services that enable strategic acquisition, management and discovery of information collections. Once you have made any necessary revisions and the thesis/dissertation is final, you are ready to begin the submission process.

PhD Completion Confirmation

Once you have completed the steps above, you will receive an email the confirms that all of the requirements have been completed and will include a PhD Completion memo.

We offer both an electronic diploma and a paper copy diploma to students after their graduation date. Information on ordering replacement diplomas is located on the registrar’s webpage .

Commencement

The University holds one doctoral commencement ceremony each year in May. Eligibility to walk in the May ceremony includes students that graduated between August of the previous year through August of the current year. As an example, the May 2023 ceremony is for students who graduated August 2022, October 2022, December 2022, February 2023, May 2023 and August 2023. Doctoral students are only eligible to walk once.

You will receive information about the ceremony that your are eligible to walk in during the Spring semester.

How to get a PhD?

Interested in obtaining a phd learn more about the steps to earn a phd, careers with phd, list of colleges offering programs and more..

Updated by TCM Staff on 15th April 2021

How to get a PhD: Steps and Requirements Explained

15th April 2021

College Monk — How to Get a PhD

A PhD is a postgraduate doctoral degree awarded to those students who produce an original thesis and make a significant research contribution to their respective field.

PhDs are available for those in a variety of different fields, and it’s often considered the highest and most well-respected degree available. Earning a PhD truly establishes someone as an expert in their field and indicates the deepest level of knowledge on a particular subject.

What is a PhD?

PhD — technically short for Doctor of Philosophy — is a type of doctoral degree, often considered the highest-level degree one can earn.

A PhD is a type of research degree that requires students to do an extensive amount of research and produce an original work, known as a dissertation.

People often use their PhD as a launchpad to pursue a career in academia. But, it’s also a popular option for those pursuing a career in STEM.

Those with PhDs make up a fairly exclusive club. Data from the US Census Bureau shows that fewer than 5% of the population holds a doctorate. And it’s not surprising, considering it often takes up to eight years to achieve this coveted title and requires writing an original dissertation the length of a book.

A PhD is actually just one type of doctoral degree. PhDs are research-focused. The other type of doctorate is application-focused (also known as an applied doctorate).

Source:  https://strathsltresearchers.wordpress.com

PhD admission requirements 

Not just anyone can earn a PhD. Given how well-respected the title is, it takes a lot of work and very specific criteria to enter a doctoral program.

The most basic requirement that all PhD candidates must have is a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution. You won’t be accepted without this. You also usually need a high GPA.

Another requirement is a statement of purpose. In this statement, doctoral candidates will describe why they’re seeking a PhD, what they’ve done so far to prepare themselves, and what goals they plan to accomplish later.

Finally, PhD applicants will need several letters of recommendation. 

If you’re considering pursuing a PhD, it’s critical that you work to build relationships with professors and mentors who might recommend you. There’s a lot of competition, especially for the top PhD programs, and excellent recommendations will help you to stand out.

Keep in mind that the requirements might vary somewhat from one school to the next, so it’s important to do your research and decide ahead of time where you’ll apply.

Steps to obtain a PhD

Earning a PhD is no easy feat. It takes most students years to do so. Let’s look into the steps someone must take to get a PhD.

Step 1: Complete an undergraduate degree

Before you can take the next step toward your PhD, you’ll first have to receive a bachelor’s degree through an undergraduate program at a reputable university.

This education will provide the foundation for your more advanced coursework later. It’s important that you maintain a high GPA throughout your undergraduate years.

Step 2: Complete a master's program

Once you complete your bachelor’s degree, the next natural step is to pursue a master’s degree.

Graduate school requires that a student take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) or the Graduate Management Admissions Test (GMAT). A master’s degree typically takes about two years to achieve, and will be in a particular field of study.

While not technically required for a PhD, most people earn a master’s degree before earning their PhD.

Step 3: Apply for a PhD program

Once you complete your graduate program, it’s time to apply for your PhD program.

There are many doctoral programs to choose from, so it’s important that you research and find the best fit for your field of study.

During the application process, you’ll have to submit the following:

• A completed application
• Undergraduate and graduate transcripts
• Your GMAT or GRE scores
• Letters of recommendation
• A statement of purpose

Step 4: Complete your coursework

When you begin your PhD program, you’ll start by taking your coursework. 

As is usually the case with undergraduate and graduate programs, you’ll likely have some required courses and some electives. Usually, students will prepare their own plan of study for the courses they’ll take over the next couple of years.

Step 5: Prepare a research proposal

A research proposal is a document that outlines what, exactly, a PhD student will focus on during their research. 

A research proposal should include the major question or questions someone plans to answer with their dissertation, and how exactly they plan to arrive at that answer. 

Even though the proposal won’t be a part of your final thesis, it plays a vital role in shaping your PhD.

Step 6: Complete a literature review

The literature review is the first thing you’ll do before starting your project report.

In this review, you’ll conduct an in-depth study of all the research in your field. During this phase, a doctoral student should critically assess the existing literature on their topic and find gaps they may be able to fill with their research.

Step 7: Research and collect results

Once a student has completed their literature review, they’ll do more first-hand research and perform experiments to help answer the questions they’re exploring for their dissertation.

Step 8: Produce a thesis and write a dissertation

Source:  https://www.wikihow.com

Once you’ve completed your research and gathered sufficient results, it’s time to write your final thesis and dissertation. 

Though the two terms are often used interchangeably, your thesis is the argument or conclusion you’ve arrived at, while your dissertation is where you demonstrate your thesis.

Your dissertation is the culmination of all the research you’ve done. Dissertations are original work and often focus on a newly developed theory. A dissertation is roughly the length of a book, and can often take years to produce.

Step 9: Viva Voce

Viva voce is a Latin phrase that means “with living voice” or “by word of mouth.” It’s also the final — and one of the most important — steps in the process of earning a PhD.

Unlike other degrees, where you take a final exam, a PhD candidate must defend their thesis before a panel of appointment examiners. It’s common for the examiners to ask many questions, and this process can often take several hours.

Once you successfully complete your viva voce, you’ll be awarded your doctorate and can add that coveted “Dr.” to your title.

Online colleges offering PhD programs

Many students choose to pursue a PhD through an online doctoral program for the flexibility and convenience it brings. 

Here are a few popular online PhD programs:

What can you do with a PhD?

A PhD is the highest-degree that someone can earn. But after all those years of work, what exactly can you do with your degree?

One of the most common career paths for someone with a PhD is academia. Those with a doctorate degree often go on to teach at universities or spend their careers performing research, not all that different from what they did to earn the degree in the first place.

But academia isn’t the only option for PhD recipients, nor is it the most lucrative. 

PhD students often study STEM fields — science, technology, engineering, and math. Those industries are thriving today more than ever, making it a great field for those holding a doctorate.

Source:  https://www.jax.org

Some of the highest-paying PhD fields include:

• Information assurance
• Computer science
• Biochemistry and molecular biology
• Organic chemistry

Though academia and STEM may be the most common paths for PhD participants, they’re hardly the only ones. There are many options available to someone with a PhD. Other non-STEM fields include clinical psychology, market research, business development, linguistics, and intelligence.

A doctorate is the highest level of degree someone can achieve. There’s no doubt that it takes a considerable amount of work, and it takes most people years to achieve this recognition. 

It’s important to understand these trade-offs before you get started. But once you earn your PhD, you will hold one of the most highly-respected titles in the academic field and have a lot of doors open to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. 1) How long does a PhD take?

A. According to CBS news on an average, an American Student takes 8.2 years to complete their Ph.D. This can change according to various courses and in various countries.

2. 2) What qualifications do I need?

A. In US Bachelors degree holders can also apply for Ph.D. For applying in a PhD program one should have completed 16 years of formal education. Qualification in the entrance test is also necessary.

3. 3) Can I take PhD as a part-time?

A. Yes, part-time PhD is possible, and it has a more flexible schedule with classes and degree completion. In some programs, a minimum one-year residency is required. But, part-time PhD will take more time, and managing a part-time PhD will be more challenging.

4. 4) What is M.Phil?

A. A M.Phil qualification is less advanced than that of a PhD. In this, the students are expected to master a content area and it can be mastered in two years. Moreover, the PhD dissertation takes more time than an M.Phil dissertation.

5. 5) What are Financial Aid options available for me?

A. For Ph.D. there are a lot of financial aid opportunities available in the form of Scholarship and loans. Eg: National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

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How Do You Get a PhD? A Guide to the PhD Timeline

Everyone who considers a doctoral degree knows a Ph.D. is a big commitment. 

Not only will it require all your mental energy, focus, and persistence, but it will also require a significant investment of your time. Your particular area of research, your institution’s policies and procedures, and the standard expectations within your field all play a significant role in how long it takes to earn a PhD. The average PhD length is five or six years, while some students may take eight or nine years.

Regardless of how long a PhD program takes,  there are some common stages of a PhD that all doctoral students share. These major and essential milestones shape the timeline for earning your doctorate . Read on as we take you through each step and explore the typical steps to a doctorate degree.

How Many Credit Hours for a PhD?

The number of hours that you need to complete your doctoral coursework might depend on several factors: do you already have a master’s degree? Will you earn one en route to the doctorate? Or do you even need one? 

Different disciplines and research interests have their own PhD process, but even within your field of study, you may find that institutions have diverse pathways for obtaining that terminal degree. For most, coursework will take anywhere from two to three years to complete.

During this time, students can serve as graduate research or teaching assistants or could even lead their own courses as an instructor. In many degree programs, students develop their potential dissertation topics through their coursework and start to define what their research plans might look like in the next few years.

PhD Qualifying Exam and Comprehensive Exam

Many programs set up academic checkpoints to help keep students on track during their PhD journeys. The timing varies by program, but one of the most common – and possibly most stressful – forms of benchmarking is the PhD comprehensive exam or qualifying exam. Often administered around the end of the student’s coursework, these exams are your chance to demonstrate what you learned in your classes.

Testing is overseen by a committee of faculty from your department. Usually comprised of at least three members, your professors ask questions or assign writing prompts based on your experience in the program thus far. The format is generally a combination of written and oral exams designed to test your expertise in your discipline’s methodologies and significant content areas.

To better prepare yourself, research the number and kind of qualifying benchmarks the program will require in the university catalog before you begin your program. This will allow you and your advisor to effectively plan out the first few years of your degree and give you an idea of how you’ll be evaluated throughout your program.

Dissertation Prospectus and Defense

You may be required to complete and defend a dissertation prospectus before officially becoming a PhD candidate. A prospectus is a document outlining your dissertation plan, which includes an explanation of your research topic, a potential outline of your dissertation, the methodologies you intend to employ, the significance of your research question, and a bibliography including sources that form the foundation of your research.

Your prospectus allows your dissertation advisor to understand the scope of your project. It should be thorough enough that they can provide useful feedback to help shape your research plan. After some revisions, an approved prospectus is the green light to move into the next stage of your PhD.

Advancement to Candidacy

If you have heard the term ABD – “All But Dissertation” – then that means you are in the home stretch of your doctoral program!

Well, sort of…only your dissertation remains!

Dissertation Research and Writing

While you’ve made it through the coursework and qualifying exams, the dissertation is the culminating component of the doctoral degree. At this point, your approved research plan is ready to be set into motion. Depending on your discipline, this could be the stage where you travel extensively to conduct fieldwork, explore archives, or visit labs to collaborate on projects that relate to your dissertation work. For many students, the research phase can take a couple of years, but some may be able to complete it in one.

Writing your dissertation can be one of the most challenging parts of the whole PhD. process. Not only are you condensing years of research into a single cohesive document, but you are also formulating graphs, charts, and other textual references to help clarify your argument. Often, formatting can be a major challenge for many students. 

In this stage, it’s most helpful to seek out resources to help you with the writing process. Many universities have dissertation writing workshops where you can learn best practices, as well as support groups where students meet regularly and help keep each other accountable. Most universities also offer competitive dissertation completion grants, supporting students with additional funding so they focus more of their time and effort on completing this undertaking.

Dissertation Defense

Everyone gets nervous about this major rite of passage. It can be difficult to take criticism over something you have poured your heart and soul into for years. Remember, though, that a good advisor will not let you defend if you’re not ready, and you literally wrote the book on your topic!

The dissertation defense is not intended to tear your work apart but rather is your opportunity to prove your expertise to your dissertation committee. Many defenses are open to observers, so you should attend a few in advance of your own, especially within your department, to get a sense of what it’s like. 

First, you’ll present the main points of your thesis. Then the committee will ask questions so they can clearly understand your arguments. Finally, they’ll send you out of the room while they deliberate and decide if you pass or not. If all goes well, you’ll be addressed as “Doctor” the next time you walk into the room!

Get Started on Your PhD Journey Today

No matter what your particular timeline looks like as you work toward your doctorate, know that the faculty and other students within your program are frequently a huge source of support — which means you won't do this alone! Additionally, every school has resources to assist Ph.D. students, from libraries to writing centers to dedicated student support services. 

If you are excited about beginning your Ph.D. journey, we invite you to request more information or reach out to one of our admissions professionals today. Best of luck as you begin this transformational experience!

learn more about

what it takes to apply to and succeed in a PhD program. Explore our resource — A Guide to Choosing, Applying for, and Thriving in a PhD Program!

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• How to Apply for a PhD – Application Process Explained
• Applying to a PhD

This guide explains the PhD application process and outlines the steps you will need to follow, and information you will need to provide when applying to a PhD programme.

How to Apply for a PhD – Application Process

There is no single guide that can cover the entire application process for applying to PhDs, as it differs not only between universities, but also between programmes. In the same sense, what a supervisor might consider a strong application for one of their programmes, they may consider a weak application for another of their programmes.

Furthermore, the process of applying for a PhD in the UK can be slightly challenging to navigate as there is no centralised application system, as is the case with undergraduate degrees, and the process can vary from university to university.

Regardless of this, the below outlines the most common steps you will need to follow when applying for a PhD. Pay particular attention to each stage, as slipping on a single one of them can significantly affect your chances of securing the PhD you want.

1. Find Research Projects you like

Identify research areas that align with your research interest.

This should be done by thinking about all topics, courses, projects, recent publications, recurring questions or experiences that have caught your curiosity over the past year.

Once you have a better understanding of your preferred research area, browse through our PhD listings  or the ‘postgraduate research degree’ and ‘research centre’ sections of a university’s website if you already have a particular one in mind.

This is probably the most important thing to consider before you apply to PhD programmes given you will be working on your project for the next three to eight years – make sure not to rush it.

Note: If you intend to study part time or via distance learning, make sure to check the university offers this option as not all do.

2. Contact Potential PhD Supervisors

If you are proposing your own research project, which is usually the case with a self-funded postgraduate programme, you will need to find your own potential supervisor.

The best way to find a suitable PhD supervisor is to review the staff profiles on the department’s webpage and examine the topics they have published on in the past two years, as well as the research projects of the students they have supervised in the past. This will help you decide whether their research interests coincide with yours. Outside of research interests, there are other aspects you will want to look for, such as their level of support and patience, and how successful their former students have been. For further information on this, you can learn how to find a good PhD supervisor here .

If you are applying to a pre-determined research project, which is usually the case with funded programmes, you do not need to find a supervisor, as they already have a supervisor assigned to them.

Before you formally apply to funded PhD projects, most PhD supervisors will prefer you to apply informally by  sending them an email with your CV. This is so they can better understand your motives for applying and where your academic strengths lie before you start the formal application process.

3. Online Application Form

Once you have found a research programme you are interested in, most universities will require you to make a formal application via their online application portal. The below outlines the supporting documentation you will likely require when completing your online application form.

Academic Qualifications and Transcripts

If you have completed your studies, you will be asked to provide original or certified copies of your academic qualifications.

If you are still studying, you will need to provide an interim transcript of the grades you have received to date and details of any previous qualifications you have acquired.

Academic CV

An academic CV outlines your contact details, academic background and relevant experience. You can read our guide on how to prepare an effective academic CV  here .

Cover Letter

An academic cover letter can be requested alongside your CV. An academic cover letter explains why you are applying for the particular PhD project, why you are a strong candidate for the position and what you can offer the department as a research student. You can read our guide on how to prepare a strong cover letter  here .

Personal Statement

Instead of a cover letter, you may be asked to submit a personal statement. A personal statement is a short document describing your interest in the research programme and explaining why you believe you are suitable for it.

Research Proposal

Most universities will require you to submit a research proposal, especially if you are not applying to a pre-determined research project.

A research proposal is a short document describing your proposed research project. It outlines your research question, which topic it concerns and why you consider it valuable. It is used to show you have the potential for postgraduate-level research by showing that you can communicate complex ideas and evaluate them at their fundamental level. A research proposal also allows the academic department to match you with a suitable PhD supervisor with the expertise to support you if needed.

To support your application, you will be asked for an academic reference, ideally from one or more academic referees.

This is so the university has evidence from another academic source that you are a person who is capable of undertaking PhD study, not only in terms of your credentials and academic abilities but also in terms of your character, as someone who demonstrates commitment, perseverance, independence and the ability to communicate effectively.

To ensure the legitimacy of your references, universities often have strict requirements for how they are to be provided, such as requiring the use of official letterheads and original signatures from the reference provider. Therefore, you must check the specific requirements of each institution and forward them to your referee to minimise the risk of any rejections.

Other Supporting Information

Most online forms also have sections where you can upload any additional supporting information. This can include example evidence, such as previous papers you have published or conferences you have participated in.

Note that e xample evidence, especially of scientific research, is rarely required for STEM subjects

4. Entry Requirements

Academic qualifications.

The entry requirement for most UK universities is a 2:1 (Upper Second Class Honours) undergraduate degree, or equivalent qualification, in a relevant subject.

Note that while many universities require a Masters degree, not all do; it’s possible to  enrol in a PhD programme with just a Bachelors degree , as many students have successfully done so in the past.

In both cases, you will be asked to submit a copy of your degree certificate if you have completed your undergraduate study.

English Language Requirement

If you are an international student from a non-native English speaking country, most universities will require you to either meet their English language requirements or complete an English course with them before starting your PhD.

The two most common tests used to examine English language proficiencies for postgraduate study are the IELTS (International English Language Testing System) and the TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language).

Although the score requirements will vary depending on the course and institution, the typical requirements are:

• IELTS – Overall score of 6.5, and no less than 6.0 in each test category.
• TOELF – Overall score of 88.

International Applicant

If you’re an international student, you may need a Tier 4 (General) Student Visa to study in the UK. If this is the case, the university will require your passport details or a copy of your first page and photo page.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

5. Other Things to Keep in Mind

In most countries, including the UK, a PhD studentship starts in September or October of each academic year. However, it’s worth noting that most PhD projects are flexible and can therefore start at any time throughout the year.

Application Deadline

The deadline for a PhD position will be indicated in its advert description, however, you should apply to them as early as possible as a PhD position can sometimes be filled before its official closing date.

As well as monitoring the course deadline, also be aware of the closing dates of associated doctoral research funding opportunities. This is because some funded PhD projects require you to apply individually to both the course and the funding opportunity.

Standardised Tests

Depending on the type of doctorate you are applying for, you may need to take examinations as part of the application process.

While this is uncommon in the UK, most graduate schools in the US and Canada integrate standardised tests into their doctoral course admissions process, with minimum test scores set as an entry requirement for their PhD programs.

MPhil Registration First

In the UK, most PhD students first have to register for an MPhil ( Master of Philosophy ) for the first year of their studies, and only if they pass it, which usually requires the production of a report and an informal interview, will their course be upgraded to a PhD.

Making Several Applications

Unfortunately, for various reasons, you may not always get your preferred supervisor or research project, so it is best to apply for several projects on one or more research topics you interest you.

Please note that the application process for a professional doctorate, such as a DBA or EngD, is slightly different from the one mentioned in this guide . Therefore, please consult the guidelines of the university you wish to apply to before applying.

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The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

PhD FAQs – A Complete Beginner’s Guide to Doctoral Study

Tempted to do a PhD but have lots of questions? Hopefully this collection of popular PhD FAQs will help you to tick a few off the list!

Note – If you’re already sure that you want to do a PhD, and are looking for guidance on the applications process, check out my post on How to apply for a PhD which includes advice from successful PhD applicants. My post-PhD reflections on the things I regretted from my own PhD may be useful for you too, you can find that post here .

Let’s start with the absolute basics of PhDs!

What does PhD stand for?

PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. Doctor of Philosophy ? No matter which subject area your PhD is in you’ll become a Doctor of Philosophy because philosophy derives from Greek to mean “Love of wisdom” which make a bit more sense.

What is a PhD?

A PhD is a type of research degree classified as a doctorate. You get a PhD by doing original research into a topic, typically for at least three years.

There are loads of other types of doctorate and a PhD is simply the most common. EngD is another which is relatively common for industry-funded engineering students here in the UK.

PhD & DPhil what’s the difference?

There is no real difference between a PhD and DPhil, they’re both Doctor of Philosophy qualifications. A small number of historic institutions in the UK such as Oxford and York offer DPhils but the degree itself is equivalent.

How common are PhDs amongst the population?

Approximately 1% of the working population (25-64 years old) have a PhD. This varies a lot by country:

Can you call yourself Doctor with a PhD?

Yes you can. Though to avoid confusion with medical doctors, rarely will PhD-holders use the “Dr” title outside of their workplace.

Sometimes PhD-holders will add the abbreviation PhD after their name if they want to make it clear they are a non-medical doctor, for example “Jeff Clark PhD”.

What have I done about my title since getting my PhD? Nothing so far!

Why do a PhD?

Unlike a lot of other degrees, most PhD students get paid to study . Read more in the finances section below.

There are lots of potential reasons to want to do a PhD. The PhD students from our monthly PhD Profiles series said the following:

Sara found research the most enjoyable part of her undergraduate degree and a PhD was a way to carry on with research.

Ornob wants to pursue a career in evolutionary biology so began with a PhD in the field.

Vivienne has aspirations to be a professor so a PhD is a job requirement to progress in academia.

Jeff (me!) had an interest in the field and enjoyed research. I wrote a whole post with a deep dive on why I decided to do a PhD here .

Floor had enjoyed research during her Masters and didn’t think that she wanted a career in industry, so decided to do a PhD.

It’s important to mention that you don’t need to have a desire to stay in academia to do a PhD. In fact, even if you do want to go into academia afterwards, it’s probably good to know early on just how competitive it can be. Many people sadly cannot make a career out of academia long term.

Enjoy the subject matter and want to spend a few years researching it? That is reason enough to do a PhD. I’ve also now written a whole post about the benefits of having a PhD .

Applying for a PhD

Do you need a masters degree to do a phd.

No you don’t necessarily need a Masters degree to do a PhD as long as you can demonstrate you’d be suitable for a PhD without it.

For a more in-depth answer see the separate post here :

Can You Get a PhD Without a Master’s?

If you don’t have a Masters, I’d recommend checking out Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) which offer combined Masters + PhD courses. We have discussed CDTs with a graduate in Floor’s post here .

What grades do you need to do a PhD?

Entry requirements for PhDs can vary. In regards to the UK system usually you’d generally be expected to have at least a 2:1 from your undergraduate degree, plus some research experience.

My experience : I (narrowly) got first class honours in my undergrad (MEng) which certainly does help. But if you can demonstrate aptitude in research you usually don’t need a 1:1. It would be expected for you to have done well in any research projects. If you can get your name on a publication then even better!

The easiest way to find out what is expected is to check the PhD advert for entry requirements. For details on applying for a PhD, including how to find PhD adverts, check out my guide here :

How to apply for a PhD

I work in industry, can I come back and do a PhD?

Absolutely! I worked for almost four years between finishing my first degree and starting my PhD.

A PhD is more similar to a job than any other point in your education, so if you’ve spent time in a structured role it can provide you with a good work ethic. If your time in industry adds relevant skills and experience to your application, even better!

I’ve met loads of people older than me who are pursuing PhDs. If it’s your dream, it’s never too late to start a PhD!

What is the social life of a PhD student like?

Let me get this out the way first: PhD students should be able to have a life outside of the lab! If a PhD student has no time away from research I would personally suggest that they were doing things wrong.

Even if you really enjoy your project, it is good for your mental health to have a social life!

No matter the size of your research group there are often departmental and university-wide events. Plus, besides everyone you may meet through your research and department, PhD students can still join societies and sports clubs through the students’ union. I spent one of my birthdays during my PhD on the beach in Morocco with the surf club, don’t let being a PhD student put your off getting involved!

Check out the full post I’ve written: Do PhD Students Have a Social Life? Sharing My Experiences Making Friends and Avoiding PhD Loneliness

If you do go on to do a PhD, make sure to make the most of all the opportunities ! Your time as a PhD student is fantastic for personal growth.

How much holiday do PhD students get?

Sadly unlike undergraduates, PhD students don’t follow fixed semesters. This means no more three month long summer holiday, sorry!

However most departments recommend PhD students take 7-8 weeks of holiday a year , which is more than practically any job outside of academia.

I kept track of all the time off I took during my PhD and you can find the details here , including a month by month breakdown:

Do PhD Students Get Holidays? Sharing How Much Annual Leave I Take

Getting a PhD

How much work is a phd.

For a month I tracked how many hours I was working and what I was working on, so you can see a breakdown of my calendar here . I found I was working for roughly 40 hours a week. Now that I’ve recently finished my PhD, I’d say that that amount of hours was pretty representative of the whole PhD.

How Much Work is a PhD?

I do of course know some people who worked much longer hours, but most PhD students were on a similar schedule to me. Working roughly 9-5 on weekdays. Treat it like a job and you’ll be fine. PhD students don’t need to be slaving away long hours.

I managed to be strict with my time, largely avoiding work late nights or going in at the weekends. One of the main perks of doing a PhD is that you have autonomy and can be flexible with when you work. As long as you get the work done, any reasonable supervisor won’t mind when you’re there.

Yes I’ve heard stories of PhD students having to clock in and out with an expectation that they spend a certain number of hours in the office. I personally think this is stupid and doesn’t build trust. Try to speak to current PhD students from the group when choosing a supervisor .

How is a PhD assessed?

What you submit at the end of your research varies between universities and countries. Sometimes it’s a thesis and other times it can be a bunch of published papers. In all situations you give some kind of presentation and answer questions about your work.

In the UK you usually submit a thesis in preparation for a viva voce . The viva is an oral exam where you discuss your research with several academics and at least one will be an expert in your field. My viva wasn’t as scary as I thought it might be, but nonetheless it was five hours ( FIVE HOURS! ) long. At the end of your viva you’ll get told the outcome of your PhD with any changes to be made to your thesis.

There is often no requirement , to publish your work in journals during a PhD in the UK but it does help.

In other countries you may have to publish a certain number to pass your PhD and effectively these can be submitted instead of the thesis. This approach makes much more sense to me.

How long does it take to get a PhD?

In the UK, typically between three and four years to complete your research and submit the thesis. It can then take a few months for the exam (viva voce) to take place and then for any corrections to the thesis to be made.

Nosey about my PhD? For me personally, I started the PhD on 1st October 2016, submitted my thesis on 17th February 2020, had the viva on 25th March, submitted my minor corrections on 30th March and had the email to say it was officiated on 1st April 2020. Yep, April Fool’s Day…

When you realise your degree certificate will forever say your PhD was awarded on April Fools Day! #academiclife @imperialcollege pic.twitter.com/hKsGFyuc0x — Jeff Clark (@savvy_scientist) April 14, 2020

We cover all the stages of a PhD here, including putting the length of a PhD in the perspective of a whole career:

How Long Does It Take To Get A PhD?

Are PhDs really difficult?

No, well not how you might think.

You don’t need to be a genius, but you do have to be smart with how you work. Here I go into how a PhD is pretty different to all the prior years spent in education:

How Hard is a PhD?

Check out my new post covering academic challenges and failures relating to my own PhD: Overcoming Academic Challenges and Failure During a PhD

Money-Related Questions

How much does a phd cost.

If you have funding, which is explained below, all your fees are paid for by the funding source. If you are looking to self-fund, then you’ll have to pay bench-fees/tuition fees, which are usually approximately £4,000 a year for home students in the UK.

Fees vary massively depending on both the country the PhD work takes place in and where you’re from. For example, I believe Australian universities charge around $100,000 in fees to overseas PhD students. Of course ideally you have funding which covers both this and pays a stipend!

Do PhD students pay taxes?

In the UK, PhD students do not pay income tax, national insurance, council tax and student loan repayments. This means that if you can secure funding, even though you may earn less than friends in typical jobs, you get to keep all your earnings!

Do PhD students get paid?

Most PhDs, at least in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) get a stipend: basically a tax-free salary.

How much do PhD students get paid?

At the time of writing, most PhD students in the UK get around £16,000 a year . Doesn’t sound like a lot, but:

• As mentioned above, you don’t pay income tax, national insurance, council tax or make any student loan repayments. My most popular post is this one , comparing the income of PhD students vs grad jobs and the difference really isn’t that big. Plus it’s only for 3 to 3.5 years!
• You’re getting paid to learn science, working on something you’re really interested in. It’s amazing.
• You have a lot more freedom than practically any “proper job”.
• You’re getting paid, to be a student…

PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid?

In summary, PhD stipends are really not that different to grad starting salaries. Please don’t be put off from a PhD simply because for a few years you might be earning a bit less than if you were working in another job.

Depending on what you want to do with your career, having a CV may lead to higher salaries. What is 3 years of lower wages out of a 40+ year career? The answer: nothing!

Where do I find PhD funding?

Getting funding will likely be the biggest hurdle for you to secure a PhD. I have a post here detailing the different types of funding and how you can find a project with funding attached.

How to Find PhD Funding in the UK

Can you self-fund a PhD?

Yes you can self-fund a PhD, and some students are in a position to do so. Just be careful that you account for university fees and not just your living costs.

Are you allowed to have another job at the same time?

Most universities encourage you to get involved with work within your department as a graduate teaching assistant (GTA). Some countries even insist that you work a certain number of hours as part of a contract for your monthly stipend.

Working as a GTA you might be invigilating exams, helping in tutorials, marking coursework etc and at Imperial you usually earn around £15-£26 an hour.

If you’re looking to work a full time job in tandem with your PhD (and doing the PhD full time), it is best checking your university’s policy. Some may have regulations against you working over a certain number of hours which could impede you from concentrating on the PhD.

There are extra ways to make money on the side which I address here :

How to Earn Money Online for Students

Can you get a mortgage as a PhD student?

Since I did my PhD in London I didn’t even consider buying somewhere during my PhD. I’m not interested in being tied into a massive mortgage for 25 years to buy a shoebox!

If I’d accepted my PhD offer for a CDT at Leeds I certainly would have tried to buy somewhere with my partner. I found this page useful when doing research. Buying a property with a partner who has a normal job would definitely make the mortgage application a whole lot more successful.

Will a PhD help your career?

This depends on what you want to do with your career. Some example scenarios:

• Staying in academia – a PhD is usually required
• Certain technical jobs in industry – a PhD may be required or a big bonus
• Non-technical jobs – a bonus

I do not imagine any scenarios where having a PhD is worse than not having one. It is true though that for certain careers there may be other things you could do which would be a better use of your time, for example gaining more direct work experience.

If you want to do a PhD that shouldn’t stop you though, and considering the length of your career taking a few years out for a PhD is inconsequential.

Whichever career path you fancy taking, if you are at all interested in doing a PhD I think you should at least apply.

PhDs in London

Can someone afford to live in london as a phd student.

Yes! I lived in London for my PhD and actually was able to save money every single month while taking many holidays and not living in a tent.

I have a few posts sharing my experiences living in London which you may find useful:

For a month last year I tracked all my expenses to get an idea of my costs living in London as a student, you can find it here .

Sharing my monthly living expenses as a student in London: September 2019

Related to reducing costs, I learned to cycle in London and loved it. It saved me about £100 a month too!

Learning to cycle in London: my first 1000 miles

On top of that, for the whole of 2019 (third year PhD) I tracked my money, and the report is here :

My personal finances report for 2019

Where is good to live in London?

I’ve lived in three different houses during my PhD in London and have a pretty good idea now of good places to live in London. You can read this whole post talking about living in London as a student and the associated costs including a breakdown of rent :

London student accommodation: Breaking down the cost of living in London for students

Bonus: Read the journeys of PhD students

Before I started my PhD I had a ton of questions and nobody who I could ask about their experience. The reality is that many of these PhD FAQs have a variety of answers as everyone’s PhD story is different. Therefore if you’d like to hear first hand from people who are going through the journey check out my series of PhD profiles , with a new profile every month. You can also discover some of their top tips for applying!

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.

Is there anything else you’d like to know to help with a potential PhD application? Let me know and I’ll write about it! You can subscribe to stay up to date here:

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Related Posts

PhD Salary UK: How Much Do PhD Students Get Paid Compared to Graduates?

5th February 2024 5th February 2024

The Benefits of Having a PhD

7th September 2022 30th January 2024

My top PhD regrets: 10 lessons learned by a PhD grad

21st April 2022 25th September 2023

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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.

• Funding packages provided by educational institution.
• 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. 
• Teaching Assistantships or Research Assistantships: Part-time service that provides teaching and research training opportunities within your area of study.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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. TOFEL, 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.
• 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.
• 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. Other 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): Friday, March 22, 2024
• 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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Applying for a phd: step-by-step guide.

Studying a PhD is a big decision and submitting your application can feel like a long process. Though with the right guidance, applying for a PhD will be a lot more straightforward than you think. 

There is a lot of PhD application advice out there. To help you make sense of it all, we’ve put together a comprehensive step-by-step guide on how to apply for a PhD. We cover the PhD application process, what you need to consider, what to prepare and how to submit your application.

Follow the steps below to understand everything you need to know when applying for a PhD.

PhD application checklist

• Choose your subject area
• Choose your type of PhD
• Check application deadline
• Draft a research proposal
• Contact potential PhD supervisors
• Check PhD entry requirements
• Check PhD fees and funding
• Make your PhD application
• Submit your PhD application 

In this article, we’re going to look at all these different elements in greater detail to help you with the PhD application process.

1. Choose your subject area

You will be  studying your PhD for a long time – between three- and four-years’ full time and up to eight years part time – so it is essential you choose to study a subject you are passionate about.

Most PhD students study a subject area that they have studied previously, but in much greater detail. Most PhD courses require some previous academic experience in the research area, for example if you choose to study your PhD on William Shakespeare, you are likely to have studied the works of Shakespeare as part of an English Literature masters degree. Similarly, if your PhD research is in a science-based topic it is likely to be going more in depth into a science-related field you studied as an undergraduate and then as a masters student.

However, your PhD does not have to be directly related to your masters degree, for example an English Language masters graduate could expect to be successful if applying to do research in an  English literature PhD if they have achieved the necessary grades.

There are many areas that you can consider when choosing the subject area for your PhD. These could come from the  Arts ,  Humanities , STEM , Social Sciences and  Business .

Research the department at your chosen university to find the perfect PhD program to apply for.

2. Choose your type of PhD

Whilst most PhDs follow a traditional route (completing an independent research project under a supervisor), there are alternatives.

The two main types of PhD include: self-proposed PhD projects and predesigned PhD projects.

Self-proposed PhDs are the most common and traditional type of doctoral degree, although universities also offer predesigned PhD courses that integrate aspects of taught study.

Make sure you’ve considered your PhD options fully before applying for a PhD. Here are the main differences between self-proposed and predesigned PhD projects.

Self-proposed PhD projects

Self-proposed PhDs are the most common type of PhD, where students propose and design their own research.

With a self-proposed PhD, the student has a lot of control over their work and can specialise in any area that interests them with the support and approval of their academic supervisor.

Not all self-proposed PhDs receive funding, so applicants will need to make sure they have appropriate funding in place to pursue their self-proposed PhD.

There may also be some additional steps in the application process for self-proposed to ensure success in their PhD application. The student will have to dedicate a lot of time to their PhD application as it will need to include their PhD study proposal.

Predesigned PhD projects (Doctoral Training Centres)

Many universities now have something known as ‘DTC centres’, or ‘ Doctoral Training Centres ’. Many of these are in economic, social or scientific research areas, so if this is your area of interest, PhDs run out of DTC centres are worth exploring, as they can have substantial funding included. 

Predesigned PhD projects are usually slightly longer in course length than most traditional PhDs, as they’re likely to include a year of lectures and a variety of projects in the first year, before choosing to specialise in the second year.

This option is great if you know you want to do a PhD but aren’t entirely certain of what you’d like to do beyond a general area. Best of all, they often offer fully funded  studentships .

3. Check application deadlines

When applying for a PhD it is important to ensure you meet all application deadlines, this includes the deadlines for your PhD application form and PhD proposal as well as any PhD funding deadlines.

Different universities will have different deadlines, and some universities may even have rolling deadlines, this means it is important to check on the website of the university and department you are interested in, to make sure you get your application in on time.

4. Draft a research proposal

It’s important to draft a PhD proposal when you are applying for a PhD. This is a requirement of most self-proposed PhD applications and can also be necessary when applying for other PhDs.

To ensure the success of your PhD research proposal, it’s a good idea to do some research around the subject area before submitting your research proposal. This will give you a better idea of what it is you want to research and will also help you to present your proposal more clearly.

How to write a PhD research proposal

When writing a PhD research proposal, you will need to include the following:

• A TITLE that clearly conveys the theme of your research project.
• The main RESEARCH QUESTION that will be the focus of your research.
• An EXPLANATION of why your research topic is important.
• Brief LITERATURE REVIEW demonstrating your knowledge to answer the question.
• Proposed METHODOLOGY for answering your research questions.
• TIMELINE SCHEDULE of the research project.  

5. Contact potential PhD supervisors

You want to make sure you choose your potential PhD supervisor in plenty of time. Of course, you should always leave plenty of time for any application, but this is especially important for a PhD, as you will often be applying to a particular supervisor who is a specialist in your area of study.

Therefore, you need to ensure you have enough time to research into suitable PhD supervisors and get in contact with them before you apply for the doctorate.

You shouldn’t rush this research, as  getting the most out of your supervisor is the first step to doing well in PhD study – it’s important to make sure you pick the one best for you.

Another important consideration is  where you choose to study . You’ll want to look at the department’s reputation, and to make sure it excels in research in the area you intend to study do you get the support you need.

6. Check PhD entry requirements

To be eligible to study a PhD, you will usually need a  masters qualification in the subject area or in a closely related subject to the subject upon which you wish to base your PhD research.

However, entry requirements will differ depending on the university, so it is important to check the PhD eligibility requirements of the PhD and university that you are interested in studying at.

Applying without a masters

Some PhD courses will allow you to apply without a masters degree although you will need a bachelors degree. These are only usually offered as integrated masters and PhD programs which include a year of masters study before PhD.

Applying for a PhD as an international student  

If you are an international student applying to study a PhD in the UK, check the  visa requirements that you need to meet.

To apply for a PhD in the UK, international students need a Student Route visa.

The Student Route visa is a points-based visa system for all international students – including EU, EEA and Swiss students – who want to study in the UK. This has replaced the Tier 4 (General) student visa.

You can apply for a  student visa if you meet the following criteria:

• You have been offered a place on a course by a licensed student sponsor.
• You have enough money to support yourself and pay for your course.
• You can speak, read, write and understand English – you may need to prove this through a recognised English language test.

Student visas can only be issued for certain courses, and if your course is eligible, your education provider (Student sponsor) will give you a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) which you use to apply for a student visa.

The earliest you can apply for a student visa is six months before the start date of the course.

7. Check PhD fees and funding

Before committing to PhD study, it is important to check the PhD tuition fees and these will differ depending on the university and the course.

PhD tuition fees in the UK will be more expensive for international students than for home students. Tuition fees in the UK usually range from £3,000-£6,000 per year for home students and up to £18,000 per year for international students.

As a PhD student you will need to cover tuition fees, living expenses and any other unforeseen costs.

PhD scholarships and studentships are available, as is funding from various research councils, so make sure you investigate all your options and find out what financial help is available.

Funding your PhD

There are various funding options available to PhD students – here are the main ones:

University funding – some universities offer alumni funding support for students continuing their studies at their university. Check funding webpages for details.

PhD loans –  PhD loans are available from the  UK government .

PhD scholarships – many universities and companies offer  PhD scholarships , this includes our  Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries .

PhD studentships –  PhD studentships at your university are a great option as they usually include a stipend that covers full PhD tuition fees and some living costs.

Research councils – there are seven research councils in the UK that can provide funding for PhD students, these are:

• Arts and Humanities Research Council
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council
• Economic and Social Research Council
• Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
• Medical Research Council
• Natural Environment Research Council
• Science and Technology Facilities Council . 

Their funding can come as PhD studentships.

Self -funding – as a postgraduate student, you may have saved up money through work to enable you to  self-fund your PhD.

Don’t just apply to the standard big research funding bodies, but do your research and look into charities too. There are plenty of funds, foundations and other sources of money available to people with the right interests – and you might just be one of them!

8. Making your PhD application

Now you’ve done most of the preparation for your application, what about the actual application for a PhD? What does it involve?

When applying for a PhD, you usually apply directly to the university, rather than via a third party such as  UCAS .

PhD applications will differ from university to university, so check on the admissions page of the course you are interested in to make sure you include everything they ask for. You are likely to have to include:

• Completed application form
• Research proposal
• Personal statement
• Academic CV
• Academic references
• Proof of English language proficiency
• Student visa documentation

Ideally, you should have already contacted your intended supervisor and talked about it with them, via email or perhaps in person. They will give you a run through of everything to include in your application to help ensure you don’t leave anything out by mistake. 

You should ensure that you’re not too modest in applying for a PhD! If you’ve been published in a relevant area, or if you did exceptionally well or presented a particularly successful paper at a conference, mention it. You don’t need to brag, but you shouldn’t hide your achievements either.

PhD interviews

Unlike with bachelors degrees and many masters degrees, you will probably need to have a PhD interview as part of your application. If you’ve not had a university interview before, make sure you prepare well for it.

Ideally, if you’re still in education, see if a tutor you know can give you tips, or potentially a mock interview. If not, many universities’ careers service will remain open to you after graduating,,so contact them and see what advice they can offer you. 

Ensure you read up on anything you mentioned in your application and have good solid reasons for why you wish to do a PhD, and why you’ve chosen to do it at in that particular topic  at that particular university.

You should already know by now  what it takes to study a PhD and be able to answer convincingly when asked about these things during your interview.

9. Submit your PhD application

  Now you’ve reached the final step – it’s time to submit your PhD application!

This is likely to be online, although it’s important to check this with your chosen university in case you need to send any hard copies of original certificates or documentation in the post.

Follow the university guidelines. They will usually indicate how to submit your application, what to include, and when you should hear back about the success of your PhD application.

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What are the steps in getting a PhD?

August 22, 2023

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The work required to complete a PhD varies across academic disciplines and universities, though earning a PhD typically requires the following elements :

• Completing coursework
• Completing one or more doctoral residency experiences
• Passing a comprehensive assessment or exam
• Developing and completing an independent research project
• Seeking approval of your completed dissertation manuscript

Here’s a closer look at each step.

With this primary step in the PhD process, you will participate in courses related to your field of study. The goal here is to develop deep subject-matter expertise.

You’ll also become familiar with the key topics, theories, methodologies and concerns related to your discipline. The skills and foundational knowledge you gain in your coursework will serve as the basis for generating potential research topics, such as those you will use in your dissertation.

Often offered virtually, residencies provide structure, training and detailed feedback to guide you as you develop your research plan and gather essential elements for your dissertation. Residences give you a chance to focus on specific study and activities related to preparing your dissertation.

You will connect with faculty and peers during this rigorous academic experience. They can help you focus your research plan by giving feedback and discussing relevant topics.

Your residency is where you can make significant progress on your dissertation, including selecting an acceptable topic and developing a robust proposal for the project.

Learn more about doctoral virtual residency .

Capella offers both PhD and professional doctorate programs. Here’s how they’re different .

Comprehensive assessment

The comprehensive assessment is where you demonstrate what you’ve learned and present your knowledge of the academic competencies required for your discipline. This examination may be oral, written or both.

Upon successfully completing this step in your doctoral journey, you should be prepared to begin work on your dissertation.

Learn more about the comprehensive exam .

Dissertation

A dissertation is a written compilation of your academic research and provides a detailed description of your project (typically a five-chapter document).

Most dissertations address a question or problem that has not been fully addressed within your field. Before you begin your independent research, other faculty experts representing your dissertation committee and the Institutional Review Board will assess the rigor and ethical underpinnings of your project.

Learn more about the dissertation .

Once the research and writing are complete, the dissertation must be approved by a faculty committee and the school dean.

There is a final defense involved in which you will answer questions about your research, analysis and conclusions.

In many fields, there are also specific professional standards expected of learners. For example, a PhD learner in a Counselor Education and Supervision program will be expected to meet the guidelines of the American Counseling Association.

Once all approvals have been received and you’ve successfully defended, you’ll publish your dissertation. You’ll have then completed all your program requirements and be conferred your PhD.

Capella University offers PhD and professional doctoral degree programs in a number of different fields:

• Health Sciences
• Information Technology
• Social Work
• Counseling & Therapy

Learn more about Capella’s online doctoral programs

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PhD Admission Guide

Gain admission to your dream school, guide to phd admission.

While some students swear off further education after undergrad, some love the thrill of intellectual discovery and research. For these students, graduate school is a natural choice. Graduate degrees are separated into “professional” and “academic” categories. Professional degrees are JDs and MDs, while academic degrees are PhDs (literally “Doctorates of Philosophy” regardless of what field you actually study).

Whether or not you need to pursue a PhD depends entirely on what career you wish to have. Some require higher education, while many others do not. In this guide we’ll go over how to apply to PhD programs, what they are looking for, and how the application process works. This guide is focused on the US and Canada; Europe has a system which is simultaneously similar and very different.

What PhD Programs Look For

PhD programs want to make sure you are prepared academically for the rigors of the program, and that you have a concrete research goal in mind. PhD programs culminate with each student answering a research question they devise, contributing new knowledge to the world in the process. 

Thus these programs seek to evaluate your intellectual ability, research goals, previous research experience, and how you will contribute to their program. To determine this, they ask for the following:

Letters of Recommendation

We’ll go through each of these in turn, and explain what graduate programs are looking for from each.

Your GPA in undergrad is the single most important factor in PhD admissions. If your GPA is too low your application will be dismissed out of hand. While there are no hard limits, we suggest a minimum GPA of 3.5 for serious contention, especially at top schools. If your GPA is below 3.0 then you will likely not get admitted into any PhD programs.

The reason for this is that PhD programs are a lot of work. Being intelligent is necessary, but is far from sufficient alone. Everyone in PhD programs is intelligent, and everyone is also willing to do the work. Your GPA is seen as the primary indicator of your willingness and ability to do academic work to a high standard, and your preparation for the rigors of a PhD program.

Along with your overall GPA, schools request your major GPA. This is your GPA when calculated only using courses in your major. This is usually expected to be higher than your overall GPA. Your major GPA should be over 3.5.

While taking harder courses in undergrad is a great experience, they can also harm your overall GPA. Of course, the best approach is to take very hard classes and do well in them, but this is not always possible. We recommend taking a blend of courses, so you are never overloaded, and able to give each the attention it needs to do well.

Academic Preparation

Your GPA and transcript is also used to judge your academic preparation for the program. You should have a solid grounding in the field, and have taken advanced courses as well. Taking graduate level courses in undergrad can exemplify this. 

Some PhD programs also require research languages. This is more common in the social sciences and humanities, but all students will benefit from knowing other languages well enough to do research in them. You should look up language requirements when researching programs to apply to.

The Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) is a standardized test meant for students who intend to apply to graduate programs. Both MA and PhD programs ask for GRE scores. Much like the SAT or ACT in college exams, the test is meant to be a standardized measure of academic preparation and logical skill.

The test consists of six sections. The first is writing, next are two on verbal reasoning, then two on quantitative reasoning, and finally a research or experimental section, meant to test new questions. The entire test is offered on the computer, with one minute breaks after each section, and a ten minute break after the third section. While there is also a paper-based test, almost all testing is now done on a computer. Due to the pandemic, both testing centers and at-home testing are offered. The GRE is a multi-stage test, and how well you do on earlier sections determines the difficulty of later sections and questions. 

The verbal sections each consist of 20 questions, to be answered over 30 minutes. The whole is scored on a scale of 130-170. The quantitative section is scored the same, and consists of two 20 question sections, each of which should be completed in 35 minutes. The writing section is scored from 0-6. For this section, you write an essay on a given issue in 30 minutes, and offer a response critiquing a provided argument for 30 minutes.

Your total score from the GRE is given from 130-170. While the exact scores you need to enter graduate school vary, higher is better. In addition, some programs only care about your verbal score, while others only care about your quantitative score. How much weight each program puts on GRE scores varies greatly.

We recommend studying for the GRE for some time before testing. You can take the GRE up to five times per year, but must wait at least 21 days between testing dates. Only scores from the past 5 years will be released or considered by graduate programs.

Curriculum Vitae

This is akin to a resume, but is dissimilar enough that the two cannot be used interchangeably. The purpose of a CV is, like a resume, to detail what you have accomplished academically and in your career. It is far more focused on academics however, and is widely used for academic careers.

We recommend finding a template for a CV online, or asking your college’s advisors for help in creating one. If you already have a resume, then you will easily be able to convert it into a CV.

What admissions officers are looking for in your activities is primarily signs of research. This should be in whatever field you intend to pursue a PhD in. Publications are also incredibly valuable. All of academia runs on publication, and getting an early start helps your career at every step.

You should try to do research while still in undergrad. What this looks like depends entirely on what field you are pursuing. While the research does not have to exactly line up with what you wish to pursue, it should teach you skills which are cross applicable. Higher level academic research has its own set of methods and language which must be learned, and students who are already familiar with the forms and structures of research have a leg up in graduate school. 

Publication is not required, but is nice to see. If you have completed a master’s degree, you should have some publication history; of your thesis if nothing else. Speak with your academic advisors about getting your work published.

Each graduate school you apply to will ask for an essay. You will be able to use the same basic form for each, but will need to edit it to be about the particular program you are applying to. Most schools only require a single essay, although some programs ask for a second on diversity.

The purpose of this essay is to explain your research interests, what you have studied, your intended area of specialization, and what your focus will be on. Every PhD student is asking and trying to answer a very specific research question. This question forms the basis of their dissertation, and will be the focus of your life for several years if you are accepted.

Thus the essay is the most important part of your application. Your grades and GRE are required to see if you are academically ready for graduate school, but the essay lets readers know if you are a match for their program, and serious about your research.

Your essay should begin by stating which program you are applying to, and why. Next, go through your previous academic experience in the field, both coursework and research. You don’t have to go through every class, but cover the ones most relevant to your desired research topic.

You should discuss any prior research you have done in the field. If you completed a thesis for your undergraduate degree or a master’s program, cover that here. If you have any publication credits, cover those as well. This should relate directly to the field you are trying to enter. If you wish to pursue lab work, discuss your previous experiences; if instead you are pursuing field work, talk about your experiences there.

Next you should talk about the research you specifically wish to pursue through a PhD. You don’t need to have an exact research question worked out, but it is helpful to have some idea; you should at least know the subfield you will be focusing on. The more specific you are, the better. Having some discussion of methodology can be nice, but is not always necessary.

If there are any ongoing research projects ongoing at the school you wish to work on, cover those next. You should discuss how these projects specifically relate to your own research interests. Finally, you should talk about which professors you wish to work with. Professors take on graduate students to advise, and you ideally want one with a specialization at least tangentially related to your field of interest. The more closely related the professor’s studies are to your own, the better.

You will be able to leave much of this essay the same for each school you apply to, changing only the name of the program, the research projects, and the professors you wish to work with. 

This essay should be a page and a half to two pages long, single spaced. You should go into sufficient detail for those reading it to understand the research you want to pursue. These essays are reviewed by the faculty who run the department, and they make the admissions decisions for PhD programs. There are many more applicants than there are spaces, and admissions rates are low. The more specific and detailed you are in this essay, the better the faculty will understand your research aims, and the better your chances will be.

Diversity Statements

Not all programs ask for these, but you will likely be able to reuse the same essay for those that do. The purpose of the diversity statement is to see what unique points of view and experiences you will be able to contribute to the program. PhDs are about learning, and the more viewpoints and ideas within a program, the broader the experience will be.

If you are a member of an underrepresented group, an immigrant, come from an underprivileged background, or come from an area which is generally underrepresented, we suggest discussing that in this essay. You should not write an essay about your interactions with members of these groups, or a study abroad experience.

Above all, this essay should be authentic to you and your experience. The goal is to show how your background has shaped you as a person, and how it impacts your view of the world.

As with college applications, letters of recommendation are required for PhD admissions. These tell admissions committees who you are as a student and researcher, and give their opinion on how you will perform when doing graduate level work. Academic fields are small and often insular, and the professors writing your letters will often be known by those reading them, either by reputation or in person.

Programs ask for two to four letters. These should primarily come from professors who know you and your work well. If you had a thesis advisor, they should write one of your letters. If you’ve worked doing research for some time, then a mentor or lab director can also be a good source of a letter, even if they haven’t taught you in class. Letters should not come from non-academic sources, unless you have worked professionally in that field. 

While you have the option to read the letters that are written for you, you should always waive that right. If you don’t trust your writers to craft good letters for you, then you shouldn’t be asking them for letters. Asking to see letters is considered a sign of lack of trust, and is gauche. Many professors will decline to write letters if you insist on seeing them.

You should ask for letters well in advance of when they are due; we recommend at least a month or two. If you are asking non-tenured faculty for a letter, more leeway is recommended, as they have more on their plate, and are often more stressed. You may need to send a reminder as deadlines approach. You should also share a copy of your essay with letter writers, so they know exactly what subfield you intend to pursue, and can discuss this in their letters.

Finally, you should be aware of politics when asking for letters. Some professors do not like each other at all. If you are seen as the protege of a professor who others detest, this can impact your admissions chances. Always discuss which schools and programs you are applying to with your letter writers. You should also discuss your choices of writers with an advisor (for example a thesis advisor) familiar with the field. Academic politics are incredibly petty, but if you plan to pursue a PhD you need to be aware of the game, and how it is played.

If your application passes the first review, you will be invited to do an interview. This will be with faculty in the program you are applying to. This is to further get to know you, and to understand your research objectives. 

You should be able to clearly explain what you want to research, and how this program will help you do so. The people talking to you will all be familiar with the field, though not necessarily your specific subfield. They are looking for your ability to communicate and explain your view. Be prepared to answer some questions about the specifics of your goals, though it’s ok if you don’t know everything right now.

Interviews are generally in person, though due to the pandemic, virtual interviews have become more common. This is also your chance to ask any questions you have about the program you were unable to find answers to online. You can practice for this interview with an advisor or mentor; many schools have career centers which hold mock grad school interviews as well.

When and How to Apply to Grad School

There is no unified platform for PhD applications. Instead you must apply to each program individually, through the school’s website. This will mean filling out information multiple times, but they fortunately don’t ask for much. Once you have your documents in order, the rest is personal, demographic, and contact information.

You will need to pay to have your GRE scores sent to each school you apply to. Even though this is all electronic, they still charge dearly for it. 

Applications are generally due in December or January, with interviews held over the next few months. Applications open in September or October. We recommend getting your applications in before the due date, though most programs don’t use rolling admissions. Each program sets their own deadlines, so you should track when each of your applications is due carefully to make sure nothing gets overlooked.

Paying for Grad School

PhD programs are for the most part fully funded. This means you will not be paying tuition, and will also get funding to live on. This funding is generally contingent on academic standing, and doing work TAing, teaching, or on ongoing research projects (or most commonly, all of the above). Many grad students also work full or part time to support themselves. 

While you will not need to take on additional debt to pay for graduate school, you will not be well paid either. While the exact amount graduate students receive varies by school and program, it is generally in the range of $20-30,000 annually. This goes towards food, housing, and supplies.

While you are in a PhD program, you will not have to make payments on any government loans you took out to pay for undergrad, though they will continue to accrue interest. Making payments on them during grad school is difficult, but will greatly cut down on the amount you need to pay back later.

There are also outside scholarships available to help pay for graduate studies. While the amounts offered by these vary, most are small. They can help greatly with paying for the necessities however, and applying to them is usually worth the time investment.

Grad School Admission FAQ

Now we’ll answer some of the most common questions about applying to PhD programs.

Can older students apply?

Yes. Many professionals return to school for a PhD long out of undergrad. We suggest taking some courses at a local university in the field you plan on entering before you do this however. Academic research advances quickly, and this will familiarize you with the latest developments. Further, this will introduce you to professors who can provide you with letters of recommendation.

What are my odds of acceptance?

This depends on both your field and program. Generally, however, it is quite difficult to gain admissions to a PhD program, and admission rates hover around 10%. Only the best students get accepted, and this is even more the case at the top schools and programs.

When should I start thinking about applications?

When you choose your major, you should decide what level you want to reach within that field. Some majors lend themselves to PhDs if you want to work in that field, while others allow employment at various levels.

Where should I apply?

You should find programs with professors who are dedicated to your particular subfield. A prestigious institution which does not focus on your area is far less useful, regardless of how famous its name is. You are looking for someone who will be able to advise you, and help you perform worthwhile research. Further, professors are looking for students studying fields similar to their own when they admit graduate students.

How long are PhD programs?

Generally programs last 4-5 years, though this can vary based on field. The exact structure of the programs also varies a lot based on field and program.

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Doctoral Completion Programs: How to Finish Your Doctorate Degree

Doctoral programs are extremely rigorous. Unlike master’s degree programs, doctorate programs are heavily self-driven and require the highest level of scholarly research and writing. For some students who are balancing work and life priorities with a doctoral degree, this can seem overwhelming.

If you started a doctoral program but didn’t finish, you aren’t alone. Nearly 50% of people who start doctorate degrees never complete their program. 

There are many reasons doctorate students stop their studies. Maybe you took time off for personal, financial or professional reasons. Maybe the doctorate program you attended previously wasn’t the right fit. Whatever the reason you decided to pause your doctoral studies, you may still be able to complete the terminal degree you started.

Doctoral completion programs are specifically designed for students who have some doctoral credit, but didn’t meet the requirements to graduate. Let’s dive into what these programs offer to see if a doctoral completion program is right for you.

What is a Doctoral Completion Program?

A doctoral completion program is not a specific doctorate program in and of itself. In reality, doctoral completion programs are another name for transfer-friendly doctoral programs that offer dedicated support for transfer students.

Doctoral completion programs are designed to meet the needs of students who are restarting their doctoral studies in an effort to accelerate their completion of their degree. These programs are unique because many universities will not accept transfer credit at the doctoral level. 

Let’s look at two of the common pathways you can take when completing your doctoral program. 

Doctoral Completion Programs: Choosing The Right Pathway

There are two stages of doctoral study—the required coursework and the dissertation. If you’re looking to complete your doctorate degree, you need to consider which requirements you still need to meet. 

If you still need to complete coursework and pass your comprehensive exam: Look for a university that accepts significant transfer credit and can help you complete your remaining coursework. Make sure you understand:

• How many credits will transfer: Most doctorate programs require around 58 credit hours total to graduate. Some transfer-friendly universities, like Franklin University, will accept up to 24 credits, which is about 40% of the total required.
• Will your credits qualify to be transferred: Doctoral programs typically require credits to be applied directly to the degree, meaning the previous course has to be substantially similar to the required course at the new university. If your previous studies don’t align, you may need to retake coursework. You may also need to meet specific passing grade requirements or time requirements (often credits more than 7-10 years old won’t transfer).

If you’ve reached ABD (all but dissertation) status: Consider a dissertation completion pathway. Some universities will allow you to restart your doctorate degree at the dissertation stage. However, before committing, make sure you understand:

• You may still need to take coursework: Many advertised ABD programs will still require you to take prerequisites, focus area courses or research and writing foundations courses to complete your dissertation at their university.
• Admission requirements may be extensive: Universities that offer dissertation-only completion pathways usually require more than just graduate transcripts. Expect to submit additional documentation, including previous doctoral candidacy, portfolio or work samples, resume, letters of reference or other support materials.
• You need to feel confident about your dissertation topic: Since you will start directly at the dissertation stage, you will need to declare a topic. Some of these programs will require a learning agreement contract to establish milestones for completing your dissertation.

Accelerate your completion time and lower your total tuition cost at every academic level. Download this free guide for tips on maximizing your transfer credit.

How doctoral completion programs work.

Applying to a doctoral program to complete your degree is often very similar to regular doctoral admissions. Here are the steps you will need to take: 

• Research transfer-friendly universities that accept doctorate transfer credit. Based on your previous educational experience, find the best-fit university that will also accept the most transfer credit.
• Apply to the university’s doctoral program. Submit an application and all support materials. Most applications can be submitted online and may or may not require an application fee. 
• Submit official graduate transcripts for the university. You will need to submit official transcripts for all graduate level coursework. It can also be helpful to submit information on the courses you’ve previously taken, including syllabi or course descriptions. These materials can help a university determine whether courses are similar enough to reward transfer credit.
• Receive transfer credit evaluation. You will receive a determination that shows how many credits you received, what courses they apply to and how many credits still need to be completed.
• Get started! Meet with your academic and/or faculty advisors to determine your schedule and complete your doctorate. 

5 Questions to Ask When Choosing a Doctoral Completion Program

If you chose to stop your doctorate studies, there was likely a compelling reason. For some, the original doctorate program they chose wasn't a good fit for their needs as a student. You want to make sure that if you return to doctoral studies, the program you choose will set you up for success.

Make sure you ask these questions before choosing a doctoral completion program:

• How many credits will transfer into the doctoral completion program? You want to ensure as many credits as possible transfer into a new doctoral program, especially if you’re at the ABD stage.
• How will this program support you in completing your doctorate? Look for programs that offer dedicated faculty advisors, active student associations and extensive online library systems. All of these resources will help you complete your doctorate.
• Do you feel confident about the dissertation process? Many people fear the dissertation process. It’s why ABD has become a de facto designation for those who stop their doctoral studies before they complete their dissertation. Make sure you understand how dissertation committees work, how to establish milestones and how to defend a dissertation. Knowing all of this in advance can help you formulate a clear plan to finish your dissertation and earn your degree.
• Will this doctorate program work with your schedule? Some doctoral completion programs have a required in-person component. Others are conducted entirely online. The structure and flexibility of the program you choose will ultimately determine if you can successfully complete it or not.
• Are you excited and motivated to complete your doctorate degree? Personal drive and determination are two of the top factors in the successful completion of a doctorate degree. If you put your mind to it, you can achieve what you set out to do.

Finish What You Started: Complete Your Doctorate Degree

In the United States, only 2% of the population holds a doctoral degree. Franklin University is here to help you achieve this lifetime accomplishment. 

Our transfer-friendly, online doctoral programs are designed to support students from all backgrounds to complete their doctorate. From start to finish, a doctorate can be completed in as few as three years. If you maximize your transfer credit , it can be completed even quicker. Our no-fear dissertation process, faculty mentorship and peer support will help you stay on track to graduation.

Explore all of our doctoral programs to see if we offer a doctorate that aligns with your goals.

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Research Tips and Infromation

07 Simple and Proven Steps to Complete PhD in 03 Years

Embarking on a PhD journey is a significant endeavor that requires commitment, perseverance, and efficient time management. While the typical duration of a PhD program is often longer, completing it within a three-year timeframe is an ambitious goal that can bring numerous benefits. For part-time researchers who juggle personal and family commitments alongside their academic pursuits, it becomes even more crucial to optimize their research work and make strategic choices to ensure timely completion.

In this guide, we will explore effective strategies and approaches to help you complete your PhD in just three years. Join us on this journey as we explore the steps and considerations necessary to make your PhD completion in three years a reality. Let’s unlock the potential for accelerated academic achievement and pave the way for a successful research career.

Introduction

Challenges faced by part-time phd researchers, overview of strategies to complete a phd efficiently, 1. selecting a well-defined and aligned phd research topic:, 2. choosing an area of interest and expertise:, 3. attract diverse and capable students:, 4. harnessing the advantages of research-oriented students:, 5. delegating phd tasks to students:, 6. assigning tasks that do not compromise the exclusivity of core research work:, a. seminar topics, b. papers in tech fests, conferences and journals, c. mini and major projects, d. data collection, e. user interface development, f. automation, g. equipment setup, h. testing and simulation.

• Before You Close........

Completing a PhD within a three-year timeframe holds several significant advantages. Firstly, it allows researchers to expedite their career progression and enter the job market earlier, gaining a competitive edge over their peers. Employers often value candidates who can demonstrate the ability to efficiently complete projects within tight timelines.

Additionally, completing a PhD in a shorter timeframe reduces the overall financial burden associated with pursuing a doctorate. It minimizes tuition fees, living expenses, and the opportunity cost of being away from the workforce for an extended period. You can visit my article on ” How to get loan / scholarship for your PhD “. This article will help you to secure loan easily for your PhD studies.

Moreover, timely completion of a PhD provides a sense of accomplishment, boosting confidence and motivation. It allows researchers to transition to the next phase of their careers, whether it’s pursuing academic positions, industry roles, or entrepreneurial ventures.

Part-time researchers face unique challenges that can hinder their progress in completing a PhD within a limited timeframe. Balancing personal and family commitments with the demands of rigorous research work poses a significant challenge. Juggling work responsibilities, family obligations, and self-care while dedicating sufficient time to research can be overwhelming.

Limited availability of time is another hurdle for part-time researchers. They often have to allocate evenings, weekends, and holidays for research, which can restrict the amount of time they can devote to their studies. This constraint necessitates efficient time management strategies to make the most of the available research hours.

Additionally, part-time researchers may face difficulties in accessing resources and establishing research networks compared to full-time students. Limited access to laboratories, libraries, and academic support services can create additional obstacles that need to be addressed.

To complete a PhD efficiently within a three-year timeframe, several strategies can be employed. These strategies revolve around optimizing time, maximizing productivity, and leveraging available resources effectively. Some key strategies include:

Choosing an Efficient Research Topic: Select a research topic that aligns with your interests and expertise to leverage existing knowledge, streamline your research efforts, and minimize time spent on background understanding.

Motivating Students to Engage in Research: Highlight the benefits of research for students’ career development and dispel misconceptions to foster a research-oriented mindset. By providing mentorship and guidance, students become actively involved in research, indirectly saving your time and contributing to the overall progress.

Optimizing Research Workload: Delegate tasks to undergraduate and postgraduate students to offload some workload, while also providing valuable learning opportunities for the students. This allows you to focus on core research activities and maintain productivity.

Assigning Suitable Research Tasks to Students: Assign seminar topics, papers in tech fests and conferences, mini and major projects, data collection, user interface development, automation, equipment setup, testing, and simulation tasks to students. This optimizes their potential and distributes the workload efficiently, allowing you to focus on core research activities.

By implementing these strategies and adopting an organized and focused approach, part-time researchers can overcome challenges, optimize their research efforts, and complete their PhD within a three-year timeframe.

Steps to Complete PhD in 03 Years

Choosing a well-defined research topic is crucial for optimizing research time and involving students effectively. A clear and focused research topic allows you to streamline your efforts and resources towards specific objectives. It helps in avoiding unnecessary diversions and ensures that your research remains on track.

For example, let’s say you’re conducting research in the field of artificial intelligence. Instead of a broad topic like “Applications of AI,” a well-defined topic could be “Improving Facial Recognition Accuracy using Deep Learning Techniques.” This focused topic allows you to concentrate your efforts on a specific problem, methodology, and dataset, reducing research time by avoiding distractions.

When involving students in your research, a well-defined research topic provides them with clear guidelines and objectives. They can contribute more effectively by understanding the scope and expectations of the research. Students can align their efforts with the research topic, conducting targeted literature reviews, performing focused experiments, and analyzing specific aspects of the research problem. This focused approach optimizes research time by avoiding unnecessary tangents and enhancing student engagement and productivity.

Choosing a research topic that aligns with your area of interest and expertise is essential for optimizing research time and involving students effectively. When you are passionate about the topic, you are more likely to be motivated and driven, leading to increased productivity and faster progress.

For example, if your expertise lies in renewable energy systems, selecting a research topic related to optimizing solar panel efficiency would be a natural choice. Your existing knowledge, skills, and experience in the field will allow you to make quicker progress, as you can build upon your existing expertise and leverage prior research.

When involving students, selecting a research topic that aligns with their interests and expertise can significantly enhance their engagement and contribution. When students are passionate about the research topic, they are more likely to invest time and effort into exploring and understanding the subject matter. They can leverage their existing knowledge and skills, bringing fresh perspectives and ideas to the research process.

Additionally, involving students in a topic aligned with their interests and expertise allows them to develop their research capabilities more effectively. Their prior knowledge and experience in related areas enable them to grasp concepts faster, conduct literature reviews more efficiently, and contribute to the research with their unique insights. This optimized involvement of students contributes to accelerated progress and overall research efficiency.

By selecting a well-defined research topic and choosing an area of interest and expertise, you optimize research time by avoiding unnecessary diversions and leveraging existing knowledge. Additionally, involving students in topics aligned with their interests enhances their motivation and productivity, leading to efficient collaboration and faster progress in your research endeavors.

To cultivate a research-oriented environment, it is essential to dispel misconceptions surrounding research being limited to high-achieving students. By doing so, you can attract a diverse range of capable students, each with unique talents and perspectives.

By promoting the accessibility and inclusivity of research, you encourage students from various academic backgrounds and achievement levels to participate. This diversity enriches the research process by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and encouraging fresh approaches to problem-solving.

For instance, by dispelling the notion that research is exclusively reserved for top-performing students, you open doors for individuals who may not have pursued research due to self-doubt or lack of confidence. By embracing students from different backgrounds and abilities, you create an inclusive research environment that values their unique contributions. This inclusivity ultimately leads to a broader pool of ideas, increased innovation, and enhanced problem-solving capabilities within your research team.

By motivating students and fostering a research-oriented mindset, you indirectly save time and accelerate learning and implementation processes. The fast-thinking nature of the young generation, coupled with their motivation to contribute, enables them to absorb knowledge quickly and implement ideas effectively. Embracing a diverse range of students ensures a dynamic and innovative research environment that propels your research forward at an accelerated pace.

Motivating students and instilling a research-oriented mindset among them can yield significant benefits, not just for their own career development but also for your research progress. By highlighting the benefits of research, you can inspire and attract students who possess a natural inclination towards exploration and knowledge creation.

When students are motivated to engage in research, they bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and a youthful enthusiasm to the table. The young generation’s thinking is often agile and fast-paced, allowing them to grasp concepts quickly and propose creative solutions. By harnessing their energy and passion, you can indirectly save time and accelerate the learning and implementation processes within your research endeavors.

For example, when working with research-oriented students, they can assist in literature reviews, data collection, and preliminary analysis. Their eagerness to contribute and learn enables them to swiftly navigate through relevant research articles, extract key findings, and compile comprehensive summaries. This collaboration frees up your time, allowing you to focus on the core aspects of your research while ensuring that important groundwork is efficiently completed.

One effective strategy for optimizing research workload is to delegate certain tasks to undergraduate and postgraduate students. By involving students in research activities, you can distribute the workload, increase productivity, and foster a collaborative research environment. However, it is essential to assign tasks that align with their capabilities and provide proper guidance and supervision.

For example, if you are conducting a survey as part of your research, you can assign the task of data collection to undergraduate students. They can assist in gathering responses, organizing data, and conducting initial data analysis. This delegation allows you to focus on other aspects of your research while leveraging the support of capable students.

Similarly, for laboratory-based research, you can assign tasks such as equipment setup, data collection, or preliminary experimentation to postgraduate students. They can assist in carrying out experiments, recording data, and performing initial analysis under your guidance. This not only helps you manage the workload but also provides valuable learning opportunities for the students.

When delegating tasks to students, it is important to ensure that the assigned tasks do not compromise the exclusivity of your core research work. You need to strike a balance between involving students in research activities and safeguarding the integrity and originality of your PhD work.

For instance, you can assign literature review tasks to students to gather relevant research articles and summarize key findings. This allows them to contribute to the research process while keeping the core ideas and analysis within your control.

Similarly, students can be involved in data preprocessing tasks, such as data cleaning or formatting, which do not directly impact the analysis or interpretation of your research. By assigning these tasks, you can save time and focus on more critical aspects of your work while enabling students to gain practical experience.

It is important to establish clear guidelines and expectations when assigning tasks to students. Communicate the purpose of their involvement and ensure they understand the boundaries and limitations regarding the core research work. Regular meetings and progress updates can help maintain a cohesive research direction while monitoring the students’ progress.

By delegating appropriate tasks to students, you can optimize your research workload, increase efficiency, and foster a collaborative research environment. Assigning tasks that do not compromise the exclusivity of your core research work ensures that you maintain control over the essential aspects of your PhD while benefiting from the support and contribution of capable students.

7. Assigning Suitable PhD Research Tasks to Students:

• Importance of staying informed about the latest advancements: Assigning seminar topics to students helps you stay informed about the latest advancements in your field. By delegating these topics, students conduct thorough research, gather relevant information, and present it to you and their peers. This enables you to gain valuable insights into emerging trends and technologies without dedicating significant time to individual research. It optimizes your research time by allowing you to focus on core research areas while benefiting from students’ findings.
• Enhancing students’ presentation skills: As students prepare and deliver seminars on assigned topics, their presentation skills improve. This proficiency can be leveraged in your research team when they assist in presenting your research findings or representing your work at conferences. By developing their presentation skills, you indirectly save time by sharing the responsibility of effectively communicating research outcomes.
• Assigning survey papers to summarize key findings and trends: Assigning survey papers to students helps summarize key findings and trends in specific subfields. Their literature review skills come into play as they collect and synthesize relevant research articles. By delegating this task, you gain a comprehensive overview of the current state of research within the subfield without investing substantial time in extensive literature reviews.
• Developing students’ surveying and synthesizing skills: By assigning survey papers, students enhance their surveying and synthesizing skills. This proficiency not only benefits your research but also adds value to their academic development. As students become adept at summarizing complex research, they contribute to streamlining the research process. Their refined skills enable them to extract essential information efficiently, allowing you to save time in reviewing extensive literature.
• Allowing the students to publish their preliminary work in Student Journals: Undergraduate research journals are scholarly publications specifically dedicated to showcasing the research work of students. These journals provide a platform for students to share their findings, theories, and ideas with a wider audience, including fellow students, researchers, and professionals in their respective fields. The researchers can allow the students to publish their preliminary works in these journals. I have written an article on Journals that publish preliminary research works Which Journals Publish Work by Undergraduate Students? . Please visit the article for further details.
• Assigning projects related to implementing algorithms or techniques: Assigning mini and major projects related to implementing algorithms or techniques allows students to gain hands-on experience. By delegating these tasks, students contribute to the practical aspects of your research. They explore emerging technologies, test algorithms, and analyze results. Their involvement accelerates the implementation phase, saving you time and effort while ensuring progress in experimental work.
• Enhancing programming skills and staying updated with technologies: As students work on mini and major projects, they enhance their programming skills and stay updated with relevant technologies. Their learning benefits your research by introducing new programming techniques, improving code efficiency, and incorporating the latest tools. By leveraging students’ programming expertise, you can optimize your research time and advance your work using their acquired skills and knowledge.
• Assigning students to collect and analyze data: Assigning students to collect and analyze data streamlines the research process by distributing tasks. Students can collect data from various sources, organize it, and perform preliminary analysis. Their involvement saves you time by sharing the workload of data collection, enabling you to focus on data interpretation and drawing meaningful conclusions. Moreover, their assistance accelerates the research timeline, ensuring timely data acquisition.
• Expanding knowledge in data preprocessing and analysis: As students engage in data collection and analysis, they expand their knowledge of data preprocessing and analysis techniques. This knowledge can be applied to your research, enhancing the quality and efficiency of data processing. By delegating data-related tasks, you benefit from their expertise and save time by sharing the responsibilities associated with data management.
• Involving students in developing effective UI/UX designs : Assigning students to develop user interfaces (UI) allows you to showcase your research professionally. Their involvement in UI development enhances the visual representation of your work, making it more accessible and engaging for audiences. Their contribution in creating intuitive designs and user-friendly interfaces saves you time by ensuring that your research is effectively communicated and understood.
• Enhancing students’ skills: As students develop UI/UX designs, they acquire valuable skills in UI development, graphic design, and user experience. Their enhanced skills not only benefit your research by improving the presentation of your work but also provide them with practical expertise in a highly sought-after field. By leveraging their skills, you optimize your research time and benefit from their professional-level designs.
• Assigning automation tasks to learn emerging technologies: Assigning automation tasks to students allows them to learn and explore emerging technologies. As they automate certain research processes, such as data generation or testing, they contribute to increasing research efficiency. Their involvement in automating repetitive tasks saves you time and effort, allowing you to focus on more critical aspects of your research.
• Improving efficiency and productivity in research: Automation tasks, when undertaken by students, improve overall research efficiency and productivity. By streamlining repetitive tasks, you can allocate more time to analysis, experimentation, and interpretation of results. Students’ contribution to automation not only saves time but also enhances research quality and ensures consistency in data processing.
• Involving students in setting up equipment: Assigning students to assist in equipment setup saves you time and effort associated with preparing the necessary tools and instruments. Their involvement ensures that equipment is ready for use when required, allowing you to focus on conducting experiments and gathering data. By delegating equipment setup tasks, you optimize your research time and streamline the workflow.
• Saving time and effort while developing technical skills: As students participate in equipment setup, they develop technical skills and gain practical experience. This expertise can be utilized within your research team, as they become proficient in handling equipment and troubleshooting technical issues. Their involvement saves you time by sharing responsibilities related to equipment setup, maintenance, and operation.
• Assigning testing and simulation tasks to collect and analyze data: Assigning testing and simulation tasks to students aids in data collection and analysis. As they conduct tests or simulate scenarios, they generate data that can be used in your research. Their involvement in data collection saves you time and resources, as they share the workload associated with conducting experiments and gathering results.
• Promoting collaboration, skill development, and reducing risks: Testing and simulation tasks encourage collaboration among students and researchers, fostering a supportive research environment. By involving students in these tasks, you promote teamwork, allowing them to learn from one another’s experiences and perspectives. Additionally, their involvement reduces risks associated with complex experiments, ensuring a safer research process.

By assigning suitable research tasks to students, you optimize your research time by delegating responsibilities and sharing the workload. Their involvement adds value to your research through their diverse skills, fresh perspectives, and ability to contribute to specific research areas. By effectively utilizing their expertise, you can accelerate progress, enhance the quality of your research, and benefit from their valuable contributions.

Before You Close……..

I have written a good number of articles on PhD journey. These articles include writing research papers, applying for grants , patents , writing PhD thesis , approaching consultants , PhD careers and several templates on research. Please make it a point to visit these articles Here .

Completing a PhD within a three-year timeframe requires careful planning, efficient strategies, and effective utilization of resources. By implementing the discussed approaches and leveraging the potential of undergraduate and postgraduate students, you can optimize your research time, enhance productivity, and achieve significant milestones in your academic journey.

Motivating students to engage in research not only benefits their career development but also indirectly saves your time. When students are properly motivated and research-oriented, they bring fresh perspectives, energy, and faster thinking to the research process. By providing them with proper guidance and direction, you can harness their enthusiasm and accelerate the pace of your research.

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A Complete Roadmap for Degree to PhD

A journey from degree to PhD is full of hurdles and obstacles. One has to do many things starting from competitive exams to presenting the thesis. However, the journey indeed starts from the master’s.

PhD is the utmost esteem to a person henceforth don’t think it is easy to get! It’s a complicated academic process and one has to face problems, deal with stress & frustration and failures. And including me, everyone has faced these problems during their research tenure.

Nonetheless, it’s not always a case, you can do better if you follow some rules, a blueprint or a kind of roadmap that actually needed. The present article is a kind of “roadmap from degree to PhD” that I think helps you to better understand the process but before going into the topic,

Let’s first introduce a PhD. 

The PhD is known as a doctor of philosophy and renowned as the highest level of academic honor. It can be given to any student of any subject. Once someone completes their PhD, they can use the prefix “Dr” and be known as a doctor of their subject. 

A PhD person can become a research scientist or academician which probably are two evergreen, popular and suitable options with a decent amount of earnings. Notedly, a doctor in science earns more than any other doctorate.

Read further: Life after PhD- doctor of philosophy .

Pre-admission process: 

Phd admission: , post admission process: , the phd tenure: , requirement for degree to phd: , time duration for degree to phd: , conclusion:, a roadmap for a degree to phd: .

To start anything, people always wonder where to start! And so it’s a question here also! Where to start for a degree to PhD. First, make sure you have completed your master’s degree or M Phil, or you are sure about it. Now start preparing for PhD. See getting admission into PhD is a lengthy and time-consuming process. 

Even after getting admission, you have to complete so many formalities to actually get into PhD. So for that understand the PhD about the process, admission, criteria and requirements from your degree. It will eventually help you to get the doctorate smoothly.  

How to start? We are dividing the roadmap into several milestones to understand it properly. 

Process of Degree to PhD- milestones

• Pre-admission process 
• Admission process 
• Post admission process 
• The PhD tenure. 

In this section, we will understand what are the requirements for admission. key things needed in the post-admission phage, important takeaways for you as a PhD student and how to clear the PhD smoothly.

First, you need a master’s degree, with decent credentials, for instance, in India minimum criteria for applying is 55% which is compulsory. If you are sure about getting the honor, do not wait for notifications or examinations, immediately contact some expert, your professor or guide and start preparing a PhD project.

Start with an idea, do literature research and note things. Keep in mind to choose a topic as per your interest and knowledge. Look, the PhD project is the key thing that makes you stand above all! Make your entire research work ready before your admission. Decide which subject and topic you wish to do research on, the running title of your PhD, methods and techniques and other related things. 

This article will help you surely: Designing a PhD Project from Scrap to Craft .

Some universities conduct an entrance exam while others allot students directly to the PhD based on their PhD project, merits of masters and personal interview.

The next thing is to select a university or college or place to do a PhD and the supervisor obviously. These have been done before admission, keep in mind. Even if you have completed the entrance exam and no PhD supervisor is ready to take you, you can’t do PhD, it’s a harsh fact! So immediately contact the PhD supervisor associated with the university with whom you wish to do PhD. 

In this, your PhD project helps you a lot and will prepare a positive image of yours, because ultimately newbies don’t know these things at all. Now, you can contact them on LinkedIn or email them your Project, meet them and show your research interest. A guide will definitely take interest in you. We have covered an amazing article on how to select a PhD guide, you can read it here: How to become a PhD guide .

Meanwhile, you can prepare for entrance exams. Once A PhD guide will be ready to take you under them! Your admission will be almost stamped. 

So during the pre-admission phase: 

• Prepare a PhD project 
• Design a research proposal 
• Form a working title
• Contact guides and supervisor 
• Prepare for the entrance examination. 

The second phase deals with the admission process, requirements and related stuff. So if are getting admission, surely you have completed the entrance examination. During the PhD admission process, you have to first submit your PhD proposal and your degree certificates. 

A PhD proposal is the working, brief and summarizes draft of your entire research work . It comprises a 10 to 12 page long written draft, a working title, an overview of the topic and the budget information of the entire PhD. 

Moreover, master’s degree certification, university transfer certificate and other related documents and their true copies are submitted to the university PhD cell. Meanwhile, you have to select your PhD guide, which we already had done. It’s just formality for you now. 

To admit into PhD you need to submit this many documents: 

• A research proposal 
• A working title 
• No objection certificate from you 
• No objection certification form you guide 
• Acceptance letter from your guide 
• Your degree certificates 
• Certificate of clearing entrance example, if applicable 
• IELTS or TOEFL score, for foreign students 
• University migration certificate 

Though till now your admission is confirmed you are yet not allowed to do research. For that, you have to fulfill some more criteria. 

This phase is a bit tedious and boring as well, excluding research (what are eager to!) you have to and arrange so many other things, simultaneously. First, after getting admission you will enroll in the course work. You will have to study coursework for at least one year in which your major study subjects are related to research methodologies. 

If you fail to complete the coursework, you can’t go further. Universities give 3 trials for completing course work with a minimum of 50% marks. Meanwhile, you have to design your entire research work layout for 3 to 6 years, keeping in mind that you will pass the course work. The research design is nothing new but the more elaborative version of your research proposal. 

Furthermore, you have to arrange funding, scholarship or fellowship facilities to fund your PhD. So there are so many things for you to do during this whole first year of your PhD. Once you complete the course work, you will become a PhD candidate , an actual PhD scholar to do research. From the second year, you can actually start your research journey.

After the second year onward you can start your actual research work. But mostly lack of planning and plotting lead to deal the completion. Again, directly going further, plan things, what you will do daily, what goals you will have to achieve monthly, quarterly and yearly. Take your supervisor’s help to bifurcate your research work, lab or fieldwork, accordingly.

Give equal time to research and reading & writing. Try to stick with your plan always. Most works, largely done during this tenure are,

• Sampling and lab work
• literature review
• Publication in the peer-reviewed journal
• Thesis writing
• Thesis submission and viva preparation
• Doing a lab work  

Lab work is something that is so important in the PhD. Failure results in thesis rejection. You may face failures, problems and hurdles in your theory, technique, method or hypothesis but that is the research. You have to work constantly on it. Identify the loopholes and problems, and try to correct them. 

Read related articles, techniques, meet scientists, get suggestions from experts to complete your research. Your lab work should be performed properly and documented correctly. 

Another important thing in the post-admission process is the PhD thesis. Your daily journal, documentations and indications help you to write a thesis. Thesis writing is not rocket science. Everyone wonders, it is the hardest thing in PhD, but trust me you need a little knowledge of English and the Grammarly software. 

Grammarly is a software that will take care of all your writing errors, you can read our article on its benefits and how to use it. Grammarly: A PhD writing assistant . 

If I describe a PhD thesis, comprehensively then a PhD thesis is a written proof or draft of your entire research work. 

Elements of PhD thesis: Abstract, introduction, material & methods, results & discussion, interpretations and references. 

Whilst you are writing a dissertation thesis, you should worry about your publication. One of the major criteria for appearing in PhD viva is the publication of your research work in the peer-review journal. With your thesis, you can write your research paper, simultaneously. You may submit it in different journals for publications.  

After doing all these, a final stage will come when you will appear in your PhD viva voce. It’s a discussion session where you have to defend your thesis. The viva-voce session will be easy for you if you read this article of our: Preparing for PhD viva voce .

Hey there to the students of Genetics, biotechnology or microbiology and those who are working with PCR, RT-PCR, microarray or sequencing, we will help you to prepare a research proposal, thesis, research paper or even your entire PhD project from start to end. contact us: [email protected] .

A roadmap overview of Degree to PhD:

• Master’s degree/ M Phil 
• Good research background and publications (option)
• Entrance exam
• PhD project
• Research proposal 
• Course work 
• PhD title 
• Wet and dry lab work 
• Publication in peer review journal 
• PhD thesis 
• Viva voce 

The PhD time duration varies from subject to subject, for instance, PhD in science or applied subject takes a long time in comparison with PhD in history or literature. Broadly it takes up to 4 to 7 years to complete a PhD (or sometimes 8 to 10 years!).

If we include the time duration after degree and take into account your preparation time of 1 to 1.5 years, the whole process of Master’s degree to PhD takes 4.5 to 7 years. 

Related article: What is PhD?- History, Definition, Origin, Requirement, Fees, Duration and Process .

Undoubtedly, a PhD-doctor of philosophy is one of the hardest things to do in life. Notwithstanding, determination leads to success. If you, as a student will know these things before deciding to go for PhD, it surely, undoubtedly help a lot. And mark my words no one of your fellow students knows these things.

If you are willing to do PhD, start from today. Prepare for competitive examination and try to make a PhD project. I hope what roadmap I have prepared will help you. Thank you for reading this article.

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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PhD Admission 2024: Important Dates, Eligibility Criteria, Entrance Exams, Admission Process, Top Colleges

Updated On: February 28, 2024 04:32 pm IST | IIT JAM

PhD admissions 2024 has officially started. Everything you need to know about PhD Admission 2024 is right here, including PhD eligibility criteria, application and admission processes, job opportunities, and a list of PhD-granting colleges and universities.

PhD Admission 2024: Quick Updates

Phd: overview, top phd colleges: application deadline, phd admission 2024: entrance exam schedule , phd admission 2024: college and mode of admission, why should pursue a phd, eligibility for phd admission 2024, phd admission process 2024, merit-based phd admission 2024, entrance based phd admission 2024, phd entrance exams 2024 , phd entrance exams: institutional level, phd exams held at national level , structure of a phd course, list of popular universities in india offering phd admission 2024, phd admission 2024: syllabus, disciplines for phd admissions 2024, phd admission 2024: preparation tips, job prospects after phd.

PhD admission 2024 are determined by entrance exams such as the UGC/CSIR NET, IIT JAM, etc. Nevertheless, some universities offer PhD admissions based on merit, which are then followed by an in-person interview. In order to grant PhD Admission 2024 at prestigious central universities like JNU, DU, etc., NTA administers the UGC NET. In order to grant PhD admission to DU, JNU, BHU, and BBAU for candidates who did not qualify for the UGC NET and JRF, NTA also administers a PhD Entrance Exam.  The IIT JAM 2024 Answer Key has been published by IIT Madras. In order to offer Integrated PhD Admission 2024 in a number of IITs and the IISc Bangalore, the results of the IIT JAM exam will be announced on March 22, 2024. The GATE exam is also used for PhD admissions at IITs, NITs, NISER, and other institutions. In order to offer PhD Admission 2024 at several prestigious universities, the GATE 2024 result is anticipated to be released on March 16, 2024. Furthermore, the UGC/CSIR NET is held in two sessions, in June and December, with the purpose of providing PhD admission in 2024. For the June session, registration is open in the months of March and April.  To be able to apply for PhD Admission 2024 at Top PhD Colleges , applicants must have secured a minimum of 50% aggregate marks or equivalent CGPA in their postgraduate degree, as well as a valid cut-off score in an entrance exam. Please note that IIT Bombay, IIT Roorkee, IIT Guwahati, and other IITs have begun their PhD admissions process.

Here are the latest updates of PhD admission 2024:

• The entrance exam for the RGUHS PhD programme is scheduled for April 19 and 20, 2024.
• The PhD entrance exam for Lucknow University will take place on February 24 and 25, 2024.
• VIT Vellore PhD Admission is now accepting applications through April 25, 2024, based on VITREE.
• The IIM Jammu PhD programme for working professionals is accepting applications through March 31, 2024.
• By February 29, 2024, register for the PhD programme at IIM Bodh Gaya.
• By July 29, 2024, register for the PhD programme at ICFAI Jaipur.
• By February 29, 2024, register for IIM Rohtak PhD Admission 2024.
• Register by March 31st in the PhD programme at IIM Jammu.
• Register in the PhD programme at IIT Roorkee by February 28, 2024.
• Register in the PhD programme at XIMB by February 29, 2024.

PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) is the highest degree or doctorate awarded for research in a specific subject. PhD programs last 3 to 5 years. As per PhD eligibility criteria, PhD qualifications require a master's degree or an MPhil with a minimum aggregate score of 55% is required for a PhD. The CSIR UGC NET is a national-level PhD entrance exam that is held twice a year amongst the other entrance exams. In India, there are numerous PhD Scholarships available to students who wish to pursue a PhD. After completing their PhD degrees, students can choose from a variety of PhD Jobs and earn an average annual salary of INR 5 - 10 LPA. PhD (Doctor of Philosophy)  is a programme that involves substantial research work and presentation of the thesis, which is to be accredited by fellow academicians. One can pursue a PhD course in a discipline or stream that he/she has studied in his/her post-graduation. PhD requires a great level of commitment and an eye for detail. Candidates interested in PhD admissions in India are required to give presentations on their research work, submit their progress reports, and defend their thesis in an open defence viva-voce. PhD admissions 2024 are mainly determined by entrance exams but few universities also accept merit-based admissions. For entrance-based PhD admission, universities and colleges will hold the following PhD Entrance Exams; CSIR-UGC NET, UGC NET, DBT JRF Biotech Entrance Test, JRF-GATE, and IISC PhD Entrance Exam.  In this article, check all the details about PhD admission process, PhD entrance exams, PhD eligibility criteria, the application process, preparation tips, job prospects, list of colleges /universities offering a PhD and more. To know about PhD syllabus and subjects , click here!

Also Check: List of Private PhD Colleges in Maharashtra

The table below includes the top PhD colleges and their application dates for PhD Admission 2024:

PhD admissions 2024 are primarily based on entrance exams.Applicants can select from a number of PhD specialisations, including mathematics, engineering, education, and engineering. The table below shows the exam schedules for India's most competitive PhD entrance exams.

Also Read: Top Government PhD Colleges in Maharashtra

PhD is considered one of the most valued degrees not just in India but abroad as well. When it comes to your career graph, a PhD degree can be a good qualification for the aspirants. There are many colleges or universities that offer a PhD course for aspiring students, however, the question remains – Why should one have a PhD degree or why should a person opt for a PhD course. The answer to this question comes along with the benefits that are associated with a PhD degree.

A PhD degree offers a wide range of employment opportunities. One of the most sought-after jobs for a PhD degree holder is of a lecturer or a professor in a university or a researcher in most fields. Along with this, a PhD degree holder can get a job in publishing houses, educational institutes, law firms, consultancy, etc

Candidates will have in-depth knowledge and develop mastery over the subjects they have chosen for specialisation, which will be extremely useful for them in their careers

Candidates will get an insight into the theoretical aspect of the course and will get practical exposure as well

It is a respectable and reputed qualification

Also Read:  PhD courses in Yoga

Students who intend to pursue PhD in India must meet the required eligibility criteria. Listed below are the detailed PhD qualification required for pursuing a PhD from India:

Masters degree holders are eligible for admission into the doctoral programme. Although, for some subjects, having a Masters in Philosophy (MPhil) is needed for a PhD It must be noted by the candidates that in some Indian universities, for Masters programme, a specific percentage (or equivalent CGPA) is required by the candidates to be eligible to apply for a PhD

For admission into some reputable universities, a candidate must qualify the all India examination, like National Eligibility Test for Lectureship (NET) conducted by NTA. Final year students appearing in the qualifying degree examination can also apply although they must submit the attested copies of their qualifying degree certificates

Admission is offered on the basis of interview. The interview may be supplemented with a written exam if needed

Candidates should have a valid Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) score to pursue PhD in the field of engineering and technology. Also, candidates should have completed his/her degree in M.Tech - Masters of Technology / M.E - Masters in Engineering in any engineering branch in order to apply for PhD in engineering

To be eligible for a PhD, there are many other PhD entrance tests in India that one can take

The need for a PhD degree in India has increased in recent times because of the increasing career prospects and the growing requirement for higher specialisation. Applicants who wish to do a PhD must take the following points into consideration with respect to the admission procedure of PhD. Admission to PhD programmes is made based on merit and/or entrance exams. 

Admission into the colleges/ universities in India is available for the candidates in Full time and Part time programmes in various disciplines of engineering, arts, management, commerce, science, humanities, finance, law, medicine and IT.

Candidates can choose to pursue their PhD either full time or part time. The minimum duration of PhD is 2 years wherein the course follows the semester system including theory and practical versions on the specialisation on a respective course.

For PhD admission, Masters degree is required in India. Some universities in India offer seats to the students having a minimum of 55% or equivalent.

In some cases, doing a Master in Philosophy (M.Phil) is a prerequisite to begin a PhD course offered by some universities.

The admissions in a PhD programme is done through an entrance test at the university level or national level.

The admission procedure for both processes is described below.

• PhD admission to prestigious institutions is based on merit.
• The institute may request the candidates submit an abstract of their research proposal for this purpose.
• This is done primarily to scrutinise the candidates, after which the selected candidates are advised of the next steps.
• Applicants must also meet the fundamental eligibility standards of 50-55 per cent (approx) in the PG course.
• To get admission to PhD programmes, national and institutional entrance exams are held.
• For admission to PhD programmes, some universities even conduct personal interviews in addition to entrance tests

The PhD entrance exams conducted in India may vary university-wise. PhD admission in India is based on enrollment to several universities. Universities accept the results of either a national-level or a university-level entrance examination. The following section summarises the PhD Admission 2024 entrance exam schedule for the accepted PhD entrance exams. Mentioned is the list of the top entrance exam for PhD in India that candidates are required to take in order to pursue their PhD from some colleges/universities in India:

Also Read: IIT JAM 2024 Admission

PhD entrance exams held at the institutional level are those exams the institutions undertake to provide admission to PhD degree aspirants.

Universities accept either national-level or university-level admission examination results. Following is a summary of the PhD Admission 2024 entrance exam program for the recognized PhD entrance exams. Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT) / Departmental Admission Test

• PhD applicants are not required to apply online through CUSAT CAT
• They rather need to apply for PhD at Cochin University of Science and Technology through DAT - Departmental Admission Test
• PhD application forms can be obtained from the particular departments, the students are interested to join
• Completed applications must be submitted to the departments involved within the time frame specified in the notification
• An aspirant who wants to pursue a programme of study and research leading to the degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) must apply for admission as a Full-Time or Part-Time research student in an Academic Unit of study or in an institution recognised by the University for this purpose, under an appropriate Faculty
• Part-Time registration in the case of recognised institutions shall be provided only to permanent workers of the respective institutions
• Students for admission to the PhD Programme must hold a Master's degree or a professional degree recognised as equivalent to a Master's degree by the applicable statutory regulatory body, with at least a 55 percent aggregate mark
• The admission criteria declared by the University shall be based on the guidelines/norms provided by the UGC and other statutory organisations concerned, as well as any other rules created by the University from time to time
• The Departmental Admission Test (DAT) is usually held annually, generally before the end of August
• The University's relevant Department will administer the DAT for the PhD Programme (including admission to Recognized Institutions)
• The Departmental Admission Test (DAT) will consist of two parts: a written exam and an interview
• In the event of candidates conducting interdisciplinary/ multidisciplinary research, the written exam may be on a subject offered by the academic unit where the candidate wishes to be registered
• The Entrance Test syllabus will include subject/subjects particular to the Academic Unit of Research in question
• The National Law University, Delhi (NLU D) organises AILET 2024 every year to give admission to BA LLB (Hons), Master of Law (LLM), and PhD programmes
• The entrance exam will be organised in offline mode
• The AILET law entrance exam for PhD consists of two sections, with a total of 100 marks
• The updated AILET 2024 syllabus for the PhD programme includes one Multiple Choice Question section and the other is descriptive form

BITS Pilani PhD Entrance Examination

• Full-time and part-time PhD programmes are available at BITS Pilani
• Under the PhD Aspirants Scheme, industries and R&D organisations partnering with BITS can fund applicants to work towards a PhD
• After passing the PhD qualifying examination, a candidate is typically admitted to the PhD programme
• A few candidates may be admitted as provisional candidates to the programme before passing the PhD qualifying exams. This rule applies to all full-time research scholars on campus
• The Academic Regulations of the Institute govern the general operation of the PhD programme

Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram PhD

The Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology aims to conduct basic and applied research to address the national R&D needs of science and technology in general, and the Indian Space Programme in particular.

The Institute invites highly motivated applicants to apply for admission to the PhD Program, in disciplines such as Aerospace Engineering, Avionics, Chemistry, Earth and Space Sciences, Humanities, Mathematics, and Physics.

• Candidates must be Indian citizens
• Exam-takers must be under the age of 35 on June 7, 2024
• Age relaxation is permitted under government regulations
• Applicants who are about to finish their qualifying degrees and receive their degrees before October 31, 2024, are also eligible to apply for PhD admission
• Admission to the PhD programme will be decided on an online screening test followed by an interview for candidates having an M.E /M.Tech. as their highest qualifying degree
• The interview will take place by video conference
• Candidates with valid UGC-CSIR-NET-JRF/Lectureship/NBHM/JEST post-ME/ M.Tech will be summoned for an interview through video conference
• Applicants having a Master's Degree in Science as their highest qualifying degree must have a Qualifying Master's degree with a minimum of 65 percent marks (for General applicants) or 7.00 CGPA on a scale of 10 or equivalent
• They must have passed a national level eligibility test in the relevant fields, such as a valid UGC-CSIR-NET JRF/Lectureship or NBHM/JEST/GATE and State Government Science and Technology Scheme
• Entry to the PhD programme will depend on an online standard test accompanied by a personal interview for candidates with a B.E - Bachelor of Engineering / B.Tech - Bachelor of Technology as their highest qualifying degree

Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai

• The TIFR University offers PhD and M.Sc-PhD programmes in the natural sciences, including physics, chemistry, and biology, as well as mathematics and computer science
• The PhD programme typically lasts five years, the integrated M.Sc.-PhD programme six years, and the M.Sc. programme two years
• Students are admitted to TIFR via a rigorous screening procedure that includes a written test and an interview
• Selection process is based entirely on merit. Only the top 1.5% of applicants are accepted
• It is a perfect site for young scientists to begin their careers, thanks to its distinguished staff, world-class facilities, and vibrant research environment

International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad PhD

• Applicants with exceptional academic performance and R&D experience are encouraged to apply through a Standing Committee
• Applicants must email their curriculum vitae - CV - to pgadmissions(at)iiit.ac.in. This way of admission is only available for MS by Research and PhD programmes. Applications can be submitted at any time of the year
• Candidates must submit an application that includes a resume and a statement of purpose
• Email applications may be sent at any time of year
• If the committee deems it essential, applicants may be invited for an interview
• Students can pursue PhD in Computer Science and Engineering, Electronics and Communication Engineering, Civil Engineering, Bioinformatics, Computational Natural Sciences, IT in Building Science, Computational Linguistics, Spatial Informatics, Cognitive Science, Human Sciences

Symbiosis International PhD Entrance Test (PET) 2024 For PhD Programme

Research programmes leading to the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree are available at Symbiosis International (Deemed University), in the following streams - PhD (Law), PhD (Management), PhD (Computer Studies), PhD (Health Sciences), PhD (Media and Communication), PhD (Humanities and Social Sciences), PhD (Engineering).

• SIU provides both full-time and part-time programmes
• A PG degree with a minimum of 55% is required
• Candidates with NET/ SET/ SLET/ GATE/ M.Phil or UGC/ CSIR/ ICMR DBT/ RGNF/ MANF/ DST Inspire & NBHM Scholars are excluded from the entrance exam for the duration of the certificate/validity award's period
• However, such candidates are required to attend a personal interview
• CA/CS with 55 percent marks are allowed, as are PG Diplomas from IIMs and XLRI
• Those with PG diplomas from other universities must produce proof of equivalency from statutory organisations such as AICTE/ UGC/ BCI. AICTE approval/AIU equivalence is not sufficient for eligibility
• Extensive experience does not provide any extra advantage for exemption from entrance exams

These exams are held on a national level for the PhD Courses. Here are examples of some national-level PhD courses: CSIR UGC NET Exam

• The CSIR NET test will be held two times in 2024
• National Testing Agency (NTA) annually administers the CSIR UGC NET exam. Candidates' eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) or Lectureship (LS) posts in science and technology will be determined by this exam
• Candidates who pass the CSIR UGC NET test will be allowed to seek JRF and lecturer posts in different streams
• The fields include Life Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, Earth, Oceanic, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, etc., in Indian institutions and colleges
• JAM 2024 is being organised by IIT Roorkee.
• Students applying for admission to the academic programmes covered by JAM 2024 for the academic year 2024-24 must take JAM 2024 exam.
• For all Test Papers, the JAM 2024 Examination will be administered Online only as a Computer Based Test (CBT).
• The paper will be divided into three parts: A, B, and C. All sections are required.
• Candidates who pass JAM 2024 may apply for admission to IITs for the academic year 2024-24.
• The JAM scores may be used to shortlist candidates for an interview for the final selection in IISc Bangalore's integrated PhD programmes in Physical Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Biological Sciences.
• IIT JAM 2024 is open to all Indian and foreign nationals.
• There is no upper age limit.
• Applicants should be aware that simply appearing in JAM 2024 or being on the merit list of any Test Paper does not guarantee or offer automatic admission.

JNUEE / JNU Direct PhD

• The National Testing Agency accepts JNUEE applications for admission to various courses at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
• Master's Degree holders with sufficient research experience and publications, as well as M.Phil. Degree holders are eligible for admission if they have obtained a minimum of 55% of the marks or comparable grades defined by UGC guidelines.
• A national-scale entrance examination is followed by an interview to determine admission.
• The Admission Centre can recommend courses to candidates admitted to the PhD programme.
• To be qualified to proceed in the programme and publish the dissertation/thesis, PhD scholars must acquire a minimum of 55% of the marks or equivalent grade on the UGC 7-point scale in the course work.

VITREE 2024

• Chancellor Dr. G. Viswanathan established the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) in 1984 as Vellore Engineering College.
• PhD degrees offered through VITREE include PhD in Engineering, Integrated PhD in Engineering / Technology, PhD in Sciences, PhD in Languages, PhD in Management, PhD in Law, PhD in Fashion Technology, PhD in Design & Planning.
• The minimum term of study and research will be 30 months for full-time research students and 36 months for part-time scholars from the date of registration for the PhD programme to the date of thesis submission.
• The minimum duration of study and research will be four years, beginning with registration for the Integrated PhD programme and ending with thesis submission.
• Selection is based on VITREE 2024 score, PG Degree marks, research proposal, and interview. Candidates who meet the eligibility criteria must take the VITREE 2024 computer-based test (CBT) for 2 hours at their test site of choice.
• The question paper for the PhD programme will consist of 100 MCQs (70 technical questions, 15 English communication skills questions, and 15 statistics and probability questions).
• The chosen candidates will be required to attend a personal interview via online mode on June 18 and 19, 2024. The selected candidates will be notified by July 1, 2024.
• Selection for the Integrated PhD is based on performance in the VITREE 2024 score, UG Degree marks, Research proposal, and Personal Interview conducted online.

Also Read : Top M.Sc + PhD Colleges in India

In India, PhD is a programme that has been designed for students who have already done their undergraduate and postgraduate training. As far as the overall structure of PhD is concerned, it is an advanced research qualification that consists of coursework and research work. The particular requirements to earn a PhD degree differs considerably according to the country, institution, and time period, from entry-level research degrees to higher doctorates.

The structure of a PhD programme involves pedagogy, coursework, qualifying exam, preparation of research proposal and thesis work. In each stage of the programme, the performance of the student is evaluated throughout all the semesters.

For PhD admissions, the majority of the universities/institutes conduct their own entrance examinations and also consider the GATE/ NET scores. Here is a list of some of the popular universities in India that offer PhD courses to the candidates:

The PhD Admission syllabus is determined by the stream chosen. The contents for the science stream are comparable to the CSIR NET Syllabus, while the topics for the other courses are similar to the UGC NET Syllabus. The syllabus for PhD studies varies depending on the specialisation in the field chosen by the candidates.

PhD programmes include both traditional academic classroom sessions and research projects. Admission to PhD programmes is heavily reliant on the research effort. A PhD course consists of course study, a qualifying examination, research proposal/abstract preparation, and thesis work.

The table below lists the names of various major disciplines that are offered in India for the candidates to pursue their PhD

Here are some preparation tips for PhD entrance exam preparation for PhD admission 2024 -

• Students should gather past year PhD entrance exam question papers from reliable sources and study accordingly.
• They must refer to the PhD entrance exam syllabus as per their specialisation.
• The entrance exam format varies depending on the conducting body; therefore, the aspirants must be informed of the structure to plan accordingly.
• They must cover all exam subjects at least one month before the exam.
• To relieve exam stress, the students must take advantage of the various mock tests available.
• Keeping up with current events is vital because they are essential for grades.
• Visiting the exam centre a day before the exam to avoid last-minute confusion about where the exam centre location is advised.
• Before the exam, students must get a good night's sleep.

In today’s world, there is immense scope for the candidates after they have completed their PhD. Gone are those days when the scope of PhD was limited to academia. After completing a PhD, one should track his/her potential and apply to jobs based on his/her exact skills and expertise.

Following are a few career options that candidates can choose after pursuing a PhD:

Lecturer & Professor

Author & Writer

Editor & Critic

Human Services Worker

Independent Consultant

Philosophical Journalist

Industrial R&D Lab professionals

Senior Research Scientist

Stay tuned to CollegeDekho for more such updates and information. Aspirants can also contact our QnA Zone to get their queries resolved by our experts.

CollegeDekho wishes good luck to all the candidates seeking PhD admissions in India!

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A PhD is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, which is the highest academic course level.

A doctorate or PhD degree typically takes three years to complete. Candidates accepted into the programme have a maximum of 5 to 6 years to complete their research. However, the duration of the PhD programmes varies by institute.

A PhD programme allows you to specialise in a variety of fields. Chemistry Clinical Psychology Education Physics Electronics and Communications Engineering Educational Leadership and Administration are some of the popular doctorate level courses.

Yes. Candidates interested in pursuing a PhD programme must first complete their master's degree and then apply.

A PhD is the highest educational qualification that can be obtained. A PhD candidate can expect to earn PhD salary between INR 6 and INR 12 lakhs per year.

Humanities, social sciences, education, and other easy PhD courses are among the many available.

Yes. It is every so often possible to forego your master's programme and enrol directly in doctoral courses. You can choose to forego your PG degree by enrolling in a research programme after earning your bachelor's degree.

A specific group of students can finish their PhD in two years. Nothing, however, can be specified as such.

In most cases, a two-year Master's OR MPhil degree in the relevant field from any accredited Indian or foreign university is the minimal requirement for admission to a PhD programme. She or he must have earned a master's degree or a grade equivalent with at least 55%.

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Notice of FY 2025 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Selection Process Completion and Cap Season Reminders

H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough electronic registrations for unique beneficiaries during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2025 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). We have randomly selected enough properly submitted registrations for unique beneficiaries projected as needed to reach the H-1B cap and have notified all prospective petitioners with selected beneficiaries that they are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition for such beneficiaries.

Registrants’ online accounts will now show one of the following statuses for each registration (that is, for each beneficiary registered):

• Submitted:  The registration has been submitted and is eligible for selection. If the initial selection process has been completed, this registration remains eligible, unless subsequently invalidated, for selection in any subsequent selections for the fiscal year for which it was submitted.
• Selected:  Selected to file an H-1B cap petition.
• Not Selected: Not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration.
• Denied – duplicate registration:  Multiple registrations were submitted by or on behalf of the same registrant for the same beneficiary. If denied as a duplicate registration, all registrations submitted by or on behalf of the same registrant for this beneficiary for the fiscal year are invalid.
• Invalidated – failed payment: A registration was submitted but the payment method was declined, not reconciled, or otherwise invalid.
• Deleted: The submitted registration has been deleted and is no longer eligible for selection.
• Processing submission:  USCIS is processing your submission. It may take up to 72 hours for all of your case information to show on the case details page. While it is processing, you will be unable to access your draft.

For more information, visit the  H-1B Electronic Registration Process  page.

FY 2025 H-1B Cap Petitions May Be Filed Starting April 1

H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2025, including those petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, may be filed with USCIS beginning April 1, 2024, if filed for a selected beneficiary and based on a valid registration.

Only petitioners with registrations for selected beneficiaries may file H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2025.

An H-1B cap-subject petition must be properly filed at the correct  filing location (see H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change to Lockbox section below)   or online at  my.uscis.gov and within the filing period indicated on the relevant selection notice. The period for filing the H-1B cap-subject petition will be at least 90 days. Petitioners must include a copy of the applicable selection notice with the FY 2025 H-1B cap-subject petition.

Petitioners must also submit evidence of the beneficiary’s valid passport or travel document used at the time of registration to identify the beneficiary.

Petitioners filing for selected beneficiaries based on their valid registration must still submit evidence or otherwise establish eligibility for petition approval, as registration and selection only pertains to eligibility to file the H-1B cap-subject petition.

For more information, visit the  H-1B Cap Season  page.

New Fees and Form Edition

On Jan. 31, 2024, USCIS published a  final rule   that adjusts the fees required for most immigration applications and petitions. The new fees are effective April 1, 2024. Petitions postmarked on or after April 1, 2024 , must include the new fees or we will not accept them. Additionally, there will be a new 04/01/24 edition of  Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker . There will be  no grace period  for filing the new version of Form I-129 because it must include the new fee calculation.

What to Know About Sending Us Your Form I-129.

• We will accept the 05/31/23 edition of this form if it is postmarked  before  April 1, 2024;
• We will not accept the 05/31/23 edition of this form if it is postmarked  on  or  after  April 1, 2024; and
• We will only accept the 04/01/24 edition of this form if it is postmarked  on  or  after  April 1, 2024.

We will use the  postmark date  of a filing to determine which form version and fees are correct but will use the  received date  for purposes of any regulatory or statutory filing deadlines.

As a reminder, we recently  announced  a  final premium processing fee rule  that increased the filing fee for  Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service , to adjust for inflation, effective Feb. 26, 2024. If we receive a Form I-907 postmarked on or after Feb. 26, 2024, with the incorrect filing fee, we will reject the Form I-907 and return the filing fee. For filings sent by commercial courier (such as UPS, FedEx, and DHL), the postmark date is the date on the courier receipt.

Online Filing and Organizational Accounts

On Feb. 28, 2024, we launched new online organizational accounts that allow multiple people within an organization and their legal representatives to collaborate on and prepare H-1B registrations, H-1B petitions, and any associated Form I-907. Information on organizational accounts is available on the  Organizational Accounts Frequently Asked Questions page.

We also launched online filing of Form I-129 and associated Form I-907 for non-cap H-1B petitions on March 25. On April 1, we will begin accepting online filing for H-1B cap petitions and associated Forms I-907 for petitioners whose registrations have been selected.

Petitioners will continue to have the option of filing a paper Form I-129 H-1B petition and any associated Form I-907 if they prefer. However, during the initial launch of organizational accounts, users will not be able to link paper-filed Forms I-129 and I-907 to their online accounts.

H-1B Form I-129 Filing Location Change to Lockbox

Starting April 1, 2024, H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions are no longer filed directly with the USCIS service centers. All paper-based H-1B and H-1B1 (HSC) Form I-129 petitions are now filed at USCIS lockbox locations. This includes cap, non-cap, and cap-exempt H-1B filings.

We will reject H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) petitions received at a USCIS service center on or after April 1, 2024. There will be  no grace period  provided.

USCIS has specific mailing addresses for cases that are subject to the H-1B cap. To determine the correct mailing address, please see our  Form I-129 Direct Filing Addresses  page.

If a petition is filed at the wrong location, we may reject the petition. Rejected petitions will not retain a filing date. If we reject a petition because it was filed at the wrong location, it may be refiled at the correct location, or online. H-1B cap subject petitions may be refiled at the correct location, or online, as long as the petition is refiled during the designated 90-day filing window listed on the selection notice.

No More Pre-paid Mailers

As of March 25, 2024, we are no longer using prepaid mailers to send out any communication or final notices for any H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) petitions. With H-1B intake now occurring at the lockbox or online, we will not be able to use any prepaid mailers for H-1B or H-1B1 (HSC) filings.

The process of printing and mailing H-1B petition approval notices by first-class mail is fully automated. For petitions filed online, myUSCIS account holders will also receive an email or text message notification in their myUSCIS account when there is a case status change on a case in their account, followed by a paper notice by mail.

Receipt Notice Delays

When we receive a timely and properly filed H-1B cap subject petition, the petitioner (and, if applicable, the petitioner’s legal representative) will be provided a Form I-797, Notice of Action, communicating receipt of the petition. Due to increased filing volumes typically seen during H-1B cap filing periods, there are instances where a paper petition is timely and properly filed by mail, but issuance of the Form I-797 is delayed. If you are a petitioner and have confirmation from the delivery service that the petition was delivered, but you have not yet received a Form I-797 confirming receipt of the petition, you should not submit a second petition. If you have confirmation from the delivery service that the petition was delivered and you then submit a second H-1B cap petition for the same beneficiary, you will be considered to have submitted multiple H-1B cap petitions. This will result in denial or revocation of both petitions.

If more than 30 days have passed since the confirmation of delivery and you have still not received a Form I-797, you may contact the  USCIS Contact Center  for assistance.

If you receive notification from the delivery service, or your tracking information suggests that there may be a delay or damage to the package or that the package was misrouted, you should follow the Delivery Service Error Guidance on the  H-1B Cap Season  webpage.

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Onboarding New Employees — Without Overwhelming Them

• Julia Phelan

Give people the space and time they need to thrive in their new job.

A great onboarding experience can keep new hires engaged and committed, and increase their learning and preparedness for their new role. In trying to ensure new employees feel supported and properly prepared, some organizations flood new hires with far too much information. Even if managers have the best intentions, bombarding new hires with tasks  — such as asking them to read every single page of the employee manual or requiring them to get set-up on Slack, email, Box, and all the other platforms all at once — will backfire. Three strategies can help organizations mitigate this overload and ensure employees have the space, time, and mental resources available to learn and thrive in their new job.

We know that effectively onboarding new employees has huge value. A good onboarding process — with clear information on job requirements, organizational norms, and performance expectations — not only enhances employee productivity but helps increase loyalty and engagement, and decrease s turnover .

• JP Julia Phelan , Ph.D. is a learning design consultant and expert in applying learning science principles to create effective learning experiences. She works with organizations to help build a strong workplace learning culture by improving training design, implementation, and outcomes. She is the co-founder of To Eleven , and a former UCLA education research scientist. Connect with her on LinkedIn .

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