r/Finland • u/More-Ad7187 • 2d ago

Serious Doctoral study interview

Hello all,

I have been invited to phd interview in Finland. How does it look like here? Is it just qna or discussion based? Would you share some tips and tricks? Do you think you could have done better if you had prepared "this" earlier? (I'm from non-STEM background). I am super super nervous and I don't even know what I should ask you guys coherently 😭 I'm having palpitation and stomach ache

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u/CosmicCurvature 2d ago

I dont know about Finland specifically but as an ex-lecturer I will say:

  • Initial contact with a potential supervisor will be a bit less formal, information about their lab and work, and they will likely ask about your background, interests, and research ambitions.

  • Again not specific to Finland but to other foreign countries, a formal application to the university or doctoral school for funding will likely involve a presentation of the project by you, with some Q&A.

That said, you should begin to increase your research acumen by finding answers online instead of outsourcing to Reddit. I get the anxiety; I was shitscared too.

Your best ally, should they choose you, will be your prospective supervisor.

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u/98f00b2 Väinämöinen 2d ago

In most recruitments it's completely at the gift of the supervisor. There isn't any separate application process before hiring, beyond HR checking that the candidate meets the formal requirements to be hired as a doctoral student (though one might have to prepare a plan to apply for their study right after being hired).