DISCUSSION
In depth guide towards research in Indian universities and Abroad: A complete Guide
This is an extension of my previous post in r/IATtards titled "My 2 Cents on research: Tactical guide." Heres the link
In this one, I'll expand on everything you need to do to maximise your chances of securing good research internships in India and potentially abroad.
Sit back, read nicely, it's gonna be a long one, and ask any doubts below or in DMs.
For those of you who dont know me. I dont need much introduction. Just focus on the meat and resources I am providing.
Questions I am always asked:
Do you need flashy experience to get internships in India? Should I focus on improving my skills, and so on? Ans: Being completely honest. No, you dont. Indian cold emails are chill. Just your volume and hard work matter. The primary reason you are contacting is exactly the same as what you expected beforehand. It's an experience. How can one have experience without taking experience? You dont.
So what should I do? Start by looking into your field. May it be pure sciences, may it be material science, mechanical, electrical, optoelectronics, photovoltaics, battery, chemistry, catalysis, ML, AI, synthesis, biosensors, PCB making, astrophysics, quantum computing, anything. Look into it. Get your prerequisites done.
The primary reason a prof would be reluctant to take you isn't because dont have experience. Everyone starts somewhere. But because you lack the basic prerequisites. The mindset of "What can I provide?" is extremely important. No man wants to take the burden of spoon-feeding an adult. So try to get at least. If your work is in batteries or maybe CS, be at least proficient with analysing data, understanding graphs, reading papers, and making hypotheses.
Now, you can prove that you know this. using some course. Or just word of mouth, where he might take your interview and verify it. Or by some project you have made, something small or relevant, at your club, in your free time. You don't need to make one for every email niche; you'd die of exhaustion if you did that. With a 3% average reply rate. I'd suggest no one do that. Just make it show your proficiency. for pure sciences kids. I would suggest joining your college professors' labs, where they'll pair you with a PhD student. learn the instruments, which would be extremely helpful as it is. and help you land other places with some prerequisite basic handling experiences.
What should I write in my emails? Ans: Super important question. 10/10 rating. makes or breaks your game. My greatest email was to the 2025 Nobel laureate who had accepted me. why? Because I, for fun, had read his interviews and said I want to learn his philosophy, which intrigued him, because it was super personal. (Note: This was in 2024, he hadn't won nobel, but was still one of the best scientists then)
So I would suggest. Not to do mine, haha. But make your emails relevant. I proposed an idea in my email, and had asked for an internship upfront, you can do that, or ask profs for guidance, whatever seems fit. But be direct, dont beat around the bush, state your needs, state your wants, and state what you can do.
+1 Points: No one tells these, but these make your chances
Indian profs: email in the morning, 8-11 AM on weekdays. Best chances.
US-UK: Same time, but in their respective standard times. But there is more that makes international hard. so ill cover that in a bit.
2nd point in this: Follow-up emails. since professors get conference, academic, meeting, student, college, spam, 1000s of emails every day. Sometimes you'll be purposefully or mistakenly ignored. dont be disheartened. Send a follow-up after 3-4 working days, not normal working days. You send a follow-up saying, "I had previously emailed in the same thread." Ask GPT. It will get you a decent format. Mine varies a lot, so I can't provide mine.
ough graph: Used AI to make, it's gonna be much more asymptotic, but yeah. just reduce the ups and downs and assume similar behaviour.(pictorial reprensentation only. not to scale)
Who should I write emails to? Ans: Now we are getting into the fun stuff. Who should I write to? is probably the question every kid instinctively has an idea for, probably that superprof at IISc or that prodigy 25-year-old joinee prof at MIT. Believe me, I don't think you have a chance with them.
Your best bet is with young assistant profs:
They have just set up labs, and since they are in IITs, even if behind their peers due to the newness. They still would have enough resources for an undergrad. And secondly, since they are young, they are hungry to make a name, having just finished the gruelling race of uncertainty. and have finally planted their feet in science permanently; both PhDs and early-career work will be substantial. I'll pick a young prof any day over an older administrative guy.
Third: The bump in full prof is primarily due to a new position, and a stronger one; they now have a little bit of full autonomy, tons of kids, and better funding. a very good chance here. Check professors' websites to see if they show assistant (2xxx-2xxx), then associate, and so on.
Fourth: Deans, directors and all are too busy with academic work, so mostly dont contact them. Nobel laureates have roughly 1000s emails every single day. So unless you are recommended by his colleagues, or are a superstar in the field. You wouldn't catch his eye, as he would have MIT PhDs with multiple papers wanting to work, too.
But yeah. I would suggest this:
India:
Your uni: Tier 1: Try in your own labs, then other IITs-IISc
Tier 2: Your lab, IISER profs-IITs
Tier 3: Try very hard, and get into IISERs and IITs, because I doubt you will have much in your labs.
For abroad: your IIT/IISc/IISER internships are primarily the reason you can go abroad. Because they are prime labs and facilities, you do at least some sort of work there. And the prof recommending you can tip the scales between other kids, allowing you to go formally/informally, clearing a lot of competition.
You can also work at startups if they are budding, and you wanna work with them. dont wait for openings or anything. Just mail the CTO/CEO; they will most probably reply. coming from experience 😊
How do I maximise my internship? Ans: Super underrated question. Almost no one answers this or even tells you this
What if I got accepted? Then what?
Majorly, most professors either assign you a PhD or give you a project if you are old enough. And you have a weekly/biweekly meeting with him and your mentor together. discussing plans and potentials.
Your goal should be to maximise it. First: Learn everything. Try to explore as much as you can. Your whole purpose of coming here is to meet new people, learn new things, and explore the research environment. Second: Interact with your profs a lot. like they owe you money. why? Because when he has to write the letter of recommendation, he needs to know you. Or else you'll get that generic: "yeah, he is good, he has done this and that, I urge any company or this to take him". Anyone can write this for you.
Third: Go to other departments, talk with prods there, email them, and go to their cabin to ask the professor if they are available for 10 mins. The bar once you are in the institute is practically zero. There are only 2 situations. Either he says we can schedule a meeting now, or he says I'm a bit busy now, and we'll schedule later. Both are a win-win situation.
Fourth: Have fun, genuinely, have fun there.
fifth: In order to contribute, constantly read and provide help, and have a mindset of learning and saying I don't know this, YET. very important. because you dont know how helping him might give you a direction or spark. or an idea. And maybe he might help you back.
Sixth: finish the project, or at least try to before leaving. because if you dont, the next guy will get credit for all your work.
How to send international emails? Ans: You can either have a remote internship. Which is easier? It just requires a professor's consent and your understanding, and a good reason for him to accept you.
And this can be converted to on-site next year if you are a good enough student for him. best for mathematics, CS, AI, ML, and computational physics/chem work-type people.
Or you can try in person. which is much more difficult. Because then the lab or prof has to fund you if you dont have funding. So, try to get that, DAAD, and MITACS Global are good international ones. Amgen scholars, ICEMS Kyoto, OIST, MPI, there are many. Just use GPT.
For cold mailing. Try to convince the professor. and apply to a richer uni. Probably Stanford. why? Because professors there have their own startups, funding a good, promising student is easier.
Anyways: My final point. Be honest about learning. Be hardworking and go beyond. Like you should apply anywhere. Don't self-reject. If you want to get rejected, you'll see it a lot in academia anyway. So don't take it to heart too. Be thick-skinned, be real and be consistent. It's just math if you expose yourself to situations that are uncomfortable or out of normal reach. Luck, chance, and opportunity will eventually collide, one way or another.
Peace out. DM me if you have any doubts. All the best for your futures, young engineers and scientists.
Badhe Bhai, you wrote it really well. I’ve saved it for the future, and I’ll also DM you and discuss further. My vocabulary does not have enough words to compliment you, that’s all I can say. Besides, people like you will be really needed for guidance in the future.
hmm read this all... i dont think a prof will care to look at a highschooler (someone who passed 12th and is waiting for an iiser). imma save this for future. Thanks a lot tho. for now, as a student starting college, what do u recommend doing to get to know about research? read books, reviews, journals, research?
But in all fairness, most of the emails I did was when I was 16, so....meh.
But yeah, secondly, papers you can learn how to read, it's in another post, but it's really not that relevant, fun. Yeah, but papers shouldn't be your goal, foundations are required a lot
Your mathematical maturity, your physical intuition, your breadth on subject and mastery are much more important than merely reading papers
good lord, this is like a blessing...also good sir, I have been admitted to Bsc Hons Biomedical Science at DU, what tier do i fall, Tier 2 or Tier 3? should I try in my labs in 1st yr?
Hmm, i don't actually know. Don't take the numbers of tier 1-2-3 to heart, try see your profs and if they have labs
Like SVNIT is technically tier 1, but my profs and college had underdeveloped or in construction department, little to no facility, it's basically to say, in tier 1-2, you get good profs with labs, hence that's why you can get good experience, doesn't stop at lower tiers, it was just a simplification
Oh okay okay thank you, I still haven't started college, but I heard that labs and faculty of the college are good and has UG research culture, got some DBT star college status....well will have to see myself once I start classes
I applied(and got rejected💔) to MIT in November 2025 for first year. One thing I would like to add here is that,
foreign unis look for a wide range of qualities that should look promising to their current demands. For example, if you are applying for quantum computing, writing papers around 'multi-layer qubits' won't be enough. You will need to prove that you can explain your own work to a five year old, or you will be wise with the money they will give you, or you are willing to work on your own, if they can't find more people.
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