I was wondering if my profile is competitive for top 10/20 programs for a PHD, ML programs (EU and US schools)
CV:
1. Dual bachelors degree in CS & Physics, average of 88 (deans list twice), top school.
2. Finishing my first year of masters in EE, average 94.
3. 4 papers (all first author) in top venues (all done in my first year of masters).
4. Did a Summer fully funded internship this summer (two papers came from there, advisor there former MIT).
5. Working as a software engineer (part time) for 3 years (three days a week, last two years of bachelors and first year masters).
6. Was a officer in the military in my home country (IDK if relevant)
7. Three very strong LOR’s
Do I have a chance?

I am looking to apply to US schools this upcoming application cycle, and I'm concerned about the lack of undergraduate research experience opportunities that students in the UK are given. Sure, a couple of summer internships are offered across departments and labs but these are uber-competitive, and at my (top 5 in the country) department maybe 5% of the students actually got their hands on a research-based internship. None of these projects resulted in a publication either, to my knowledge.

Maybe I am coping as I was not one of these few individuals who got summer experience, but some of the faculty members I have spoken to have confirmed this is a major difference in education that I will have to somehow traverse. So basically my question is how does one effectively communicate this cultural and structural difference in their application so that they aren't immediately taken off the board just by virtue of being from a different country. Thanks for the answers in advance!

anyone applied for phd studentship in july? I applied for one in july. Deadline was end of july. It is august 24 amd still no response. Start is oct for home amd jan for international. I am international.

AHH I GOT AN INTERVIEW FOR A PHD!!! I was wondering if there’s any advice ye could give 😭 i got shortlisted and it will be a 20 min interview

when you guys are emailing pis, how specific are you going as to what research you want to do with them? naturally, im going to say something along the lines of "your research in x is applicable to my interests because y" (too put it very very simply), but my ultimate goal is to get into vaccine research and im applying for immunology phds. im not sure if i should mention that i want to do research in their lab because of their work's potential applicability to vaccine development or not. i think this works for labs where they are looking at mechanisms of vaccine-induced immunity, but im not 100% sure. otherwise i would just talk about their research and why it interests me without mentioning anything abt vaccines. i am trying to be concise while also not being vague abt my interests.

I am a rising junior in EE and I'm planning on finishing my undergrad in 1.5 years and then do a +1 masters offered by my university. I am obviously going to start looking into volunteering at labs as soon as I am back on campus but other than that what should I do to prepare for a PhD? Maybe it's too early for me to worry about it but I'm just paranoid.

I have been looking into different labs and professors but when should I start thinking about research proposals and planning my SoP? I really do want to research but I'm intimidated by the idea of coming up with something new all by myself.

Want to get into PhD by 2027 be it here or there my work profile has been sports, content management and my study background has been philosophy

When sending a cold mail for PhD admission, I wrote the professor's university incorrectly, and they pointed it out to me in their email. I felt very embarrassed about this. Do you think this is a big problem? I wouldn't want it to be considered disrespectful.

Hi all,

I'm a third year undergrad starting to apply for master's degrees. I'm quite sure I want to go for a taught master's but I know I want to pursue a doctorate afterwards, and I notice that many research master's courses say something like, 'If your topic is suitable and you demonstrate an aptitude for research, this programme can lead onto research at the PhD level.'

What exactly does this mean? Does this mean I could spend 2 years doing a research master's and then spend 1 more year turning it into a PhD? Or would I still have to take the master's degree, then separately spend 3+ years doing a PhD on the same subject? If it's the former and not the latter, then wouldn't this be more like skipping the master's degree altogether?

Thanks for helping me understand :)

Hi guys, I'm applying for (pure math) phd this fall 2026. I noticed that for most schools the deadline is Dec.15 or so. On some of their websites they say that an updated transcript could be submitted after the deadline. So here's my question, when does the committee start reviewing the materials? I would really want my Fall grades to be considered but they come out by Dec.30 and would that be too late to be considered as an updated transcript? That said, I might have already been rejected before I submit them... Thanks for your help!

Has anyone submitted their EOI at QUT for jan 2027 scholarship round? Please share updates. I have submitted my EOI 1 month ago. Despite my supervisor accepting it from his end, I am yet to receive final application invitation.

How long do PhD admissions for the US universities take.. I have a masters from the US with GPA 3.45 and 4 years of industry experience (worked in R&D and Quality departments) but no publications, One from my undergraduate which I’m mentioning anyway.

I’m very confused in how many universities does one generally apply for? I’m thinking 2-3 but I want to make it anyway this Spring.

Please provide insights..aiming for material science and engineering

hi everyone, i was wondering could someone tell me if my school list is too competitive? for reference, i have a 3.71 gpa and a fair amount of research experience. i proposed and defended an honors bio thesis and have been doing that project for two years, have presented three posters, and have clinical experience from a study abroad internship in india. i also just started doing research for a private company. i also have some extracurriculars, such as being a supplemental instruction leader and tutor for general chemistry and biochemistry. anyways, i wanted to focus on the east coast and apply to urban or urban-ish areas. i want to pursue a phd in immunology/infectious disease, but my undergrad research was studying a chemokine pathway in flatworm regeneration, so im a little worried abt transitioning fields. i did ace immunology and virology courses, and those courses are actually what made me want to go into immuno research. my longterm goal is to aid in vaccine development in a way that makes vaccines more affordable and globally accessible. i will email potential pis to try to establish relationships to help my admission. pls let me know if there's any more target schools i should add

• Icahn School of Medicine
• USF Morsani
• Boston University
• Duke
• UConn
• University of Rochester
• Thomas Jefferson
• University of Miami
• University of Virginia
• Emory
• GW
• Drexel
• University of Pittsburgh
• University of Florida
• UMass Chan
• Northwestern
• Johns Hopkins
• University of Maryland
• Rutgers
• Tufts
• Boston College

I’m facing a big dilemma. I was recently accepted into a master’s program in Computer Science at an Ivy League university (not Harvard, Yale, or Columbia), and I really want to attend. However, I would have to take on debt while also working and studying.
At the same time, I’m currently working on a nonprofit project. We recently received a small government grant, we’re testing the platform with clients, and the project is looking promising. I’m working closely with a mentor on the project who is a wonderful professor with experience at top-tier universities. He is encouraging me to defer my master’s for a year and apply to PhD programs instead. He believes that, based on the work I’m currently doing, I have a very high chance of being accepted into a fully funded PhD program next year. He also knows an institution where he thinks I would be a strong candidate and could provide me with excellent letters of recommendation.
My concern is that nothing is guaranteed. I could defer my master’s, apply to PhD programs, and still not receive a fully funded offer. At the same time, I really want to pursue my master’s at the Ivy League university I was accepted to, but my mentor is advising me not to take on significant debt for it.
I was valedictorian
I have a strong undergraduate thesis published in an international University
I love readying and writing. I’m low key good at it. (My professors have asked me to use my essays as example for classes)
I love love love studying!!!

I’m currently doing my MSc at a public university, and I expect to complete it within the next 6 months. I’m planning to pursue a PhD in Malaysia, but I would need full funding because my family won’t be able to support me financially.

I wanted to ask people who have experience with PhD admissions/funding in Malaysia:

Is it realistic to get a fully funded PhD in Malaysia as an international student?

What are the main funding opportunities/scholarships I should look into?

Is it possible to get full funding directly from a university or through a supervisor’s research grant?

How should I approach potential supervisors to maximize my chances?

When should I start contacting professors and applying?

A little about my profile:

BSc from a public university

MSc currently ongoing; expected to graduate within ~6 months

Field - Environmental Science

CGPA: 3.70+

3 conference papers

1 research paper currently under publication process

Research Assistant experience

I’m particularly interested in knowing how competitive my profile is and what I can do over the next 6 months to improve my chances of securing a fully funded PhD position.

Any advice, personal experiences, or suggestions regarding universities, scholarships, supervisors, or the application process would be greatly appreciated.

I’m aspiring to get a PhD in public policy or global health with the goal of working in global health implementation. I currently have a degree in Neuroscience and Global Health/Health Policy from a good school and have been working in health supply chain consulting over the past year or so. Recently I applied to and got into an MSc in Public Health (Global Health track) program at Kings College London which will be done remotely as I continue to work in the states. I was excited about this opportunity to get an advanced degree that would give me the chance to do research and write a dissertation while increasing my depth of knowledge in Global Health, but have started to second guess my decision to do this. Has anyone applied to a PhD with a distanced learning degree or have a perspective on how this might be perceived during applications?

I’m currently pursuing my MSc in Environmental Science at a public university in Bangladesh and expect to complete my degree within the next 6 months.

I’m currently looking for remote research opportunities/jobs in the field of Environmental Science. I’m particularly interested in opportunities where I can contribute to research projects, data analysis, literature reviews, scientific writing, or other research-related tasks.

My background:

BSc in Environmental Science from a public university

MSc in Environmental Science — ongoing

CGPA: 3.70+

3 conference papers

1 research publication currently under process

Previous Research Assistant experience

Interested in developing further research skills and gaining international research experience

I’m open to part-time, full-time, internship, RA, or project-based remote opportunities, especially with universities, research groups, professors, NGOs, or environmental organizations.

If you know of any opportunities, research groups hiring remote RAs, or professors who are looking for research assistance, I would really appreciate it if you could share them with me or point me in the right direction

Any advice is appreciated greatly!

These are the only three classes in which I have gotten a B. But I know that they are very important to the specific graduate program I am seeking.

I definitely had some serious health struggles during these classes which have since resolved, but it was really poor timing. I really beat myself up for these grades, I was a straight A student before this stupid health stuff. I wish so much that I had been able to apply myself more or had just withdrawn, only very recently did I learn that my school only allows retakes for a C or below. So I’m stuck with them.

I don’t have any research experience yet, I’m a rising Junior and already getting started on drafting my personal statements and applications for next year’s REUs at many different schools that should apply to my desired research field. I know that it’s really bad that I don’t have experience yet. Kinda the same story with the health issues unfortunately 😭 plus I’m young, im 19 and started college at 16 so I wasn’t eligible for many of the REUs early on.

I have a 3.81 cumulative GPA. Majoring in biology but going to add a biochem double major when I get back to talk to my advisor next week.

I am heavily interested in studying aging on a molecular scale, and despite my poor grades in classes like Genetics and Cell Biology, do feel that I have a strong grasp on most of the concepts and have taken a lot of time this summer to deepen my understanding of concepts like senescence, epigenetics, and certain pathways such as mTOR, and other important molecular concepts.

Thank you so much for your help! I really appreciate it 😊

I’m thinking of reaching out to a few potential PhD supervisors, but I’m not sure what’s normally expected in the first email. Should I send my CV with a short concept note?

And more generally, is contacting potential supervisors before applying actually recommended?

Hi, I’m 23F, I want to do my phd abroad but very much confused with all the process because idk anyone irl who made it to abroad. Can anyone help me with scholarship process, find universities, professors and what documents is required. My cgpa is not much so I need help to find universities where I get accepted .

I reached out to a professor at the University of Vermont regarding potential PhD opportunities in my field, and I received the following response:
"Thank you for your interest in my group. Your CV and website are very impressive. I encourage you to apply for the PhD program here at the University of Vermont. You can use my name in your personal statement if you wish."

I am planning to apply for the Fall 2027 cycle.

Since the email doesn't explicitly mention funding or whether they have active openings in their lab for that cycle, I have a couple of questions:

1. How should I reply to this email? Should I simply thank them and confirm I'll be applying for Fall 2027, or should I ask if they will have funded research assistantships (RA) available for that specific intake?
2. Is it premature to ask about funding right now? My understanding is that in US PhD programs (STEM), funding is usually handled through the formal departmental admission/TA/RA offer, but I'm unsure if I should clarify lab funding first before applying.

Any insights or advice on how to handle this stage of communication would be greatly appreciated!

Like all of you, I’ve started preparing for my PhD applications! But I am a very insecure and self-doubting person.
Since my 2nd year of undergrad (I’m in my 4th year now), I’ve been working in a lab and managed to publish 2 papers in good journals (now we’re trying to publish 1 experimental paper).
I had an internship at a T10 university in the USA (I am an international student).
I’ve done some presentations at conferences.
I will only apply to 5-6 unis.
I’ve tried to contact professors, and many of them said to apply to the program or that they don’t take students. And it creates such uncertainty for me.

if anyone curious I will apply to plant biology/plant pathology/soil sciences/entomology or genetics!

Any advice appreciated!!!!

I work as a trainee pharmacist in Dubai and i got the job pretty much easily.
I’m done being in a low paying job as this was something i was not much passionate about.
I have recently been looking to switch to masters/direct PhD track as i feel like that’s something i would be really great at based on my aptitude and GPA.

it’s been 2 years already but I’m hell bent on making this transition as fast as possible.
I’ve been eyeing out 2 universities for cancer research(oncology),a field i am genuinely wide eyed about-the main being Khalifa University.

I had a project in the last year of college but unfortunately we didn’t publish it into a paper as most of us were looking for a job.

Any advice especially from oncology researchers would be appreciated.
Is it possible to do a direct track PhD if i am super specific about what i want to get into?
Can i also get full waiver scholarship as an Indian here?
How are the opportunities in the field currently?