how to write a phd enquiry email

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How to Email a Professor for Master or PhD Positions: Sample Emails

Emailing a professor to serve as a graduate school advisor or Ph.D. supervisor is a very good idea, but it can also come with its fair share of challenges. It’s imperative to understand that sending an adequate email to a professor, where you present your ideas is very important. Ideally, you want to create a great email to the professor that shows how qualified you are as an applicant.

On top of that, the email should also have a great structure, proper keywords and the right email patterns. needless to say, your email doesn’t have to be very long, nor does it have to be repetitive. keeping it to the point and reading the professor’s research papers and ongoing before applying for the ph.d. position can be a major bonus., why to email a professor for a ph.d. position.

Email is a great way to get in touch with a professor to show you are interested in the Ph.D. position. It allows you to introduce yourself, show the professor your research interest while also making it easy to showcase any credentials. Emails to professors are a double-edged sword, however, since a badly written email to a professor diminishes your chances of reaching that Ph.D. position. So you must pay a lot of attention and ensure that your email to potential supervisor is well-written.

What are parts of an email to a professor?

An email sent to a professor for the Ph.D. position needs to have multiple different parts. The format might change depending on the situation, but for the most part, this is what you need to have in your email:

The subject line needs to be to the point, and it needs to be something like “Prospective Ph.D. student”, “Request for Ph.D. supervision” or anything similar. You want to show exactly what you want to achieve and why you are sending an email in the first place. If you step away too much, then that becomes an issue and you want to avoid that as much as you can.
Greetings are also an important part. You want to start with “Dear NAME” or “Dear Prof. NAME”, among others. Make sure that you only use professional greetings. Then you can write “Good Morning” or “Good Afternoon”, depending on the time of day when you are sending the email to the professor.
The First paragraph has to be an introduction, showing who you are and where you come from. The intro should also have some info about your experience and qualifications, which is something important to keep in mind. Any slang terms or abbreviations should be avoided.
The second paragraph needs to talk about your work experience, skills and previous research. Keep in mind this needs to be short and to the point, but you want to showcase your achievements and expertise, as it will make you stand out from any other competitors.
The third paragraph is where you share your interests and motivation. Show why you chose this professor or their research group. It’s also a good idea to start what project you would like to get started on. It helps eliminate concerns, while bringing you an outstanding experience.
At the end of the email, you want to have a formal acknowledgement. You also want to state that you attached your CV and any other relevant info regarding your previous accomplishments.

First sample email to professor

Dear Prof. _____

My name is AAA, I am a student at the AAA college and I have a major in AAA. Right now I am a junior, but I am preparing to graduate this year. I also have experience in the college summer program and a GPA score of 4.

I am looking to attend the graduate school AAA, specializing in AAA. During one of my classes, I had the opportunity to read your article on AAA, I enjoyed it a lot and it allowed me to gather some ideas regarding future research I can do. I’ve also bee exploring a multitude of ideas that I could work on. My project will focus on AAA and AAA, and I would like to explore multiple different questions.

I would like to inquire if you are accepting any graduate students. I’ve been working on numerous projects and received multiple awards, as you can see from my attachments. I would be delighted to work with you and receive all the necessary guidance needed to complete my research.

Please find in the attachment my CV. I am looking forward to hearing your reply and potentially working with you.

Best regards,

Second sample email to professor

Dear Prof. ____

My name is AAA and I completed the AAA degree from AAA university with X GPA. I received the AAA certificates, achievements and medals (If available).

While doing my undergraduate/masters studies, I was able to read one of your articles and I was fascinated by it. Since then, I’ve been engaged in multiple research projects on that topic, and even was a part of research publications and internships that allowed me to further improve my knowledge on that topic.

I am turning to you for the AAA position on the AAA scholarship in the area of AAA. I read multiple publications of your research work and my current project, and I would like to ask for your assistance and guidance. I explored your department’s website in detail and I think your option would be an excellent fit due to the emphasis on AAA and AAA. I still have a few questions that I would like to talk with you about.

Please find in the attachment my CV which includes my work experience, the list of research publications, and academic achievements. I appreciate taking your time to read this message, and I am looking forward to your reply.

It’s very important to understand how to create an email for a Ph.D position, even if it can get very challenging at first. The main focus is to always ensure you share your ideas, while asking for guidance and support. Keep it short and simple, retain the structure listed above, and don’t hesitate to make this email your own. Doing that can help a lot, and it has the potential to eliminate many of the downsides that can appear. If you found this article and samples useful, don’t hesitate to share them with friends!

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How to Send a Graduate School Inquiry Email

Contributed by Jenn Houtz, co-presenter of the workshop “Crafting an Effective CV/Resume for Careers Inside and Outside Academia” at AOS’s 2019 annual meeting in Anchorage, Alaska. This is the second in a series of blog posts developed from workshops presented at the meeting.

If you are considering attending graduate school, the quality of your inquiry email to a potential advisor can make or break your chances of a receiving a response. First impressions are everything, and you want to make a good one! This email might serve as the foundation for your graduate research career in your dream lab. Below we provide some useful tips for crafting a professional graduate position inquiry email.

1. Subject Line

These are the FIRST words a professor will see when they open up their email for the day. You want it to catch their attention and immediately notify them that you are a prospective student. The subject line should state the semester you wish to start a graduate program and include the words “Prospective Graduate Student” – for example, “Fall 2019 Prospective Graduate Student.”

2. Greeting

Address the professor by their last name using “Professor” or “Dr.” Do not use “Mr.”, “Mrs.”, or “Ms.” Use a friendly but professional greeting such as “Dear” or “Hello” instead of an informal “Hey.”

3. Introduction

The first line of the email should include your full name, year in school, major, and university/college, followed by a statement that includes what topic of graduate study you are currently considering and the semester you would start your degree. Make sure to also specify whether you are looking to do a Master’s or a PhD in their lab.

4. Relevant Experience

After introducing yourself, you want to grab the professor’s attention by providing a few lines about your research interests and relevant experiences. These experiences may include but are not limited to a seasonal field technician position, a summertime research experience for undergraduates (REU) at an external institution, or an independent study/honors thesis project at your home institution. You should state what research areas spark your interest, along with a short summary of any research projects you have conducted. You don’t want to go into extraneous detail (save that for your CV and cover letter), but you want to state the main goal of the research, the study organism, and the name of the advisor on the project.

Example: “My interests in behavioral ecology and endocrinology line up well with the research conducted in your lab. More specifically, I worked as a field assistant on a project that investigated the effect of testosterone on the mating behavior of White-throated Sparrows under the advisement of Dr. John Smith.”

5. Why Their Lab?

This is where you tell the professor how you found out about their lab and why you are interested in applying. State where you first came across their research, which may be a paper you read in class or a talk you saw at a conference. Then, explain what specific topic from their work interests you the most. Do NOT copy and paste text from the “Research” section of the professor’s website. They took great care to write that section and will recognize if you use the same wording.

Example: “I first became intrigued by your research after reading your 2019 Behavioral Ecology review paper on avian mating strategies. During my graduate studies, I am particularly interested in investigating the mechanistic underpinnings of avian mating behavior. I believe I could not only contribute to the ongoing work in your lab, but also introduce novel investigations into the impact of glucocorticoids on breeding investment.”

6. Request Further Consideration

Directly state that you would like to talk with them more about pursuing a graduate degree in their lab. Make sure you include information specifically requested by the professor on their position announcement or website, such as GPA, GRE scores, references, CV, and cover letter. Usually, you can just include your GPA, GRE scores, and references within your CV, but make sure to point this out in your email.

7. Sign-off

Thank them for their time and say that you look forward to hearing back from them. End the email with a sign-off such as “Best” or “Sincerely” and your full name.

It is important to keep the email concise, because a professor is more likely to read a short email than multiple paragraphs. The main goal of your email is to express genuine interest in the professor’s research and earn the opportunity to talk with them more over the phone or video. Regardless of whether or not you receive a reply, have confidence in your abilities and experience. The right professor will appreciate you showing interest in their lab and contact you back. Good luck!

Example Template Email

Hello Dr. (last name of professor) ,

My name is (your first and last name) , and I am a (year in school) (major) at (name of university) . I am currently considering (topic of graduate study) graduate programs for (semester you would start graduate school) . My research interests in (research topic) line up well with the research conducted in your lab. More specifically, I have conducted research on (main focus of project) on (study organism) under the advisement of Dr. (name of research advisor) .

I first became intrigued by your research after (how you first discovered their research) . This paper was very influential in shaping my research interests and ideas. During my graduate studies, I am particularly interested in investigating (research topic that relates to the work conducted in the professor’s lab) .

I would love to open a dialogue with you about (name of university and department)’s program and your lab specifically as a potential avenue for graduate school. Attached is my CV, containing my GPA, GRE scores, and references. My attached cover letter outlines my research experiences in more detail and potential graduate project ideas.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing back from you.

(Your Name)

Thanks a lot, its a good guide

How to cold e-mail for a PhD

Melissa Hart 0

Melissa Hart is graduate director in the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes. She has developed a national, cross-institutional graduate programme that has reimagined the conventional Australian PhD to include an essential combination of breadth, depth, support and collaboration.

You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

I lead a national, graduate programme and receive multiple e-mails each week from prospective PhD students. I assess these applicants’ academic backgrounds in my discipline of climate science, as well as their interest in, and understanding of, the research my centre does. When I receive a well-written enquiry that ticks all the boxes, I experience a genuine feeling of joy. I’ve been known to forward such e-mails to a colleague with the simple addition of “this student is good!”.

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HEIDI WAITE

Jul 2, 2020

How to write a graduate school inquiry email

[Topics were inspired by questions from mentees & discussions with the UCI's Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Ecology Group]

Applying to graduate school is a very different process than applying for undergrad. For one, you are applying to work with a professor and in their lab on specific research topics. This means you have to do a bit more research on the faculty and research happening at the school. For my blog post on how to find a program or lab click here . The goal isn’t to reach out to as many professors as possible. Rather, the goal is to find a few professors doing research you find really interesting and reaching out via email.

Why email? You want to get to know the professor and get more information on their most recent projects. It is also an opportunity to learn if they are taking on new graduate students or not. It’s important to remember that the professor is looking to see if you are a good fit, but you are also looking to see if they are a good fit for you . After all, you’ll be spending 5+ years in their lab. Emailing will give you a sense of their communication style and possibly their personality. These are both important when choosing a lab eventually [ see blog post on choosing a program ].

When should you send these inquiry emails? Normally, applications are due sometime in late fall or early winter. I reached out the summer before the fall I applied for graduate school. This gives you the opportunity to develop a rapport with the professor and possibly visit the lab. But don’t be afraid to reach out earlier if you see that they or their graduate students will be at a conference. It’s a great idea to try to meet and chat in person. Conferences are a great way to do this!

What to include in the inquiry email? First, make sure that each email you send out is personalized. It should be directed to the specific professor and their research. Professors easily see through “spam” emails.

General outline of inquiry emails (see sample PDF for more details outline):

Subject line – state your purpose (e.g. “Prospective PhD Student for Fall 2020”). You don’t want your email getting lost in their inbox.

Greeting – include a greeting and their title (e.g. “Dear Dr. Smith”)

First paragraph – a sentence or two introducing yourself, your institution, and your intentions. (see samples)

Second paragraph – briefly explain your research interests and how it aligns with their research. Here you can mention any specific projects they are working on that you are particularly interested in. (See samples)

Third paragraph – explain why you are interested in their lab and ask if they would be willing to chat about their research. (see samples)

Attachments – you would want to include your CV ( see blog post on creating CVs )

I have attached a PDF below with a more detailed outline and two samples of my own inquiry emails. Ideally, you keep this first email relatively short. Professors get a lot of emails and can sometimes dismiss really long emails. Don’t be surprised if you don’t receive an email back. I would suggest following up after 2 weeks.

I hope this was useful and good luck!

Guidelines for Your First Email

1. do your research.

Before contacting a supervisor, you need to have researched them. Hopefully, you would have already have done this before deciding that they would be suitable for your project. However, if you haven’t, read up and learn about their research.

This is important to confirm that your project is relevant to the supervisor and that they have suitable expertise to support you.

As well as information about their research and recent publications, you can find their email address on their University’s academic profile page. Their email address should also be available in the PhD listing you originally saw the position.

2. Use a Clear Subject Line

Use a short subject line which clearly shows your intention. Supervisors receive countless emails a day from students, other professors, external collaborators and research bodies. Therefore, an unclear subject line will probably go unnoticed in their busy inbox.

Good examples of subject lines include:

Enquiry for NERC-funded PhD in Climate Change
Prospective Applicant – EPSRC – Material Science PhD

If the University provides a reference number in the PhD listing you found the position, ensure you include it at the end of your subject line.

3. Address Them

Always start your email with “Dear” followed by the supervisor’s surname.

Make sure you use the supervisor’s correct title. Starting an email to a professor with “Dear Dr” rather than “Dear Professor” won’t only annoy them but will imply you have poor attention to detail. Therefore, using the wrong title will immediately set a poor impression and sometimes may even be enough for the supervisor to stop reading your email.

4. Introduce Yourself and State Your Intentions

First, introduce yourself by providing the following information:

Your academic qualifications
Your level of experience

Second, indicate that you are interested in undertaking a doctoral research project. If you’re emailing regarding a specific project, then provide its title.

If the University isn’t offering projects with pre-defined titles, then instead indicate which specific areas of the research field you are interested in. When expressing your research interests, also discuss why you are interested in having them as your supervisor. In your explanation, include relevant examples of their recent work and relate it back to your research topic. This will show the supervisor that you have thought about the direction of your research and have undertaken detailed research around the topic. It will also show that you’re familiar with their work. This won’t only help build rapport but will also show the supervisor that you believe he will be a good match for you.

After discussing your interests, confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements and move on to discuss your funding situation. If you intend to apply for funding or a scholarship on acceptance into your programme, mention this and list the names of the funding bodies and scholarships you will be applying to.

5. Conclude

Conclude your email by reinforcing your enthusiasm for the position and summarising why you think you’d make a great research student.

In addition to this, you could also suggest a meeting as a way for the two of you to discuss the contents of your email. This isn’t required but does sometimes make it easier for the supervisor if they have a lot to discuss.

6. Thank Them

Thank the supervisor for their time and end your email with “Kind regards” followed by your first and last name in full.

Email Etiquette

Sample email and etiquette for meeting request with supervisor

Attach Supporting Information

Your goal should be to make the exchange as simple as possible for the supervisor. Therefore, attach any supporting information such as your CV if you expect they may ask for it or find it useful. This will save them having to email you back asking for further information should they need it.

Keep It Brief

As mentioned above, supervisors won’t have time to keep going back and forth, therefore, avoid vague statements or being too broad about your interests.

Whilst it’s OK to email several potential supervisors offering similar positions, ensure you tailor each one so it’s relevant to the specific supervisor you’re emailing. If your email is too generic, they’ll likely think you repurposed it from one of your earlier emails to another supervisor and so choose to ignore it.

Lastly, before you hit send, read over your email and confirm it’s free from any grammatical mistakes. As a postgraduate student applying to a PhD position, your email needs to be error-free.

Be Patient With Follow-Ups

Supervisors are extremely busy people. They have classes to teach, research students to supervise and several independent projects to lead. Therefore, don’t be too disheartened if you don’t hear back from them right away.

If you don’t receive a reply after a week, send them a polite follow up. If they still don’t get in contact after another week, they’ve likely either stopped accepting applicants are too overwhelmed to process their inbox. In these cases, it’s best to start looking for alternative supervisors.

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

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

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How to Address a PhD in Email

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Shannon O'Brien, MA, EdM and by wikiHow staff writer, Eric McClure . Shannon O'Brien is the Founder and Principal Advisor of Whole U. (a career and life strategy consultancy based in Boston, MA). Through advising, workshops and e-learning Whole U. empowers people to pursue their life's work and live a balanced, purposeful life. Shannon has been ranked as the #1 Career Coach and #1 Life Coach in Boston, MA by Yelp reviewers. She has been featured on Boston.com, Boldfacers, and the UR Business Network. She received a Master's of Technology, Innovation, & Education from Harvard University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 51,462 times.

Writing an email to a college professor with a Ph.D.? Do you call someone with a Ph.D. a doctor? Figuring out the right way to address someone with a doctorate is a lot easier than it may seem, and we’re going to break this down so that you can get it right. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to address someone with a Ph.D.

Do you address someone with a Ph.D. as a doctor?

Yes, address someone with a Ph.D. as “Dr.”

How to Address an Email to Multiple Professors

Address each professor separately using their title and last name.

“Dear Professor Jones, Professor Smith, and Professor Ali.”
“Dr. Jones, Dr. Smith, and Professor Ali,”
“Dr. Jones and Professor Smith,”

What is the proper way to write a name with Ph.D.?

Write a name with a Ph.D. as “Dr. Jimmy Jones.”

You may have seen Ph.D. holders put “Ph.D.” at the end of their name. This is something authors do, but you shouldn’t need to write it this way.

Do you call a professor a doctor?

You’re very unlikely to get into any trouble by referring to your college teacher as “professor,” even if they are a doctor. At worst, they’ll kindly correct you.
In the United States, it is generally seen by most educators as socially acceptable to address a doctor who is also a professor as “professor.” It’s not technically correct, but you’re unlikely to offend any of your educators. As such, you can usually call a doctor a professor or Dr. in email. [3] X Research source

How do you address Ph.D. students?

Opt for “Mr.,” “Ms.,” or “Professor,” if you’re addressing a Ph.D. student.

A Ph.D. student is not a doctor yet, but they may still be a professor.
“Professor” traditionally refers to tenure-track educators at the collegiate level, but there’s no harm or risk of offense by calling an adjunct instructor, lecturer, or TA, “professor.” [5] X Research source
“Miss” has historically been used to address unmarried women, while “Mrs.” has referred to married women. These titles are going out of style since many people find them offensive, so you’re best off skipping these. [6] X Research source

Do the rules for addressing Ph.D. holders ever change?

The rules for addressing Ph.D. holders change from country to country.

For example, in Canada, you are not “officially” allowed to refer to non-medical doctors as “Dr.” You would address them as “Mr. Jones, Doctor of Mathematics.”
This also applies to the “Jimmy Jones, Ph.D.” form, too. In the United Kingdom, for example, you don’t use any periods. Someone in the UK would write, “Jimmy Jones, PhD” without the punctuation.

Expert Q&A

It doesn’t matter if someone has a Ph.D. is in philosophy, education, biology, math, or any other discipline. If a person has obtained a doctorate degree, they’re a doctor—even if they don’t see patients. [8] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
Ph.D. is shorthand for doctor of philosophy. The word “doctor” comes from the Latin word “docere,” which means “to teach.” In ancient times, “Philosophy” was used to refer to any academic field. [9] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
The only exception, at least in the United States, are people with a law degree (they are technically “Juris Doctors”, or J.Ds). You do not use a special title or honorific to address someone with a law degree. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

↑ https://www.universityaffairs.ca/career-advice/career-advice-article/what-should-i-call-my-professor/
↑ https://www.purdue.edu/advisors/students/email.php
↑ https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/sending-email-to-faculty-and-administrators
↑ https://www.bbc.com/news/world-40530920
↑ https://healthenews.mcgill.ca/use-of-dr-doctor-in-quebec-and-updating-your-honorific-in-mcgills-systems/
↑ https://www.cmaj.ca/content/re-who-entitled-be-called-doctor
↑ https://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/roark-textbook/Chapter-1.htm
↑ https://moviecultists.com/do-you-call-someone-with-a-jd-doctor

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How to Write an Email to a Potential Supervisor (With examples)

December 15, 2021
GRADUATE ADMISSIONS

How to write an email to a potential supervisor

Writing to a potential supervisor can exponentially increase your chances of securing a position as a graduate student. However, you will be walking in a thin line between setting up a great first impression or a pretty bad one.

The good news is that leaving a great impression is much simpler than you would think; it simply comes down to how you structure your first email.

When I was applying for my graduate program, I sent 130 emails to different professors in different universities in both USA and Canada. For those 130 emails I sent, I got 53 replies, with nearly 40% conversion rate. From those 53 replies, 22 professors were interested in offering me a position in their lab and encouraged me to apply formally through the university’s graduate office.

In this blog post, you will find some helpful information that I figured out during my application process about writing an email to a potential supervisor.

How appropriate would it be to write an email to a potential supervisor?

Reach out and write an email to a potential supervisor before applying is definitely one of those topics where you want to find out about the norms in your discipline.

Reaching out to potential advisors ahead of time is fine, helpful but not necessarily required for most people.

In some fields, it might be strange or unexpected or something that people don’t usually do, and in some other fields, it might almost feel like a requirement.

This might be different in different fields because, in some disciplines, advisor fit is much more important than others.

Suppose you are in a discipline like humanities where you’re not working very closely with an advisor. In that case, it might be that students are accepted into the department generally, and that advisor fit doesn’t really matter.

In that case, you should still talk about specific faculty in your statement of purpose because that is a good reason why you’re applying to that program.

It shows that you’ve done your research.

But you probably don’t need to do fact-finding on the capacity of individual faculty members before you submit your application.

But if you are in one of those disciplines where advisor fit can be essential for admission, writing an email to a potential supervisor is very important.

Overall, reaching out to potential advisors isn’t something you have to do, but it’s really more of a fact-finding mission.

It can be beneficial for you to get some helpful information.

Find out if they have the resources to recruit you.

Sometimes there’s one perfect potential advisor for you in a department, and that person cannot take on new advisees for some reason.

Maybe the funding capacity limit is already reached when you email the professor.

If that’s the case, they often are upfront about that and might even suggest other people that you should consider talking to or writing about in your application materials.

If you get one of these responses from a professor who says,” I’m unlikely to take on new PhD advisees”, that does not mean that you should not apply for that program.

Also, do not forget to follow up because sometimes the funding capacity can change at the last moment.

This is one of the advantages of writing an email to a potential supervisor because they might let you know if something like that happens.

But it’s good for you to know that you should look into other options as well. Even if you are highly interested in that particular program, putting all your eggs in one basket is not a good idea.

The other important thing that you could find out from reaching out to a prospective advisor is their current research direction.

For example, if you look at someone’s recent publications, think about when the professor did that research.

If a paper is published recently, this paper went through peer review.

Roughly add the revision time and paper writing time.

They might have done that research two years ago.

Are they still doing that kind of research?

You can, of course, find out a fair amount of research work and their timelines by going to a faculty member’s website or by looking at current grant funding.

Especially, grand funding tells you what that person will be doing for the next few years.

People’s trajectories can change a lot.

Have I ever made a mistake like this? I have. Big time! See the below email I received when I was writing to a professor!

So, you want to make sure you have an idea of what they’re doing now because you could mention them in your statement of purpose letter .

When should you reach out to a potential supervisor?

Typically graduate applications are due late fall / early winter.

You should check and make sure that you have a sense of this timeline.

It wouldn’t necessarily hurt to reach out earlier.

But, I would recommend reaching out one to two months before the deadline because that’s when supervisors know if they can offer new graduate student positions.

Sometimes funding decisions come in over the summer, so they might undoubtedly know whether they’re taking on new graduate students when the deadlines are closer.

Another reason not to email professors early is, some professors aren’t working as much over the summer.

Also, they might be heads down and writing a book or doing research and not responding to emails quite as readily as they might during the academic year.

A template for writing an email to a potential supervisor

Here’s an example email that I used when applying for graduate programs. This is the email I wrote to the professor I’m currently working with.

Make sure to adjust this email to be compatible with your field of study.

This will give you a sense of the information you might want to mention in your email.

Title: Inquiry from a prospective graduate student Dear Professor [name], I am a (Your major) graduand from the (Your university). I’m interested in a graduate study opportunity under your supervision in your research group. I am considering applying to your department’s graduate program, one reason being that I am very interested in the work you are doing on Hydrophobic surfaces. Given that your research takes both experimental and theoretical approaches for surface analysis and development, it further encourages me to apply since it is a perfect confluence of my research interests. I particularly enjoyed your paper “(Paper that you’re interested in)” and possibly see myself doing that kind of work. My own research interests relate to surface and interface science, computational materials science, thin films and coatings, and electrochemistry. I graduated with a (Your overall GPA) and a (CGPA) in the last two years of undergraduate study and am currently working as a researcher for eight months at [institute], a world-leading manufacturer of weight measurement technologies. At [institute]’s research lab, I am implementing studies on the micro throwing power of watt’s type baths by electrochemical simulations (COMSOL Multiphysics), ideally targeting to enhance Ni20Cr thin films’ surface wettability. I have just submitted an article on my current research findings, which was accepted by Materials Today: Proceedings. I have attached our recent publication and other relevant documents with more details. I am wondering if you will be considering taking on new PhD advisees for September intake or if you have suggestions for other faculty I should reach out to. I would be happy to answer any questions or have an online interview if more information would be helpful. ( Your signature )

You will find more tips of writing the perfect email to a potential supervisor here .

First and foremost, do not forget to do your homework before writing an email to a potential supervisor.

Do not send the same email to every professor that you choose.

Although it seems like a lot of work, do your research first and write a specific email for each supervisor. You can always use similar phrases here and there but never use the same template because a professor who receives many such emails can easily understand what you are doing.

And, that is not a good first impression.

If you want to have a robust application, you need to research what faculty are doing.

Also, note that my email word count is nearly 250. Not including many things in your email is also essential when writing an email to a potential supervisor.

Professors are always busy. They do not have to spend more than 1 or 2 minutes on an email. So you must know to impress the professor within that time frame, or your email will go straight to the junk folder.

Note that I also mentioned a paper that I was interested in. This is optional. But if you decide to mention a paper, make sure that you understand the basic concepts of that paper. Because, if this email leads to a quick interview, they might ask some questions from the paper. If that happens, you don’t want to embarrass yourself.

But just mentioning the general research area is more than enough for the first email because it shows that you’ve done your homework.

Also, it’s very important to mention that your research interests and the supervisor’s current area of research are similar.

It doesn’t have to be exactly the same.

But it should be in the same domain. In this example, my prospective supervisor (When I was writing this email) was working on a combination of physical chemistry and computational modelling. The interests I mentioned align with what he was interested in. But they are not precisely the same.

Maintain an effective email management system

At the time I was writing to potential supervisors, I was working full-time in a research lab. My work schedule was 10 hours a day. So, it took me a while to begin writing to potential supervisors.

In fact, it was too late to start writing, and I was told by friends to wait until next year to apply. They have already contacted supervisors and secured graduate positions at this point.

This is when I snapped out of my procrastination bubble and began thinking about how to secure a graduate position. Moreover, I had very specific research interests, so getting into a graduate program has already been challenging in the first place.

Before contacting professors, I also reviewed their profiles at hundreds of universities to find relevant labs.

Therefore, I needed a robust and efficient system for emailing potential supervisors. After a few tweaks, I created an effective yet simple system for managing graduate applications.

I use the notion app to build my graduate application management system.

It only took me two weeks to find professors whose research interests were similar to mine. And I have secured a graduate position in a lab conducting the exact research I was interested in.

You can grab the template by clicking the link below.

How to Write an Email to a Potential Supervisor (With examples)

Do not directly ask for a meeting

Something else that you might have noticed that the email was ended with :

” I would be happy to answer any questions or have an online interview if more information would be helpful.”

There are lots of different ways that you could do mention this.

However, you may want to leave the option open without directly demanding a meeting.

Because if that prospective professor is not taking new advisees for the term, it would not be a great use of either of your time to have a meeting.

If the professor wants to talk more to you, they might be the one to suggest a meeting.

Or wait until you get a reply from them to decide to ask for a meeting, depending on their response.

They also might offer in their reply to answer questions, in which case you can ask questions in an email, or you can say,

“I do have some questions. Would you prefer email, or would it be easier for you to talk on the phone or video conference call?”

Why would you not get a reply?

But, sometimes, you might not get a reply at all.

It’s very important not to take it personally if they do not respond to your email.

My email conversion rate was 40%, which means that I haven’t heard anything 60% of the time.

Believe it or not, professors receive more than 100 emails per day when the deadlines are closer. So, there is a bigger chance that the professor hasn’t even seen your email.

Maybe your research background does not properly align with what they are looking for from a graduate student to join their lab. Here’s a reply I received from a professor mentioning this issue.

There are other reasons to why you haven’t heard when you write an email to a potential supervisor.

The applicant has no clear idea about their research interests.
There are no vacancies in their labs to accommodate new students.
Your email is poorly drafted, and you have not specifically addressed that particular professor.
You copy many professors in a single email.
There’s no subject on the email.

Types of responses you might get

If you don’t hear back from a professor, do not assume that that means you shouldn’t apply to that program, or you shouldn’t mention them in your statement of purpose.

You can’t assume that a non-response means that they have no interest in your application.

It’s possible that when you reach out to someone, they might be excited to talk to you.

Many of the kinds of conversations you might have in a pre-application discussion with a faculty member might be pretty similar to the type of conversation you would have after you’ve applied.

So, it’s helpful to have a meeting/interview with a professor this way.

Also, if a professor suggested looking for other faculty members, you should email them.

Because those suggested professors might work in a research area that you might be interested in. It might also be a signal for people who have funding or actively recruiting new students.

So, research them and consider reaching out to them if they mention someone specific.

You might also get a very vague reply such as :

“Thank you for reaching out. I look forward to seeing your application.”

You do not have to take that as a bad sign; it just means that they’re looking forward to seeing your application.

They chose to reply to you even though they have the freedom to ignore your email. That means something. Do not lose hope.

Make sure to mention the faculty members who replied to you so that they will recognize your application in the application evaluation process.

Final words

Writing an email to a potential supervisor is an essential step in your graduate application process.

Having a clear idea about who you are writing to and why you are writing to that person is important to get a reply.

If you have gone through the same process and found some important aspects about writing an email to a potential supervisor, let us know in the comment section.

As always, be proactive, be kind and try to help one another!

Images courtesy : Mail vector created by stories – www.freepik.com , Business photo created by creativeart – www.freepik.com , phdcomics , Image by Freepik

Aruna Kumarasiri

Founder at Proactive Grad, Materials Engineer, Researcher, and turned author. In 2019, he started his professional carrier as a materials engineer with the continuation of his research studies. His exposure to both academic and industrial worlds has provided many opportunities for him to give back to young professionals.

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Very useful article. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. I want to know about followup emails. How long we have to wait ?

I’m glad this article was helpful to you, Poornima!

Professors sometimes do not respond to emails for the following reasons: (1) They are genuinely busy. (2) They do not have funding to support your education and (3) Their inboxes are flooded with emails every day, and responding to them all can be a challenge.

Although the time to write a follow-up email depends on your own circumstances, give them a reasonable amount of time to respond. It is a good idea to wait at least one week before sending a follow-up email.

You can read our other blog posts to learn more about writing follow-up emails .

How to Email a Potential Supervisor

If you’re interested in graduate school, chances are you’re also thinking about contacting professors you’re interested in working with. This type of introductory, “cold” email is an important part of the graduate school application process, but it can be tricky to get right. You want to create a good impression so you stand out as a serious applicant. Here are some things to keep in mind when emailing potential PhD supervisors to increase your odds of getting a response.

Keep it short

Professors are short of time and receive a ton of emails each day. As a result, they often skim emails. A short email is both faster for them to read and reply to. If you write a long email there’s a higher chance a professor will wait to read it “later” (read never.)

Make a Connection

If you have a connection to the professor, make sure to mention it. Were you referred to them by one of their former or current students? Did you hear the professor speak at a conference or invited talk?

Have a Clear CTA

Have you ever reached the end of an email and still had no clue what the sender wanted from you? Don’t send that type of email to a professor. Be very clear about what you want from them. Ask direct questions like, “Will you be taking on new PhD students in the fall?” Questions like this are easier to answer which increases the likelihood that the professor will answer your email.

Introduce yourself

Once you’ve asked if you can work with them, briefly introduce yourself in a sentence or two. In addition to where you study, include your research interests, why you’re interested in this professor’s work, and what you can bring to the table. You should also attach your CV to the email.

Have a Clear Subject Line

The purpose of a subject line is to tell the reader what the email is about. Use a subject line such as “Inquiry from a prospective grad student” or “Potential applicant interested in your lab” to reinforce your CTA.

Thank them for their time

Ending your email by thanking the professor for their time is a polite way to show respect. Follow this up with a professional sign off.

If you don’t receive a reply from the professor within a week, it’s okay to send a gentle follow up email asking for a response. If you still don’t get a response, it might be best to move on.

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Life After My Ph.D.

Templates for every important email i sent related to grad school.

I recently wrote a post about how I got into my Ph.D. program with a 3.1 GPA straight out of undergrad , and I included the exact email I sent to my soon-to-be Ph.D. advisor.

I know everyone can write a basic, polite email asking for something.

However, there are definitely a few situations in grad school where the emails are pretty important and you want to get it just right . The first impression is important!

Hopefully, you can find the template for one of those emails you need here. This list will span everything from admissions to the dissertation defense.

Please feel free to leave a comment with any other requests you may have, and I’ll try to dig them up or provide tips!

Admissions: Contacting Potential Advisors

I discuss this in depth in my blog post about how I got into my Ph.D. program with a 3.1 GPA straight out of undergrad , but contacting potential advisors the summer of the year you submit applications is a really crucial way to get your foot in the door.

So, because I wanted to go directly into a Ph.D. program, I emailed faculty at various programs I was interested in the summer before my senior year of undergrad.

Sending emails to potential advisors you’re interested in working with is a behavior that’s pretty much a given at this point, so not doing so will be a detriment to you if you’re up against applicants who did email and correspond actively.

I got evidence of just how bombarded some faculty are by emails, when I emailed someone asking about their research and they responded with a PDF file that they had prepped to send to applicants, and literally said they were bombarded by emails.

This is the exact email I sent to the faculty member who ultimately became my advisor:

Email subject: Interested in X program at X Dear Dr. X, Hello. My name is X, and I am a rising senior at X, majoring in X and minoring in X. I will be applying to the X program this fall to start in Fall of X. Could you please let me know if you envision having space and resources available for graduate students in the near future? As a X major, I have solid background knowledge in X. My research interests are in the topics of X. I have a very strong fascination towards X. Many of my research experiences during my time as a student at X have been related to X and X. Your research on X is very fascinating to me, such as your paper “X”. I am very curious about the effects that X have on X. Your paper on “X” also interested me. I have taken a course on X, which introduced me to a wide variety of X, as well as information about X, and truly enjoyed utilizing my X background in a field I am interested in. In graduate school, I would love to apply my experiences to other research related to X, particularly in the topics related to X. I am also very open to new research areas and topics within X that I have not explored before. My career goal is to X. My CV is available upon request. I am interested in discussing possibilities with your lab. Thank you very much for your time!

You can read through my other post mentioned above for the details on how the rest of the email exchange went down, but basically we set a time for a phone call, which happened, and then I just emailed them a few months later, saying I applied.

The other emails I sent were written in a very similar format as the above. I only changed up the descriptions of their research and what I was interested in so that it best suited their perspective.

I was honest with my career goal, saying that I was interested in industry.

This is really important, because you want to be clear from the get-go that you are interested in a particular outcome. Some faculty members are old-school and don’t want to be a good mentor to you if you want to leave academia (I know it sucks, but it’s still reality) so it’s best to weed them out if you’re interested in industry and make sure they don’t make your life miserable during grad school and your career search.

One thing you can do is to state that you lean towards one option, but include that you have an open mind and are flexible as your perspective may change during your graduate training.

This also applies well to research topics; you don’t want to seem too set on one topic, and you can see that I made that flexibility clear in my email.

Potential advisors love hearing how flexible and open-minded you are.

If you want to organize each correspondence and not lose track of what you said and when, you can use my 16-Column Ph.D. Application Information Spreadsheet to help with that!

Admissions: Asking Your TA to Meet With You for Grad School Application Advice

Chances are, if someone is your TA, they are in a field that’s related to the field you want to get your Ph.D. in. That means they’ll have great insight into the overall grad school admissions process, even if you’re not interested in being a grad student at the school you’re currently an undergrad at.

I had some really nice TAs during my time as an undergrad and thinking back now, I feel really lucky to have had their guidance and for them to have given me the time of day.

One of them was a TA for a second-level course in the fall of my junior year that was in the field I wanted to get my Ph.D. in, and they were pretty nice and agreed to chat with me after winter break.

I sent them this email after winter break to follow up:

Email subject: Questions about applying to X programs Hi X, This is X from your X discussion. I was in your Thursday discussion and always sat near the middle with my friend. Hope you had a good winter break!! Thank you for agreeing last semester to give me your insight on applying to grad school. Like I said before, I’m interested in X PhD programs. I have some questions about selecting programs, how to know what is a safety school, contacting professors, and fellowships/aid. Would it be possible for you to meet with me when the semester starts, to talk about it a bit? If you are busy, then communicating through email is fine too. Thank you for your time!

Apparently, I was really into line breaks in my emails back then.

We ended up meeting for smoothies on campus a few days later, and I got a lot of interesting anecdotal insight from them!

They even sent me the essays they wrote to get into the school we were at.

Definitely try reaching out to the TAs and grad students that you know. Even if they aren’t grad students in the exact field or department you hope to end up in, out of the people you know in real life, they will definitely have the most up-to-date insight into the grad school application process.

Admissions: Contacting Grad Program Admin

I also contacted grad program admin for a few of the programs I was interested in applying to, especially if I had the opportunity to go visit the summer before my senior year of undergrad to check out the facilities and meet people.

Doing this won’t make or break your admissions decision, but having them know your name is really useful when there are things about your application that need clarification or if glitches occur (both of which happened in the admissions process and for this school in particular).

Email subject: Interested in X program at X Dear X, Hello, my name is X, and I am a rising senior at X majoring in X and minoring in X. I am applying to the X Graduate Program (Ph.D.) this upcoming application season. I will be visiting campus on July 28 to take a look at the facilities and to get to know the campus and surrounding area. Would it be possible for you to answer some questions I have about the program? I would love to be able to set up a time and meet with you in the morning of July 28. I may also be free on the morning of July 21, if that date is more suitable. I have already emailed X regarding his research that I am interested in, and am waiting for his response. Alternatively, could you please let me know of other faculty, perhaps those involved in the admissions process or those who direct graduate student resources, that I may contact to inquire specifically about admissions to the program? Thank you for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Email subject: Application to X program Dear X, Hello, my name is X, and I am a senior at X applying to the X Ph.D. program at X. We spoke over the summer when I visited the campus, about admissions to the program. I wanted to let you know that I submitted my application to X this weekend. I will be looking at the status of my application through this fall. Thank you for taking time to speak with me this summer and for setting up my meetings with X.

If you can’t visit campuses to check out the facilities, it’s totally fine. I didn’t visit the one I ultimately ended up at; I only emailed the faculty, as shown above.

Cold-Emailing to Ask About a Rotation Opportunity

Hopefully, you are applying to Ph.D. programs that allow or require rotations. They are so invaluable for making the ultimate decision about which lab you’re going to commit to.

The rotations are when you can start to peel back the layers and facades, and see exactly how the labs are run. You get to critically assess how you’ll fit into the lab’s work and social environment, and how good of a person the advisor is.

It’s also really important to pick advisors who are able to provide funding and to directly ask about it before you commit to a rotation.

Generally, the faculty you are emailing to ask about rotations are faculty that you’ve connected with in the application process to some extent. It’s okay if you haven’t spoken to them at all yet, though, as I know plenty of colleagues from my program who cold-emailed faculty and ended up working with them.

In my case, for the program I was accepted to, the faculty I rotated with were those that I had emailed before and they were at least aware of who I was.

Here’s the rotation inquiry I sent to one of those faculty members:

Email subject: Laboratory Rotation Dear Dr. X, Hello, my name is X, and I’m an incoming X Ph.D. student. We spoke during my interview on March 9 about your research. Our conversation included topics such as X, and its effect on the X. We also talked about X and its effect on X as well as on human health. I was wondering if it would be possible to do my first laboratory rotation with you. I would like to explore some of the topics we spoke about during my interview, and other related topics. If this is possible, could you please let me know what your lab’s research topics are right now and how I can get started with it in the fall? Thank you.

This is the rotation inquiry I sent to the faculty member who ended up being my advisor:

Email subject: Lab rotation Dear X, Hello, my name is X, and I am a first year student in X. I am currently rotating in Dr. X’s lab. I was wondering if it would be possible to do a laboratory rotation in your lab in X quarter. If this is possible, could you please let me know when you would be available to meet to speak about possible projects? Thank you very much for your time.

Like I mentioned above, it’s important to confirm that the lab has funding to take on a graduate student. That way, you don’t waste your rotation doing work for a lab you don’t have a chance at joining.

If the faculty member responds favorably to your initial email, that’s when you can directly ask if they have space/funding to permanently take on a graduate student. That’s how I did it, and it worked out nicely because I felt like I wasn’t being super invasive asking about money in the very first rotation inquiry email (even though it’s very important), and I was more sure that if they responded favorably to that first email, they were more likely to have funding or at least be open to discussing my funding options.

It’s all connected as well, because the faculty members I emailed were the faculty members that showed interest in me and that I communicated with prior to submitting my application. That’s another reason why those initial emails before applying are so important. It’s so if you do get in, you’ll already have a network.

I am almost certain you can ask about funding in the initial rotation inquiry email as well, by phrasing it like “resources to take on a graduate student”, like how I did in my pre-application emails. I actually have a post that lists 10 important questions to ask during your lab rotation that you can check out if you’re interested in learning more about what to watch out for before and during rotations.

Asking Someone to Be On Your Committee

I took my qualifying exam the summer after my 3rd year. It was the perfect time for me to do it, because by that point I had made some good progress on my research and I felt comfortable with the ins and outs of presenting my results.

I formed my committee that spring, so it was the spring during my 3rd academic year. A majority of the faculty on my doctoral committee were folks I had never spoken to or met. From my experience, this was pretty normal for my program and for committees on my campus in general.

It’s hard to organically get the opportunity to know 4-5 faculty members, all of whom are experts on things that are important to your research, in the first 2-3 years of your program. One of the responsibilities of being a faculty member is to be on doctoral committees, so I didn’t worry about reaching out to people I didn’t know personally.

This was the cold-email format that I used for all of them:

Email subject: Doctoral Thesis Committee Question Hello Dr. X, My name is X, and I am a third-year doctoral student in the laboratory of X in the Department of X. The program I am in is the X Program. I am planning on taking my qualifying exam soon, and am forming my thesis committee. I was wondering if you would be interested in being on my committee. The context of my research is the X link between X and the development of X. In particular, I am studying the X of X, focusing on the X. I’m using X as the model organism for my work. Your expertise on X and the study of X would be very helpful for the development of my work. Would you be willing to be on my thesis committee? I am planning on scheduling my qualifying exam for anytime after July 4, preferably sometime in July. Thank you very much for your time.

Their responses were pretty simple and effective, like these:

Dear X, Yes, I can be on your thesis committee. I will be here for most of July (and August).

Hi X Yes I can do this but would have to do it remotely…so if grad division allows this (there is a process to apply for remote participation) and you can find a room etc to do this in then I can participate. I am on sabbatical this summer.

Important tip: A lot of faculty members are busy and out of town during summers. This made scheduling my dissertation defense an absolute nightmare, and I had to end up submitting paperwork to the university to formally remove one of my committee members from my committee at the last minute because their summer schedule didn’t allow them to join, even with my defense being strictly virtual (on Zoom) and having gone through multiple Doodle polls.

If you want to make plans with faculty members during the summers, definitely email them months in advance to get a sense of which months they’ll be available.

Asking Someone to Meet for Career Conversation or Networking

I was interested in industry positions from the very beginning of my time as a grad student. One time, I attended a departmental lunch event and randomly sat next to a new faculty member who had worked for a major policy research company. I tried my best to chat with them a bit during the lunch event and I asked them for their email address when I was leaving.

I emailed them asking about the opportunity:

Email subject: Interested in learning more about X career options Hi Dr. X, Hello, my name is X, and I spoke with you at the X lunch a few weeks ago about your time at X. I sat to your right, and I am the 5th year X Ph.D. student that studies X. Would it be possible to set up a meeting sometime to speak with you more about the type of work you have done at X, and to get more information about your perspective on career opportunities there? I am trying to explore and learn about career options available to me, as I finish my research at X. I would love to be able to expand on and utilize my graduate research training in ways that may not necessarily be wet-lab-based. Thank you for your time.

We ended up meeting in their office that Friday for about 30 minutes and it was a really great conversation because I got to learn about their educational history and how they went from grad school, to postdoc, to industry.

There are a lot of times when you have to write pretty important emails during grad school, where it might feel like you have just one shot to seal the deal or make an impression. I hope that my templates are helpful for you when you are in one of those situations!

These were just the ones I could think of off the top of my head and was able to find in my email history. If you’re struggling to write a particular email that’s not mentioned here, or have other questions, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment or send me an email and I can get back to you about it. Best of luck to you.

If you want more info about grad school admissions, my other blog post: The Top 3 Things That Helped Me Get Into an R1 Research University for my Ph.D. with a 3.1 Undergrad GPA is probably your best bet.

Emailing Professors for Master’s/PhD Mentorship

Include a subject in your email: The first thing a professor would see when he or she receives your email is the subject matter. Accordingly, it’s always important to include a subject that suggests the purpose of the email and entices them to read on. E.g., Ph.D. Mentorship Enquiry. Avoid sending emails without a subject.

Address properly: When addressing the professor, make sure to be specific by mentioning the professor’s exact name and title as seen on the website. Be specific like “Dear Professor Cone”. Avoid generic salutations like “Dear Sir/Madam”.

Introduce yourself: Tell the professor who you are by including your first and last name, your current school and program if you are still in school and your GPA. If you have completed school, highlight your degree program and what you are currently engaged in. For your graduation class and GPA, do not mention these if they are quite low or unimpressive.

Highlight your research achievements: It is important to sell yourself through highlighting your research and other academic achievements. Most importantly, highlight research, work, or internships you’ve done which fall in line with the professor’s research or work. Your experiences don’t have to necessarily match the exact research the professor does but try to show that what you have done previously within your field is somewhat relevant to the general research expertise of the professor. If you’ve attended or presented your work at any conference, do include that. Don’t give too much information and don’t also give less information as well.

The big WHY: Indicate why you are reaching out to the professor. Make sure you read more about the professor, their research interests, their publications, and their current works. Checking their recent publications is just to give you a sense of the kind of research they currently do and signaling that you have been thorough about getting to know them will make you come off as someone who may be genuinely interested in what they do. Don’t attempt to summarize some of the works of the professor in this email. Highlight how their research areas relate to your own research interests and why you would like them to mentor you or work with you.

Request a Zoom meeting: End your email by asking the professor if they will be willing to meet over Zoom so you can learn more about their research, the program, and share more about your interest with them. Don’t ask questions that can be easily found on the program’s website. End by thanking them for their time and express optimism about looking forward to their email and potential mentorship.

Sign off with your full name.

locate the sample below

Sample email to graduate school professors

PS: Always make sure you check your emails and be responsive when a professor responds back to you.

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How To Write a Graduate School Inquiry Email in 6 Steps

It is now the season for students in the U.S. to begin the stressful, arduous, and sometimes expensive process of applying to PhD programs. One common piece of advice (that we give our own students) is to send emails to faculty at the institutions where you plan to apply. In this blog post, we explain why this is a good thing to do and how to do it. Some students find it very stressful to send these emails, and we hope that the “how to do it” section will make it less stressful. You don’t have to email the faculty, but it can be extremely helpful, and we strongly recommend that you do it.

How To Write An Email To A Professor For Graduate School Admission? ( Contacting Professors )

Why you should email the faculty

Although many students are accepted into graduate programs without emailing faculty prior to submitting applications to programs, there are many good reasons to do so. This can be especially useful for programs that use the apprenticeship model. First, you can find out whether they are actually planning to take new students. You don’t want to waste money applying to a given program only to find out that the one faculty member of interest isn’t taking students this year (or is about to move to another university, take a job in industry, etc.). Information about this may be on the program’s web site or the faculty member’s web site, but web sites are often out of date, so it’s worth double-checking with an email.

Second, and perhaps most important, this email will get you “on the radar” of the faculty. Most PhD programs get hundreds of applicants, and faculty are much more likely to take a close look at your application if you’ve contacted them in advance.

Third, you might get other kinds of useful information. For example, a professor might write back saying something like “I’m not taking any new students, but we’ve just hired a new faculty member in the same area, and you might consider working with her.” Or, the professor might say something like “When you apply, make sure that you check the XXX box, which will make you eligible for a fellowship that is specifically for people from your background.” Or, if the professor accepts students through multiple programs (e.g., Psychology and Neuroscience), you might get information about which one to apply to or whether to apply to both programs. Both of us take students from multiple different graduate programs, and we often provide advice about which program is best for a given student (which can impact the likelihood of being accepted as well as the kinds of experiences the students will get).

If admissions are being done by a committee, an email can still be important. For example, decisions may take into account whether the most likely mentor(s) are interested in the student. Or you might find out that none of the faculty of interest in a given program are currently taking students for lab rotations. This could impact the likelihood that you get into a program, and it might make you less interested in a program if you know in advance that you won’t have the opportunity to do a rotation in that person’s lab. In addition, faculty members can (and will) contact the committee before decisions are made to ask them to take a close look at a particular student’s application, pointing out things that might not otherwise be obvious to them. Finally, the faculty are often involved in the interview process, and having already established a relationship will make the interview less intimidating and more productive.

Why is it important to send a graduate school inquiry email?

Sending a graduate school inquiry email can provide you with a few benefits. First, by contacting the professor before applying, you can learn whether they are accepting new students. Another benefit of a graduate school inquiry email is that it introduces you to the professor running the program. With a graduate school inquiry email, you can provide more details about yourself compared to just an application.

Sometimes, the professor may write back with useful information. For example, they may recommend a different program based on your stated research interests. The inquiry email is an excellent opportunity to start a conversation with a professor before applying to ensure youre applying for the program that suits your needs.

What is a graduate school inquiry email?

A graduate school inquiry email is a letter sent to a university faculty member that runs a graduate school program. In this email, you introduce yourself to the professor and state your desire to join their graduate program. Its common, but not always required, for prospective graduate students to send an inquiry email before applying to a program.

How to write a graduate school inquiry email

Below are six steps you can follow to write a graduate school inquiry email:

1. Create a subject line

The subject line is the line that appears within the professors email inbox, so its the first thing they see regarding your inquiry. Its important to write a professional subject line that the professor can immediately notice when they open their inbox. Try to include the words “ prospective graduate student ” within the subject line, as this clearly states the purpose of the email.

2. Greet the recipient

Within the email, the first thing to include is a greeting for the recipient. For graduate school inquiries, the person you address is usually the professor in charge of the program or department. Be sure to properly address the professor using their title and last name, such as “ Professor Smith ” or “ Dr. Jones. ”

3. Introduce yourself

Underneath the greeting, start the email by introducing yourself to the professor so they understand who you are and why youre sending them an email. Include your full name, your current school status and what school you attend. Describe the graduate study program youre applying for and include your intended start date.

4. State your desire

After your introduction, you can go into more detail about why youre applying to them specifically. You can discuss how you learned about their program and aspects of the program that appealed to you during your search. For example, you might say that you read one of their papers or heard them speak at a conference. After this, talk about why youre interested in this subject and why you believe the graduate school program can help you further your studies.

5. Describe your experience

In the next section of your graduate school inquiry email, talk about your prior experience in this field. For example, you can talk about your undergraduate studies, completed internships, research projects or professional experiences. Use this section to demonstrate your abilities in relation to the professors program.

6. Close the email

Finish your email by asking for further consideration. Ask to talk to the professor further about pursuing a graduate degree program. If the professor requested any specific information, such as GRE scores or references, attach these in a separate file and ask the professor to examine them as part of your application materials. Finally, close the email with a sign-off and your full name.

Example of a graduate school inquiry email

Below is an example of an inquiry email for a graduate school program:

Subject: Spring 2022 Prospective Graduate Student Inquiry

Dear Dr. Melvin,

My name is Andrea Johnson, and I am a senior at Alpino University studying psychology. I am currently seeking a graduate school program in behavioral science for the spring semester of 2022. After discovering last years graduate research into human behavior and how its affected by genetics, I believe it aligns well with my own research interests. Im interested in pursuing a graduate-level research position in your program.

During my undergraduate studies, I completed a research project under Dr. Mendelsohn into how children react to different stimulants. It was this initial research project that really inspired me to study this subject further. I believe your lab is the perfect place to do so.

I would love to speak with you about your departments program and whether I would be a suitable fit. As requested on your website, I have attached my GRE scores along with references from two professors. I have also attached a cover letter and my resume to provide you with more information on my background.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Andrea Johnson

Dear Dr. XXX,

I’m in my final year as a Cognitive Science major at XXXX, where I have been working in the lab of Dr. XXX XXX. My research has focused on attention and working memory using psychophysical and electrophysiological methods (see attached CV). I’m planning to apply to PhD programs this Fall, and I’m very interested in the possibility of working in your lab at UC Davis. I read your recent paper on XXX, and I found your approach to be very exciting.

I was hoping you might tell me whether you are planning to take new students in your lab in Fall 2019 [or: …whether you are planning to take rotation students in your lab…]. I’d also be interested in any other information or advice you have.

[Possibly add a few more lines here about your background and interests.]

Sincerely, XXX XXXX

How do you write an email to a Masters?

How do you express interest in a graduate program?

Step #1 – Investigate your school of interest. …
Step #2 – Question your motives and craft responses. …
Step #3 – Develop a mini-profile of your accomplishments. …
Step #4 – Keep your resume professional. …
Step #5 – List any special skills or talents you have.

How do you title an email to a professor for graduate school?

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How to Email a Professor for the Supervision in MS/PhD

by Scholarships Corner | Jun 9, 2020

Are you planning to study abroad and looking forward to writing an email to the professor but uncertain about the criteria? In this article, you will learn “How to Email a Professor for MS or PhD supervision” and you must know proper email is the basis for research supervision, scholarships/ research scholarships , and fundings.

Proper email is the key here. You must know that through the proper email you can fully fund scholarships ( Masters Scholarships or PhD Scholarships ) for your studies. Many people ignore all these points that’s why they don’t get any response from the professors. Carefully read the whole article and learn more about how to write an email to a professor, or how to write an email to a professor for a research assistantship, how to write an email to a professor for graduate school admission, how to write an email to a professor for research, how to write an email to professor for masters or how to write an email to professor for PhD.

Your email should be outstanding, gives a nice impression, and assists you to be a well-qualified applicant. The applicant should be acknowledged regarding email patterns, keywords, and structure.

Your email should be out loud that shows why you are interested in the selected field, how you can be a perfect person for this position. Repetition of the words should be avoided, the matter should be clear, correct, and concise.

Whenever you are approaching a professor, try to give a read to his research material and mention it in your email. Keep a check on the correct use of punctuation and grammar in the email.

How to Email a Professor for the Supervision in MS/PhD?

How to address the professor.

Ignoring an email by a professor is quite normal as they have busy schedules, so be attentive while writing the subject line. In order to make sure that your email will not be ignored, try to include an information-based, strong, and attractive subject line. By the correct use of words in the subject line professor will be able to catch an idea of what your email is about. You can write like that, “Request for MS Supervision Spring 2020 or Spring 2021” or “Request for PhD Supervision”

Always begin or address the person by using professional greetings for instance with Dear Prof._____, Dear Dr.____, and avoid addressing with Mr.____, Ms.____ or Mrs.____

Introduction:

The 1st paragraph should give a concise summary of your self including your native country and your name. It must tell you about your achievements, experience, and qualifications relevant to the open position. By addressing the professor’s research area, you can also show that you also want to work on one of his research projects in his lab. Moreover, you can give a clue that you are eager to get any possible PhD/MS opportunities or scholarships in his custom research or lab group.

Body Paragraph:

In this paragraph, with the consideration of the professor’s research area, mention your work experience, skills, and previous research work. The applicant can get a brief overview of the professor’s research publications, previous, and current projects by visiting the lab’s official website. In order to be a good competitor, you must list all of your achievements and expertise to provide a clear vision about your passion in the professor’s research area. Avoid any jargon or slang words, and any kind of complexity.

Last Paragraph:

The last paragraph is supposed to be the last one. In this paragraph, you have to show your enthusiasm, passion, and motivation to work in the professor’s research group. Furthermore, you can state what inspires you to be a part of this research group or a specific domain.

Closing Statement:

With a polite, requesting, and respectful manner close this paragraph and write a short statement regarding the CV or any other document attached and ask if any document is required. For example, Kindly find the attached document, and would love to provide you with further documents if needed. If the process will be manageable, I would look forward to being a part of your research ( project name) in the coming fall.

Proof Reading:

Make sure that you review your email before forwarding it to the professor, it will help you to convey your message in the nicest way.

Sample Email for requesting to the Professor for Supervision in MS/PhD

Subject: Request for MS or PhD Supervision or Request for MS or PhD Research Assistantship

Dear Professor______,

My name is (write your name) and I have completed (your degree title) from (Full university name) with (your CGPA, don’t mention CGPA if it’s low). Mention I got medals, certificates, and achievements if any.

(Write about Projects, internships, research, or thesis) During my undergraduate or Masters’s studies, I have been engaged in a research project or have written any thesis ( relevant to my expertise), include that. Moreover, I have done internships, research publications, current or previous work experience, or online courses.

I have visited your research articles and found my field of interest in your research area. I am very enthusiastic to conduct and pursue your research along with him. (Do mention the name of the Research Lab Name or website, Also mention the research topic or fields in which you are interested)

I have attached my CV /other required documents and I would be glad to hearing from you soon.

I am very thankful and looking forward to your positive response.

Best Regards,

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lecturer writing resources center

Lecturer - Writing Resources Center

COMPANY: Case Western Reserve University

JOB TITLE: Lecturer

HOURS: Full-time

LOCATION: 11112 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH 44106

DUTIES: Designing and leading first-year Academic Inquiry Seminars (offered both Fall and Spring semesters) and consulting with students in the Writing Resource Center. Responsibilities may also include designing and leading other writing-intensive seminars; creative writing, professional/technical or scientific communication courses; and/or other undergraduate courses. Opportunities for writing program administrative and assessment activities are available and count in the teaching load. Responsible for a teaching load equivalent to six courses over the academic year (does not include summer), which may include a mix of classroom teaching, WRC consulting, and administrative activities. FSAE 100 (AIAE 100) Course description: University level reading, writing, and public speaking requirements at Case Western Reserve FSAE 100 (AIAE 100) Case Western Reserve University offers international students and English language learners the opportunity to improve reading, writing, and language skills during their first semester by placing them in a special two-semester Academic Inquiry Seminar sequence. Based on your Directed Self-Placement responses, you will take AIAE 100: Academic English in your first semester and AIQS 120: Academic Inquiry Seminar in your second semester. Once this two-semester sequence is completed, you will have completed your Academic Inquiry Seminar requirement. FSCC 100 (AIQS 120) Course description: This course, specifically designed for non-native speakers of English, develops the habits of mind and writing/communication processes that characterize academic discourse. Special emphasis is given to critical reading and writing in academic English by focusing on rhetorical and linguistic concerns specific to non-native speakers of English. Students engage with questions and topics from multiple perspectives, and they establish effective writing processes (including planning, drafting, responding to feedback, revising, reflecting, and self-assessing) as well as language acquisition habits.

REQUIREMENTS: PhD in English, Writing Studies, Education, or a related field of study, and three (3) years of experience as a Lecturer or a related occupation involving College teaching.

TO APPLY: Email resume to Kimberly Emmons at [email protected] and reference: Lecturer

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How To Write a Graduate School Inquiry Email in 6 Steps
Below are six steps you can follow to write a graduate school inquiry email: 1. Create a subject line. The subject line is the line that appears within the professor's email inbox, so it's the first thing they see regarding your inquiry. It's important to write a professional subject line that the professor can immediately notice when they open ...
How to Write an Email to a PhD Supervisor and What to Ask Them
Your first email to a potential PhD supervisor should be a formal email, in many ways like an application cover letter. 1. Include a clear subject line. Make sure your initial email doesn't have a vague subject line that could lead to it being ignored (or heading straight for the spam folder). Some examples could be:
How to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor
Here is what an email to a professor should look like: "Dear Professor XXX, I am a student at XXX College with a major in xxx. I am a [junior] and will be graduating next May. I have a [4.0 GPA] and experience in our college's [summer program in xxx/internship program in xxx/Honors College/etc.]. I am planning to attend graduate school in ...
How to Email a Professor for Master or PhD Positions: Sample Emails
Greetings are also an important part. You want to start with "Dear NAME" or "Dear Prof. NAME", among others. Make sure that you only use professional greetings. Then you can write "Good Morning" or "Good Afternoon", depending on the time of day when you are sending the email to the professor. The First paragraph has to be an ...
How to Send a Graduate School Inquiry Email
Greeting. Address the professor by their last name using "Professor" or "Dr.". Do not use "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Ms." Use a friendly but professional greeting such as "Dear" or "Hello" instead of an informal "Hey.". 3. Introduction. The first line of the email should include your full name, year in school, major, and ...
How To Contact a Potential PhD Advisor
How to write an email to a potential PhD advisor. If you do not personally know any professors on the faculty of the PhD program you are applying to, you can (and should!) contact professors by email to introduce yourself. Put some thought into this email - you are making a first impression. It should be brief, carefully spell-checked and ...
Why and how to email faculty prior to applying to graduate school
Why you should email the faculty. Although many students are accepted into graduate programs without emailing faculty prior to submitting applications to programs, there are many good reasons to do so. This can be especially useful for programs that use the apprenticeship model. First, you can find out whether they are actually planning to take ...
How to cold e-mail for a PhD
Make sure you understand the specific expertise of the person you are contacting in the broader context of their field. For example, avoid saying "I am contacting you because you are an expert ...
How to write a graduate school inquiry email
General outline of inquiry emails (see sample PDF for more details outline): Subject line - state your purpose (e.g. "Prospective PhD Student for Fall 2020"). You don't want your email getting lost in their inbox. Greeting - include a greeting and their title (e.g. "Dear Dr. Smith")
How to Email a Potential Supervisor
3. Address Them. Always start your email with "Dear" followed by the supervisor's surname. Make sure you use the supervisor's correct title. Starting an email to a professor with "Dear Dr" rather than "Dear Professor" won't only annoy them but will imply you have poor attention to detail. Therefore, using the wrong title will ...
When writing an email asking for PhD positions/projects
4. The volume of emails requesting a lab position received by most professors in my field is large and unceasing. This means that you have at most a few moments of attention from the prof who is skim reading your email. By far the majority of emails read along the lines of "my name is X and I would like to do a PhD in your lab", usually ...
How to Address a PhD in Email: Professors, Doctors, and More
Separate their names with a comma. You can use the salutation "Dear" at the beginning if you'd like. If you aren't sure who has a Ph.D. and who doesn't, just use "Professor" for all of them. [2] You might write: "Dear Professor Jones, Professor Smith, and Professor Ali.". "Dr. Jones, Dr. Smith, and Professor Ali,".
How to Write an Email to a Potential Supervisor (With examples)
This will give you a sense of the information you might want to mention in your email. Title: Inquiry from a prospective graduate student. Dear Professor [name], I am a (Your major) graduand from the (Your university). I'm interested in a graduate study opportunity under your supervision in your research group.
How to write the right email to a prospective PhD supervisor
English matters. The moment the letter opens with the lines, " Dear Dr. Menon, Myself Apurva Tiwari …". I'm done. I don't bother reading on, no matter how much research experience you ...
How to Email a Potential Supervisor
You should also attach your CV to the email. Have a Clear Subject Line. The purpose of a subject line is to tell the reader what the email is about. Use a subject line such as "Inquiry from a prospective grad student" or "Potential applicant interested in your lab" to reinforce your CTA. Thank them for their time.
How to Email a Professor for PhD and MS Supervision
2. Formal starting. Your email should be formal and start with Dear Dr._____, Dear Prof._____ . Always use professional greetings and avoid use of titles like Mr.______, Mrs._____ or Ms._______. 3 ...
Templates for Every Important Email I Sent Related to Grad School
Here's the rotation inquiry I sent to one of those faculty members: Email subject: Laboratory Rotation. Dear Dr. X, Hello, my name is X, and I'm an incoming X Ph.D. student. We spoke during my interview on March 9 about your research. Our conversation included topics such as X, and its effect on the X.
PDF Email template for prospective graduate students bd
Prospective graduate student seeking to combine mathematical modelling and biological field work. Email opening: use the correct prefix (usually Prof. or Dr.). Dear Dr. ______, First paragraph: introduce yourself! Briefly discuss where you are graduating from, your major, your GPA, and any prior research experience you have.
Emailing Professors for Master's/PhD Mentorship
Sample email to graduate school professors. Dear Professor Chao, I hope this email finds you and your family in good health. My name is Kamara Doe and I am a second-year master's student in Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State University (KSU). I am scheduled to graduate in Spring 2021, and I intend to pursue a PhD beginning Fall 2021.
How To Write a Graduate School Inquiry Email in 6 Steps
How to write a graduate school inquiry email. Below are six steps you can follow to write a graduate school inquiry email: 1. Create a subject line. The subject line is the line that appears within the professors email inbox, so its the first thing they see regarding your inquiry.
How to Email a Professor for PhD and MS Supervision
The subject line will help the professor to guess. about the contents of your email even before opening it. We recommend you to always use a. clear and catchy subject line. For example, "Request ...
Sample Inquiry Emails for Research Assistant Positions
As referenced in Season 1, Episode 4 of The Psychology PhD Podcast. Dear Prof. [Lab #1 PI's Name], [Colleague Name] recommended I reach out to you regarding volunteer research opportunities at the [Lab #1 Name] Lab this summer.
How to Email a Professor for the Supervision in MS/PhD
In order to make sure that your email will not be ignored, try to include an information-based, strong, and attractive subject line. By the correct use of words in the subject line professor will be able to catch an idea of what your email is about. You can write like that, "Request for MS Supervision Spring 2020 or Spring 2021" or ...
Writing Resources Center
COMPANY: Case Western Reserve University JOB TITLE: Lecturer HOURS: Full-time LOCATION: 11112 Bellflower Road, Cleveland, OH 44106 DUTIES: Designing and leading first-year Academic Inquiry Seminars (offered both Fall and Spring semesters) and consulting with students in the Writing Resource Center. . Responsibilities may also include designing and leading other writing-intensive seminars ...
Summer 2024 Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program Participants
The Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP) is a funding and professional development opportunity through Undergraduate Research & Creative Inquiry. The program assists students in any major or research area with financial needs while being involved in an undergraduate research project.

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How to Email a Professor for Master or PhD Positions: Sample Emails

What are parts of an email to a professor?

First sample email to professor

Second sample email to professor

How to Send a Graduate School Inquiry Email

1. Subject Line

2. Greeting

3. Introduction

4. Relevant Experience

5. Why Their Lab?

6. Request Further Consideration

7. Sign-off

Example Template Email

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