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Applying for a phd: step-by-step guide.

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

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

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

PhD application checklist

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

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

1. Choose your subject area

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

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

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

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

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

2. Choose your type of PhD

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

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

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

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

Self-proposed PhD projects

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

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

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

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

Predesigned PhD projects (Doctoral Training Centres)

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

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

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

3. Check application deadlines

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

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

4. Draft a research proposal

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

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

How to write a PhD research proposal

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

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

5. Contact potential PhD supervisors

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

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

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

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

6. Check PhD entry requirements

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

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

Applying without a masters

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

Applying for a PhD as an international student  

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

7. Check PhD fees and funding

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

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

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

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

Funding your PhD

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Their funding can come as PhD studentships.

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

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

8. Making your PhD application

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

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

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

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

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

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

PhD interviews

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

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

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

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

9. Submit your PhD application

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

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

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

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How to prepare a strong phd application.

Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School outline a few tips to help you navigate the PhD application process.

It’s no secret the application process can be intimidating. Where do you start? What exactly are schools looking for on your application? What materials do you need to submit? Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School have outlined a few tips to help you navigate the process.

Don’t Delay the Process

A successful PhD applicant starts thinking about their application months or even years before the deadlines. For Alejandro Lopez Lira , a third year student in Finance, the application process began a year before he actually submitted the paperwork. He said, “I spoke to my advisors way before, like one year before, about my letters of recommendation, where to apply, everything involved in the process.”

Each program has different requirements, which can make for a tedious process. Karren Knowlton , a third year in Management, said, “I took a little while to draft a personal statement. I had my mom, who teaches creative writing, and a few other people that I trust just read over it. Then you have to tweak it for different schools because they want slightly different things.”

Taking time to prepare your application is critical. Starting the process sooner rather than later gives you several advantages:

• It allows your letter of recommendation writers enough time in advance to thoughtfully prepare a letter that speaks to who you are as a PhD candidate.
• It gives you more time to review your materials, fix any errors, and proofread, proofread, proofread.
• Finally, it means a lot less stress when the deadline starts rapidly approaching. By planning ahead, you’ll have a much smoother process applying.

Get Letters of Recommendation

Prof. Matthew Bidwell , who previously served as the doctoral coordinator for the Management program , said a common mistake he sees are letters of recommendations from employers. Although he said it is impressive to see work experience, having an employer write a letter is not the best choice.

“We don’t pay very much attention to those because rightly or wrongly, we worry that they’re not looking for the kinds of things that we’re looking for,” he said. “If you have one, it’s not a disaster, but when you see people with two or three — most of their recommendations coming from their work — that kind of heightens our concern. You’re committing to a fairly specialized career, do you really know what that career entails?”

Instead, he suggests getting to know an academic who will be able to write a recommendation attesting to your ability to manage doctoral-level research and work.

Include Research/Work Experience in Your Field

Each program has a unique set of criteria to evaluate applicants, but several doctoral coordinators agree that some research and work experience in your field of interest will strengthen your application overall.

Prof. Fernando Ferreira , doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, thinks work experience can be useful in demonstrating an applicant’s abilities. He said, “Any work experience after undergraduate school is important. If that experience is more related to research it’s even better, but work experience in general is always good.”

Prof. Guy David , doctoral coordinator for the Health Care Management & Economics program , thinks that work experience benefits applicants in terms of giving them a broader view of business. “Work experience creates retrospection about how the world works, how organizations make decisions, and how people function in various situations,” he said.

However, he warns that spending too much time away from an academic setting can have its drawbacks too. “It may lead people to start their PhD later when they are not in the habit of immersing themselves in rigorous studies and have a shorter horizons to develop a name for themselves,” he said.

Although having both research and work experience can strengthen your application, you will not be denied entry because you are lacking either.

Prof. Bidwell said, “I think research experience does give us some confidence that people have some idea about what it is that we do. In terms of work experience, I think we don’t have a strong view. We quite like work experience, but we also take people straight out of undergrad.”

Prepare for the Standardized Tests

Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas. Much like any other standardized test, the GRE requires preparation.

Karren, who took the GRE twice to ensure her scores were high enough, offered advice to those who may be struggling. “I would absolutely recommend practicing the writing beforehand. Look up examples and have your outline structured,” she said. “So much of it is just getting the right structure and how you formulate your arguments so knowing what they’re looking for is key.”

Test prep can be time-consuming, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. There are multiple text books and online sites to help you prepare for the exam. Karren aimed to improve her math scores the second time she took the GRE and recommended this site to help strengthen math skills.

Taking advantage of resources to help you study can limit the number of times you need to take the GRE while ensuring you score high enough to remain in the applicant pool.

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Doctoral Programs

Start your doctoral journey.

Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

Deciding to get a PhD

You might be surprised to find out what you can do with a PhD in business.

Is an Academic Career for You ? What Makes a Successful PhD Student

Preparing for the Doctoral Path

The skills, relationships, and knowledge you need to prepare yourself for a career in academics.

How the PhD Program Works How to Become a Successful PhD Applicant

Choosing the right program

What’s the difference between PhD programs? Find out how to choose one that fits your goals.

What to Consider When Choosing a Doctoral Program What Differentiates R1 Universities?

Starting an application

Tips for a successful application process.

Application Requirements Preparing Your PhD Application

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• PhD in USA – A Guide for 2020/21
• Finding a PhD

A PhD in USA takes approximately 5 – 6 years of full-time study and can cost between $12,000 – $45,000 per academic year. PhD programs in USA differ from that in the UK and Europe in that students must first take taught classes, coursework and exams before starting their research project.

Why Do a PhD in USA?

The United States has long had some of the most distinguished universities and advanced PhD programmes in the world. Combined with curriculum flexibility, rigorous teaching methods, vast funding opportunities, breathtaking campuses and significant career prospects, it’s no wonder that it is one of the most sought-after study destinations for research students.

In addition to comprehensive training standards, here are a few other reasons why a student may choose to undertake their PhD in the United States:

• Longer learning timeframes – A PhD in the US lasts longer than a PhD in the UK or Europe. This allows students to more confidently transition from undergraduate to postgraduate studies; more commonly referred to as ‘graduate studies’ in the US. This gives you the opportunity to learn more about your subject, research methods and academic writing in general before starting your research project.
• World-class universities – It’s no secret that some of the most well-known higher education institutions that continue to dominate global rankings are based in the United States. Although many factors go into determining whether a position is right for you, a PhD at a high-ranking American university will undeniably have many benefits, from excellent learning standards to access to innovative equipment and deep expertise.
• International network – The US has long been a popular choice among PhD students around the world. As such, the US hosts a diverse and multicultural learning environment in which many research students will quickly feel at home.
• Opportunities – With over 4,000 universities in the US, we can safely say you will have plenty of opportunities to find the ideal combination of project, supervisor and university that works for you.

Universities in USA

Universities in the United States can be divided into two types: public universities and private universities.

Public universities are financed by the state in which they are based. Because of this, public universities charge less for students from within the state and more for students from outside the state, including international students.

Private universities are not financed by their state, but by private donors, research funds and tuition fees. For this reason, private universities generally charge higher tuition fees than public universities and require all students to pay the same amount, regardless of whether they come from out-of-state or abroad.

According to the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 , eight of the top ten universities in the world are located in the United States. These are:

Method of Study

The main difference between a PhD in the US and a PhD in Europe lies in the program structure. Whereas a European PhD essentially consists of a single phase lasting three to four years , an American PhD consists of three different phases, each with its own time frame.

• Phase One – The first phase lasts approximately two years and focuses on building a basic foundation for the doctoral student. This phase consists largely of taught components such as lectures, tutorials and laboratory sessions, in which the student learns more about theoretical concepts and research methods within their discipline.
• Phase Two – The second phase can be considered an assessment phase, which runs both periodically alongside and at the end of the first phase. Here, students complete coursework and take exams on the basis of the material they have covered of which they must pass in order to proceed to the third phase.
• Phase Three – The third phase lasts approximately three years and resembles the European PhD structure. During this period, the student undertakes an independent research project, including forming a research design, conducting experiments, writing a thesis (more commonly referred to in the USA as a dissertation) and sitting a viva exam.

Teaching Requirements

Besides structure, a key difference between a PhD program in the US and in Europe is the focus on teaching requirements. In the US, doctoral students are expected to lecture, lead tutorials, host laboratory sessions, mark coursework and provide office hours for undergraduate students. Although students studying in European will likely contribute to these at some point during their study, this would normally be on a voluntary basis and involve less time commitment.

Research Flexibility

Another difference is project flexibility. In Europe, students typically apply to a PhD project predetermined by a supervisor, and although there may be some scope to adapt the project, depending on the funding provider , it will usually be limited to how the project is carried out rather than what it is about. In the US, however, a student applies to become a doctoral candidate within a department rather than applying for a particular research project. This is because students are expected to decide on their thesis topic (also commonly referred to as a dissertation research topic) near the end of their first phase after they have developed a better understanding of their subject and know where their interests lie. Therefore, research students in the US generally have more flexibility and influence in the direction of their research than students in the United Kingdom or Europe.

PhD Admission Requirements in USA

PhD admission into US universities can be highly competitive, both because of the limited number of positions and the large number of annual applicants.

The eligibility requirements for a doctoral program in the USA can generally be divided into four sections:

• Grade Point Average (GPA) – in the US, a scoring system known as Grade Point Average is used to measure academic ability. A student’s GPA is calculated as a weighted score of the subjects they study during their undergraduate degree; an equivalent score is calculated by universities for international applicants. Although universities rarely set minimum GPA requirements for doctoral study, it’s worth being aware that a GPA of 3.0 is equivalent to a UK second class honours (2:1); the typical entry requirement for UK universities.
• Graduate Records Exam (GRE) – most universities will require you to take a series of examinations known as Graduate Records Exams, which are used to determine your suitability for graduate study. GREs will assess your analytical, reasoning and critical thinking skills as well as your depth of your subject.
• Student aptitude – in addition to academic ability, US universities also look for characteristics of a strong researcher. These include traits such as engaging in the subject in your own time, e.g. by attending talks and conferences, demonstrating a high degree of independence and enthusiasm, and a general passion for your subject.
• English Language Proficiency – international students whose first language is not English must sit language exams such as IELTS or TOELF to demonstrate their English language proficiency.

International students will also require a F1 student visa in order to study in the US, however, you would typically apply for this after you have secured a place into a doctorate program.

How to Apply for PhD in USA

When applying for a PhD position at a graduate school, the application process will differ between universities, however, they will all typically ask for the following:

• Academic CV – a short document summarising your educational background and current level of experience .
• Personal statement – a document which outlines why you believe you are suitable for PhD study and your passion for the subject.
• Academic transcripts – a complete breakdown of the modules and their respective marks you have taken as part of your previous/current degree.
• GRE scores – a transcript of your Graduate Records Exam results.
• Research statement – a condensed version of a research proposal outlining your general research interests, if required.
• Recommendation letters – references from several academic referees who endorse your qualities as a person, your abilities as a student and your potential as a doctoral researcher.

Application Deadlines and Fees

Since PhD programs in the United States have taught components, they commence at the same time as all other taught degrees, and therefore share the same application deadlines and start dates. This corresponds to an application period that typically begins in August and ends in February. Admission decisions are typically made in April, with successful students starting in August/September.

When you apply to a graduate school, you will be expected to pay a fee for each doctorate application to cover the school’s administrative costs for processing your application. The fee varies from university to university, but typically ranges from $50 to $100 .

Funding your PhD in USA

It’s very common for a PhD student to receive financial aid in the form of a PhD scholarship; in fact, this will be the case for the vast majority of students in the US.

PhD funding can be ‘fully funded’ covering the student’s graduate program tuition fees, accommodation and living costs, or ‘partially funded’ covering the student’s tuition fee only in part or full.

Besides funding, a graduate student can take on an assistantship, such as a graduate teaching assistant or research assistant, in which they take on a part-time salaried position at the university alongside their studies.

Due to the international and collaborate nature of American universities, there are also a number of international scholarships available, such as the Fulbright Scholarship and the AAUW International Fellowship .

PhD Duration in USA

In the US, a PhD takes approximately 5 – 6 years to complete if studying full-time, and 8 – 10 years if studying part-time.

If you already have a Master’s degree, your first phase can be shortened by one year at the discretion of the university.

Cost of a PhD in USA

The cost of a PhD program in the US can vary considerably depending on the type of university, i.e. whether it’s a public or private university, the doctoral course, i.e. whether it’s in a STEM subject such as computer science, engineering or a non-STEM subject, and whether you are a home or international student.

In general, however, the typical annual tuition fee for a PhD in the US is between $12,000 and $45,000 per academic year.

As with any doctoral degree, additional costs may include travel for collaborations, bench fees, accommodation and living expenses.

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How to Apply for a PhD in the US

Last Updated: January 18, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 20 testimonials and 96% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 629,254 times.

Getting a PhD is a challenging undertaking that takes years to achieve. It can also be an incredibly rewarding experience: you'll become a true expert in your field, and you'll be able to apply for a number of interesting jobs, including academic ones. If you're considering a PhD, start by figuring out which programs best fit your needs (they may not always be the ones at the biggest or most prestigious schools). Once you know what those programs are, you can tailor your materials accordingly and put together the best possible application packages.

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Researching Schools and Programs

• Keep in mind that it is not necessary for you to have a dissertation topic already chosen or even to have an extremely specific research focus. At this stage, you should just have a general idea of what you want to study and why. For example, if you are considering a PhD in English, then you should at least have an idea of the literary period that you wish to focus on.

• For example, if you are planning to pursue a PhD in Chemistry, then you should find out more about the lab facilities at the university that you are considering.
• Try to identify as many potential schools as you can. Graduate school is competitive and you will have a better chance of getting accepted if you submit multiple applications.

• Keep in mind that you may be working closely with the professor(s) you identify, so it is important to select professors who you really admire and whose research genuinely interests you.

• Keep in mind that funding opportunities are competitive. Putting forth a strong application may increase your chances of getting funding, but there are no guarantees.

"Even then, you need a back-up plan (or two or three) before you commit years of your life to a PhD."

Carrie Adkins, PhD

• Location. If you plan to return to your home country during breaks, then some schools may make the trip home less time consuming than others. For example, if you will be flying back to India at the end of each school year, then choosing a school closer to one of the US coasts will make traveling easier than flying out of the Midwest. Keep in mind that it is not a good idea to select a school based solely on location. This will severely limit your choices.
• Cost of living. Some US college towns can be quite expensive, which can make it hard to get by on your student stipend. Look into the average cost of housing, food, and other expenses in the university areas where you plan to apply.
• Extracurricular opportunities. Clubs can other types of groups can make the transition to a US university a bit easier. Many schools have clubs for people from certain countries, who speak certain languages, or who share other interests. Check out the extracurricular opportunities that are available at the universities you are considering.

Meeting the Basic Requirements

• Taking the GRE three to six months in advance is a good idea. You may even want to take it about year before you plan to apply, just in case you do not get a good score and you need to retake it.

• Score requirements vary by university, so check with each university to learn the score requirements before you apply. For TOEFL, you need to have at least a 600 on the paper-based test OR above a 95 to 100 on the internet-based test. For IELTS, you need to have above a 7.0 to 7.5.

• For example, if you plan to apply to 20 different programs, then you will need to ensure that you have about $2,000 for the application fees.
• Keep in mind that the fees may vary drastically among schools. More prestigious schools may charge higher application fees than less prestigious schools.

• For example, some programs require applicants to answer a specific question or set of questions in the statement of purpose.

• For example, it would be better to ask a professor in your discipline than someone who taught an elective class that you enjoyed.
• Having one letter of recommendation from an administrator or employer can be helpful to show a different perspective of your academic goals. For example, you might ask your department’s chairperson, one of the university’s deans, or a current or former boss. As with the professors you ask, the administrator who recommends you should be someone who will give you a glowing recommendation.

• Keep in mind that most schools require official transcripts.
• Sending transcripts may or may not require you to pay fees, depending on your university’s policies.

• If you have a piece that has been published, then this is an especially great choice for the writing sample, but unpublished pieces are fine as well.

Writing Your Statement of Purpose

• You may want to write one “basic” SOP and then alter or add to it as needed based on the special requirements of each university.

• For example, you might say something like, “Since I was a child, I had a passion for the natural world, and this passion led me to my desire to become a biologist.”

• For example, you might say something like, “As an undergrad, I participated in on-campus research expos and even attended a local conference. Then, during my MA program, I had an article accepted to Biology Quarterly and presented at a national conference.” [2] X Research source
• You can also talk about specific courses you took, professors who have supervised your work, and research that you conducted during your BA and MA programs.

• For example, you might say something like, “I hope to develop a new process for growing corn.”

• Try reading each professor’s biography on the university website. You may also consider reading one of these professors’ publications, such as an article or book.
• Try saying something like, “I hope to work with Professor Jones because she and I share a similar interest in botany.”

• Make sure that you include examples throughout your entire SOP.

Submitting Your Application Packets

• Some schools also require letters of recommendation to be submitted via an online system. You may need to submit your recommenders email addresses so that they can access this system.

• Address the packets. Make sure that you double check the addresses for each of your packets to ensure that they will be delivered to the correct location.
• Pay for postage. International postage can be quite expensive, so make sure that you reserve some money to pay for this cost. Pay the postage for each of your packets and send them out.

What Are The Main Reasons People Go To Graduate School?

Expert Q&A

• Even if a university is unable to provide you with direct funding or a scholarship, there may be other opportunities for you to earn an income while you are there, such as research assistantships. Look into this before turning down an offer from a university you might otherwise want to attend. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Once you are done with everything, do not forget to thank everybody who helped you, especially the referees who wrote letters of recommendation. Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
• Gaining some sort of research or work experience in the field you plan to apply to will greatly improve your chances of admission. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Keep your address consistent throughout - do not abbreviate or introduce variations. This makes it all the more difficult for the graduate office to file your documents. Thanks Helpful 18 Not Helpful 5
• Use a reliable courier service to send documents to universities - FedEx, DHL, UPS, etc. Do not use a service for which you cannot track your package. Thanks Helpful 15 Not Helpful 7

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• ↑ http://grad.berkeley.edu/admissions/apply/statement-purpose/

About This Article

To apply for a Ph.D. in the US, earn a Bachelor’s degree and take the GRE, or Graduate Record Examination. Then, carefully read the application instructions of each school to increase your odds of getting accepted. In the mean time, request letters of recommendation from professors in your discipline or an employer. You will also need to have your transcripts on hand, and to write a statement of purpose. For tips on writing a great statement of purpose and nailing the rest of the process, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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April 10, 2024

Applying to PhD Programs: When, Where, How, and Why?

So, you are thinking you might want to pursue a PhD. That’s great! However, it can sometimes be difficult to decide whether to really go for it. Maybe you are weighing the time commitment required or the prospect of leaving a job you love. Maybe you are wondering whether you are prepared for such an undertaking or whether you’d even have a shot at getting in. When considering such an important move, it’s good to adopt a methodical approach to the decision-making process. 

This article is designed to help you think through some key factors in making important decisions about graduate school. You might ask yourself the following key questions:

• When should I apply?
• Where should I apply?
• How do I get in?
• Why do I want to go? 

Let’s consider these questions one at a time.

Question 1: “When should I apply?”

The right time to apply to graduate school is when your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know for certain you want to further your knowledge and skills in a specific field. Read on for some signs that these experiences are, in fact, aligned.

In your personal life

Think about when you were first introduced to your field of study. What made you want to keep learning about it? Is that drive to know more about your field of study still there? If the answer is yes, then you might be personally ready for graduate study. Memorable personal experiences – and the lessons you have learned from them – can also make you personally ready for graduate study. 

For example, perhaps you were diagnosed with a condition and have spent the past decade managing it. The psychological strain of this experience has made you highly empathic toward patients suffering from chronic conditions. You’re now committed to studying the effectiveness of various approaches to promoting mental health among this population.

Or maybe one of your fondest childhood memories is birdwatching with your dad, who taught you all about various species and their migration patterns. This experience led you to pursue ornithology, and you still get excited about learning about birds.

Something doesn’t have to be profound to others for it to be deeply meaningful to you.

In your academic life

You’ve demonstrated – via high grades or assignments on which you went above and beyond the basic requirements – that you have a strong grasp of the technical aspects of your intended field. You’ve done more than memorize core concepts and theories; you’ve contemplated how they relate to the broader aims of the field. You’ve taken more advanced classwork, completed an independent project, or did professional work that involved innovation and research. And you now want to apply those theories and concepts in graduate school and your career.

Let’s say you majored in civil engineering. You’ve excelled in all your engineering courses, as well as in chemistry, math, and physics. In the process, you’ve learned how to apply the core principles of each field to design resilient infrastructure that does not fail in extraordinary events and is socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable.

In your professional life

Whether you’ve worked/volunteered in a relevant setting for six months or six years, you’ve learned about and contributed to the rigorous research process. Ideally, you’ve taken on multiple roles, each one more demanding than the previous one. But at every stage, you’ve taken your responsibilities seriously, because you understand that each task, no matter how seemingly trivial, must be performed diligently, lest you risk compromising the data and ultimately the findings of the entire study.

As an undergraduate research assistant, you might have begun with basic responsibilities, such as data entry and cleaning in Excel. After demonstrating that you are reliable and diligent, you were able to help conduct studies and maybe even run some of your own analyses using the data.

Then, by the time you entered your current role (the one you’re in when you apply to PhD programs), you are able to not only evaluate all the variables being assessed but also identify other variables that aren’t being measured and articulate why they should be included in future research. At this point, you’re able to generate your own research questions, formulate testable hypotheses, and even design a hypothetical study in which the findings are interesting regardless of whether your hypotheses are supported.

When you’ve identified these signs in your personal, academic, and professional experiences, you’re ready to apply.

Question 2: “Where should I apply?”

To identify the right program(s) to apply to, it is crucial to  look beyond the school’s ranking or reputation . The “2024-2025 Best National University Rankings” by  U.S. News & World Report  should not be your primary source for one simple reason: PhD programs are very idiosyncratic. Even if you have chosen a field of study (ideally, the field in which you received your undergraduate and/or master’s degree), there are likely many research areas within that field and even more specific topics within each area. The right research area for you will depend on your previous research experience, as well as on the specific topic(s) you want to investigate.

For example, within  the field of psychology , there are many areas, including clinical psychology, cognitive psychology, developmental psychology, health psychology, evolutionary psychology, personality psychology, and social psychology. Then, within, say, social psychology, there’s a vast array of specific topics, such as attitudes, aggression, decision-making, emotion, prejudice, and prosocial behavior, to name a few. As you can imagine, these topics are not mutually exclusive. In fact, combining topics can generate unique findings. Therefore, when thinking about where to apply, you might prioritize programs where the faculty are studying combinations of topics you find particularly interesting.

Another factor to consider is that programs differ as a function of the research methods they employ. Thus, when thinking about where to apply, in addition to identifying programs where the faculty are researching the specific topics you are most interested in, it’s necessary to consider whether those faculty members are using methods that you would like to apply in your future career. Do you want to master advanced statistical techniques? Do you want to work with state-of-the-art technologies? Do you want to interact with people? Do you want to observe phenomena in the “real world” or in experimental settings? It’s not only about what you’re researching; it’s also about  how  you’re researching it.

Once you’ve identified programs based on those considerations, it’s time to  identify prospective faculty advisors within your chosen programs . After all, you’re not just applying to PhD programs; you’re applying to work with specific faculty members, and they are the ones who will be reviewing your application and deciding whether to accept you. Based on the faculty members’ professional biographies (which you can usually find on the program’s website), you’ll probably be able to identify the professors whose interests are most like your own.

But it is not enough to be confident that you want to work with a given faculty member. Next, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with that professor’s recent work by reading research papers they’ve published in the past couple years. As you’re reading, ask yourself whether this faculty member writes and thinks clearly and presents arguments and evidence in a compelling manner. You will be mentored by this person for five years (or more!), so it’s crucial that you find someone you admire and are motivated to learn from.

In sum, the steps in deciding where to apply for PhD study are as follows:

• Choose your field of study.
• Identify your preferred area(s) within that field.
• Discover the specific topics you find most fascinating.
• Consider what methods you want to employ.
• Evaluate the merits of prospective faculty advisors.

Question 3: “How do I get in?”

Once you’ve determined that you’re ready to apply, and you know  where you want to apply , the focus shifts to whether you’ll be accepted. Getting into a PhD program is largely  a matter of fit . The faculty members who evaluate your application want to know what insights you can offer to their current and future research studies, how your interpersonal style will contribute to their lab or research hub dynamics, and whether you are committed to extending their research in a meaningful way after you obtain your doctorate. You can convey all this crucial information in your statement of purpose.

It’s difficult to overstate the importance of your statement of purpose. You might have an exceptional CV, but if your statement of purpose is lackluster and fails to convey to your prospective faculty advisor that you are the right fit, then you are unlikely to be accepted. Conversely, you might have a modest CV, or even a weakness, such as a low GPA, but nevertheless be accepted if you convey in your statement that (1) you have taken (and will continue to take) concrete steps to become more prepared for PhD training, and (2) you possess unique skills and knowledge that are highly relevant to your prospective advisor’s research area but that might not be reflected in traditional metrics of achievement (e.g., your CV, GPA).

To  write a compelling statement of purpose , you need to articulate everything relevant to Question 1: “When should I apply?” You have already reflected on how your personal, academic, and professional experiences have aligned such that you know that you are ready to apply. But it is not enough  for you  to know that you are ready. You need to convince  your prospective advisor  that you are. 

This is where Accepted can help .  The most valuable service we offer is essay consulting. We can teach you how to craft a narrative about your journey that is coherent, authentic, and distinctive. During each consultation, we will challenge you to think more deeply and clearly than you ever have about where you’ve been and where you’re going. You will learn how to identify and effectively convey the reasons your prospective advisor should accept you.

Question 4: “Why do I want to go?”

A PhD is an academic degree that prepares you to conduct original research, perform advanced statistical analyses, interpret empirical results, and evaluate competing theories. You will be trained to become an academic – that is, a university professor who directs a research lab and teaches students the nuances of a specific field. The skills you acquire during your doctoral training can be applied to industry, governmental, and nonprofit settings; however, doing so should not be your primary goal. Your prospective advisor will want to know that you are committed to the work of an academic. It is great if your research has important implications for those other sectors, so long as you are still committed first and foremost to the production and dissemination of knowledge in your field. The thought of conducting original research in a university setting should make you excited to get started.

Thus, the best reasons to pursue a PhD are intrinsic. After all, a PhD is a Doctor of  Philosophy . You get a PhD because you are passionately drawn to the philosophy of your chosen field. You can’t help but think about it in your everyday life, because you see it everywhere. It is a lens through which life makes sense. Discovering its guiding principles, subject matter, and potential applications allows you to identify patterns in the world around you – and sometimes within yourself as well. So why should you pursue a PhD? Because you can’t  not .

Vanessa Febo has ten years of experience teaching academic and professional writing at UCLA, with a special certification in teaching writing techniques. She has drawn on this expertise to guide clients to placements at top institutions, including Harvard, Stanford, and USC. Before joining Accepted, Vanessa coached UCLA students through the application process for graduate programs, major grants, fellowships, and scholarships, including the Fulbright, Stanford Knight-Hennessey, and the Ford Foundation Fellowship. Additionally, Vanessa has extensive experience successfully guiding clients through applications for a diverse range of programs, including those in business, humanities, social sciences, and STEM fields. Want Vanessa to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources

• Get Accepted to PhD Programs in the Humanities , podcast Episode 568
• How to Apply Successfully to STEM PhD Programs , podcast Episode 566
• Graduate School in Psychology: PsyD or Psy Phd, Which Is Right for You?

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• PhD/Master's Application Process

Who is Eligible to Apply? 

If you have completed your undergraduate degree (bachelor's or equivalent) or will have completed it prior to your intended matriculation date at Yale, you may apply to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS).

A Master's degree is not required to apply for a PhD at Yale, although some programs give preference to applicants with post-baccalaureate training. Consult your program of interest directly for information on how it evaluates applications.

We value diversity of all kinds at the Graduate School, and we encourage students from all backgrounds to apply if Yale is a good fit for your intellectual and professional goals. All are welcome to apply, without regard to citizenship or immigration status, socioeconomic level, race, religion, gender identification, sexual orientation, disability, etc.

Requirements for All PhD and Master's Degree Applicants

You will need to provide the following with your application for admission:

• A statement of academic purpose. You will find the prompt for the statement of purpose in our Application Question FAQs . 
• A list of all the prior colleges or universities you have attended, accompanied by unofficial transcripts from each school. Unofficial transcripts should be uploaded with your application. Official or paper transcripts are not needed at this time. 
• Three letters of recommendation. Enter the names of your recommenders directly in the application and they will receive a link to upload a letter on your behalf. 
• $105 application fee or fee waiver. 
• Standardized tests . GRE requirements vary by program. TOEFL or IELTS are necessary for most non-native English speakers. 
• Resume/CV . 
• Some programs have additional requirements, such as a writing sample . You can find information about any specific requirements on the program's website. 

Where Do I Begin?

Decide whether you will apply for a PhD or a terminal Master’s (MA, MS) in one of the programs available at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences . (Note that you will earn one or more Master's degrees en route to a PhD.) Learn about the program: its faculty, course offerings, and resources. Read the faculty's research publications. If you can identify and articulate why the program is a good fit for you and show how your preparation and interests align well with it, you will have a strong application.

A note to students applying to one of Yale’s professional schools or programs:

• If you are applying for a PhD in Architecture, Environment, Investigative Medicine, Law, Management, Music, Nursing, or Public Health; for an MS in Public Health; or for an MA in Music, be sure to use the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences PhD/Master's application.
• If you are applying for any other degree at one of the University’s professional schools (Art, Architecture, Divinity, Drama, Environment, Global Affairs, Law, Management, Medicine, Music, Nursing, and Public Health), visit that school’s website for further instructions. Those programs have separate admissions policies and processes that are administered by the professional schools, not GSAS.

Application deadlines vary by program, so please see Dates & Deadlines for information about your program of interest. 

All new students matriculate in the fall. The admissions process begins nearly a year in advance of matriculation.

Some PhD and Master’s degree programs require Graduate Record Examination (GRE) scores. Check your program's standardized testing requirement before you apply. 

In addition, applicants whose native language is not English may need to take an English Language test (TOEFL or IELTS).

The application for Fall 2024 entry is closed. The application for Fall 2025 entry will be available starting in mid-August 2024. 

Be sure to complete and submit the application before your program's application deadline. 

Your application fee or an approved fee waiver is due upon submission of your application. 

Your letters of recommendation do not need to be received before you will be able to submit your application. However, since programs begin reviewing applications shortly after the respective application deadline, please be sure that your letters of recommendation are submitted promptly.

What Happens After I Submit My Application?

The faculty admissions committee in each department and program begins reviewing applications shortly after their application deadline. Led by the director of graduate studies (DGS) or director of graduate admissions (DGA), the committee will recommend students for admission to the Graduate School. Once confirmed by the deans of the Graduate School, the admissions office will release final decisions to applicants.

Unlike undergraduate admissions, the admissions office and staff of the Graduate School maintain the application, the application process, and other administrative transactions, but the admissions staff does not review applications or make admissions decisions. That responsibility is handled by the faculty of each department or program.

Most admissions decisions are provided between February and early March. You will receive an email notification when your admissions decision is available.

If you are accepted for admission, you will need to decide if you wish to accept our offer by April 15. We abide by Council of Graduate School's April 15 Resolution , regarding graduate financial support. 

Ready to apply? Begin your application today.

PhD/Master's Applicants

• Why Choose Yale Graduate School?
• Dates and Deadlines
• Standardized Testing Requirements

Non-Degree Program Applicants

Looking for non-degree programs? In some cases, it is possible to enroll at the Graduate School as a non-degree student. Non-degree students receive a transcript and many of the benefits of being a Yale student, but do not earn a degree upon completion of their enrollment. We offer three types of non-degree programs.

• Non-Degree Programs

PhD Qualifying Exam

Quals form :  application for qualifying examination, guidelines for conducting the phd qualifying exam via zoom:  zoom qualifying exam guidelines.

All PhD students need to complete and pass the qualifying exam, prior to the end of winter quarter of their second year of study (last day of class).   You must be registered in the quarter you take the qualifying exam.

The qualifying exam is an oral examination intended to provide the examination committee with evidence of your research preparedness and capabilities and allow the committee to give you useful feedback on your research direction.

Examination Committee

Your committee consists of 3 members, your advisor and two others. All committee members must be on the Academic Council, and at least two members must be EE faculty (not courtesy). 

You will be responsible for forming your exam committee and scheduling the exam date and room. Once the details of your event are finalized, bring the  Application for Qualifying Examination  form to the Degree Progress Officer. 

Room Scheduling

You are responsible for reserving a room for your exam. After you have located a room, check with your faculty administrator to book the room in Packard building or AllenX building as the Registrar rooms are not open. If your faculty administrator is not in EE (e.g., CS, Ginzton Lab, etc.), please have the administrator connect with Anna Lue ( [email protected](link opens email) ) for assistance on scheduling a room.

Examination Format

• 15 minutes for the student to present background and proposed research.
• 15 minutes for the committee to ask questions. Question topics can include the presented research or related general topics.
• (Optional) 15 minutes for committee members to make suggestions.
• The Faculty committee will then deliberate. 

Final Reporting Procedures

After the qualifying exam, students must remind their committee to submit their vote at  gradapps.stanford.edu/QualsVote . 

If there is a split vote (2-1 for or against), the Degree Progress Officer will give the results to the Associate Chair for Graduate Education, who will make the final decision.

Exam results will be sent to you via email within 1 week.

QUESTIONS? 

Feel free to contact the Degree Progress Officer, Laura Wuethrich, Packard 165 or email  [email protected] .

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Admissions & Aid

• Admissions Home
• Application Requirements
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Application requirements for all doctoral programs (phd).

All of our doctoral programs are designed to develop outstanding educational researchers who have a deep understanding of the scientific, practical and policy issues they study. All require full-time study, and we promise five years of full-time financial support for every student we admit. Our doctoral programs are small, typically ranging from about 25 to 35 new students a year. The small size of our doctoral cohorts creates big educational advantages for students: the classes are almost always small, students receive individualized attention from their advisors, and they have many opportunities to develop close collegial relationships with fellow students.

It is extremely important to demonstrate in your statement of purpose that your interests converge closely with the current research of faculty who work in the program to which you are applying. Other doctoral applicants will certainly do this, and if you don't, you will forfeit an important competitive advantage to them. 

If you wish to contact faculty, please read our Which Degree Which Program article, by Professor Eamonn Callan, which outlines the appropriate process for contacting faculty with whom you share research interests. 

• Program website:  Degrees and Programs/PhD
• Length of Program:  5 years (average length)
• Tuition: fellowship/assistantship salary and tuition guaranteed for first five years of the program (autumn, winter and spring quarters) for all students, including international students. Funding includes two summers.

Application Requirements:

Application form.

Complete and submit Stanford's graduate online application .

Application Fee

The application fee is $125 , is non-refundable, and must be received by the application deadline.

Application Fee Waivers

Stanford offers three types of application fee waivers for which GSE applicants may apply and be considered:

• GRE Fee Reduction Certificate-Based Waiver
• Diversity Program Participation-Based Waiver
• School-Based Waiver

Please visit the Stanford Graduate Diversity website for instructions, deadlines, and the fee waiver application form.

Statement of Purpose

A Statement of Purpose is required. Your statement should be typed, single-spaced and should be between one to two pages . Describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program, your preparation for this field of study, and why our program is a good fit for you, your future career plans, and other aspects of your background as well as interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study. You may indicate potential faculty mentors as part of your study and research interests. Be sure to keep a copy for your records. What's a Good Statement of Purpose?

A resume or CV  is required of all applicants, depending on which document is most appropriate for your background. There is no page limit for resumes or CVs, though we typically see resumes of one page in length. Please upload your resume or CV in the online application.

Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Applicants are required to submit three letters of recommendation . In the online application, you will be asked to identify your recommenders and their email addresses. Please notify your recommenders that they will receive an email prompt to submit their recommendation online. You can submit your request for letters of recommendation through the system without submitting the entire online application.  Stanford GSE only accepts online recommendations through the application system ; Stanford GSE cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed recommendations.

Recommendations should be written by people who have supervised you in an academic, employment, or community service setting. We very strongly recommend that at least one of these letters be from a university professor familiar with your academic work. Your recommendations should directly address your suitability for admission to a graduate program at Stanford GSE.

It is the applicant's responsibility to ensure that all three letters of recommendation are submitted through the system by the application deadline , so please work closely with your recommenders to remind them of the deadline.

College and University Transcripts

Transcripts are required from every college and university you have attended for at least one academic year as a full-time student. When submitting your online application, transcripts should be uploaded to the application as a scanned copy or PDF ; this is sufficient for the application review process. Please refrain from sending a secured PDF/transcript with a digital signature as our system cannot upload these properly. The best way to ensure we receive an upload-able document is for you to print out the secured transcript, scan it, and upload the scanned copy (not to exceed 10MB) as a PDF. 

If you earned a degree at the institution from which you are submitting a transcript, please ensure that the degree conferral date and the degree conferred is clearly visible on the document. If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Only if admitted will we contact you with instructions on sending two copies of your official transcripts to our office. We cannot accept mailed, emailed or faxed copies of your transcripts during the application process. Please note: the instructions for sending transcripts on the online application and on the general Stanford Graduate Admissions Office website differ from this Stanford GSE requirement.

Concerning course work completed in a study abroad program

If the coursework and grades are reflected on the transcript of your home institution, you do not need to submit original transcripts from the study abroad institution.

Concerning foreign institutions

If your institution provides a transcript in a language other than English, we require that you submit a translation of the transcript that is either provided by the institution or a certified translator. Translations must be literal and complete versions of the original records.

If your transcript does not include your degree conferral date and the degree conferred , please submit a scanned copy of your diploma, a conferral statement, or a conferral document in addition to your transcript . If you are currently enrolled in a degree program and will not have earned the respective degree by the time of submitting your GSE application, you should submit your most recent in-progress transcript from your institution.

Stanford University requires the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) from all applicants whose native language is not English. The GSE requires a minimum TOEFL score of 250 for the computer-based test, 600 for the paper-based test or 100 for the internet-based test in order to be considered for admission. The Test of Written English (TWE) portion of the TOEFL is not required. Applicants who have completed a four-year bachelor's degree or a two-year master's program (or its equivalent) in the U.S. or at an institution where English is the main language of instruction are not required to take the TOEFL. For more information on TOEFL requirements, please refer to the Required Exams  page on the main Stanford Graduate Admissions website. You may register for the TOEFL test directly at the ETS website .

TOEFL Dates and Deadlines

PhD applicants who are required to take the TOEFL should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test and have official TOEFL scores sent electronically to Stanford at institution code 4704 (department code does not matter) no later than November 1 . This will give your official TOEFL scores time to be sent from ETS and be received by our system in time for the December 1 deadline. PhD applicants to Knight-Hennessy Scholars should plan to take the internet-based TOEFL test no later than October 16 so your scores can be received by our system in time for the November 16 KHS GSE deadline. Please note that the TOEFL may be taken no earlier than 18 months prior to the application deadline.

Does Stanford accept tests other than TOEFL?

No. We accept only TOEFL scores; we do not accept IELTS or other test scores.

Contact Information

Admissions:  [email protected]  

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Email forwarding for @cs.stanford.edu is changing. Updates and details here . CS Commencement Ceremony June 16, 2024.  Learn More .

PhD Admissions

Main navigation.

The Computer Science Department PhD program is a top-ranked research-oriented program, typically completed in 5-6 years. There are very few course requirements and the emphasis is on preparation for a career in Computer Science research. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for admission in a Stanford graduate program, applicants must meet:

• Applicants from institutions outside of the United States must hold the equivalent of a United States Bachelor's degree from a college or University of recognized good standing. See detailed information by region on  Stanford Graduate Admissions website. 
• Area of undergraduate study . While we do not require a specific undergraduate coursework, it is important that applicants have strong quantitative and analytical skills; a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science is not required.

Any questions about the admissions eligibility should be directed to  [email protected] .

Application Checklist

An completed online application must be submitted by the CS Department application deadline and can be found  here .

Application Deadlines

The online application can be found here  and we will only one admissions cycle for the PhD program per respective academic term.

Berkeley School of Education

How to apply: doctorate in education (phd).

Applicants must submit all materials for the Education PhD program by Mon., Dec. 4th, 2023 @ 8:59 p.m. (PST)

Online application.

• Application deadline : Monday, December 4th, 2023 @ 8:59 p.m. (PST) .
• Select Term: Fall; Degree objective:  Education PhD.
• All uploaded documents should be in PDF format only.

All materials are due by the application deadline.

All application materials become property of the University of California. Materials can neither be returned to you nor released to any other party.

Application Fee

• When you apply for graduate admission, you will be required to submit the application fee using a major credit card.
• If you are a U.S. citizen or current permanent resident, the application fee is $135; for all others, the fee is $155.
• The application fee is non-refundable .
• You may qualify for an application fee waiver. To check eligibility, visit the Graduate Division website . 

Program Information

Cluster/emphasis choice You will be required to select from one of the 5 clusters:

• Critical Studies of Race, Class, and Gender
• Learning Sciences and Human Development
• Policy, Politics, and Leadership
• Social Research Methodologies
• Language, Literacy, and Culture

Faculty Adviser You will be required to select and rank up to three (3) faculty members with whom you wish to work and whose research best reflects your interests.

Adviser Choices Briefly tell us why you chose these faculty members and why this rank order.

You are required to submit two essays: a Statement of Purpose, and a Personal History. There is no minimum or maximum length. We recommend one to three pages; 12-point font; and single-spaced, for each essay.

Statement of Purpose

Describe your aptitude and motivation for graduate study in your area of specialization, including your preparation for this field of study, your academic plans or research interests in your chosen area of study, and your future career goals. Please be specific about why UC Berkeley would be a good intellectual fit for you.

Personal History 

Describe how your personal background and experiences inform your decision to pursue a graduate degree. In this section, you may also include any relevant information:

• on how you have overcome barriers to access higher education;
• evidence of how you have come to understand the barriers faced by others;
• evidence of your academic service to advance equitable access to higher education for women, racial minorities, and individuals from other groups that have been historically underrepresented in higher education;
• evidence of your research focusing on underserved populations or related issues of inequality; or
• evidence of your leadership among such groups.

GPA Worksheet

You must calculate your Advanced GPA, which is defined as all coursework after the first two years of your bachelor's degree.

For applicants whose undergraduate trajectory was not a standard 4 years at one institution, simply use your last two years of your Undergraduate degree.

If you need a GPA calculator, we recommend  this online resource .

If you have a graduate degree, there is a separate box for you to enter your graduate degree GPA.

If your GPA is not on a 4.0 scale there is no need to convert it. Enter it as is, in the appropriate GPA box.

Transcripts

• Student information (i.e., first/last name)
• Institution information
• Degree conferral date(s) when applicable
• All coursework information
• Hard copies are not accepted.
• Upload PDF scans of your final transcripts from institutions where you did not receive a degree (e.g., community college) if you received credit that was later applied toward your degree, or if credit from that institution is listed on your bachelor's degree transcript.
• Official transcripts will be required if you are accepted into our program; please do not send transcripts before official acceptance.

Letters of Recommendation

You are required to submit three (3) letters of recommendation.

• At least two (2) should be academic letters.

You will add the recommenders' information to the online application. Each recommender is then responsible for uploading their letter directly into the online portal.

Resume/Curriculum Vitae (CV)

You are required to submit a resume that includes education and professional work history; other professional activities (e.g., professional organizations); professional productivity (e.g., professional publications or professional development); and other major professional, vocational, community, or recreational activities, interests, and pursuits.

Submit via the online Graduate Division application, Resume/CV section.

English Language Proficiency

• All applicants who have completed a basic degree in a country/region in which the official language is not English are required to submit official evidence of English language proficiency.
• Use recipient code 4833 for UC Berkeley.
• For current information regarding this requirement, visit the Graduate Division website .

Review Process

A faculty admissions committee will review all completed application files for their relevant area of study. In accordance with students' active participation in School of Education governance, duly appointed students may also participate in reviewing applicant files. In addition to grades and test scores, we will assess your application by noting achievements in graduate study, employment, and extracurricular and other voluntary activities that you describe in your statement of purpose.

Some degree programs require interviews of top-ranked applicants. We will notify all applicants who need to fulfill this requirement. Telephone interviews may be conducted by arrangement with program staff.

Notification of Decision

The School of Education sends recommendations for admission to the Graduate Division between February and April for final approval. Notice from the Graduate Division constitutes official approval of admission. Communication or correspondence with the School of Education or an individual faculty member does not constitute approval of admission.

Fees & Fellowships

Bse admissions office.

email: [email protected]

Questions about BSE's application process?

Sign up for our BSE Application Office Hours to speak with our Admissions & Fellowship Coordinator.

Doctor of Philosophy in Education

Additional Information

• Download the Doctoral Viewbook
• Admissions & Aid

The Harvard Ph.D. in Education trains cutting-edge researchers who work across disciplines to generate knowledge and translate discoveries into transformative policy and practice.

Offered jointly by the Harvard Graduate School of Education and the Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, the Ph.D. in Education provides you with full access to the extraordinary resources of Harvard University and prepares you to assume meaningful roles as university faculty, researchers, senior-level education leaders, and policymakers.

As a Ph.D. candidate, you will collaborate with scholars across all Harvard graduate schools on original interdisciplinary research. In the process, you will help forge new fields of inquiry that will impact the way we teach and learn. The program’s required coursework will develop your knowledge of education and your expertise in a range of quantitative and qualitative methods needed to conduct high-quality research. Guided by the goal of making a transformative impact on education research, policy, and practice, you will focus on independent research in various domains, including human development, learning and teaching, policy analysis and evaluation, institutions and society, and instructional practice.   

Curriculum Information

The Ph.D. in Education requires five years of full-time study to complete. You will choose your individual coursework and design your original research in close consultation with your HGSE faculty adviser and dissertation committee. The requirements listed below include the three Ph.D. concentrations: Culture, Institutions, and Society; Education Policy and Program Evaluation; and Human Development, Learning and Teaching . 

We invite you to review an example course list, which is provided in two formats — one as the full list by course number and one by broad course category . These lists are subject to modification. 

Ph.D. Concentrations and Examples

Summary of Ph.D. Program

Doctoral Colloquia  In year one and two you are required to attend. The colloquia convenes weekly and features presentations of work-in-progress and completed work by Harvard faculty, faculty and researchers from outside Harvard, and Harvard doctoral students. Ph.D. students present once in the colloquia over the course of their career.

Research Apprenticeship The Research Apprenticeship is designed to provide ongoing training and mentoring to develop your research skills throughout the entire program.

Teaching Fellowships The Teaching Fellowship is an opportunity to enhance students' teaching skills, promote learning consolidation, and provide opportunities to collaborate with faculty on pedagogical development.

Comprehensive Exams  The Written Exam (year 2, spring) tests you on both general and concentration-specific knowledge. The Oral Exam (year 3, fall/winter) tests your command of your chosen field of study and your ability to design, develop, and implement an original research project.

Dissertation  Based on your original research, the dissertation process consists of three parts: the Dissertation Proposal, the writing, and an oral defense before the members of your dissertation committee.

Culture, Institutions, and Society (CIS) Concentration

In CIS, you will examine the broader cultural, institutional, organizational, and social contexts relevant to education across the lifespan. What is the value and purpose of education? How do cultural, institutional, and social factors shape educational processes and outcomes? How effective are social movements and community action in education reform? How do we measure stratification and institutional inequality? In CIS, your work will be informed by theories and methods from sociology, history, political science, organizational behavior and management, philosophy, and anthropology. You can examine contexts as diverse as classrooms, families, neighborhoods, schools, colleges and universities, religious institutions, nonprofits, government agencies, and more.

Education Policy and Program Evaluation (EPPE) Concentration

In EPPE, you will research the design, implementation, and evaluation of education policy affecting early childhood, K–12, and postsecondary education in the U.S. and internationally. You will evaluate and assess individual programs and policies related to critical issues like access to education, teacher effectiveness, school finance, testing and accountability systems, school choice, financial aid, college enrollment and persistence, and more. Your work will be informed by theories and methods from economics, political science, public policy, and sociology, history, philosophy, and statistics. This concentration shares some themes with CIS, but your work with EPPE will focus on public policy and large-scale reforms.

Human Development, Learning and Teaching (HDLT) Concentration

In HDLT, you will work to advance the role of scientific research in education policy, reform, and practice. New discoveries in the science of learning and development — the integration of biological, cognitive, and social processes; the relationships between technology and learning; or the factors that influence individual variations in learning — are transforming the practice of teaching and learning in both formal and informal settings. Whether studying behavioral, cognitive, or social-emotional development in children or the design of learning technologies to maximize understanding, you will gain a strong background in human development, the science of learning, and sociocultural factors that explain variation in learning and developmental pathways. Your research will be informed by theories and methods from psychology, cognitive science, sociology and linguistics, philosophy, the biological sciences and mathematics, and organizational behavior.

Program Faculty

The most remarkable thing about the Ph.D. in Education is open access to faculty from all Harvard graduate and professional schools, including the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, the Harvard Kennedy School, the Harvard Law School, Harvard Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health. Learn about the full Ph.D. Faculty.

Jarvis R. Givens

Jarvis Givens studies the history of American education, African American history, and the relationship between race and power in schools.

Paul L. Harris

Paul Harris is interested in the early development of cognition, emotion, and imagination in children.

Meira Levinson

Meira Levinson is a normative political philosopher who works at the intersection of civic education, youth empowerment, racial justice, and educational ethics. 

Luke W. Miratrix

Luke Miratrix is a statistician who explores how to best use modern statistical methods in applied social science contexts.

Eric Taylor

Eric Taylor studies the economics of education, with a particular interest in employer-employee interactions between schools and teachers — hiring and firing decisions, job design, training, and performance evaluation.

Paola Uccelli

Paola Ucelli studies socio-cultural and individual differences in the language development of multilingual and monolingual students.

View Ph.D. Faculty

Dissertations.

The following is a complete listing of successful Ph.D. in Education dissertations to-date. Dissertations from November 2014 onward are publicly available in the Digital Access to Scholarship at Harvard (DASH) , the online repository for Harvard scholarship.

• 2022 Graduate Dissertations (265 KB pdf)
• 2021 Graduate Dissertations (177 KB pdf)
• 2020 Graduate Dissertations (121 KB pdf)
• 2019 Graduate Dissertations (68.3 KB pdf)

Student Directory

An opt-in listing of current Ph.D. students with information about their interests, research, personal web pages, and contact information:

Doctor of Philosophy in Education Student Directory

Introduce Yourself

Tell us about yourself so that we can tailor our communication to best fit your interests and provide you with relevant information about our programs, events, and other opportunities to connect with us.

Program Highlights

Explore examples of the Doctor of Philosophy in Education experience and the impact its community is making on the field:

Reshaping Teacher Licensure: Lessons from the Pandemic

Olivia Chi, Ed.M.'17, Ph.D.'20, discusses the ongoing efforts to ensure the quality and stability of the teaching workforce

Lost in Translation

New comparative study from Ph.D. candidate Maya Alkateb-Chami finds strong correlation between low literacy outcomes for children and schools teaching in different language from home

Preparing Ph.D. Students for the Qualifying Exam

Navigating Ph.D. programs is notoriously challenging, and the qualifying exam stands as a major milestone all students must achieve. To support Ph.D. students in this critical checkpoint, the Graduate Division recently hosted the Qualifying Exam Discourse (QED) workshop, focused on preparing for the qualifying exam. Ten participants from six graduate programs were selected from a pool of 53 applicants for this pilot.

Led by Associate Graduate Dean and Professor Sayantani Ghosh and academic counselor Maria Nishanian and organized by events services manager Jennifer Quiralte, the workshop aimed to equip second- and third-year Ph.D. students with the knowledge, strategies and skills needed to successfully complete the qualifying exam process and advance to candidacy.

“The qualifying exam is a significant step in a Ph.D. journey, and we wanted to provide our students with the tools and guidance to approach it proactively and effectively,” Ghosh said.

The workshop covered a range of topics, including:

• Providing clarity on administrative requirements for graduate program-related policies and procedures.
• AI and scientific writing techniques, with insights from guest speaker Professor Brian Utter.
• Review of successful proposal samples to share best practices.
• Discussion on "The Do's and Don'ts of a Presentation,” by Nishanian.

By offering this qualifying exam preparation workshop, the Graduate Division demonstrated its commitment to supporting the academic and professional development of UC Merced Ph.D. students.

“We were encouraged by the positive response from our participants,” Ghosh said. “The presentation by Nishanian was particularly beneficial, and Utter’s timely discussion on the undeniable reality of AI in scientific writing was very well-received. We are pleased to expand this training starting Fall 2024.”

In collaboration with Nishanian, Graduate Division will offer a course beginning the next academic year aimed at second- and third-year Ph.D. students that will systematically navigate the process of writing the qualifying proposal and preparing for the oral exam. This 1-unit course, titled GSTU 210: Graduate Researchers’ Road Map, will comprise weekly workshops and by addressing a multifaceted set of preparation areas, will provide doctoral students with a comprehensive toolkit to approach the qualifying exam with confidence and success. It is scheduled for Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. in Fall 2024.

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How to get a PhD

Study tips Published 5 Apr, 2022  ·  4-minute read

Trying to wrap your head around how PhD programs work? We don’t blame you. Sometimes it feels like you need a PhD just to figure out how to get a PhD.

So, with a little help from our academics and some UQ PhD candidates, we’ve broken down the application and preparation process into 10 manageable steps:

• Complete prior research
• Choose your topic
• Find a PhD supervisor
• Write your PhD proposal
• Identify potential scholarships
• Gather required documents and apply
• Determine if you'll continue working during your PhD
• Calculate how long you’ll be researching your PhD
• Develop the traits and behaviours of a good PhD student
• Apply and get accepted

Let’s discuss how to get a PhD in Australia – from choosing your topic to getting stuck into the actual research.

1. Complete prior research (if necessary)

You don’t necessarily need a master’s degree to start a PhD. However, you do need to have completed extensive research. This might involve an academic research program (such as a bachelor's degree with an honours year or a Master of Philosophy ), research conducted in your professional career, or a combination of both. The important thing is that you can demonstrate experience in conducting effective research, as this is a key part of the PhD selection criteria.

Learn more about doing a PhD without a master's degree

2. Choose your topic

Whether you’re developing a thesis on a topic you’ve already worked on or branching out into a new area of interest, you’ll want to know early what kind of topic you want to research for your PhD. Finding a niche that sparks your curiosity is important for ensuring you’ll stay inspired during the 3+ years ahead.

Keep in mind that you generally have two options here. You can complete a PhD by:

• joining an existing research project in an area that interests you 
• start a fresh research project that aligns with your specific goals.

Get tips for choosing your PhD topic or explore available research projects at UQ

3. Find a PhD supervisor

One of the essential steps to consider when thinking about how to get a PhD is finding someone to guide you through the process.

Approaching academics about your PhD can be intimidating, but shortlisting and selecting the most appropriate person / team to supervise your research project is important. By choosing your mentor carefully, you can ensure you’ve got someone in your corner who understands your research, has relevant expertise, and will be there to support you throughout your journey.

Learn how to find the right PhD supervisor

4. Write your PhD proposal

Check with your supervisor to see if they require a formal PhD proposal (most will, but not all). If so, with their guidance, it’s time to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).

Even if your supervisor doesn't explicitly ask for one, a PhD proposal is a valuable document for outlining the scope of your research and giving your project its initial momentum – so it might be worth writing one either way.

Learn how to write a good PhD proposal

5. Identify potential scholarships

Dedicating yourself to research sometimes means sacrificing your income in the short term, though it can lead to more financial security in the long term . To help support yourself during your studies, you can apply for PhD scholarships and funding.

Learn how to get a PhD scholarship

6. Gather required documents and apply

It’s time to jump online and do the official application process. Aside from your research proposal, you should also prepare to provide your:

• academic CV
• academic transcript
• degree certificate(s)
• English language documents (if needed)
• ID (such as a passport)
• two references / letters of recommendation from people who can comment on your research experience.

  Learn how to apply online for a UQ PhD

7. Determine if you'll continue working during your PhD

Some PhD candidates continue doing part-time or casual work while completing their research. However, this isn't easy and may not be feasible in most cases; it takes serious time-management skills to juggle any kind of job alongside a full-time PhD. So, think carefully about whether you’d like to keep working in some capacity or commit your attention fully to your research.

Learn more about working while doing a PhD

8. Calculate how long you’ll be researching your PhD

To complete your PhD within the standard 3.5-year* timeframe, you'll need to be organised with a clear project plan. Of course, the very nature of research is that you'll discover unexpected things and take unplanned detours along the way. So, your plan should include contingencies for any obstacles you might hit to ensure you still complete your research on time. 

*In special cases, you may be able to request an extension of your tuition for up to 4 years, but that is the maximum time allowed for a PhD.

Explore how long a PhD takes

9. Develop the traits and behaviours of a good PhD student

We know you’ve already got what it takes, but there are some skills and attributes you could cultivate or practise to make your upcoming journey a little smoother. Between writing your proposal and meeting with potential supervisors, be sure to set some time aside to work on yourself as well.

Discover what makes a good PhD student

10. Apply and get accepted

All the preparation is done. You’ve equipped all the gear, chosen your guide and mapped out your route. It's time to apply and set the wheels in motion.

Submit your PhD application

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Related stories

How to decide on a PhD topic

4-minute read

How to find a PhD supervisor

5-minute read

How to write a good PhD proposal

How to get a PhD scholarship or funding

3-minute read

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Leveraging Your PhD: Why Employers Value Your Skills

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Guest post by Heer Joisher (Griffin GSAS Candidate in Developmental Biology) for MCS.

Harvard’s Mignone Center for Career Success recently hosted an insightful discussion spotlighting the remarkable journeys of a select group of GSAS alumni who have masterfully leveraged their Ph.D. degrees to forge unique and gratifying career paths. Their experiences not only illuminate the expansive landscape of career possibilities for graduate students but also stand as beacons of inspiration for Ph.D. students and recent graduates navigating their own professional journeys.  Here are some reflections I’ve summarized from the panel discussion on exploring non-academic career paths: the motivations, the timing, and the process.

Why? – A Multitude of Motivations

Dean Emma Dench’s opening remarks for the panel, noting that approximately 50% of Harvard PhDs become intellectual leaders outside academia, set the stage for a discussion on the motivations driving individuals to explore non-academic career paths. These motivations are as diverse as the individuals themselves, ranging from financial considerations to differing interpretations of job satisfaction and expectations.  Moreover, panelists emphasized the presence of abundant opportunities available beyond academia and the importance of gaining a comprehensive understanding of the broader professional landscape. Embracing this perspective involves stepping outside the traditional academic paradigms, challenging preconceptions about career paths dictated by one’s degree or department. Instead, it involves introspectively questioning what truly fosters personal fulfillment and utilizing one’s unique background and expertise to craft a career trajectory that aligns with individual aspirations.

When? – The Sooner, the Better

The panel collectively emphasized the importance of early exploration into non-academic career paths, highlighting the immense value in stepping beyond conventional trajectories and embracing diverse experiences. Their insight underscores that this journey isn’t solely about finding a different career path; it’s about broadening perspectives and building a vibrant professional community, irrespective of the ultimate career trajectory.   While transitioning out of academia may be smoother for some fields or labs compared to others, actively delving into learning about alternative career paths enables individuals to challenge norms and foster connections with mentors who can offer invaluable support along the way. The environment at Harvard, with its diverse peers and alumni network, facilitates this exploration and openness to new opportunities, acting as a catalyst for personal and professional growth.

How? – Navigating the Process

Drawing from their diverse career paths, the panelists offered valuable strategies and frameworks to guide individuals through the transition process. Each insight struck a chord with attendees, offering relatable anecdotes and invaluable guidance. Below is a compilation of key takeaways distilled from the discussion:

• Embrace Career Exploration and Experimentation:
• Explore diverse opportunities and pathways even if they seem unconventional or outside your comfort zone
• Recognize that your first job doesn’t have to be perfect, and that career progression often involves trying different roles and industries
• Utilize resources like alumni and LinkedIn to learn about different careers, and experiences
• Identify the transferable skills gained during your academic journey and identify your strengths. Introspect on how your strengths align with roles outside academia, consider doubling down on skills you excel in and enjoy.

• Cultivate Meaningful Professional Relationships:
• Approach networking with a mindset of curiosity and growth, fostering genuine relationships that support your career development.
• Articulate your accomplishments and expertise with confidence to bolster your credibility and draw opportunities towards you.
• Engage in informational interviews to gain valuable insights into various job responsibilities, organizational cultures, and career paths, allowing you to assess your fit within different professional contexts.
• Take a proactive approach to relationship-building by categorizing connections based on shared interests and goals. Remember, networking is a two-way street; look for opportunities to offer support, share insights, and connect others within your network.

• Invest in Your Professional Growth:
• View informational interviews, hands-on learning opportunities and internships as pivotal investments in shaping your future career path.
• Proactively seek out opportunities that foster continuous learning, cultivate enduring professional relationships, and steer your career in desired direction.
• Hone the art of articulation and effective communication to confidently convey your skills, experiences, and achievements, aligning them with the needs of different roles and organizations.
• Conquer decision paralysis by taking action: apply for open positions and initiate conversations with new connections. Embrace the interview process as an opportunity for growth and learning, gaining valuable insights along the way.

In conclusion, the panel discussion offered profound insights into navigating non-academic career paths. These key takeaways underscore the significance of charting one’s unique path with confidence and purpose in the dynamic landscape of non-academic careers.

Meet the Panelists:

• Elias Bruegmann, PhD : Head of Product Data Science at Stripe
• Victoria Tillson Evans, PhD : Founder & President of Distinctive College Consulting
• Marinna Madrid, PhD : Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer at Cellino
• Jessica Paige, PhD : Social Scientist at RAND
• Paul Schwerda, PhD : Investment Manager at Baillie Gifford
• Roger Vargas, PhD : Computational Scientist at Moderna

Quotes from Attendees:

“As an upper-level PhD student, the seminar provided valuable information and insights on careers outside of academia. It was great to hear from a diversity of people with different perspectives and who followed various career paths.” – Stephan Foianini, G5, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University

• What Can You Be with a PhD
• Beyond the Professoriate

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School of Medicine

Graduate Medical Education

How to apply.

We will be using the San Francisco (SF) Match Application. https://sfmatch.org/specialty/critical-care-anesthesiology-fellowship/Overview

Applicants must meet one of the following qualifications to be eligible fellowship training:

• Graduate of U.S. or Canadian medical school accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) or the American Osteopathic Association (AOA).
• Graduate of a foreign medical school with:
• A valid ECFMG certificate or
• Completion of Fifth Pathway Program provided by a medical school accredited by the LCME or
• A full and unrestricted license to practice medicine

Applicants must have successfully completed Anesthesiology or Emergency Medicine residency prior to the anticipated start date of the Anesthesiology Critical Care Medicine Fellowship Program. Applicants must have passed USMLE Steps 1, 2, and 3. Emergency Medicine residents have to complete another year of training to be eligible for certification by the American Board of Anesthesiology.

Interviews will be offered to qualified candidates at any time prior to submission of our Rank Order List and any time after Match Day for any unfilled positions.

Candidates will be selected for the SF match rank list and order on the basis of their academic credentials, preparedness, ability, aptitude, communication skills, and personal qualities such as motivation and integrity as demonstrated during the interview and from their residency programs and letters of reference.

Critical Care Medicine/ Cardiothoracic Anesthesia Dual Fellowship:

Trainees that are interested in a dual/sequential fellowship in Critical Care Medicine and Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesia, please refer to guidance from the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists (SOCCA) to help clarify the application and planning process.

Visa Information:

UConn accepts applicants who are United States citizens, or foreign nationals who have EAD, or permanent resident status. The UConn School of Medicine/Capital Area Health Consortium sponsors only J-1 visas for foreign nationals and does NOT sponsor H1B or O visas.

No candidate will be permitted to begin training without legal permission to work in the U.S. The UConn is under no obligation to hold any position for any candidate who matched but who does not have legal documentation to work in the United States.

Applicants are advised to review and familiarize themselves with important information pertaining to benefits, policies and procedures, as well as a sample contract and acknowledgement statement on the Graduate Medical Education site.

Sample Contract: Download and/or Print a Sample Contract .pdf

View more information on Eligibility Requirements and Selection.

Our program does not discriminate with respect to gender, race, age, religion, color, natural origin, disability, or any other applicable legally protected status.

We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment in all respects and for all learners.

40th cycle Ph.D.call - 2024/2025 - starting September 2024 - deadline 30 May 2024

Politecnico di milano issues a call for applications to 83 phd positions (68 fully granted).

This webpage provides information related to the issuing PhD programs, the positions and scholarships available for the upcoming PhD cycle, which starts in September 2024. You may also find here the modalities for participate to the selection and the related deadlines. After having carefully inspected the  call , you can apply through our  online procedure .

The number of PhD scholarships and positions of our PhD programs is as follows ( click on the name of the PhD program to inspect the type and research topics associated with the scholarships )

TABLE OF AVAILABLE PLACES – 40 th  cycle  

PhD admission

Access to Ph.D. Programmes is by selection. The University selection call is issued annually for all Ph.D. Programmes, and is published on this page. 

The annual call is issued in Spring- the next annual call will be Spring 2025, 41th cycle.  There may be additional calls with topic scholarships, if so, it will be posted on this website in the " Calls and regulations " section.

Further information and calls for international candidates is available in the  International Programmes  section.

Online procedure for admission to the PhD course at Politecnico di Milano (40th cycle - 2024/2025 - starting September 2024)

In this page you will find the link to access the online procedure to: 

•fill the selection call application form

•check the results 

•select additional research scholarship topics 

Before accessing the online procedure please read carefully:  

1) the  call public announcement Public examination for admission to the PhD course at Politecnico di Milano (40th cycle)

2) the " Quickstart " manual for the online admission procedure 

3) the  FAQs  (frequently asked questions)

To access the online admission procedure  click here Opening on: 30th April 2024 (10am, italian time) Deadline: 30th May 2024 (2pm, italian time)

-the pages in " Prospective PhD Candidates ", in particular " Before Applying " and " How to apply "

-the page " Places and Scholarships " -the page " Areas, subjects and thematics of research published in the call " -the page " Open subject scholarships " -the page " Thematic scholarships "

-the page " Call deadlines "  

Documents that must be uploaded in the online application (in Italian or English language): 

• Research project format  (RTF)
• CV Template  (RTF)

CANDIDATES ARE RECOMMENDED TO READ ALL THE CALL

For the registration of personal data, candidates are recommended to refer to the manual " Quickstart " from pag. 1 to pag. 9 

Candidates who have problems  during the registration of the personal data  can write to:  [email protected]  

For other information about the call and the admission procedures candidates are recommended to make contact only via the link " Ask for assistance " inside the online procedure.

40th cycle call: topic scholarships

The applicant, after the confirmation of an application (provided the desire to compete for a scholarship has indicated in the application), may opt for a thematic scholarship by accessing the  on-line procedure  before  2pm on 30/05/2024 .  All the information about the thematic scholarships are available in the webpage:  Thematic scholarships

Open subject Scholarships

The open subject scholarships allow for research to be carried out on all subjects linked to the PhD.

It is not possible to participate by selecting a specific open subject scholarship . The option to compete for a specific scholarship can only be made for thematic  scholarships. The research topic of each open subject scholarship will be agreed with the Board of Professors.

When applying, you must specify if you intend to compete or not for a scholarship: if you choose to compete, you’ll automatically compete for open subject scholarships.

All the information about the  open subject  scholarships are available in the webpage: " Open Subject Scholarship "

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xučyun ruwway Graduate Student Apartments (anticipated opening Fall 2024)

1050 Ohlone Ave Albany, CA 94706 | Rates

Applications are now being accepted for single graduate students interested in living in UC Berkeley’s largest and newest apartment community designed specifically for graduate students. The new complex is called xučyun ruwway (pronounced HOOCH-yoon ROO-why), a name in Chochenyo, the language of the Ohlone people. Learn more about the unique history and development of the complex , including consultation with East Bay Ohlone tribes in its naming. 

xučyun ruwway is a five-building apartment complex offering Berkeley graduate students a wealth of community resources such as an on-site fitness center, light-filled meeting rooms, spacious lounges, and more than 55,000 square feet of outdoor space with gardens, picnic areas and recreational lawns. Direct AC Transit buses to campus are available from the complex, which is located 3.5 miles northwest of campus. 

Fully-furnished apartments feature large windows that allow abundant natural light into bedrooms and living spaces. All bedrooms are single-occupancy, and each apartment includes a full kitchen with major appliances, as well as an in-unit washer and dryer.

Beyond their apartments, students can discover spaces for social interaction and well-being, including lounges and meeting rooms. A series of outdoor courtyards provide more than 55,000 square feet of space for relaxing, studying and socializing. Students can lounge and explore gardens with native plants and lush trees, host barbecue gatherings, and take advantage of recreational spaces on new multi-use lawns and terraces. All buildings will be fully electric, promoting environmental consciousness through energy-efficient features that include electric building utilities, lighting and kitchen appliances, and even the outdoor community barbecue grill.  

Applications for the 2024–25 academic year are being accepted on a rolling basis. In-person tours are available by appointment; schedule a tour today. For updates on the project’s construction, please visit the Capital Strategies xučyun ruwway page.

• Fully furnished studios and apartments with single bedrooms
• 35 studio apartments (342 sq. ft.)
• 30 one-bedroom one-bath apartments (569 sq. ft.)
• 94 two-bedroom one-bath apartments (678-710 sq. ft.)
• 127 four-bedroom two-bath apartments (1,079 sq. ft.)
• Extensive community spaces and resources, including fitness center, spacious lounges and meeting rooms, outdoor courtyards and greenways
• Annual contract (August 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025)

Who’s Eligible to Apply

Single graduate students. Priority is given to graduate students enrolled in the Rausser College of Natural Resources. Please note this location cannot accommodate families; for family housing, please consider University Village , located adjacent to xučyun ruwway.

The xučyun ruwway Graduate Student Apartments are located in the neighboring city of Albany, just 3.5 miles west of campus. It is adjacent to University Village , UC Berkeley’s 58-acre family student housing complex. Just steps from the housing complex is a shopping area with a grocery store, a pet food store, a coffee shop, a walk-up ATM, a casual restaurant and other amenities. 

With a new transit plaza in front of the building, the apartments are served by a direct AC Transit bus to campus as well as a bus connection to BART. 

Fully Furnished Apartments

Each apartment includes:*

• Furnished living room including couch, armchair, tables (coffee table, end table, dining table and chairs)
• Furnished single bedrooms including bed frame, mattress, dresser, nightstand, desk and chair
• Full kitchens with major appliances including refrigerator, range, dishwasher, microwave
• In-unit washer and dryer

Building Amenities

Residents of the building have access to the following amenities*:

• Lounges and meeting rooms for study and social activities
• Fitness center
• Ample outdoor spaces including a greenway, courtyards, lawns and more
• Outdoor community barbecue grill
• Communal kitchens for group gatherings
• High speed WiFi throughout complex
• Utilities included: Heat, internet, water, garbage, and recycling
• Professional live-in staff available 24/7
• Secure indoor bicycle storage
• Package lockers for secure delivery of packages
• Limited parking spaces available for an additional fee

*Website Disclosure statement: Please note that the information on building and apartment amenities provided is approximate and may be subject to change or update.

Virtual 360° Apartment Tour

A 2-bedroom, 1-bath apartment

In-Person Tours

Sign up for an in-person tour of the xučyun ruwway Graduate Student Apartments today. Because xučyun ruwway is an active construction zone, you will need to sign a liability waiver (which you’ll receive on-site) in order to participate in the tour. Note that anyone wearing open-toe shoes or sandals will not be allowed on the tour. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected].

While apartment rates do not include meal plans, there are options! Residents may purchase one of our university apartment and off-campus meal plans or use their Cal 1 Card to enjoy Berkeley Dining’s services at any of the dining commons and several on-campus restaurants and convenience stores.

Cleaning is your responsibility

It is up to you to keep your room clean, and work with your apartment-mates to keep the shared apartment spaces clean as well. Taking good care of your living space on a regular basis helps prevent pests, allergens, and damage that can result from accumulated dirt. 

No Smoking Policy

UC Berkeley is committed to providing a healthy, smoke-free environment for students, faculty, and staff. Accordingly, no smoking is permitted in student rooms, or inside buildings, including lounges, balconies and breezeways, and stairways. Smoking is only permitted outside in designated areas.

For more information, please visit Single Student Graduate Apartment FAQs

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Liberty celebrates its first law school graduate to argue before U.S. Supreme Court

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May 1, 2024 : By Christian Shields - Office of Communications & Public Engagement

Liberty University School of Law alumnus Josh Turner (’15) represented the state of Idaho before the United States Supreme Court in Idaho v. United States on April 24, becoming the first from his alma mater to stand before the highest court in the country.

After graduating from Liberty Law in 2015, Turner spent a year clerking for Judge Lavenski Smith in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit in Arkansas before completing a second federal clerkship with Judge Leon Holmes in the Eastern District of Arkansas. He next worked for the law firm Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP for four years before joining the Idaho Office of Attorney General in March 2023.

As a conservative Christian, Turner said his faith and values play crucial roles in how he conducts his work daily. Instead of keeping those convictions hidden out of fear for his reputation, he boldly proclaims what he believes to be true and unashamedly fights for those convictions.

“It’s not hard to defend life,” Turner said. “It’s not hard to defend marriage. It’s not hard to defend God’s design for his creation. Those are all no-brainers to me, and it’s totally inconsistent with the Christian faith to allow these incursions on biblical values like family and the Creator/creature relationship. We don’t get to define our existence. God has made us how He has, and it’s not up to us to tinker with His creation.”

He said his faith is “central to everything.”

“I don’t know how people can segregate core convictions from daily actions,” he said. “Because I am a Christian, that beginning point determines everything that I do. I understand that some people are able to separate those things, I don’t know how they do that. For me, it’s pretty simple. The Bible to me is quite clear on what is right and what is wrong.”

Turner’s accomplishment fulfills the dream of Liberty’s founder, the late Dr. Jerry Falwell who declared that Liberty Law graduates would “one day argue before the Supreme Court and perhaps even serve as a justice on the High Court.”

“Liberty University School of Law is proud of Josh’s achievement as the first alumnus to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Morse Tan, dean of Liberty Law. “The School of Law can aim to place alumni as clerks or Fellows on the U.S. Supreme Court. The reputation of the School of Law would wax greater with such high recognitions.”

Turner earned his undergraduate degree in 2012 in political science from the University of Wisconsin and said he was drawn to Liberty Law because of its Christian mission. He said his education at Liberty rivaled that of others he has worked with who attended some of the nation’s most prestigious secular institutions.

“It has been incredibly important to have the (Christian) worldview and perspective,” he said. “If you don’t have truth as a construct, then you can’t really make sense of anything. In the law, it’s important to have a coherent theory and to have coherent arguments. The way that Liberty teaches the law and how the curriculum ties everything together and connects it with truth makes thinking about the law and constructing arguments much easier.”

He credited his professors and mentors, including School of Law professor and former Associate Dean Jeffrey Tuomala, for preparing him for his current position with the Idaho Office of Attorney General.

“Dean Jeffrey Tuomala had a major influence on me,” he said. “He had a hand in building the school’s curriculum. He’s part of the founding faculty. He’s been instrumental. Every student should be thanking him for the deep investment he’s given to that school. I took his constitutional law courses, and now that I am doing constitutional litigation on a daily basis, I can look back and see that I wouldn’t be here, be able to think like I am thinking, and be able to do the things I’m doing if I didn’t take his courses.”

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