Authored by Shayma, PhD Genomic Medicine
The process of applying for a PhD can seem overwhelming and protracted. Nevertheless, with the right assistance, it can turn into a seamless and even thrilling adventure, aiding you in clarifying your aspirations and passions. Here’s a basic guideline for discovering a PhD that fits you, drawn from my own journey of searching for, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Why aim for a PhD?
Before embarking on your PhD hunt, it’s vital to comprehend why you wish to pursue one. A PhD entails significant commitment, and confirming that it aligns with your aspirations and interests is essential. A PhD equips you with the training needed to become an autonomous researcher, a competence that I consider vital for the career path I aspire to follow.
In addition to technical training, I was drawn to the creative freedom and innovation that academia provides. My enthusiasm for science can only reach so far if I am engaged in subjects I find uninteresting and conducting experiments that hold no appeal, hence I opted for a PhD project that I was truly passionate about exploring further. The autonomy to steer my project in the direction I choose is also a considerable benefit for me and represents one of my favorite elements of pursuing a PhD.
As straightforward as it sounds, I recommend creating a pros and cons list regarding pursuing a PhD before initiating your search to confirm it’s genuinely what you desire to pursue – what do you anticipate a PhD will afford you?
The PhD application journey
The application journey generally consists of several phases:
- Search for a PhD
- Initial submission of application
- Shortlisting candidates
- Interview(s)
- Conditional or formal offers
- Funding determinations
Interviews often center on your motivations for applying, your grasp of the project, your previous research experiences, and your approach to challenges. When preparing for my interviews, I revisited my application, perused pertinent literature, and pondered my experiences, enabling me to articulate them clearly and confidently during interviews.
Locating a PhD
Finding a project necessitates an understanding of which types of research invigorate you, the working environment where you excel, and the skills you wish to acquire from the PhD. Some resources to assist you in finding your PhD include:
- University websites, such as that of Imperial – check specific department pages where they announce their available PhD positions
- Aggregated PhD portals and job boards like FindAPhD
- Webpages of research groups and supervisors
- Academic networks and recommendations from instructors or mentors
- Websites of funding bodies and doctoral training centers
My application journey might vary from yours. For my PhD, I was funded by my home country, so I merely needed to locate a research group engaged in a project I found intriguing. To achieve this, I navigated the Imperial website, discovered lists of researchers and research groups there, reviewed their research descriptions, and examined their research outputs.
Being a Master’s student at Imperial while I sought PhDs, I also consulted my lecturers regarding which research groups they believed would align well with my profile. I identified my current project supervisor from a compilation of research groups that my MSc course leader had shared with me.
The essential part is to communicate with EVERYONE and seek as much feedback as you can. I am personally acquainted with a fellow PhD student who discovered their project by conversing with a stranger in a pub who connected them with their current principal investigator (PI) and PhD supervisor.