Authored by Shayma, PhD Genomic Medicine
The process of applying for a PhD can feel daunting and time-consuming. Nevertheless, with appropriate guidance, it can transform into a seamless and even thrilling journey, aiding you in gaining clarity on your aspirations and interests. Here’s a basic guide to locating a PhD that fits you, drawing from my own experiences of researching, selecting, and applying for a PhD at Imperial.
Why seek a PhD?
Before embarking on your PhD search, it’s essential to comprehend your reasons for wanting to pursue a PhD. A PhD represents a significant commitment, and confirming that it resonates with your objectives and interests is vital. It offers training to become a self-sufficient researcher, a competency essential for the career path I aspire to follow.
In addition to technical education, I was drawn to the autonomy and creativity that academia provides. My enthusiasm for science can only extend so far if I’m engaged in subjects I find uninteresting and performing experiments I don’t care about, so I opted for a PhD project that truly intrigued me. The ability to steer my project in the direction I envision is also a major advantage for me and ranks among my top favorite features of pursuing a PhD.
Therefore, as straightforward as it might appear, I recommend creating a pros and cons list for undertaking a PhD prior to initiating your search to verify it’s genuinely a path you wish to follow – what benefits do you think a PhD will bring you?
The PhD application procedure
The application journey generally consists of various stages:
- Search for a PhD
- Submit initial application
- Shortlisting
- Interview(s)
- Receiving conditional or formal offers
- Funding decisions
Interviews usually center on your motivations to apply, your knowledge of the project, your past research experience, and how you tackle challenges. While preparing for interviews, I revisited my application, perused pertinent literature, and contemplated my experiences to discuss them clearly and confidently during interviews.
Searching for a PhD
Locating a project necessitates understanding what type of research thrills you, which work environment suits you best, and what skills you aim to acquire from the PhD. Some resources you can utilize for finding your PhD include:
- University websites, like that of Imperial – seek out specific department pages where they enumerate all available PhD positions
- Centralized PhD platforms and job boards like FindAPhD
- Webpages of research groups and supervisors
- Academic networks and advice from professors or supervisors
- Websites of funding organizations and doctoral training centers
My application experience might differ somewhat from yours. For my PhD, I received funding from my home nation, so I only had to find a research group that was involved in a project I was keen on. To achieve this, I navigated the Imperial website, consulted lists of researchers and research groups at Imperial, read descriptions of their work, and examined their research output.
Since I was already enrolled as a Master’s student at Imperial while seeking PhDs, I also conversed with my professors about which research groups they felt would suit me well. I discovered my current project supervisor from a compilation of research groups that my MSc course leader provided to me.
The crucial part is to engage with EVERYONE and aim to gather as much feedback as you can. I know a fellow PhD student who secured their project by talking to a stranger in a pub who connected them with their present principal investigator (PI) and PhD supervisor.