>Why pursue a PhD?
Prior to beginning your search for a PhD, it’s essential to comprehend your motivations for wanting one. A PhD entails a significant dedication, and confirming that it aligns with your ambitions and passions is vital. A PhD offers the training necessary to become an independent researcher, a capability I consider crucial for my desired career path.
In addition to technical education, I was drawn to the research autonomy and inventiveness that academia provides. My enthusiasm for science has its limits if I’m engaged in subjects that don’t pique my interest and performing experiments that don’t resonate with me, thus I opted for a PhD project that genuinely intrigued me. The ability to steer my project in the direction I choose is also a considerable benefit for me and ranks among my favorite elements of pursuing a PhD.
As straightforward as it may appear, I would recommend creating a pros and cons list regarding pursuing a PhD before embarking on your search to verify it’s something you genuinely desire to engage in – what do you anticipate a PhD will offer you?
The PhD application process
The application procedure usually consists of several steps:
- Search for a PhD
- Submit initial application
- Shortlisting
- Interview(s)
- Conditional or official offers
- Funding decisions
Interviews frequently center on your motivations for applying, your comprehension of the project, your previous research background, and your approach to overcoming challenges. In preparation for my interviews, I revisited my application, reviewed relevant literature, and reflected on my experiences so I could articulate them clearly and confidently during the interviews.
Finding a PhD
Identifying a project initially requires you to ascertain what type of research inspires you, the kind of work environment in which you excel, and the skills you wish to acquire from the PhD. Some resources you can utilize for locating your PhD include:
- University websites, like that of Imperial – check specific departmental pages where they enumerate all their available PhD opportunities
- Central PhD portals and job boards such as FindAPhD
- Research group and supervisor web pages
- Academic networks and suggestions from lecturers or supervisors
- Funding body and doctoral training center websites
My application experience may vary from yours. For my PhD, I secured funding from my home country, so I just needed to locate a research group engaged in a project that fascinated me. To achieve this, I navigated the Imperial website, discovered lists of researchers and research groups at Imperial, examined their research descriptions, and reviewed their research output.
Since I was already a Master’s student at Imperial while searching for PhDs, I also consulted my lecturers regarding which research groups they felt would be suitable for me. I found my current project supervisor from a list of research groups shared by my MSc course leader.
The essential factor is to converse with EVERYONE and attempt to gather as much feedback as possible. I know a fellow PhD student who found their project by engaging with a stranger in a pub who introduced them to their current principal investigator (PI) and PhD supervisor.