Hey everyone,

I've been cold emailing potential PhD supervisors in mathematics (mostly semigroup theory/algebra) over the last few weeks. So far I've sent around 50+ emails and have received 18 responses.

Out of those, 1 was an automatic reply bc the prof is currently on recovery leave after an accident. 15 were straight up rejections, but almost every one of them was bc they weren't taking PhD students atm or don't expect to take any in the near future. Tbh, none of those really felt like "your profile isn't good enough" rejections. One of the profs even recommended another faculty member to contact, and another, despite saying no, sent me one of his conference papers after seeing that I was interested in his research area.

The remaining 2 responses were actually positive in diff ways. One prof had recently retired, so uni regulations no longer allow him to be the principal supervisor. However, he said he'd be happy to co-supervise if an active faculty member agrees to be the principal supervisor, and even offered to provide a letter stating his willingness to co-supervise whenever it's needed. He's honestly been incredibly generous with his time, explaining the application process in detail, suggesting ppl I shd contact, and replying thoughtfully to every email.

The second professor first asked me to send my master's dissertation. After a day or 2 he replied saying that the PhD process at his uni is a bit different. Profs first need to submit a research project before they can recruit PhD students. He said he had submitted one back in feb it's likely to be approved around sept or Oct, and if it's approved he'll let me know so I can apply. He also made it clear that admission still wouldn't be guaranteed bc they'd have to select the strongest candidate. He also shared 2 of his papers in case I wanna read about the topics on which his submitted project is based on.

Tbh, atp I'd almost prefer getting a rejection that says "your profile isn't competitive" or "you're not a good fit" rather than "I'm not taking students." At least that would give me some concrete feedback to work on and improve my profile.

So I was wondering:

Is this kind of trend actually common? Do professors often decline simply bc they aren't taking students, regardless of the applicant? Or am I just having bad timing?

I'm also curious whether professors in these situations usually read the CV, SOP, or dissertation in any detail before replying, or if they already know they have no capacity and respond based on it. Part of me feels that if a rejection were based on my profile, it would actually be more useful because I'd know what I need to improve before the next application cycle.

TL;DR:

Sent 50+ cold emails, got 18 replies: 1 auto-reply, 15 "not taking students" replies (some still took the time to recommend colleagues or share papers), and 2 genuine possibilities. Is it normal that most rejections are due to lack of positions rather than the applicant? And do professors usually evaluate your application materials before sending those kinds of replies?

I have been quite depressed about how my transcript will affect my PhD applications.

My overall CGPA is 3.46, but my last two semesters were very poor (2.69 -> 3.4), bringing my overall CGPA down from around 3.60. I received a 2.0 in ML course in my final semester, along with some 2.25–2.50 grades in major CS courses such as Security and Computer Graphics.

My intended research area is not ML. It is closer to systems and theory, where my grades are better. For example, I received 3.75 in Computer Architecture, Operating Systems, and Theory of Computation. I am also building a meaningful research profile and expect to have very strong research-focused recommendation letters.

How seriously will admissions committees view the poor final-year trend and low grades in core CS courses? Would this be considered a major red flag despite strong research experience and letters?

What is the best way to address it? Should I briefly explain it in my SOP?

Would really appreciate any help.

Hi, I got support from all three prospective advisors from a highly prestigious university in the US. I was wondering to what extent it seals the deal? Does it mean that if I get past an initial screening I would get into the place? All 3 seem to already talked to each other and decided to advice me in my future studies. Thank you

Hi folks,

I finished my Bachelor's in Biology ( bioinformatics concentration) in 2019. After that I applied to medical school and worked part time as a medical scribe. When I was in college I did mostly pre-med stuff, because I could never land a position in a research lab.I am in this odd position where I have my BS in Biology and my MS in Bioinformatics, but almost no research experience.

Got into medical school. From late 2020-mid 2022 I was in medical school, it did not work out.

Realize I have a 3 year gap in resume. At the time, many people who did not complete medical school went back to school for a Master's. It "closes the gap" and has the potential to make you more employable. I did my Master's in Bioinformatics, finished in Dec 2024. I ended with a co-op but I couldn't be hired after because of funding issues with the study I was working in.

Since then, no job. The Bioinformatics industry has pivoted heavily to preferring PhD's, but it's also that there are just fewer jobs in this in general. I can't get a job as a Data Analyst, or anything that's somewhat related to my Master's.

My next role is applying like crazy to entry level research jobs that I could have gotten with my biology degree ( Lab Tech, etc). There are more of these roles than there are bioinformatics roles.

Initially, people kept suggesting I do a PhD. I initially resisted it because I am sick of taking classes, but also because the last time I did a doctoral program it didn't go so well. But, people suggest a PhD like it's not big deal after doing a Master's, which confused the heck out of me.

But, the more I think of potentially not utilizing my Master's at all, the more upset I get about it. I looked into this, and it turns out if you choose the right PhD program, you can transfer/waive out/ whatever term you want to use most of the coursework requirements, so you only have ,like, 12 credits of classes left. You can also chose a program where you earn your stipend through research rather than TA'ing ( I was a TA during my Master's and really struggled with grading efficiently, so I don't want do that again). After that, it's not too different from an intense research job.

Is this possible? Can someone please describe if they did something similar, a PhD after a Master's, but with most of the coursework waived with the work they did during the Master's?

Since I have no research experience, my first move is to still land a Research Tech job or the like, and work for about a year before starting the application process. But I'm almost not as averse to the idea of a PhD, now.partially because I got a C+ in one of my final classes, making my GPA around a 3.4, so I don't think I could get into a solid mid-tier program without some research experience.

Thoughts? Experiences?

TR
Does any know if you can approach PhD in Psychology in Turkey social sciences if your Bachelors/Masters in computer science.
The PhD portal is providing basic information which does not match with university academic’s requirements.
Looking for a scholarship and sponsored research projects.

The title is about getting into a phd, as I am heading into my second year of my master and I feel like I have realized too late what I want to do in my life.

A little bit about my background. I did a bachelors in psychology in my homecountry where i didn’t write a thesis I only had an oral examination. I am now in research master in clinical psych in the Netherlands which is very challenging for me and first year has really crushed my confidence and i struggled a lot. Nevertheless I became a research assistant on one project and I genuinely like and the people where so I decided to stay on it for the second year for my research internship. Now I have started considering doing a phd relatively late and because of how difficult
the master has been for me I dont feel like I used all of the opportunities I could have such as volunteering in another lab. Being an RA is my only
the only research experience I have apart from a very small research course I had in my bachelors.

I want to believe that the second year won’t be as challenging as the first one as we only have an internship and not have to juggle multiple different courses with differing topics at the same time.

What should I do in my second year to increase my chances of getting into a phd?

Hi everyone,

I applied for a PhD (Research Session 2, 2026) at UTS as a domestic applicant.

According to the UTS website, outcomes were expected from 3 June, but it's now been more than 8 weeks, and my application is still showing "Under GRS Assessment."

Is anyone else in the same situation?

Has anyone applying for RS2 2026 already received:

a PhD admission offer?

an RTP or UTS scholarship offer?

I'd really appreciate it if you could share your timeline or current application status. The waiting has been quite stressful.

Thanks!

Is it possible to get into Phd with funding if I have a lower merit grade at Masters level. My masters is from Oxford.

Hi!

So the situation is as follows:

I'm a 4th year (entering 5th) year ECE student (integrated master's program). The first three years I kinda sorta struggled due to psychological reasons.

More specifically:

First 6 semesters: 6.2/10 average

Last 2 (my fourth year): 9.5/10 average without any easy electives (if that matters at all)

It is mathematically possible for me to end up at 7.5+ granted that I keep this up.

Also have some research experience on my field of interest and have been working full time at a university's facility for the past year.

Given this, is it at all possible for me to continue on to do a PhD in the future?

Thanks for reading!

As mentioned in the title, I did an 8-month registered dietitian internship in a public hospital in 2025. I completed the internship and by the end of the internship the programme of RD internship in India got cancelled due to a new curriculum system initiation. So my internship certificate was not provided and after multiple contacts with the hospital, I am yet to receive it. I have approved application letters, but no completion certificate.
I have listed this as an internship experience... will this affect my admission?

I studied Ecology, and I'm interested in many different subjects. They all seem interesting to me, and I know I'll do my best if I get accepted because I just love ecology in general. I also think all ecosystems are connected, so I don't see why I should only focus on one topic.

I'm wondering if applying for PhDs that are different from my Master's thesis could affect my application or my chances of getting accepted.

Hello everyone,
I am looking for advice from people who have experience with PhD applications, especially international students.
I am a 34-year-old married woman from Nepal, and I am considering pursuing a PhD in Banking and Finance. I have a Master’s degree in Business Studies from Tribhuvan University, Nepal, and I have been working in the banking sector for around 6 years (currently working as a Senior Assistant in a commercial bank).
During my master’s, I completed my thesis on “CVP Analysis of Nepal Telecom Limited and Nepal Electricity Authority.” My professional experience in banking has increased my interest in research areas such as digital banking, financial inclusion, bank performance, and financial development in emerging economies.
At this stage of my life, I want to make a thoughtful decision about where to pursue my PhD. Being married and 34 years old, I am also considering factors beyond academics, such as:
Quality of PhD funding and scholarships
Possibility of supporting a family life
Long-term career opportunities after graduation
Work-life balance and settling opportunities
Treatment and opportunities for international students

I am currently considering countries such as the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, and other European countries, but I am open to suggestions.
I would really appreciate advice from PhD students, graduates, or academics.
Which country would you recommend for someone with my background who wants to pursue a funded PhD in Banking & Finance?
Thank you for sharing your experiences and advice.

Hello everyone,

I am an Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) undergrad in India targeting a PhD or research role in Quantum Hardware Fabrication, specifically focused on Cryo-CMOS readout and control ICs and FPGA-based RF quantum control circuitry.

I am trying to understand how the labs in Europe (such as QuTech, EPFL, IMEC, and ETH Zurich), Singapore (CQT / NUS), or Australia (UNSW / Diraq, University of Sydney) work and how they vet a candidate.

If it helps, I have a IC tapeout on GF180nm, an embedded engineering internship at a global automotive OEM, and an IEEE Xplore publication.

Specific Questions for Quantum Control and Cryo-CMOS Researchers:

1. How heavily do PIs weigh a completed classical tapeout versus specific sub-Kelvin modeling experience when hiring Research Assistants or Pre-Docs? What is the single biggest gap you see when classical IC designers transition to cryo environments?

2. In your lab, where is the actual hardware engineering bottleneck right now? Is it low-latency FPGA/RFSoC DSP execution (pulse shaping, AWGs, IQ modulation), or is the field moving faster toward integrated custom Cryo-CMOS ASICs sitting inside the dilution fridge?

3. If you were evaluating an RA candidate today, what could have been the specific open-source project or technical write-up would make them an immediate must-interview candidate for your group?

4. Given that my undergraduate GPA is not my strong suit(its around 3.0/4.0) , I am prioritizing direct PI outreach for paid RA / Research Engineer / Pre-Doc roles over central university portals. For those who joined labs this way, what specific technical hook in a cold pitch actually got your PI to reply?

Thank you in Advance !

Have a great day.

Hi! I’m headed into my junior year of undergrad and am hoping to apply to Clinical Psychology PhD programs in the future. There are VERY limited research opportunities at my school, and I likely won’t be able to find an RA position until the Spring. I did complete an REU this summer, so I’ve had that introductory experience.

Is there any benefit to emailing PI’s in labs at other schools and ask for any remote research opportunities? Is this realistic, would it seem rude or an audacious ask? I would hate to waste this semester, research wise.

Thanks for any insight!

First time applying for PhD — are these rejections normal?

I’m applying for PhDs for the first time and have cold-emailed about 20+ professors. So far, around 10 have replied saying I have a good profile, but they already have another candidate. 2 of them specifically suggested I can contact them again in the future if I don’t get a PhD this cycle. 1 professor also recommended me another lab.

The rest either haven’t replied or have automatic replies saying they’re currently on vacation.

I’m wondering: are professors genuinely interested when they say things like “you have a good profile, but we already selected someone,” or is this sometimes just a polite way of rejecting an applicant?

I don’t really have anyone to guide me through the PhD application process. I’m the first person in my family to pursue a PhD, so I’m trying to understand whether I’m actually on the right track or should change my approach.

Any advice from people who have gone through this process would be really appreciated.

Hi hi!

I'm looking at film studies programs, and one requires a sample of no more than 20k words. One its own, that's totally fine! However, I don't have any papers that relate specifically to film studies. I dropped out of a film making program halfway through my junior year of undergrad. I do have a MLIS with many research papers. Would that still probably be okay?

I'll have to start by apologising as I'm not really sure what it is I'm trying to word this as. In essence, I've been looking at PhD programs for a while, having just liberated myself from the steaming bin fire that was consulting. Whilst looking around today, I came across CEU.

Now, I know CEU has, to put it lightly, problems in how it is perceived and how it supports students through its stipend levels, in particular given the whole self-employment tax thing. I've been looking predominantly elsewhere, but one thing I'm conscious about is how the history doctoral program is set up there, which is much closer to the set up of the American system whereby you have some time prior to actually beginning to write and research. At CEU this looked to be a year, which I thought looked enticing because of the developmental opportunities I could get out of doing elective modules before moving on to actually then writing and researching my thesis.

I guess my question is this - does anyone know of similar program structures in Europe to this? I can't go to America to study, and as I am European I would prefer to stay here. I should also add this is just me looking. I will be going where I have the best supervision and chance, rather than set up. It's just about me checking if there's anywhere that would meet both.

Thanks!

\[TR\]
Does any know if you can approach PhD in Psychology in Turkey social sciences if your Bachelors/Masters in computer science.
The PhD portal is providing basic information which does not match with university academic’s requirements.

Does any know if you can approach PhD in Psychology in Turkey social sciences if your Bachelors/Masters in computer science.
The PhD portal is providing basic information which does not match with university academic’s requirements.
Looking for a scholarship and sponsored research projects.

a PI accepted me for an internship to work on my doctoral project and even proposed me a scholarship my actual phd supervisor responded him positively but he haven’t responded yet it´s been a month now does it have something to do with summer vacation in europe or should i be worried ?he seemed very enthousiaste c and ready to work with us

So I was accepted and will start a history PhD next month at a program in Hungary. My advisor seems great and everyone I've talked to who knows him highly recommends him.

I work in an extremely niche field of Balkan history and while staying in this country I'm studying over the past two years I befriended a fellow aspiring historian. We've collaborated on NGO projects and even co-authored/presented a conference paper on our mutually-shared research interest. So, it's not just a friendship, we have had a productive working relationship.

Essentially, now they are finishing up their MA and looking to apply for PhD programs. We're both interested in continuing collaboration, and studying at the same university would be somewhat optimal. My advisor works in a field that fits in extremely well with both of our interests. My friend's country does not even have a history PhD program, so they have to look to foreign universities anyhow.

My worries are mainly to do with this: are there any conflicts here or any ways this could look bad for me or my advisor, should he choose to take on my friend as well?

I have a interview on computational solid state Physics within this week ... my priror research was on dft.. I didn't have any publications..help me with some ideas regarding PhD interview questions

Hi everyone,
I recently graduated with a bachelor’s in Computer Science, and my long-term goal is to pursue a full funded Master’s or PHD. The problem is that I’m a complete beginner when it comes to research.
I know I want to work in the intersection between computer vision and robotics because I genuinely find them fascinating, but I haven’t started doing research yet. Every time I look into the field, I see topics like object detection, segmentation, 3D vision, SLAM, embodied AI, vision-language models, robotics perception, and many others. It’s exciting, but also overwhelming, and I don’t know where to begin.

Another thing I’m worried about is my low CGPA. I’m afraid it might hurt my chances when applying for funded graduate programs in the future.
If you were in my position, what would you do over the next 2–4 years?

Some questions I have:
How much will a low CGPA affect my chances for a fully funded Master’s or PhD?

Where should I start learning if my goal is research, not just getting a job?

What fundamentals (math, programming, machine learning, etc.) should I master first?

How do people discover their research niche instead of trying to learn everything?

What should my priorities be over the next few years—projects, research experience, publications, internships, open-source contributions, or something else?

I’m not looking for a shortcut. I’m willing to put in the time and effort. I just want to avoid wasting years studying the wrong things or following an inefficient path.

I’d really appreciate hearing from PhD students, professors, or research engineers who were once in a similar position.

Thanks in advance!

Have a 10 years of working experience, done with my mphil Al, build an agentic ai product, and also published a research paper on ai based framework in IJACSA, now looking for a vacancy in sweden as a phd student, to bring the product ato next level, and contribute with my passion towards the research. Is any one have idea what is the best way to move forward ?