Step 1: Evaluate CV Strength

The first step for any student applying to universities is understanding where their CV strength can take them, especially when seeking funding and scholarships. PhD applicants, in particular, aim to secure such financial support at universities worldwide to further their academic journey. It’s crucial to know which universities are suitable for your CV. This is where the concept of the a-index comes in! Applyindex, your all-in-one AI academic assistant, assigns an a-index to your CV—a number between 50 and 100—that indicates the strength of your academic resume in the application process. A higher a-index suggests a stronger CV for securing funded PhD positions.

(I) Create Your Account

Please follow this comprehensive guide on how to create an account on Applyindex, if you haven’t done so yet.

(II) Complete Your Profile (CV and Education)

After logging into your account, you should complete your profile (CV and education history) to fully benefit from Applyindex’s features. Please follow these comprehensive guides on how to complete an applicant profile: CV sections and how to complete an applicant profile: education, if you haven’t done so yet.

(III) CV Evaluation for PhD Applicants

Once your CV is complete, the accurate a-index associated with your resume is finalized. To ensure that your a-index reflects your true academic standing, please make sure that all sections of your CV and education history are fully completed as detailed in the part (II) above. Your CV’s a-index value will be displayed in two different sections on our website as follows:

(III – 1) a-index on Applicant’s Dashboard

On your applicant dashboard, the a-index is prominently displayed in two locations to ensure easy access. First, you can find it in the dashboard settings list, located just beneath the “Create an Education” button. Additionally, the a-index is also visible in the main dashboard list, situated under the “New Messages” box. These placements allow you to quickly reference your a-index as you navigate through your application process.

(III – 2) a-index on Applicant’s Public Profile

Your a-index is also prominently displayed on your public profile. This visibility allows supervisors, who are active users of our platform and are searching for research students to join their groups, to assess your academic qualifications at a glance. Additionally, your a-index is accessible to other applicants who might be potential collaborators or partners during the university application process. These applicants can connect with you through the Student Connect page, where they can find peers for language tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL iBT , and GRE General) preparation, paper writing collaboration, or even share housing in the destination country.

(IV) CV Strength and a-index Relation 

Applyindex’s AI-powered a-index evaluates PhD applicants’ CV strength, assigning a score between 50 and 100. This score is determined by 17 factors derived from the applicant’s CV credentials. A higher a-index value indicates a greater likelihood of securing fully funded PhD positions. While an a-index below 50 doesn’t guarantee rejection, it suggests less than a 30% chance of obtaining fully-funded positions at lower-ranked universities according to the a-index World University Rankings. Therefore, the a-index is a pivotal factor in today’s competitive university application landscape.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)