Now that you know the ranking range of universities to focus on from Step 2 and your CV is ready from Step 3, it’s time to start gathering the necessary information for your application process. Depending on the country or university you are applying for, Step 4 (explore universities), step 5 (contact supervisors), and step 6 (find PhD positions) may overlap. You might need to work on them simultaneously.
Why is it Essential to Explore Universities?
It’s crucial for all applicants to thoroughly explore universities before applying. Understanding key details like minimum GPA requirements, language proficiency test scores, the number of required recommendation letters, and application fees is essential for a successful application process. Additionally, knowing whether you need to contact potential supervisors before submitting a formal application or after receiving an admission offer can significantly impact your application strategy.
Limiting Parameters in the Application Process
Several factors can act as limiting parameters when applying to universities. These include the number of recommendation letters required by each university, your budget for application fees, and the cost of sending official English test results. If any of these are insufficient, it can significantly reduce the number of universities you can apply to. Applicants often overlook these factors until they’ve started the application process, only to find their options constrained. Let’s explore some practical examples to illustrate how these limitations work:
Example 1: Recommendation Letter Constraints
Suppose you plan to apply to North American universities, which typically require 3 recommendation letters for PhD applications. However, your recommenders have told you they are willing to provide letters of reference only for 3 applications. This means that even if you have the financial resources to apply to multiple universities, you’re restricted to only 3 applications because of the recommendation letter limit.
Example 2: Insufficient Recommenders
You want to apply to North American universities, but you only have 2 people who are available to write your recommendation letters. Since most North American institutions require 3 letters, you would not meet their minimum criteria. As a result, you’ll need to focus your efforts on applying to European universities, which generally require only 2 recommendation letters for PhD applications.
Example 3: Financial Constraints
In another scenario, you have enough recommenders willing to write as many letters as you need. However, your budget for application fees and sending formal English test scores is limited. North American universities often charge high application fees (80 USD on average) and require official test scores, which can add up quickly. Given these financial constraints, you may find it more feasible to apply to European universities, as many of them do not charge application fees or require formal test results during PhD application processes.
Up-to-Date Information
One of the key challenges in the application process is staying up-to-date with each university’s specific requirements. While third-party websites and external sources may provide information on application fees, deadlines, and other important criteria, these details can change frequently and may not always be accurate. Relying on outdated or incorrect information can result in wasted time, effort, and money.
Therefore, it is critical to always verify application details directly on the official university websites. This includes checking for changes in fees and deadlines, and whether contacting a supervisor is required. Universities regularly update their policies from one year to the next, and staying informed will help ensure your application is complete and timely.
We strongly recommend focusing on universities where our AI suggests your a-index has at least a 60% chance of securing fully funded positions. Let’s look at some examples of what we mean by exploring universities:
Example 1: Minimum Language Proficiency for TA-funded PhD Programs
TA-funded PhD positions are typically found in the USA and Canada. Suppose our AI suggests universities where you have at least a 60% chance of securing fully funded positions, and your English test scores, particularly in the overall and speaking sections, are high. In that case, you should apply directly to departments offering TA funding instead of contacting supervisors (who offer RA funding) at American and Canadian universities. In this case, you can skip step 5 (contact supervisors). However, keep in mind that focusing solely on TA positions limits your chances of securing fully funded opportunities, as you would be excluding RA-funded positions. If both your publication record and English proficiency are strong, you have a higher chance of securing either TA or RA funding.
As a general rule, a high IELTS Academic score is at least 7, with a minimum of 7.5 in the speaking section (Note: To see how IELTS compares to other English language tests, explore TOEFL iBT and PTE Academic). You should always check the specific requirements of each university and department. For example, the following screenshot shows the required English proficiency for TA funding as requested by the graduate school of Cornell University.
Please note that at some universities, the graduate school requirements may differ from those of individual departments, while at others, they may be the same. For example, the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University explicitly states that they follow the English test requirements set by the graduate school (see the screenshot below):
Example 2: Is the GRE Required?
GRE test results are typically required by North American universities for PhD applicants. However, after the COVID-19 pandemic, some universities no longer require it. Applicants who prefer not to take the GRE must identify universities (or specific departments) that don’t have this requirement. Therefore, when searching within your desired university ranking range, focus on those that don’t require GRE scores. For example, the screenshot below shows that the School of Integrative Plant Science at Cornell University states: Note that consistent with our commitment to holistic evaluation of applications, GRE scores are not required and will not be considered.
Example 3: Do I Need to Contact Supervisors Before Applying for RA-funded Positions?
Carefully read our “Find a Supervisor” article to determine if contacting supervisors is necessary for your application.
Record Your Notes About Universities
As you research and explore universities through their websites, you can conveniently take notes about each university directly on their profile pages within Applyindex. This feature allows you to save important details like program requirements, application deadlines, and specific instructions from departments—all in one place. The notes you create are stored securely and are accessible only to you, ensuring privacy and organization throughout your application process. By taking these notes, you won’t need to: (i) jot them down on paper that could get lost, (ii) squeeze them into small cells in an Excel file, or (iii) revisit each university’s website to find the information again.
By having all your notes in one location, you can easily track and compare universities, helping you make informed decisions. No more scattered information or confusion; your personalized notes will remain intact and available whenever you need them, saving time and effort in the future.
Overview of Universities’ Profiles on Applyindex
As shown in the screenshot below, within each university’s profile, you can view your chance of securing a funded position, the university’s a-index ranking, the ‘Bio’ tab, and the ‘My notes’ tab where you can record any valuable information about the university. Applyindex also provides useful links for each university for your convenience. You can also see the number of supervisors and positions from each university in our database. However, these numbers are independent of our matchmaking algorithms. Once you open the supervisors and positions pages, the numbers will decrease as our matchmaking features are activated.
“My Notes” Tab
This tab is one of the most important components of university profiles on the Applyindex website. For your reference, you can copy and paste the link to view the minimum requirements of the university and department you want to apply to, or to check the application deadlines of the relevant program. You can also copy key information you’ve found into the “My Notes” tab for each university, saving time in the future. For example, see the screenshot below for how you can take notes about each university and department. Be sure to rely only on official university websites, as external sources may not always provide up-to-date information. Things like application fees, deadlines, or the requirement to contact supervisors may change from semester to semester or year to year. Once you’re done, submit your note.
After submitting your notes, they will be stored and displayed as shown in the following screenshot. The date and time you took the note will be recorded, and you’ll see an “edit” option at the top right if you want to make changes later. The “reply” option at the bottom left allows you to add specific comments or updates to the notes you’ve already taken about a university or department.
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