Step 7: Choose Target Universities

Having target universities in your basket is crucial before submitting formal applications. Many students and applicants waste money on application fees by applying blindly or incorrectly to numerous universities. Your AI academic assistant, Applyindex, will help you select the target universities for your applications. This decision is based on several factors, including your a-index, the type of positions, university and departmental minimum requirements, your budget for application fees, the responses you receive from research supervisors (if you’ve contacted them), your budget for officially sending your language test results, and the availability and willingness of your recommenders to provide letters of recommendation.

 

The Factors Affecting Your Target Universities

a-index

Among the factors mentioned above, the most important is your a-Index, a quantitative representation of your CV strength. The a-index measures how well your profile aligns with the difficulty level of universities offering fully funded research-based and PhD positions. We strongly recommend focusing on the university ranking range (based on the a-index World University Rankings system) where your minimum chance of securing funded positions is at least 60%.

 

Recommendation Letter

Scenario 1: 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.

Scenario 2: 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.

 

Budget

Depending on how much you can spend on universities’ application fees and language tests (e.g., IELTS, TOEFL iBT, and GRE General) results sending fees, you are limited to the number of positions you apply to, especially in the USA and Canada.

Imagine a scenario where you have enough recommendation letters but face budget constraints for application fees and formal language test scores. North American universities often charge high application fees (averaging 80 USD) and require official test scores, which can increase costs. Given these financial limitations, you may (i) limit your applications to North American universities, potentially reducing your chances of admission offers, or (ii) find it more practical to apply to European universities, as many of them do not charge application fees or require formal test results during PhD application processes.

 

Feedback from Contacting Research Supervisors

Our “Find a Supervisor” article provides detailed guidance on whether contacting supervisors is necessary for your application process, depending on your specific situation. The feedback and responses you receive from supervisors can significantly shape your application strategy and influence which target universities you should ultimately consider. By establishing early contact with potential supervisors, you can gain valuable insights into available research opportunities, funding possibilities, and whether your research interests align with theirs, which can help you make informed decisions when finalizing your university applications.

If you need assistance shortlisting target universities for your application process, a personalized consultation can help you select the best options: