One of the most frequent challenges among PhD applicants worldwide is “How to email professor for PhD supervision?” It is crucial for those seeking research-funded PhD positions to approach supervisors. Among the hundreds of emails sent to PhD supervisors (assistant, associate, and full professors), you want to stand out. Therefore, you should pick a succinct and informative cold email PhD body text and a suitable subject line for your PhD email. Depending on the country in which you are applying for a PhD, you may need to approach supervisors either before or after submitting your application. This article explains how to email professor for PhD supervision. Additionally, examples of successful supervisor email templates are provided.
Do You Need to Email Professor for PhD?
You do not need to email professor for PhD opportunities if applying for teaching assistantship (TA)-funded positions in the USA and Canada. However, to inquire about fully funded PhD positions supported by research funding or to increase your chances for PhD admission success, you may need to email professors. The destination and the type of research-funded PhD position (individual PhD or PhD program position) greatly influence the stage at which you should get in touch with them. Note that different terms are used for PhD research funding in various countries. For example, it is referred to as a PhD RA funding in the USA or Canada, a PhD scholarship in Australia or Finland, and a PhD studentship in the UK.
Regardless of being optional or mandatory, we strongly suggest that you email professors for PhD opportunities before applying to positions. Reaching out helps make your name and resume more memorable during the selection process and allows you to leave a strong impression through your email. You should also learn about the best time of the year, the month, week, and day to email professors for PhD. Let’s explore different scenarios to see if you need to email professors for PhD or not:
Applying for Individual PhDs (also called PhD Research Projects)?
These types of PhD positions are typically offered by European research institutes in countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, Switzerland, and others. Unlike program-based applications, each PhD research project often has its own application process. In some cases, you may need to email your application package directly to the hiring supervisor without completing any online forms. These applications are generally shorter and easier to complete than those required for program-based admissions. While it is not mandatory to email professors for PhD research project positions, we highly recommend doing so.
Applying for Fully Structured PhD Programs in North America?
While not mandatory, it is common practice among applicants to email professor for PhD supervision and find out if they have available positions in their research group. Some universities in the USA and Canada provide specific guidelines about this step. For instance, the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta explicitly states that you do NOT need to secure or find a supervisor before submitting your application. The necessity for contacting supervisors can vary depending on university and departmental policies. You may (i) need to find a supervisor before or after applying to programs, or (ii) not need to contact supervisors at all.
Many supervisors at American and Canadian universities now prefer to be contacted after applicants have obtained an official admission letter from their department, due to the large volume of cold emails for PhD inquiries. This allows supervisors to select from a pool of qualified candidates when determining who should receive funding for research assistants (RAs).
After you email professors for PhD and receive feedback, you can decide which universities in USA or Canada to apply to. Typically, students with a strong publication record follow this path for their university application process. This is especially true if they don’t have a high enough English test score for getting TA funding, and they hope their strong publication track record can secure RA funding. You contact them to find out if there are any open positions within their research group. The purpose of this step is not to guarantee financial support but to find out if any positions are available. Responses you might expect to receive from a potential supervisor are:
- Thank you for your email. I am looking for a new PhD student in my group; however, you should apply directly to the department.
- Thank you for your interest, but unfortunately, I do not have any open positions for this semester.
- I think that you have a strong CV. When are you free next week to have an interview?
If a supervisor who has an available PhD position with funding gets highly interested in an applicant’s CV, they might invite the student for an online interview via Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams. Thus, students must prepare for the interviews to convince supervisors they are the best fit for the position. With luck, the supervisor might guarantee a fully funded PhD in USA or Canada. This scenario happens to applicants with very strong CVs and excellent research track records, but rarely, with less than 1% possibility.
Applying for Semi-Structured PhD Programs in Australia and Europe?
Just so you know, in more than 95% of cases, it is mandatory to email a professor for PhD supervision before submitting an official application for a PhD in Australia, a PhD in UK, a PhD in France, a PhD in Germany, or a PhD in Netherlands, to establish a research topic and obtain their approval for your PhD supervision. Failure to do so will prevent you from submitting your PhD application. While most PhD applicants mistakenly believe that most PhD positions in Europe are pre-defined research projects, PhD programs are widespread. Some research institutes, such as the German Cancer Research Center in Europe, also offer PhD program positions.
How to Email a Professor for PhD: the Structure
Email a Professor for PhD: the Subject Line
A strong subject line is essential in a cold email PhD supervisor, as it is the first impression that encourages supervisors to open your email and review your CV. It should be clear, concise, informative, comprehensive, and relevant to the PhD supervisor’s research interests and background. We recommend including your intended degree (which is PhD here) and a keyword related to their research work (or your interests/background). Avoid generic, vague, or impersonal subject lines such as “PhD position” or “Seeking Opportunity”. Instead, demonstrate that your email is tailored and purposeful.
Email a Professor for PhD: the Body Text
The body of an email to a professor for PhD supervision should be engaging and informative. It should quickly convey who you are, what you are seeking, and why you are reaching out to them. A well-structured cold email PhD reflects your professionalism and increases the likelihood of receiving a positive response. Remember that professors receive similar emails for PhD positions, so standing out with a focused and personalized message is key. Attach your CV to the email and ensure that the email:
- is concise.
- is formal. It should start with “Dear Dr.” or “Dear Prof.” followed by the supervisor’s name, and end with “Sincerely Yours” or any equivalent, followed by your name.
- does NOT use “Mrs.” or “Ms.” as the title.
- does NOT contain slang, abbreviations, acronyms, or emoticons.
- focuses on your significant academic accomplishments such as a high GPA, a competitive English test score, or the number of publications.
- highlights your research background and interests.
- specifically state your interest in the research group by reading the professor’s profile and a few of their scientific papers.
- explains how doing research in their group can help you achieve your goals (optional).
- requests to schedule a meeting or indicates that you will attend office hours (optional).
You can use the samples of prior PhD successful applicants to get ideas for your academic CV, but this can be confusing and time-consuming. As an alternative, you could use platforms like LinkedIn, which offer a generic CV format for academic purposes. Applyindex, on the other hand, provides a more customized strategy with its data-driven, automated resume builder that is especially made for academic settings. For more information, read how Applyindex tools work for applicants.
How to Email Professor for PhD: Sample Templates
How to Email Professor for PhD Supervision Before Applying?
Below, we have provided two “email to PhD supervisor” samples to guide you in approaching potential supervisors in a professional and effective way. Since many universities encourage early communication with supervisors to align research interests, these examples are especially useful if you are reaching out to professors prior to submitting an official application. Reaching out in advance can be especially helpful for students who might struggle to obtain multiple recommendation letters or who are facing financial constraints related to application fees. Receiving a favorable response from a professor enhances your overall PhD application and raises the possibility of RA funding opportunities.
PhD Supervisor Email Template 1
Below is a PhD supervisor email template you may use for your PhD cold email outreaches. A PhD applicant sent the following email to a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. They had not attached a PhD research proposal to the email, but it would have been better to do so.
Subject: Future PhD student in drug delivery
Dear Professor XXXXXXX,
I am XXXX XXXXXXX, an MSc alumnus of Chemical Engineering from XXXXXX University, Iran. Drug delivery is one of my research interests. I am currently working at the Drug Delivery Laboratory of XXXXXX University of Technology – one of the best universities in Iran – on the application of gold (Au) nanoparticles in cancer therapy. I would like to continue my studies overseas for a PhD. Having read your profile, I found out that you are working on drug delivery. I am so interested in applying for a PhD from a faculty with your excellent background.
I would be grateful if you could inform me of any vacant position in the area of drug delivery systems for fall 2020. My bachelor’s and master’s GPAs are 3.69 and 3.93 out of 4, respectively. My TOEFL iBT and GRE General scores are 104 and 323, respectively. Please find detailed information about me on my CV in the attached file. I am looking forward to hearing from you at your earliest convenience. Thank you for your invaluable time.
Sincerely Yours,
Full name
PhD Supervisor Email Template 2
A PhD applicant emailed a professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Spain, and was invited to a PhD interview just two days after her initial cold outreach. Citing one of the supervisor’s recent papers is among the most effective strategies on how to contact professors for PhD opportunities, as it demonstrates genuine interest and alignment with their research.
Subject: Seeking PhD position in wastewater treatment
Dear Prof. XXXXXXXXXX,
My name is XXXXXX, an MSc graduate in Biomolecular Engineering from XXXXXX University, Pakistan. Environmental biotechnology is a key area of research interest for me, particularly in the field of wastewater treatment. After reading your profiles, I was impressed by your work in the field of wastewater treatment. Your review article titled [paper’s title] inspired me to pursue a PhD under your supervision. I would be grateful if you could inform me of an available funded PhD position in your research group.With a strong GPA of 3.48 (out of 4.0) in my master’s program, I successfully published two research papers based on my thesis:
- Paper 1’s title.
- Paper 2’s title.
I graduated second in my class of 2023 and possess excellent verbal and written communication skills in English. My CV, attached, provides further details about my background and qualifications. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you soon.
Best Regards,
Full Name
How to Email Professor for PhD Supervision After Acceptance?
Below, we have provided a sample email to guide you on how to contact supervisors after receiving an acceptance letter from a department. A PhD applicant approached supervisors (e.g., assistant, associate, and full professors) in the Department of Computer Science at the University of Texas at Austin with an official admission letter. This is one of the best ways in contacting professors for PhD funding.
Subject: Admitted PhD candidate seeking RA funding
Dear Professor XXXXX,
I hope this email finds you well. My name is XXXXXXX, and I am excited to share that I have been admitted to the PhD program in the Computer Science Department. My research focuses on machine learning, computer vision, and big data analytics. My master’s thesis, “A Real-Time Machine Learning Pipeline on ECG Signals”, was published in the Journal of XXXXXXXXXXXX. I have also published four other journal articles leveraging machine learning and social network analysis applications in healthcare. As the first author, I have published five papers in reputable scientific journals, and my IELTS overall score is 7.0 (please see my CV attached for more information).
I am very interested in pursuing my PhD under your esteemed supervision. I looked up your research profiles (university profile, Google Scholar, etc.) and found that your work in machine learning and big data analytics aligns closely with my academic interests. Accordingly, your guidance would be invaluable to my academic and professional development. I would like to know if you have any available RA funding opportunities to support my PhD studies and research.
Thank you very much for considering my request. Please let me know if you require any additional information.
Sincerely Yours,
Full name
Conclusion on How to Email Professor for PhD
Mastering how to email professor for PhD supervision is one of the most important steps in securing a research position. An informative, well-thought subject line, a professional body text, and an attached CV tailored to the professor’s research are essential elements of a strong application email. Whether you need to email professors for PhD opportunities before submitting your application or after gaining acceptance, clarity and personalization will make you stand out from the hundreds of inquiries professors receive. By demonstrating your academic achievements, research interests, and alignment with their work, you can significantly increase your chances of receiving a positive response and securing valuable funding opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When should I email professor for PhD supervision?
It depends on the country. In places like Australia or France, you should email professor for PhD opportunities before applying. In the US or Canada, professors often prefer to be contacted after you’ve received admission.
What should I include when I email professor for PhD positions?
Your email should include a clear subject line, a concise introduction, your research background, academic achievements, and why you are interested in their research work. Always attach a CV.
How can I make my email professor for PhD inquiry stand out?
Avoid generic messages. Personalize your email by referencing the professor’s research, highlight your unique strengths, and keep your writing professional and well-structured.
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