One of the most important questions you need to address within the PhD application process is whether you should find PhD supervisor before officially applying to positions. The answer to this question depends on the country, the PhD position, and the type of funding you are targeting for your application. First, ensure you know whether you need to find a PhD supervisor beforehand. After careful consideration, if you need to find PhD supervisor, it is time to learn how to find the right one. Applyindex provides a database of supervisors and a set of tools for PhD applicants to match with professors based on their research fit. Let’s explore them together.
PhD Supervisor Database on Applyindex
We give you access to a database of supervisors on our Supervisors Page (located in the website’s header) to expedite your PhD supervisor search globally. It gives you all the information you need to find PhD supervisors who are right for you, from looking at supervisor profiles to learning about their current grants and research endeavors. It removes the need to manage several websites (e.g., Scopus, university websites, and others). This streamlined approach saves you a lot of time and helps keep everything organized in one place. This database is compiled from university websites and public government websites of various countries (e.g., NSF, ERC, ARC, and many others). Let’s see how to use our tools to find a PhD supervisor.
How to Find PhD Supervisor Using Applyindex
Applicant-Supervisor Matchmaking
On our Supervisors Page (located in the website’s header), our applicant-supervisor matchmaking algorithm automatically matches you with professors who have a research fit with you. Thus, carefully completing the “Research Interests” section of your CV is crucial during account registration or when you are filling out your profile. On the page, you will find a list of PhD supervisor profiles and relevant tools to identify and find the right PhD supervisor for you. You may see the supervisor’s name, university, academic rank, real-time local time, “Active Grant (AG)” badge, an eye-shaped button to remove irrelevant supervisors, and more (see the screenshot below). Let’s explore them:
Chance of Getting RA Funding From PhD Supervisors
After reviewing a list of PhD supervisors matched to your research interests, the next step is to evaluate your chances of securing funded positions before reaching out. Our algorithms estimate your likelihood of receiving RA funding from specific supervisors, helping you focus your efforts more strategically. The screenshot below illustrates how our algorithm calculates these probabilities. By hovering over the chance range, you can view a detailed estimate in a tooltip. For example, in the yellow-highlighted case, if the supervisor has an available PhD position in their research group, your chance of receiving research assistantship (RA) funding is 65–69%.
This feature allows you to prioritize supervisors and programs with the highest probability of success, saving time and resources during your application journey. Instead of contacting supervisors randomly, you can focus on those most likely to provide financial support. We recommend emailing a professor for PhD supervision if your funding likelihood is at least 50%. If you see “N/A” instead of a percentage, it does not mean you have no chance. Rather, it indicates that we do not yet have sufficient data from that supervisor to compare your CV’s a-index with their requirements.
Find a PhD Supervisors with Active Grants
Now that you have identified PhD supervisors aligned with your research interests and reviewed your chances of securing funding, you can further narrow the list by focusing on those with active grants. When you set out to find PhD supervisors, targeting professors with ongoing grants or budgets often leads to more promising responses. These supervisors are more likely to provide RA-funded positions since they have already secured financial resources. To make this process easier, we have introduced a special AG badge that highlights supervisors with active research grants. This AG badge and the associated grant details are available exclusively to premium members. The badge looks like this:
Find PhD Supervisor and the Progress Box
At any stage of your communication with supervisors, you can record your interactions by selecting an option from the drop-down list under their profile photo, as shown in the screenshot below. Recording and saving your correspondence will be invaluable when you finally choose some universities to apply to.
Remove Irrelevant Supervisors
After reviewing a PhD supervisor’s profile more deeply by opening it, you may realize that the supervisor or their active grants are not fully aligned with your research interests and background. In some cases, research interests can overlap across different fields or disciplines. For example, epidemiology is relevant in both medicine and plant pathology. Similarly, biochemistry applies to both biology and chemistry, but these are broad fields, and supervisors from one discipline may not necessarily be relevant to applicants from the other. As a result, you might occasionally find PhD supervisors appearing in your profile who aren’t a good fit for your specific focus. You can easily remove these supervisors by clicking the eye-like icon in the screenshot below.
What You See Within PhD Supervisor Profiles
By clicking the “View Profile” option, you can access each supervisor’s detailed profile on the platform. These profiles provide far more depth than the supervisor search page, helping you efficiently find PhD supervisor opportunities that fit your goals. Within the profile, you’ll find the supervisor’s research areas, fields of expertise, and contact email address. You will also find a “Grants” tab, which lists any active grants with details such as project title, start and end dates, and abstracts. In addition, the profile highlights their university affiliation and links to external research pages, such as Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and ORCID, making it easier to both find PhD supervisor information and match with professors’ research interests that align with your background.
If you are interested in working with a PhD supervisor and your chance of securing RA funding is at least 50% (or marked as “N/A”), the supervisor should be added to your list for future contact. You can click the “Follow” button to save them to your profile, or reach out immediately using the email address provided. Repeat this process to finalize a strong contact list of potential supervisors, ensuring your applications target the most promising opportunities. Apply this strategy even if you are after online PhD programs, because you still need to find PhD supervisor.
“My Notes” Tab
This tab is a vital part of supervisor profiles. By recording your correspondence and important notes, you can make well-informed decisions when narrowing down your target universities. This feature helps you avoid the need to: (i) jot down notes on paper, (ii) fit notes into small Excel cells, or (iii) revisit university websites for information. See the screenshot below for how to take notes about each supervisor, including an example of a professor requesting a research plan. Additionally, any action you take from the “Progress Box” will be automatically recorded as a note with the exact date and time. Only premium members have access to the “My Notes” tab.
Conclusion on How to Find PhD Supervisors
Finding the right supervisor is one of the most decisive steps in your PhD journey, and we provide useful tools to make this process clear and efficient. Whether you want to explore supervisor profiles, review active grants, or evaluate your RA funding chances, everything is organized in one place to support informed decisions. With Applyindex, you can not only find PhD supervisor opportunities that match your research interests but also build a prioritized contact list that maximizes your chances of securing funding. By using our database and algorithms, you will confidently find PhD supervisor matches who are both relevant and accessible.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Do I always need to find a supervisor before applying for PhD?
Not always. It depends on the country, program structure, and funding model. Some programs require direct supervisor contact, while others use centralized applications.
How does Applyindex help me match with professors?
It uses applicant-supervisor matchmaking algorithms that analyze your research interests and connect you with professors who are most aligned with your profile.
What does the “active grant” badge mean?
The badge indicates that a supervisor currently holds active research funding. This suggests a higher likelihood of RA-funded positions being available.
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