# 10 Essential Tips for Considering and Preparing to Apply for a PhD

> Pursuing a PhD is a huge decision. It’s not only a career choice that affects the next 3–7 years of your life after your post secondary education, it also has…

- Address: https://scrintal.com/blog/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd
- Blog post by Ece Kural, published by Scrintal
- Published: 2021-08-17
- Updated: 2021-08-19
- Topics: PhD Student, Academia, PhD, PhD Thesis, PhD Application

*Pursuing a PhD is a huge decision. It’s not only a career choice that affects the next 3–7 years of your life after your post secondary education, it also has an effect on your future career path and potential job opportunities. With so much weight placed on pursuing a PhD, what are the aspects that must be considered? What are some steps to start preparing for the PhD journey if one decides to pursue this?*

*Written by me, Ece Kural, PhD in International Relations and Co-Founder of the knowledge management platform* [***Scrintal***](https://scrintal.com/)*.*

![Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/0da5a45a-7be1-4401-8175-39252d7d9f2f/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-1.webp)

*Photo by [Green Chameleon](https://unsplash.com/@craftedbygc?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

## 1. Understand what it means to actually get a PhD
When considering a PhD as your next career move, it’s important to understand that historically this level of education is meant to serve as a stepping stone into a career in academia. Whereas a Bachelor’s or Master’s provides additional learning and skills to better prepare yourself in the job market, a PhD is not just simply a continuation into the next level of your education, it is meant to act as an entry requirement into further research in academia.

![Photo by Dan Dimmock on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/b5dbc146-312d-4e75-97ee-64411ef63cf9/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-2.webp)

*Photo by [Dan Dimmock](https://unsplash.com/@dandimmock?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/academic-research?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

Although today the concept of a PhD is adapting to more closely align with the specialized needs of industry, it is important to note that the skills obtained in a PhD are modelled around research as a focus. I will discuss the consequences of this and potential job opportunities further on.

Understanding the significance of pursuing a PhD, along with various other aspects to consider is covered by Dr. James Hayton in his video The basic principles every PhD student needs to know.

[Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrMwAOtB9S4&t=44s)

## 2. Make sure you’re getting a PhD for the right reasons
There are a lot of really great reasons to pursue a PhD and at the same time also quite a few reasons why you shouldn’t pursue a PhD. The important thing is to make sure you’re in it for the right reasons.

The reasons to pursue, and not to pursue a PhD is covered quite eloquently by Casey Fiesler in the following video.

[Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4QiJNPSdWs)

These points along with a few others to consider have been summarized here. A PhD is the ***right choice*** for you if you have the following characteristics and are okay with the following aspects:

- **You are incredibly interested in a specific topic and want to do deep dive research into that specific topic more closely.** In other words, you are a specialist rather than a generalist.
- **You are interested in becoming a professor.** A PhD generally serves as a standard to working in academia, including becoming a professor.
- **You are well versed and interested in academic writing.** This is a requirement for working in your PhD. If you are really skilled and interested in academic writing, this is a good option for you.

A PhD is the ***wrong choice*** for you if you have the following characteristics and are okay with the following aspects:

- **You want to make a lot of money.** It’s not necessarily true that those holding a PhD make a lot of money. While PhD holders typically make more money than just those with a Master’s degree, this standard is highly dependent on the field, and in some cases even flipped. Additionally, pursuing a PhD requires years of your life, in which during that time you will not make a lot of money.
- **You’re not sure what to do next in your career.** As PhDs are highly specialized, in many cases the job opportunities are also specialized in the same way, and therefore limiting. Pursuing a PhD might actually make it more difficult for you to figure out what to do next in your career.
- **You’re chasing prestige with the title.** You can be an expert and well esteemed without having a “Ph.D.”. in your title. This is not a good reason to dedicate years of your life to a single discipline and research topic.
- **You just want to continue your education because you’re good at being a student and love university life.** Unfortunately in this case, PhDs are about deep diving into new research, asking unanswered questions, and going about the methods and processes to answer those questions. There isn’t necessarily a right answer you are arriving upon and there are actually very few formal courses you will take.

## 3. Decide on the area in which you’d like to pursue a PhD
Taking into consideration how specialized a PhD is, choosing the right program can be quite a difficult aspect for one to consider. This is especially true due to the fact that many subjects can be highly interdisciplinary, making the question of which PhD program to choose even more broad.

![Photo by National Cancer Institute on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/9e20280f-1a65-4f7d-b2ce-1dd9d023e9f1/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-3.webp)

*Photo by [National Cancer Institute](https://unsplash.com/@nci?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/sciences?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

Deciding on the areas to pursue a PhD is deendent on two questions:

1. What discipline is the best fit for you, and what specifically do you want to work on within that given discipline?
2. How does that align with the PhD programs that are available?

These are the aspects you should take into account when considering PhDs. Try to go about understanding what your specific subfield is within a given discipline. This should be something you are passionate about and would like to spend a lot of time researching in your academic career. Based on this, search for the best programs that fit these academic goals.

## 4. Understand your job prospects with a certain PhD program
One common misunderstanding with obtaining a PhD is that people often believe there are more and better paying jobs available than for those with just a Master’s degree. In many disciplines this is actually just the opposite.

In some instances if you are looking to become a professor in your field, a PhD is the only option to achieve that goal. In this particular scenario, it’s really important to understand the job opportunities available. Is there a good chance of obtaining a teaching position in this field?

![Photo by Tra Nguyen on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/1e510c2f-b1ac-416e-aa97-c24cdaf9a9b1/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-4.webp)

*Photo by [Tra Nguyen](https://unsplash.com/@thutra0803?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/physics?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

When considering specific jobs that you would like to work in, are there a lot of PhD graduates holding those positions? What is the average salary for those working in these positions?

The job opportunities and salaries for PhD holders vary widely by discipline, but the important thing is that you know what your options are prior to committing years of your life to completing a PhD.

## 5. Have an idea of what comes after a PhD
Tying in with the last point, besides the job opportunity and salary after obtaining a PhD, you should also have an idea of what potential career paths and opportunities are available to you. As a PhD is highly specialized, and therefore in some cases limiting in opportunity, what potential areas could you work in? If your ideal career path doesn’t work out, are there alternatives that would also give you the same satisfaction?

For example, if your PhD is an ideal choice for working in science policy advising and you aren’t able to find a job in that area, would you be okay with becoming a professor or an entrepreneur instead?

![Photo by Lagos Techie on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/101a8e6c-cf6c-4986-8375-185639102e8b/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-5.webp)

*Photo by [Lagos Techie](https://unsplash.com/@heylagostechie?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/startup?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

This doesn’t need to be decided completely and it shouldn’t be, but understanding potential alternatives in this case is beneficial for your career planning. Popular options include postdoc, going into R&D positions in an industry, becoming a professor, government positions like policy making, researching in think tanks, or working in industry specialized positions.

## 6. Search for PhD positions/programs
Now that you’ve asked all of the important questions about pursuing a PhD, the next step is to actually find your program! Here there are quite a few great resources to kick off your PhD search.

![Photo by Casey Olsen on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/9ce3f52b-272e-47da-8557-43c7c44df48e/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-6.webp)

*Photo by [Casey Olsen](https://unsplash.com/@caseface96?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/university-campus?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

Generally these sites allow you to search for PhD programs by field and location, browse by discipline, or browse by country. When browsing PhD programs by country, you can see all of the necessary requirements and information. Additionally, in each program or position seen on the website, you can see the costs and time of study laid out in plain language. The best approach is to search through quite a few of these sites to see what options are available, and in addition check out individual university webpages.

A few PhD search websites and catalogs to check out:

- [StudyPortals](https://www.phdportal.com/)
- [FindAPhD](https://www.findaphd.com/phds/)
- [Keystone PhD Studies](https://www.phdstudies.com/)

## 7. Consider the advisor and faculty you will be working with
The advisor that you have is a huge emphasis in this PhD process. Determining who your advisor is in a particular program can help you determine whether you should be applying there or not. On the flipside, basing a program decision on who your advisor is, could be one potential way to decide between different programs you are interested in.

One really great resource to check out is this interview we conducted with Dr. Sana Malik, discussing the importance of choosing the right advisor.

[Watch the video on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2Ror0ACoyQ)

From this, choosing the right PhD supervisor can be summarized into these five points:

1. **Don’t get too impressed by the popularity of a potential supervisor** — e.g. the number of citations, publications, or the scale of their research
2. **Get feedback** from earlier students.
3. **Value the human part** — can you connect with that person on a personal level?
4. **Compatibility between you and the supervisor —** The relationship between a PhD student and supervisor plays a key role in the process of research. The most important thing to consider when choosing your PhD supervisor is the compatibility between the two of you.
5. **Seek out a helpful supervisor —** At the end of the day, this is a relationship that should last for some years more than anything. Besides, a supervisor should be the person helping you navigate the PhD life.

It is also important that if you are specifically interested in a certain research area or niche in your field, then at least some of the faculty, if not your advisor, should be doing research in that area.

## 8. Understand the program application in its entirety
Once you have found programs to apply to, understand the program application from the inside out. Every detail of the application should be known and understood. For example, if letters of recommendation are needed, gather them beforehand with enough time, rather than surprising yourself days before the deadline and having to scramble to obtain letters of recommendation.

![Photo by cottonbro from Pexels](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/2795c5ad-b66b-4570-86df-5ad36a33f9ad/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-7.webp)

*Photo by [cottonbro](https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels) from [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/man-in-black-zip-up-jacket-holding-white-disposable-cup-4064850/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels)*

In some instances, specific research proposals might be required, in other cases there might be an interview attached to the process. In this scenario, the foundations of the research topic you are interested in should be understood in detail, and you should prepare yourself with relevant questions to ask and answers to your professional and research experiences.

## 9. Familiarize yourself with the publications created by your potential advisor and faculty members
To better prepare for the PhD program you are applying for and understand the types of research topics the corresponding department works with, it is highly recommended that you spend time looking into the published research from these individuals. This provides you as an applicant the opportunity to see if the research conducted corresponds to your interest in a PhD, as well as verse you in the type of research you could potentially be working with.

![Photo by cottonbro from Pexels](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/7e907a05-0051-4dd9-86bf-0e194651a472/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-8.webp)

*Photo by [cottonbro](https://www.pexels.com/@cottonbro?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels) from [Pexels](https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-man-using-computer-in-library-6334059/?utm_content=attributionCopyText&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pexels)*

If the research that is being conducted in a potential PhD program does not align with your focus area, you may want to consider if this program is the right fit for your interests.

## 10. Search for financial aid
If you have applied to a PhD program and are waiting to be accepted, the next step is to apply for financial aid. In many cases the PhD programs and positions are either fully funded or partially funded, depending on the specific circumstances of that PhD opportunity. In either case, searching for financial support to conduct that PhD is worth taking into consideration, as the more financial aid you have available, the better your living situation will be. Who doesn’t like receiving more money?

![Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash](https://scrintal.com/__l5e/assets-v1/7eef90ea-1436-4b98-8cd9-91080720196f/10-essential-tips-for-considering-and-preparing-to-apply-for-a-phd-9.webp)

*Photo by [Tim Gouw](https://unsplash.com/@punttim?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText) on [Unsplash](https://unsplash.com/s/photos/college?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText)*

If you are looking for specific grants and scholarships to fund your PhD, I recommend checking out [this guide by FindAPhD](https://www.findaphd.com/funding/postgraduate-phd-scholarships/scholarships.aspx), which breaks down all of the possible funding available for PhD programs and how to apply for them. In addition to this resource, it’s definitely worth also checking out various Facebook groups that post scholarship opportunities such as, but not limited to, the following:

- [Master, PhD, and Postdoc Scholarships](https://www.facebook.com/groups/321361385280072)
- [Fellowships, Grants, Scholarships: Dolpages](https://www.facebook.com/groups/dolpages)
- [Scholarship opportunities](https://www.facebook.com/groups/2992953417400836)
- [Master, PhD, Postdoctoral, Scholarships and Academic Positions](https://www.facebook.com/groups/phdpostdocs)
- [Scholarships & Fellowships — Bachelors, Masters, PhD and Postdoc](https://www.facebook.com/groups/321241531875197)

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> Pursuing a #PhD is a huge decisionIt is a career choice that affects the next 3-7 years of your life & your future career path. As a current PhD candidate, I wanted to share a few considerations when deciding to pursue a PhD. Thread!#AcademicTwitter#AcademicChatter#PhDhelp pic.twitter.com/eyfeAqYXkI
>
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