Every ending is a new beginning

Reaching the end of my undergraduate studies, I had to decide what the new beginning is going to be, what to do next. Since I really enjoyed the summer research internships as well as my Master’s project, I have applied to several PhD programs in the UK and USA and have been accepted in Cambridge. So it is not going to be a good bye to Cambridge when I leave the town after my graduation. But what I would like to talk about is the admission process into graduate programs since I myself would have appreciated some sort of concise summary of what to expect from it. The process can be daunting as you will see.

Wherever you apply, you will always need a motivation letter or statement of purpose, your transcript, history of education, a CV and two to three references. In addition to that, if you apply to the USA, you will need to take the GRE. In the GRE General Test basic maths and English skills are tested and in the GRE Subject Tests, not always required by the universities, the focus is set on your knowledge in your field of specialisation. If you did not study for your undergraduate degree in a country where English is an official language, you will need to take one of language tests approved by the university you apply to. All of the tests as well as individual applications are subject to a charge.

However, before you start all the formalities, you need to choose the school and within the school you should choose which supervisors you would like to work for. Not only are you likely to be asked about that in the application, but it is also advisable to get in touch with them directly. Once you mark them on the application, the application is likely to be forwarded to them after you submit it and it is a bit nicer for them to see an application from someone they had already had a chance to talk to. In addition, by contacting them directly, you show your motivation and being motivated is important for the whole PhD.

I could be continuing here for much longer, but I think I covered the basic core. To summarise, if you are interested to study for PhD and you are interested to do that abroad, have a look at the official websites of the universities and the respective departments which you are interested in. Look for groups whose research matches your interest, if you find these then try to write directly to the supervisor and then look for all the documents and tests you will need for the application process. Importantly, have a look at funding opportunities since most PhDs need to be paid for. However, there are often opportunities, especially within science, of funding for both the university fees as well as the maintenance costs. Finally, once you have all the information, you can start filling in the application form.

In conclusion, I would like to thank again everyone who helped me during my four years at Girton. I hope that the explanation in this article is short but clear and that you will find this article motivating and useful. After all, one thing I have realised over the past years is that people are often not aware of all the available opportunities and just by mentioning them you can motivate people to pursue them. So I hope that now that I mention this opportunity, someone will try to seize it. On that note, I hope that the Kellner Family Foundation will attract many more motivated minds.