starting a phd program at 30

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Average age of a phd student: when is it too late, published by steve tippins on june 16, 2022 june 16, 2022.

Last Updated on: 2nd February 2024, 02:36 am

In 2020, the average age of a graduate from a PhD program in the United States was 33. However, 6% of the graduates were over 45.

When people ask what the average age of a PhD student is, many times they’re really asking, “Am I too old to get a PhD?” The answer is almost always no. Let’s explore some different scenarios.

When Is It Too Late to Get a PhD?

As an academic career coach, I’ve been asked by more than a few people if it’s too late for them to get a PhD. Some of these people were even in their twenties, worried that working for two years after their undergraduate degree had inexorably barred them from the halls of academia.

Others were past middle age, looking for a career change. In either case, the answer is ultimately no, it’s not too late to get a PhD . However, there are some important things to keep in mind if this is something you’re considering.

Getting a PhD for Your Career

woman studying in her home office filled with plants

Let’s say you want to get a PhD to pursue a career in academia or elsewhere. You enter a PhD program at 25 or even 30, the average PhD duration takes six to eight years. That means you will finish when you are around 30 to 37. The normal retirement age to get Social Security in the United States is 67, so that’s at least 30 years ahead of you – lots of time for your career. If you look around academia, there’s a lot of people older than 67.

You have a chance for a very long career, even if you’re 42 and finish your PhD at 50. That’s still over 15 years before retirement age. These days, very few people stay at a job for 15 years. Rest assured that you have ample opportunity to have a meaningful career.

Over 50% of doctoral candidates don’t finish their dissertations.

Student Loan Debt Considerations

If you’re 61 and taking loans out, it will be a while before you pay those off. Debt is something to think about before getting a PhD. If you can get into a PhD program that pays your tuition or even provides you a stipend, you may be able to graduate with a much smaller student loan debt. That assistance could allow you to consider a PhD later in life.

What Is the Minimum Age for Getting a PhD?

top view of a woman studying in her home office

To get a PhD, you have to have graduated from undergraduate school. From there, some people can go right into a PhD program. If you graduate at the traditional age of 22, you’d be getting your PhD somewhere around age 25 at a minimum.

There are stories about people who graduate from high school at 12 and college at 16. They could theoretically get their PhD at 19 or 20. However, people like this are quite rare.

Can You Get a PhD by Age 25?

It is possible to get a PhD by age 25, particularly if you graduate from college at 21 or 22. If it takes three or four years to get a PhD, you could graduate by 25.

What Is The Best Age to Get a PhD?

The best age to get a PhD is three years ago. The second best time is now. In reality, the best age to get a PhD is whenever you are able to complete it. The earlier you finish your PhD, the more of a life and career you’ll have with it , but there is no optimal age.

Does Having a Master’s Shorten the Time it Takes to Get a PhD?

blonde woman at a master's graduation in the sunlight

Having a Master’s can shorten the time it takes to get a PhD , depending on your discipline. If PhD programs in your discipline are structured such that they assume you have a Master’s before you enter, then yes, you’re going to finish a PhD faster.

If you enter without a Master’s, you may have to get the Master’s first to be allowed in the PhD program. Otherwise, you may have to take some remedial coursework. If your discipline is not set up in that manner, having a Master’s may not allow you to move faster.

Final Thoughts

As society ages and with employers having problems finding eligible workers, the problem of ageism will become less severe. Getting a PhD at any age is going to be a viable option. If you are interested in a PhD and it’s something you have a burning desire to do, don’t let age stop you.

Are you considering getting your PhD? We’re here to help. Check out our Dissertation Coaching and Academic Career Coaching services.

Steve Tippins

Steve Tippins, PhD, has thrived in academia for over thirty years. He continues to love teaching in addition to coaching recent PhD graduates as well as students writing their dissertations. Learn more about his dissertation coaching and career coaching services. Book a Free Consultation with Steve Tippins

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Academia & mental health

Doing a PhD in your 30s

Over time, I’ve seen quite a few tweets from people asking whether one should do a PhD in their 30s and what it is like. I personally am of the opinion that it is never too late for education, including a PhD, and when it came to me making a decision to do one at the age of 29 it did not even occur to me that I might be ‘too old’. However, at that time I was single and without children, so the decision seemed a lot simpler. Nevertheless, there are a few things I learned along the way about doing a PhD from the age of 29 until 35 (yes it took me 6 years to finish) that I’d like to share with you.

Let’s start with the positives!

The major benefit of starting a PhD at 29 was that I was more mature – it’s a fairly obvious one I know, but in hindsight it was important. It meant that I (mostly) knew what I wanted and why I was doing a PhD. I had already tried other careers and was quite certain that a career in academia would be a good long-term fit for me and I was not wrong.

Also, because I had had a career before starting this degree, I had work experience which helped me not only with the PhD itself but also in the work I was doing alongside the PhD. I was self-funded which meant that I had to work part-time, and in my first year I worked as supply teacher in secondary schools; a job I was able to get thanks to my previous teaching qualifications. Later when I started working as a teaching assistant in my Department, the teaching qualification and experience also came in very handy. My previous work experience helped me build a profile for myself as a reliable and effective employee, which in turn helped me find employment after the PhD. This is, of course, not to say that if you don’t have work experience you won’t be a reliable employee, but rather that in my case I noticed it as a benefit.

I was more confident too as a lot of the insecurities about my looks and persona that I had in my teens and early 20s were mostly gone by 29. I felt right in my own skin, if that makes sense. Previous work experience in a job that I loved also enabled me to find out what I was good at and what were my potential weaknesses, which helped me in my PhD when it came to e.g., picking a topic or deciding on the methodology. Knowing who I was and being overall quite confident was also important in the fight against the imposter syndrome, which like with most people kicked in for me too. At those times it was useful to be able to remind myself that there were other things I was good at and that no matter what happened with the PhD that wouldn’t change.

Although when you start your academic career later in life it means that some of your colleagues who are younger or the same age as you might be further along in their careers, don’t let that bother you. I personally find my own Department to be rather diverse in terms of staff ages and when people made a start in academia and that’s great. I found it rather refreshing that I was given the choice to completely change my career and start a PhD at 29 and that has never been an issue for me in terms of age or being ‘a late starter’.

Nevertheless, there were some negatives too which are worth sharing and considering.

Overall, I think my previous career was a big help during the PhD but having had a job/career before also meant that it was fairly difficult to adjust to the PhD way of life/work as it is a lot less structured and with a lot less accountability to other people. I really missed having co-workers and meaningful deadlines, and it took me quite a while to figure out what routine worked best for me. Finding a routine also meant getting back into being a student again and all that this entails, like reading and writing academic papers, improving my concentration and sitting long hours at a desk. It had been a while since I did all that for my BA and MA, but eventually I got the hand of it.

Another important consideration are finances. I personally went from having a decent and steady salary to spending my savings on my PhD and working multiple part-time jobs. This is a bit different if you are funded, but even then the stipends are usually not large enough to allow for comfortable living. I would say that in most cases, the PhD years will mean living on a tighter budget. Especially, if you are coming from a well-paid and steady job, you may find this change in your financial circumstances a bit tough.

I guess a fairly important consideration when starting a PhD later in life is family, whether you already have one or you are planning for one. I personally left family planning until after I finished my PhD and found a job, as I found it too much to be thinking about both at the same time. However, I know of many PhD colleagues who have had a baby during the PhD or started the PhD with children.

What I want to say at the end of this post is that regardless of at what age you start your PhD, it will come with its unique challenges. However, none of these challenges are unsurmountable, especially if you are reasonably prepared for them and know what to expect. As I said at the start, I don’t believe that one is ever too old to do a PhD so if that’s what you really want to do, go for it!

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Will I be too old to apply for Ph.D. at the age of 30 [duplicate]

I have completed my master's degree year ago and took a gap of 2-3 years before committing to the Ph.D. Right now my financial condition is worse and I don't want to make any decision in any urgency. My peers are getting enrolled for Ph.D. and I am getting worried by watching them. I am 27 right now and planning to collect enough money and build my resume strong to get into a decent Ph.D. program in Europe or Asia. Is my decision wrong? I need some advice from experienced peoples.

graduate-admissions

2 No. I've seen doctoral students twenty years my senior. Do it if you're ready. – Sean Roberson Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 17:06
@SeanRoberson My intention is to get enough experience and knowledge so that I won't have hard time deciding on what field I want to work on. – arush1836 Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 17:11
@SeanRoberson nothing wrong with this as an answer, but it's not a comment :) – arboviral Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 9:02
Absolutely not. – xuq01 Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 15:22

3 Answers 3

You are never too old, in years, to start a Doctoral program or to otherwise extend your education. However, you need to do a couple of things while you "wait".

Most important is that you don't lose your edge. If you are working in the field of study you should probably be fine and your experience may help. In fact, it may give you some ideas about unsolved issues in the field that might lead to research and a dissertation. But you will also need to try to keep current through readings. You don't say which field you plan to enter, but some move faster than others. New possibilities for research open up as well.

The second thing is that you will need to be prepared to answer questions about the gap in an intelligent and positive way. Getting experience in field is a pretty good answer. Recovering from burn out is not so fine.

However, as you age, you may take on additional responsibilities that you don't now have: family, kids, mortgage, ... Seek life balance of course, but as your responsibilities change, so may your goals. You will also need to deal, increasingly, with the needs of others. But nothing is an absolute block.

Remember that you will age no matter what you do. It is better to spend your life doing something you love than otherwise, even if it takes a while to realize the dream.

My current job at a start-up is aligned with my intended research during PhD. – arush1836 Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 17:20
That should help, but note the new penultimate paragraph in my answer. – Buffy Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 17:37
I totally agree with you. I work in AI (artificial intelligence) company and my future research would also be in AI. I love my job, though pay is less but learning is awesome. – arush1836 Commented Jun 25, 2018 at 17:40

Definitely not!

In fact, one of the best researchers in my group started her PhD at the age of 33. She managed to publish papers in high impact journals, got a patent and last year she was hired as a post-doc.

As @Buffy said, it is indeed important for you to have an idea of your project. However, from my experience, don't hold onto it too much. Be adventurous! Good science might come from a previously established good idea, but it can also happen out of chance. You'll never know if you don't try.

And also agreeing with @Buffy, do take into consideration your personal side. Living out of PhD salary can be quite tricky if you have others financially relying on you. Another thing is: make sure that, if you have a partner, he/she will be supportive. PhD involves working late hours, sometimes following tight deadlines, dealing with frustration and so on.

Don't compare your age with others'. Everyone has a different time to do things. As long as you know what you are getting into and you are ready to commit, you will be more than fine.

Best of luck in your PhD!

I am not married as for now. Planning in between PhD or may be after that. – arush1836 Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 7:46
@User relationships are not the problem, selfish partners are. You will be following your dream, so make sure that your significant other will not compete with your work. – J.Doe Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 7:50
Hello, I can't comment on that as I have never been in any relationship yet. – arush1836 Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 7:52
@User Additionally, do try to find a good balance in your professional and personal life. Have fun in the meantime. Getting too dragged into work will only make you too stressed out. I had really bad moments during my first year of PhD because I was neglecting my social life. Find a good balance for you, and your PhD years will be nice. – J.Doe Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 7:58
Thank you for your kind advice, I'll keep that in my mind. – arush1836 Commented Jun 26, 2018 at 7:59

I started my Phd at the age of 35 and I never feel too old to do research. I acyually found that my years experience acquired from work helps me quite a lot in my Phd study.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged phd graduate-admissions .

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Career Information for PhDs

Navigate through the job and career information for PhDs.

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How to Do a PhD Later in Life: A Primer on What to Expect

By Sara K. McBride

For many people, completing a PhD is a lifelong goal. However, not everyone can do one in their 20’s. Many of us have to wait until later in life to make the leap into this major commitment. It is critical to know what to expect when going in and some of the challenges and benefits of being a mid- or late-career student, which aren’t often talked about. I’d like to share my observations from both my personal experience as a late-30’s PhD student and those of my fellow PhD students in my program who ranged in age from early 20’s to age 70.

First, I need to say that, no matter what, you should avoid paying for your PhD on your own. There is a large number of fellowships and scholarships that will offer annual stipends and full tuition to incoming students. Self funding for 4-7 years is a huge responsibility. You don’t have to bear this cost alone if you seek fully funded PhD programs that support students financially.

Also, remember, take the bits of wisdom that are useful to you and leave the rest behind.

The Benefits

You’ve got different types of work experience. If you have had a lot of life experience, you can apply numerous skills from whatever field you worked in before coming back to academia. Knowledge of project management, accounting, communication, writing, public speaking, software programming, publishing, writing grant proposals, networking, team management…the list goes on and on of skills you might have learned in the workplace that applies to your PhD. Remember: a PhD is not a marathon, it’s a triathlon, that involves different skills at different times. So your skills in the workplace really help!

Resilience in the face of failure. You are going to fail…a lot. And, if you have worked in a variety of different environments, you’ve probably built up different ways of coping with failure. And you will also be familiar with rejection, which is also a critical part of academia. Peer review is a tough process at all stages of learning, and, if you’ve had a few years of working in harsh environments, this will help you pick yourself up again and keep going forward.

You know yourself. You have a separate identity outside the confines of academia. For me, I knew I had been successful in other spheres and so I did not feel as much of a let down when I submitted my dissertation. I knew a life outside the PhD endeavour and so, I didn’t have any missing identity problems of submission that I have seen other people who have never been outside of academia struggle with. Having a separate life and identity can be a real benefit.

There’s no FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) . I had spent 15 years working and travelling around the world, doing various things. I never envied anyone else’s experiences while I was writing my dissertation, because I had similar experiences already. There was no “what might have been” longing within me to distract myself.

You know what you want. I’ve found that most “later in life” PhDs are really clear as to their intentions and motivations. This makes it easier to focus your time and attention to complete your dissertation.

The Challenges

You need to park your ego. Now that you are a PhD student, you are no different in the eyes of the academy to your 23 year old peer. Your experiences and previous job titles no longer matter. You’ll have to leave your ego at the door and really humble yourself to learn from your supervisors, as well as the potentially younger and less experienced students around you. Learning can be a painful process, especially when you feel you have achieved so much in another field. This was a real struggle for me but honestly, it was also very liberating to leave my past behind and just embrace being a student again. Listen to your supervisors and your fellow students; you don’t know it all in academia (no one does).

Some doors are now closed to you. It is true, once you get that PhD, you can be perceived as being “over qualified” and there for, unhirable for many jobs out there. Be prepared for these doors to close and not re-open. There are really exciting new doors that are now available to you but these might be different than you were expecting. But before you start, make sure you are quite happy for those doors to be closed permanently.

Sacrificing your high earning years is tough. If you are doing a PhD later in life, you might be sacrificing earning potential for those years. This can have long ranging impacts on your ability to afford a home or your retirement plans. So be aware of the financial hit that you are about to take.

You may be older than your advisors/supervisors. It is true; you might have more experience and maturity than the supervisors on your committee. But here is the thing: they have more experience than you in academia. No matter where you are at in your PhD process, respect the pathway of those ahead of you, even if they are younger in age. Even if you disagree with your supervisors or advisors, do your best to always remain respectful in those disagreements. Remember: 90 percent of your happiness during a PhD will be based on your relationships with your committee, so do your best to be a great student.

You will feel really uncomfortable. I felt (and still feel) pretty stupid most of the time in research; it makes me feel deeply uncomfortable at times. If you were a highly competent professional in your last career, you might not remember when the last time it was that you felt utterly out of your depth…and stupid. So be prepared to feel stupid, it will happen. The best thing you can do is admit to this feeling and pushing forward until you no longer feel uncomfortable.

You’ll be a bit rusty. If you’ve been out of school for more than four years or so, your research brain may be a bit rusty. The advantages of doing a PhD right away is that your brain has been primed to work in the research environment and you’ve developed habits based on this. Academia changes rapidly; methods, informed by technology, can force you to learn new things. It may take time to come back up to speed and you may feel behind before you even begin. This is okay, keep going!

For me, doing a dissertation was one of the best decisions I have ever made. It challenged me and I certainly struggled. But I do not regret the decision I made to pursue a PhD. Hopefully the above will give you an understanding of what you are in for if you decide to do one later in life. It can be a rewarding pathway, especially if you know what to expect before going in. Accept the journey you’ve put yourself on and bow your head to the experience. If done properly, the PhD can be a transformative time in your life.

Dr. Sara K. McBride is a Mendenhall Fellow at the U.S.G.S in Menlo Park. Sara has 20 years of experience as a professional communicator and disaster responder, having recently shifted careers into social science research. She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Arts in Law and Justice from Central Washington University, a Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, and her Ph.D. from Massey University in English and Media Studies. Sara McBride is an employee of the U.S. Geological Survey but the above views do not represent the USGS’s position and is not an official statement from the organization. This post was not sponsored.

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CAREER COLUMN
06 November 2018

Twenty things I wish I’d known when I started my PhD

Lucy A. Taylor 0

Lucy A. Taylor earned her zoology PhD from the University of Oxford, UK. She is now a postdoctoral researcher at Save the Elephants in Nairobi, Kenya, and a visiting researcher in the Department of Zoology at Oxford.

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Starting a PhD can be tough. Looking back, there are many things I wish I’d known at the beginning. Here, I have curated a list of advice from current PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from the Department of Zoology at my institution, the University of Oxford, UK, to aid new graduate students.

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This is an article from the Nature Careers Community, a place for Nature readers to share their professional experiences and advice. Guest posts are encouraged. You can get in touch with the editor at [email protected].

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Is Doing A PhD In Your 30s Crazy?

OK, so you are in your late 20s or 30s, and you are thinking of doing a PhD. I am sure you are thinking, is doing a PhD in your 30s crazy? The answer is an definite ‘no.’ While many people start their PhD before they turn 30, or immediately after their undergraduate education, it is absolutely normal to start a PhD in your 30s. It is OK to do a PhD in your 30s. Read this post if you want to learn what a PhD student does all day (It’s very interesting). Pretty near the majority of the people I know that have done a PhD in Business Administration, has started their PhD in their late 20s and early 30s.

If you want to watch the video for this post about doing your PhD in your 30s, check out:

https://youtu.be/qePwYFMBB-M Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Doing A PhD In Your 30s Or PhD Before 30?: Average Age To Start PhD in Business Admin -Academia Tips (https://youtu.be/qePwYFMBB-M)

Why do people pursue a PhD in their 30s in the business school?

Most of the time, the reason why people start their PhDs in Business administration in their 30s is because they tend to favor people that have an MBA or an equivalent degree. Most of these MBA programs require you to have at least a couple of years of work experience before you apply. Indeed, students are often discouraged if they want to apply right after their undergraduate degree to gain experience in the workforce.

Take the should you do a PhD quiz! You will love it.

Another important factor is that many people do not know what they want to do when they grow up until they work for a while. You would be surprised the number of engineers, lawyers, and accountants that decide that they like studying and discovery a lot more than the day-to-day operations of running a business. The reason they were in those programs was because they liked the challenge, but when the get their real jobs, they realize that the real job was not nearly as challenging as the education to obtain the degree.

Some people also might have multiple goals and dreams in their life. Having conflicting goals and dreams in life is fundamentally human. Indeed, on a poll on R3ciprocity in 2020 (n=23), 57% of the people suggested that they wanted to become a scientist or engineer when they were a kid. Many people might have chosen a safer career path, but then decided to pick up on this dream that they had as a youngster.

Finally, life changes a lot for many people. What sounds like a sexy career in your early 20s fades quickly. Many people that go into business as a consultant or a manager work long-hours away from home, have to put up with the daily commute, and travel extensively. Many people are drawn to the academic career because you get a lot more flexibility. You still have to work many long hours, but you get to choose (at least some degree) the place that you do you work.

Some people even do multiple PhDs as well! They change their academic career by doing so.

We all have our doubts in academia-this is normal. You can check out why all of us struggle with self-doubt in this post about impostor syndrome (It’s helpful to know why) .

In sum, it is totally normal to start a PhD in Business Administration in your early and even late 30s.

I used to think that there was all these tips and hacks to becoming a Business Professor, but now, I don’t think so for a number of reasons. Check out this post about productivity tips and non-hacks for your PhD journey.

By the way, if you do not know what to expect with grad school, and you are thinking of going to grad school. You might want to watch this video about the pros and cons of going to grad school. I hope it will be useful for you. And, do you need help with your PhD Program Application? This guide to PhD Program applications is going to be the thing you need.

https://youtu.be/DQeKDT2nS5E Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: What Are The Pros And Cons Of Going To Grad School? – Should You Go To Grad School/Doctoral Program? (https://youtu.be/DQeKDT2nS5E)

How about in other fields? How common is starting your PhD in your 30s or 40s, compared to your 20s?

Again, it is totally common to see people that start a PhD late in life. While the proportion of younger folks is much higher in many fields, you will still see a proportion of them that are in their 30s and 40s. One thing that you will realize with a PhD is that the reasons why people choose to pursue a PhD or a research career are surprisingly diverse. Doing a PhD is a pretty intimate affair because you have to be self-motivated to stick with the career.

How do you know what is the best PhD Program? Check out the R3ciprocity PhD Program rankings to help you decide.

However, I am going out on the limb to point out that there are definite advantages and disadvantages to starting your academic career later in life. This career, of course, is like any other career, but the lag between when you put in your efforts and when you see rewards is quite long. Doing research is closer to drug discovery than working at a Walmart. It is closer to becoming a chess grandmaster or a world-class musician than being a lawyer. In the later examples, the returns are quick and relatively instant. You work, you get paid. In the former, it takes years of practice to reap any rewards. A good rough estimate is to say that it will take 25 years before you reap substantial rewards from doing a PhD (4-7 years for your PhD, 5-7 years for getting tenure, 10 years for becoming a full professor). It just takes a long time before you peak out in the career.

What is the average cost of a PhD program? Check out this blog post to find out more.

By the way, you really need to understand why it takes so long by reading this post about how PhD students are evaluated . I also have a great post on the advantages and disadvantages of doing your doctorate .

What Is The Average Age Of PhD Student?

You would be surprised on how old most people that start a doctorate are, particularly in more professional oriented degrees. For example, if you check out this survey from the Council of Graduate Schools , it appears that the median age of a PhD student graduate is roughly around 33 years old. There is a super interesting NSF document that shows the cohort of people that are 30s that are starting a PhD is growing over time. But, in a graduate program, you learn that you should learn never take averages at face value! There is a large distribution of when people get their PhD. In other words, the average age of a PhD student can vary a lot between programs, institutions, and countries.

Indeed, if you look at this poll of the R3ciprocity community about age of starting a PhD (who is predominately made up of people that are grad students, professors, academics, and folks who are interested in research), the average starting age was around 29. However, the distribution of PhD age is really quite spread out. Note: This social media poll should be interpreted cautiously, as you are likely aware of the problems of social media. Yet, it is very much illustrative that you are normal to start a PhD at almost any age. There is no “best” age for PhD, just whatever is right for you.

Take this quiz if you are wondering if you should start a PhD.

What are the Top PhD Programs? Check out (and contribute to) the R3ciprocity PhD Program rankings. We want you to know!

A PhD Is Not Like A Masters / MBA In Your 30s.

You can recover your costs and have a good ROI with a MBA / Masters in your PhD. However, with a PhD, you have to forgo your wages for a very long time. I would highly recommend a Masters in your 30s, but for a PhD, you have to be committed to the program. You need to really want it.

If you are are serious about getting a doctorate, read this excellent guide what you actually learn when you do your doctorate!

What Does This Long Lag-time Mean If You Are Thinking Of Doing A PhD And Your Age?

I want to clarify upfront that I am not specifying that you need to be a certain age to do a PhD. I am also not discriminating based on age, either. Many people in academia have sky-rocketing careers late in life, after they were doing research in obscurity for years. Indeed, this is quite normal in academia, particularly if someone was working on a strange idea that did not get attention until other people take it seriously. You can also start your PhD late (say in your 50s), and become outstanding productive until your 80s. This is one of the joys of getting your PhD – you don’t have to stop at a specific time if you love the career. While you might have to formally retire (become an emeritus professor), many professors keep interacting in academia late in life.

How do you become a Business School Professor? Check out this great guide that will help you find your way!

However, there are advantages and disadvantages of doing a PhD in your 30s and 40s. Consider the following:

Research Outcomes Take a Long Time.

If you choose to do a research intensive PhD in Business, you should know that the outcomes of doing research generally take a long time. To get tenure at almost all universities, it will take you about 10-15 years by the time you start your PhD to when you get tenure. For example, if you start your PhD in Strategy in your 40s, you might not get tenure at a Business School until you are 55. This could be even later if you experience any ‘life’ during this time, and experiencing ‘life’ is quite likely.

I should also point out that not getting tenure is not all that bad – it just means you have to move to another institution or try another career. Depending on your view, this could be a good or bad thing for you. Often, this might mean that you get to go on an adventure to a new city or country, meet new people, and see how things work in a new location.

How do you determine the best graduate programs? This blog post will help you.

Interested in countries where higher education is free? You need to read this blog post.

I have learned a lot about how long doing a PhD takes, and I have detailed how long most PhDs now take in this blog post (most other websites are not accurate).

Are you interested in university administration? You might want to think about a professional doctorate! Learn more.

Young PhDs Have Less Credibility In The Classroom.

Young PhD’s are usually greatly discounted in the classroom. This is especially true if you are expecting to teach Executives or MBAs. It is not uncommon if you graduate with a PhD in Business Administration or a related degree (PhD in Managerial Economics or A Doctorate in Business Administration) when you are young to be teaching Executives that are 5-10 years older than you are. Being younger can create an awkward situation because you cannot teach based on wisdom or to simply say ‘do as I do.’ Rather, young PhDs have to teach based on novelty, intellect, and knowledge. This is not to say that older PhDs do not have the same struggles, however, they can rely a bit more on wisdom arguments. In general, being older is often an asset if you want to teach.

Extensive Work Experience Gives You An Edge With Administration Roles.

At the current moment, academia is facing a situation where many senior faculty are looking to retire in the near future. These are all of the baby-boomers. The problem is that because tenure requirements have generally increased over the years (particularly within competitive academic fields), few people are able to replace their administrative roles. Thus, if you do have related management experience in other fields or industries, and you are lucky enough to get tenure at a university, you are in a very fortunate position from an administrative position. People with administrative experience might actually have an advantage when they are thinking of roles like the Dean of a Business School, or some role like that. They are likely to have an easier time convincing others that they are suitable for the role.

Work-life Balance Is More Challenging If you Enter A PhD A Little Bit Older Than Others.

If you have a family or friends (ok – I might be the only one. 🙂 ), you will face many more demands as you get older. For example, you might have to run your little ones to school, take care of sick parents, or care for friends that need emotional support. Just because you are older and you have more experiences, you like have more connections with people, which may pull you in different directions with obligations.

These obligations are important to deal with, but know that doing a PhD will put a lot more stress on these relationships, and many people might not understand what is expected of you during the PhD. Indeed, nobody knows what a PhD is, unless you actually have a PhD.

Just be aware that you might have to learn how to balance these demands as you do you PhD. I guess for some people, it might be easier because you might have established yourself financially, which might give you a little more slack resources to take your time with your research. Or, you might be able to do things like rent or buy a more comfortable home in grad school , or have house-cleaners help with your weekly chores.

https://youtu.be/thhxmfC7wrQ Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Should You Buy A House In Grad School – Purchase A Home Mortgage When Starting PhD / Doctorate (https://youtu.be/thhxmfC7wrQ)

Either way, there is not a good answer as people of all ages face resource constraints, but it is something to consider if you pursue your PhD in your 30s or 40s.

Is A PhD degree worth it? This is something I have thought about for a long time, and you might want to see on this post.

You Might Affect Your Student-Advisor Relationship.

One of the cool advantages of being a bit older in graduate school is that you might have more in common with your PhD advisor. In business school, it is extremely common to see PhD students that are just as old, or older, as their advisor. The benefit, then, is that you can connect more readily with the business professors. You might be less intimidated from status divide between PhD and advisor, allowing you to have increased communication and trust. We created a pretty awesome blog post about meeting with PhD advisors which you should read.

https://youtu.be/D0mDi87WftA Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Building Graduate Student – Advisor Relationships (https://youtu.be/D0mDi87WftA)

Doing A PhD In Your 30s May Give You A Different Perspective.

For me, my 20s was a great learning experience. I am sure that I am not the only one that learnt a lot about life in my 20s. You go through a lot of transitions: Finishing undergraduate school, first job, first real relationships (I got married), first home, first heartbreaks (my Dad and Father-in-Law died), and many other things. I personally grew up. Of course, I would have said that about every year of my life, but your 20s seem more instrumental for some reason.

My major breakthrough was when I realized that life was not about what I can get, but rather about what I can I do for others. It seems like a rather mundane change in perspective, but it had rather large impacts on my life, marriage, and academic relationships. It would be nice to know some of those ideas when I first entered the PhD, but then again, maybe I might not have pursued a PhD, but that is hard to know.

What I do see though, and I have had many wonderful discussions with others, is that people that enter a PhD program in their 30s and 40s (whether it be a PhD in Business, or something else) have a different perspective. Maybe it is because people worked for many years in the business world, or they did want they wanted to do. Many people that enter later in life enter the PhD because they truly want to become an academic. When you enter really in your 20s, you kind of view getting a PhD as a stepping stone towards some larger career, which is good of course, but just is different. By the way, you might want to watch this video about getting a PhD in Business Administration to become a consultant:

https://youtu.be/MYUabmCkQN4 Video can’t be loaded because JavaScript is disabled: Should You Get A PhD In Business Administration To Become A Consultant Or To Teach Executives? (https://youtu.be/MYUabmCkQN4)

Doing A PhD In Your 30s Is Not Crazy.

In summary, I think there are many things to consider if you are thinking of doing a PhD in your 30s. In many fields of study, you will be absolutely normal and fit in with the other students (ie. business administration). Many people do their PhD in their 30s and 40s. However, from my experience, life does get a bit more challenging as you age because you gain a few more obligations. If your total number of obligations has not changed much over the years, this probably won’t affect you, but if you are like me, it will.

If you are truly passionate about research and thinking about ideas, I would highly recommend a PhD. Why do a PhD? Because you love to learn and you like the idea of search and discovery. There is no other great reason to do a PhD, other than you like the ‘hunt’ for new ideas.

There are so many myths before your start your own PhD journey. You can read 10 of the most common myths in this post. You do learn some pretty cool ideas that you will not be able to learn in any other setting. The key thing to remember is that you will not get financially rich (relative to those that pursue industry careers), but you will be rich in insight and knowledge. And, yes, you can’t ‘eat’ knowledge, so you have to be somewhat practical with this choice, and weigh the pros and cons for pursuing a PhD for yourself.

The R3ciprocity Project

I should qualify who I am. I am David Maslach, an Associate Professor in Strategy, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship, and am doing an interesting project . The R3ciprocity Project started out as a side-project, where David Maslach created an App to help others get feedback on their work (r3ciprocity.com – it is seriously inexpensive and easy to use. You have to try it!) , but it is beginning to grow into a real movement. I was thinking a lot about ways I could positively contribute to society (mid-life crisis anyone?) and reciprocity. Reciprocity is often discussed in the context of innovation where there are many people that do things online where they expect to get little back in return. Josh Lerner and Eric von Hippel had some interesting ideas that I wanted to explore further. There was also a creditability revolution that was occurring in science, which had a part in the project, but this was later on, and is a longer story.

Anyway, long story short, I created the r3ciprocity.com as a way to give back, but then I realized. Oh crap – nobody even knows this site exists. What do I do now? I did a bit of paid advertising, but then I thought, it might be better for me just to lean into this reciprocity idea, and try to give back even more. Thus, started my YouTube channel , and this blog where I try to give back even more than before. Right now, I try to give back to the people that I know the most – people that are interested in research, graduate school, business administration, strategy, and innovation.

If you liked this post, you should read these other posts about the research journey as a PhD. You will find them useful and interesting:

You NEED to read this blog post on misconceptions of people who have PhDs.
Are you cut out for a PhD or academic life? Take one of these fun and information quizzes!
What are the most have software tools and apps that every student and academic should have? You need to read this helpful post.
Did you benefit from this post? Do you know of anyone at all that could use feedback on their writing or editing of their documents? I would be so grateful if you read this post on how to get feedback on your writing using R3ciprocity.com or let others know about the R3ciprocity Project. THANK YOU in advance! You are the bees knees.

David Maslach

10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Here we've got everything you need to know about getting started.

So you want to do a PhD degree, huh? Are you sure about that? It’s not going to be an easy decision, so I’ve put together a list of 10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree. Oh, and don’t panic!

I have recently graduated from the University of Manchester with a PhD in Plant Sciences after four difficult, but enjoyable, years. During those four years, I often felt slightly lost – and there was more than one occasion on which I didn’t even want to imagine writing up my thesis in fear of delving into fits of panic.

On reflection, I realise that – to quote a colleague – commencing my PhD was like “jumping in the deep end with your eyes closed.” If only I’d known to take a deep breath.

1. Are you sure you want to do a PhD degree?

Let’s be under no false impressions, completing a PhD isn’t easy. There will be times when you feel like Wile E Coyote chasing after the Roadrunner – a little bit out of your depth a lot of the time. It’s four years of your life, so make sure it is what you really want to do.

If you want to pursue a career in science, a PhD isn’t always necessary.

It is possible to make great inroads into industry without a doctoral degree. That said, a PhD can also be a very useful qualification with many transferable skills to add to your CV.

By the time you’ll have finished, you can include essentials such as time management, organisational skills, prioritising workloads, attention to detail, writing skills, presenting to an audience – and most importantly – resilience, to name but a few.

2. Choose your project, and supervisor, wisely.

This is very important.

Time after time, our experienced scientists at EI, including Erik Van-Den-Bergh (and I agree) say, “ make sure you’re extremely passionate about exactly that subject. ” When I saw the PhD opening that I eventually was offered, I remember being demonstrably ecstatic about the project before I’d even started it.

I was always interested in calcium signalling and organised a meeting with my potential supervisor immediately, which (to quote Billy Connolly) I leapt into in a mood of gay abandon.

Not only does this help you to keep engaged with your project even through the painstakingly slow times, it also greatly enhances your ability to sell yourself in an interview. If you can show passion and enthusiasm about the project and the science then you’ll be that one step ahead of other candidates – which is all the more important now that many studentships are competitive.

You have to be the best out of many, often exceptional candidates.

However, as important as it is to be passionate about your project, make sure that the person who will be supervising you is worthy.

Does your potential supervisor have a prolific track record of publishing work? What is the community of scientists like in the lab you may be working in? Are there experienced post-doctoral scientists working in the lab? Who will your advisor be? Is your supervisor an expert in the field you are interested in? Is the work you will be doing ground-breaking and novel, or is it quite niche?

There is nothing more frustrating – and I know many PhD degree students with this problem – than having a supervisor who is rarely there to talk to, shows little interest in your work, and cannot help when you are struggling in the third year of your project and some guidance would be much appreciated.

Personally, and I was very lucky to have this, I think it’s incredibly useful to have two supervisors. My PhD degree was split between the University of Manchester and the Marine Biological Association in Plymouth. Between my supervisors, I had two people with expertise in different fields, who could give me some fantastic advice from different perspectives. This also meant that I had two people to check through my thesis chapters and provide useful comments on my drafts.

PhD students networking during the last Student Symposium

Make sure you are passionate about your subject before taking it to PhD level. And by passionate I mean really passionate.

For a start, you will most likely have to write a literature review in your first three months, which if done well will form the main bulk of your thesis introduction and will save you a lot of stress and strain when it comes to writing up.

At the end of your first year, you will have to write a continuation report, which is your proof that you deserve to carry on to the end of your three or four years. This doesn’t leave much time for lab work, which means time management is incredibly important. If you think you’ll be able to swan in at 11 and leave at 3, think again.

Fundamentally, never, ever rest on your laurels! As tempting as it may be to slack-off slightly in the second year of your four year PhD, don’t.

4. Be organised.

This is a no-brainer but still, it’s worth a mention. Take an hour on a Monday morning to come up with a list of short-term and long-term goals. You’ll probably have to present your work at regular lab meetings, so it’s always worth knowing what has to be done (lest you look a pillock in front of the lab when there’s nothing to show for your last two weeks.)

It’s always good to have a timeline of what will be done when. If you have a PCR, maybe you can squeeze in another experiment, read a few papers, start writing the introduction to your thesis, or even start collecting the data you already have into figures.

The more good use you make of your time, the easier it’ll be to finish your PhD in the long run. Plus, it’s lovely to sit back and look at actual graphs, rather than worry about having enough to put into a paper. Once you’ve typed up your data, you’ll realise you’ve done far more than you had anticipated and the next step forward will be entirely more apparent.

5. Embrace change – don’t get bogged down in the details.

Felix Shaw – one of our bioinformatics researchers at EI – put it best when he said, “ it felt like I was running into brick walls all the way through [my PhD]… you’d run into a brick wall, surmount it, only to run straight into another. ”

You’ll find that, often, experiments don’t work. What might seem like a great idea could turn out to be as bad as choosing to bat first on a fresh wicket on the first day of the third Ashes test at Edgbaston. (Yeah, we don't know what that means either - Ed).

Resilience is key while completing your PhD. Be open to change and embrace the chance to experiment in different ways. You might even end up with a thesis chapter including all of your failures, which at the very least is something interesting to discuss during your viva voce .

6. Learn how to build, and use, your network.

As a PhD student, you are a complete novice in the world of science and most things in the lab will be – if not new to you – not exquisitely familiar. This matters not, if you take advantage of the people around you.

Firstly, there are lab technicians and research assistants, who have probably been using the technique you are learning for years and years. They are incredibly experienced at a number of techniques and are often very happy to help show you how things are done.

There are postdocs and other PhD students, too. Not only can they help you with day-to-day experiments, they can offer a unique perspective on how something is done and will probably have a handy back-catalogue of fancy new techniques to try.

There are also a bunch of PIs, not limited to your own, who are great to talk to. These people run labs of their own, have different ideas, and might even give you a job once you’ve completed your PhD.

Don’t limit yourself to the labs directly around you, however. There are a massive number of science conferences going on all around the world. Some of them, such as the Society of Biology Conference, take place every year at a similar time in different locations, attracting many of the leaders in their respective fields.

If you are terrified by the prospect of speaking at a full-blown science conference and having your work questioned by genuine skeptics, there are also many student-led conferences which will help you dangle your fresh toes in the murky waters of presenting your work.

One such conference, the Second Student Bioinformatics Symposium, which took place at Earlham Institute in October 2016, was a great place for candidates to share their projects with peers, who are often much more friendly than veteran researchers with 30 year careers to their name when it comes to the questions at the end of your talk.

Another great reason to attend conferences, of course, is the social-side too – make the most of this. You never know who you might meet and connect with over a few drinks once the talks are over and the party commences.

7. Keep your options open.

You should be aware that for every 200 PhD students, only 7 will get a permanent academic post , so it’s incredibly unlikely that you’ll become a Professor – and even if you make PI, it probably won’t be until your mid-forties.

You may also, despite having commenced along the academic path, decide that actually, working in a lab environment isn’t for you. Most PhD graduates, eventually, will not pursue an academic career, but move on to a wide range of other vocations.

It might be that Science Communication is more up your street. This was certainly the case for me – and I made sure that I took part in as many public engagement events as possible while completing my PhD. Most Universities have an active public engagement profile, while organisations such as STEM can provide you with ample opportunities to interact with schools and the general public.

You might also consider entrepreneurship as a route away from academia, which might still allow you to use your expert scientific knowledge. There are a variety of competitions and workshops available to those with a business mind, a strong example being Biotechnology YES.

I, for example, took part in the Thought for Food Challenge, through which I have been able to attend events around the world and meet a vast array of like-minded individuals. Many of the participants from the challenge have gone on to set up successful businesses and have even found jobs as a result of the competition.

8. Balance.

Remember that you still have a life outside of your PhD degree – and that this can be one of the greatest opportunities to make amazing friends from around the world.

A science institute is usually home to the brightest students from a variety of countries and can provide a chance to experience a delightful range of different people and cultures. Don’t just stick to the people in your lab, go to events for postgraduate students and meet people from all over campus.

There are usually academic happy hours happening on Fridays after work where you can buy cheap beer, or some lucky institutions even have their own bar. At Norwich Research Park, we not only have the Rec Centre, along with bar, swimming pool, calcetto, samba classes, archery, and a range of other activities, but there are also biweekly “Postdoc pub clubs” which are very fun to join on a Tuesday evening.

Maintain your hobbies and keep up with friends outside of your PhD and you’ll probably find it’s not that gruelling a process after all.

Plus, the people you meet and become friends with might be able to help you out – or at least be able to offer a sympathetic shoulder.

9. Practical advice.

If, after reading all of this, you’re still going to march forth and claim your doctorhood, then this section should be rather useful.

Firstly, make sure your data is backed up. It’s amazing how many people don’t do this and you’d be bonkers not to. Keep your work saved on a shared drive, so that if your computer decides to spontaneously combust upon pressing the return key, you won’t have lost all of your precious work – or have to go through every one of your lab books and type it all up again.

Secondly, don’t leave your bag in the pub with your half-written thesis in it. I did this, the bag was fine, I was in a state of terror for at least half an hour before the kind person at Weatherspoons located said bag.

Thirdly, read. Read broadly, read anything and everything that’s closely related to your project – or completely unrelated. It’s sometimes amazing where you might find a stroke of inspiration, a new technique you hadn’t thought of … or even in idea of where you might like to go next.

Finally, ask questions – all of the time. No matter how stupid it might sound in your head, everyone’s probably been asked it before, and if you don’t ask, you don’t get.

You’ll probably look far less stupid if you just ask the person standing next to you how the gradient PCR function works on your thermal cycler rather than standing there randomly prodding buttons and looking flustered, anyway.

10. Savour the positives.

At the end of all of this, it has to be said that doing a PhD is absolutely brilliant. There’s no other time in your life that you’ll be this free to pursue your very own project and work almost completely independently. By the time you come to the end of your PhD, you will be the leading expert in the world on something. A real expert! Until the next PhD student comes along …

A PhD, is it worth it? Just ask our students

The realities of doing a PhD

My advice for PhD students? See what bites

COVID and my PhD: to lockdown and back

How does a PhD work and how to find the right one

Becky Shaw, PhD student at Earlham Institute

Building the confidence to take on a PhD

PhD life, 10 things we learned in our first six months

What’s the third year of a PhD like? Tips for navigating your PhD

PhD by experience

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How to Apply For a PhD: Step-By-Step

Written by Hannah Slack

Deciding to do a PhD is a big step and the road to submitting applications can seem long. To help you wade through all the information out there we’ve put together a simple step-by-step guide to the PhD application process.

Complete with top tips and links to further information, applying for a PhD has never looked simpler.

Most PhD courses will expect students to have a degree in a relevant field, although your previous qualifications do not have to be in the exact same discipline as the PhD you apply for. Students with a Masters in History, for example, may apply to research within the Religious Studies department. As long as the nature of research is similar and your chosen topic correlates with your experience, it’s possible to apply for a degree in a different department.

It’s worthwhile spending a bit of time considering what department you might want to join and what type of research you want to conduct.

Create a my FindAPhD account

Set-up an account to make your search easier. You can save programmes, send enquiries to institutions, view upcoming events, and see the latest news and updates, all in one place.

Step 2: decide what kind of PhD you want to do

There are two main types of PhDs: predesigned projects and self-proposed projects. The route you choose to take will mainly depend on your personal preference and situation.

While STEM subjects tend to have more predesigned projects, there are many students who choose to plan their own. Similarly, most Arts and Humanities PhDs are self-proposed but there are also many advertised projects out there.

Predesigned project

Advertised projects usually come in three different forms:

Centre for Doctoral Training (CDT)
Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP)

The main difference between these three types of PhDs is the level of industry experience offered to students, DTPs usually having the least industry involvement and iCASEs the most. However, all three do offer internship opportunities.

Some of these terms are used interchangeably, but you can read more about the differences between predesigned studentships in our guide.

The benefit of predesigned projects is that they are typically fully-funded four-year studentships. There are also many that come with an integrated Masters during the first year for those applying with only a Bachelors degree.

You also won’t have to research and plan your own project, which can save a lot of time.

However, as multiple students will be applying for the same advertised PhD opportunities, places can be competitive. Your choice of projects will also be limited to whatever research is currently advertised.

Design your own project

Many students in all fields choose to design and propose their own research project for PhD study. This option can be extremely rewarding as it allows students a lot more control over their work.

The downside is that not every self-proposed PhD is funded. While there are lots of funding opportunities available, there is not enough to cover the amount of PhD applications each year. Students may have to apply for part-time work or small grants throughout their studies.

Additionally, you will have to put in more time to your application as you need to design a viable PhD project.

For students choosing this route some additional steps are needed:

Step 2.1: research

To be able to propose a viable research project, you will need to spend a significant amount of time researching your chosen field. You may have already conducted some research during your previous degrees, giving you a good starting point.

The point of this step is to become familiar with the main academic arguments in your research area. You should then be able to identify a gap in the academic discussion which you will be able to fill in the timeframe of a PhD. This could include discussing an underused or new source base, criticising an academic argument or applying a new or different theory to the current discussions.

You should then look to identify a preliminary source base and decide how you intend to use the information.

Step 2.2: draft a research proposal

After completing a period of research, you should write up a draft research proposal. While this won’t be your final piece for submission with your application, having a draft can be useful when it comes to step three, contacting prospective supervisors. You can find out more about how to write a good PhD proposal in our guide.

Step 3: contact prospective supervisors

Once you have decided on which projects you intend to apply for, or drafted a research proposal, it’s time to reach out to prospective supervisors. This is an important step as it allows you to gain more insight into how your potential PhD might go. Our top tips for getting in contact with potential PhD supervisors can help you to reach out.

For predesigned projects the supervisor will be listed in the advertisement. By contacting them you can introduce yourself and discuss the research in more detail.

If you are proposing your own PhD research then you will have to search for potential supervisors yourself. The research stage of step two should mean that you have a good grip on the prominent academics in your field. This is a good place to start. It is also worthwhile looking through staff lists on university websites to find other experts who are perhaps earlier on in their career.

Contacting prospective supervisors is a good opportunity to receive feedback on your ideas and research proposal. You should first ask if they are able to take a look at your draft after briefly explaining who you are and summarising your project. Any feedback can be extremely useful as their expertise and experience could help them notice any holes in your proposal that you should consider and fix before applying.

Receiving feedback from an inhouse academic will also help you tailor your proposal specifically to the expertise of your prospective institution and supervisor expertise.

Step 4: check entry requirements

The next major step is to check the entry requirements of the institution or project. Most PhD applicants should have a Masters degree in a relevant field as well as a history of strong academic achievement.

PhD without a Masters

Some funded studentships will allow Bachelors graduates to apply. There is also the possibility to apply for an integrated programme that will include a year of Masters level training before beginning PhD research.

International applicants

If you are applying as an international student, make sure to check what visas may be required and how to obtain them. To study in the UK, international applicants will need a Student Route visa. To apply for this, you will need:

a confirmation of acceptance into a university
proof of sufficient funds
proof that you meet the English language requirements

Make sure to check beforehand the eligibility criteria of the visa you need to apply for in case you need to undertake a language exam or entry test .

Step 5: check fees and potential funding options

Once you have decided which PhD opportunities you want to apply for, and know that you’re eligible, it’s time to look more deeply at the financial practicalities. PhD study is not cheap and often has many unforeseen costs such as books, equipment, travel and conferencing fees. Knowing your potential funding options can help you plan ahead.

Funding options

Practically all PhD applicants hope to be fully-funded. If you are applying for an advertised project then you will typically receive full funding if successful. This funding most commonly comes from Research Councils who outline their own restrictions on how the money can be used and deadlines for thesis submission. It’s a good idea to read the funder’s terms and conditions and make sure you understand what would be required of you as a researcher.

Those designing their own PhD are likely to apply for Research Council funding. Unfortunately, there is only a set amount of money available from Research Councils for self-proposed projects and so some PhDs are unsuccessful in their application. However, this does not mean you can’t go on and complete a successful PhD.

As receiving fully-funded studentships can be very competitive, it’s important to know other potential sources of funding. These can include:

Universities – Many institutions offer their own funding , ranging from small fee discounts to full studentships. Make sure to research any financial support your chosen universities may offer and what you and your project could be applicable for.
Charities, trusts and societies – some independent organisations offer to partially (and sometimes fully) fund PhD students if their research correlates with the groups’ interests. Support is available for a large variety of subjects so make sure to do some research.
PhD loans – The UK government offers doctoral loans to English and Welsh PhD students who were unable to secure a full studentship. This will not usually cover the full cost of a PhD. Students wishing to self-fund with the help of a PhD loan will potentially have to take up part-time work such as teaching within the university.

PhD funding

Find out more about PhD funding options and how it works on FindAPhD.com.

Step 6: prepare to apply

Now that you have thought about the practicalities of PhD study you can start to gather the required documents to apply.

The most important thing to note down when starting to prepare is the PhD application deadlines. Many universities will have different deadlines and if you are applying for funding, applications may need to be submitted even earlier.

It’s a good idea to aim to submit your application with plenty of time to spare, taking into account any difficulties that might arise gathering together the relevant paper work.

The documents you need for your application will depend on the university and funding you are applying for. Some things you may be asked to provide are:

Personal statement / cover letter
Research proposal
Details of at least two referees (make sure to contact them beforehand so they know what you are applying for and why)
Academic transcript

International students may also need to provide:

Proof of language proficiency
Proof of funds
Student visa

Step 7: submit your application

Once you have written, polished and gathered all the documents you need, it’s time to apply. Most PhD applications are done through the university’s application portal. Many also allow you to start your application and come back to it at a later date, so don’t feel like you have to submit everything all in one go.

If you are applying for funding separately make sure to read the details of how to apply on the funder’s website. Typically, Research Council funding is applied for with the same application you submit to the university. Other sources of funding may have a different application system.

Still looking for the perfect PhD course?

Head over to our PhD course listings to keep up to date with the latest opportunities.

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Hannah slack.

Hannah worked at FindAPhD as a Content Writer from 2020 to 2023. She started with us part-time whilst studying for her PhD, giving her personal experience with balancing work responsibilities with academia. Hannah has a Bachelor’s degree in History from the University of East Anglia, and both a Masters in Early Modern History and a PhD on Early Modern English seafarers from the University of Sheffield.

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How to prepare a strong phd application.

Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School outline a few tips to help you navigate the PhD application process.

It’s no secret the application process can be intimidating. Where do you start? What exactly are schools looking for on your application? What materials do you need to submit? Doctoral candidates and departmental coordinators at the Wharton School have outlined a few tips to help you navigate the process.

Don’t Delay the Process

A successful PhD applicant starts thinking about their application months or even years before the deadlines. For Alejandro Lopez Lira , a third year student in Finance, the application process began a year before he actually submitted the paperwork. He said, “I spoke to my advisors way before, like one year before, about my letters of recommendation, where to apply, everything involved in the process.”

Each program has different requirements, which can make for a tedious process. Karren Knowlton , a third year in Management, said, “I took a little while to draft a personal statement. I had my mom, who teaches creative writing, and a few other people that I trust just read over it. Then you have to tweak it for different schools because they want slightly different things.”

Taking time to prepare your application is critical. Starting the process sooner rather than later gives you several advantages:

It allows your letter of recommendation writers enough time in advance to thoughtfully prepare a letter that speaks to who you are as a PhD candidate.
It gives you more time to review your materials, fix any errors, and proofread, proofread, proofread.
Finally, it means a lot less stress when the deadline starts rapidly approaching. By planning ahead, you’ll have a much smoother process applying.

Get Letters of Recommendation

Prof. Matthew Bidwell , who previously served as the doctoral coordinator for the Management program , said a common mistake he sees are letters of recommendations from employers. Although he said it is impressive to see work experience, having an employer write a letter is not the best choice.

“We don’t pay very much attention to those because rightly or wrongly, we worry that they’re not looking for the kinds of things that we’re looking for,” he said. “If you have one, it’s not a disaster, but when you see people with two or three — most of their recommendations coming from their work — that kind of heightens our concern. You’re committing to a fairly specialized career, do you really know what that career entails?”

Instead, he suggests getting to know an academic who will be able to write a recommendation attesting to your ability to manage doctoral-level research and work.

Include Research/Work Experience in Your Field

Each program has a unique set of criteria to evaluate applicants, but several doctoral coordinators agree that some research and work experience in your field of interest will strengthen your application overall.

Prof. Fernando Ferreira , doctoral coordinator for the Business Economics and Public Policy and Real Estate programs, thinks work experience can be useful in demonstrating an applicant’s abilities. He said, “Any work experience after undergraduate school is important. If that experience is more related to research it’s even better, but work experience in general is always good.”

Prof. Guy David , doctoral coordinator for the Health Care Management & Economics program , thinks that work experience benefits applicants in terms of giving them a broader view of business. “Work experience creates retrospection about how the world works, how organizations make decisions, and how people function in various situations,” he said.

However, he warns that spending too much time away from an academic setting can have its drawbacks too. “It may lead people to start their PhD later when they are not in the habit of immersing themselves in rigorous studies and have a shorter horizons to develop a name for themselves,” he said.

Although having both research and work experience can strengthen your application, you will not be denied entry because you are lacking either.

Prof. Bidwell said, “I think research experience does give us some confidence that people have some idea about what it is that we do. In terms of work experience, I think we don’t have a strong view. We quite like work experience, but we also take people straight out of undergrad.”

Prepare for the Standardized Tests

Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas. Much like any other standardized test, the GRE requires preparation.

Karren, who took the GRE twice to ensure her scores were high enough, offered advice to those who may be struggling. “I would absolutely recommend practicing the writing beforehand. Look up examples and have your outline structured,” she said. “So much of it is just getting the right structure and how you formulate your arguments so knowing what they’re looking for is key.”

Test prep can be time-consuming, but like anything else, practice makes perfect. There are multiple text books and online sites to help you prepare for the exam. Karren aimed to improve her math scores the second time she took the GRE and recommended this site to help strengthen math skills.

Taking advantage of resources to help you study can limit the number of times you need to take the GRE while ensuring you score high enough to remain in the applicant pool.

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Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

Deciding to get a PhD

You might be surprised to find out what you can do with a PhD in business.

Is an Academic Career for You ? What Makes a Successful PhD Student

Preparing for the Doctoral Path

The skills, relationships, and knowledge you need to prepare yourself for a career in academics.

How the PhD Program Works How to Become a Successful PhD Applicant

Choosing the right program

What’s the difference between PhD programs? Find out how to choose one that fits your goals.

What to Consider When Choosing a Doctoral Program What Differentiates R1 Universities?

Starting an application

Tips for a successful application process.

Application Requirements Preparing Your PhD Application

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9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD

June 23, 2021 | 15 min read

By Andy Greenspon

The ideal research program you envision is not what it appears to be

Editor's Note: When Andy Greenspon wrote this article, he was a first-year student in Applied Physics at Harvard. Now he has completed his PhD. — Alison Bert, June 23, 2021

If you are planning to apply for a PhD program, you're probably getting advice from dozens of students, professors, administrators your parents and the Internet. Sometimes it's hard to know which advice to focus on and what will make the biggest difference in the long-run. So before you go back to daydreaming about the day you accept that Nobel Prize, here are nine things you should give serious thought to. One or more of these tips may save you from anguish and help you make better decisions as you embark on that path to a PhD.

1. Actively seek out information about PhD programs.

Depending on your undergraduate institution, there may be more or less support to guide you in selecting a PhD program – but there is generally much less than when you applied to college.

On the website of my physics department, I found a page written by one of my professors, which listed graduate school options in physics and engineering along with resources to consult. As far as I know, my career center did not send out much information about PhD programs. Only after applying to programs did I find out that my undergraduate website had a link providing general information applicable to most PhD programs. This is the kind of information that is available all over the Internet.

So don't wait for your career center or department to lay out a plan for you. Actively seek it out from your career center counselors, your professors, the Internet — and especially from alumni from your department who are in or graduated from your desired PhD program. First-hand experiences will almost always trump the knowledge you get second-hand.

2. A PhD program is not simply a continuation of your undergraduate program.

Many students don't internalize this idea until they have jumped head-first into a PhD program. The goal is not to complete an assigned set of courses as in an undergraduate program, but to develop significant and original research in your area of expertise. You will have required courses to take, especially if you do not have a master's degree yet, but these are designed merely to compliment your research and provide a broad and deep knowledge base to support you in your research endeavors.

At the end of your PhD program, you will be judged on your research, not on how well you did in your courses. Grades are not critical as long as you maintain the minimum GPA requirement, and you should not spend too much time on courses at the expense of research projects. Graduate courses tend to be designed to allow you to take away what you will find useful to your research more than to drill a rigid set of facts and techniques into your brain.

3. Take a break between your undergraduate education and a PhD program.

You are beginning your senior year of college, and your classmates are asking you if you are applying to graduate school. You think to yourself, "Well, I like studying this topic and the associated research, and I am going to need a PhD if I want to be a professor or do independent research, so I might as well get it done as soon as possible." But are you certain about the type of research you want to do? Do you know where you want to live for the next five years? Are you prepared to stay in an academic environment for nine years straight?

Many people burn out or end up trudging through their PhD program without a thought about what lies outside of or beyond it. A break of a year or two or even more may be necessary to gain perspective. If all you know is an academic environment, how can you compare it to anything else? Many people take a job for five or more years before going back to get their PhD. It is true though that the longer you stay out of school, the harder it is to go back to an academic environment with lower pay and a lack of set work hours. A one-year break will give you six months or so after graduation before PhD applications are due. A two-year gap might be ideal to provide time to identify your priorities in life and explore different areas of research without having school work or a thesis competing for your attention.

Getting research experience outside of a degree program can help focus your interests and give you a leg up on the competition when you finally decide to apply. It can also help you determine whether you will enjoy full-time research or if you might prefer an alternative career path that still incorporates science, for example, in policy, consulting or business — or a hybrid research job that combines scientific and non-scientific skills.

I will be forever grateful that I chose to do research in a non-academic environment for a year between my undergraduate and PhD programs. It gave me the chance to get a feel for doing nothing but research for a full year. Working at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in the Space Division, I was the manager of an optics lab, performing spectroscopic experiments on rocks and minerals placed in a vacuum chamber. While my boss determined the overall experimental design, I was able to make my own suggestions for experiments and use my own discretion in how to perform them. I presented this research at two national conferences as well — a first for me. I was also able to learn about other research being performed there, determine which projects excited me the most, and thus narrow down my criteria for a PhD program.

4. Your current area of study does not dictate what you have to study in graduate school.

You might be studying the function and regulation of membrane proteins or doing a computational analysis of the conductivity of different battery designs, but that doesn't mean your PhD project must revolve around similar projects. The transition between college or another research job to a PhD program is one of the main transitions in your life when it is perfectly acceptable to completely change research areas.

If you are doing computation, you may want to switch to lab-based work or vice versa. If you are working in biology but have always had an interest in photonics research, now is the time to try it out. You may find that you love the alternative research and devote your PhD to it, you might hate it and fall back on your previous area of study — or you may even discover a unique topic that incorporates both subjects.

One of the best aspects of the PhD program is that you can make the research your own. Remember, the answer to the question "Why are you doing this research?" should not be "Well, because it's what I've been working on for the past few years already."While my undergraduate research was in atomic physics, I easily transitioned into applied physics and materials science for my PhD program and was able to apply much of what I learned as an undergraduate to my current research. If you are moving from the sciences to a non-STEM field such as social sciences or humanities, this advice can still apply, though the transition is a bit more difficult and more of a permanent commitment.

5. Make sure the PhD program has a variety of research options, and learn about as many research groups as possible in your first year.

Even if you believe you are committed to one research area, you may find that five years of such work is not quite what you expected. As such, you should find a PhD program where the professors are not all working in the same narrowly focused research area. Make sure there are at least three professors working on an array of topics you could imagine yourself working on.

In many graduate programs, you are supposed to pick a research advisor before even starting. But such arrangements often do not work out, and you may be seeking a new advisor before you know it. That's why many programs give students one or two semesters to explore different research areas before choosing a permanent research advisor.

In your first year, you should explore the research of a diverse set of groups. After touring their labs, talking to the students, or sitting in on group meetings, you may find that this group is the right one for you.

In addition, consider the importance of who your research advisor will be. This will be the person you interact with regularly for five straight years and who will have a crucial influence on your research. Do you like their advising style? Does their personality mesh with yours? Can you get along? Of course, the research your advisor works on is critical, but if you have large disagreements at every meeting or do not get helpful advice on how to proceed with your research, you may not be able to succeed. At the very least, you must be able to handle your advisor's management of the lab and advising style if you are going to be productive in your work. The Harvard program I enrolled in has professors working on research spanning from nanophotonics to energy materials and biophysics, covering my wide range of interests. By spending time in labs and offices informally chatting with graduate students, I found an advisor whose personality and research interests meshed very well with me. Their genuine enthusiasm for this advisor and their excitement when talking about their research was the best input I could have received.

6. Location is more important than you think — but name recognition is not.

The first consideration in choosing a PhD program should be, "Is there research at this university that I am passionate about?" After all, you will have to study this topic in detail for four or more years. But when considering the location of a university, your first thought should not be, "I'm going to be in the lab all the time, so what does it matter if I'm by the beach, in a city, or in the middle of nowhere." Contrary to popular belief, you will have a life outside of the lab, and you will have to be able to live with it for four or more years. Unlike when you were an undergraduate, your social and extracurricular life will revolve less around the university community, so the environment of the surrounding area is important. Do you need a city atmosphere to be productive? Or is your ideal location surrounded by forests and mountains or by a beach? Is being close to your family important? Imagine what it will be like living in the area during the times you are not doing research; consider what activities will you do and how often will you want to visit family.

While many of the PhD programs that accepted me had research that truly excited me, the only place I could envision living for five or more years was Boston, as the city I grew up near and whose environment and culture I love, and to be close to my family.

While location is more important than you think, the reputation and prestige of the university is not. In graduate school, the reputation of the individual department you are joining — and sometimes even the specific research group you work in — are more important. There, you will develop research collaborations and professional connections that will be crucial during your program and beyond. When searching for a job after graduation, other scientists will look at your specific department, the people you have worked with and the research you have done.

At the Asgard Irish Pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Andy Greenspon talks with fellow graduate students from Harvard and MIT at an Ask for Evidence workshop organized by Sense About Science. He grew up near Boston and chose to go to graduate school there.

7. Those time management skills you developed in college? Develop them further.

After surviving college, you may think you have mastered the ability to squeeze in your coursework, extracurricular activities and even some sleep. In a PhD program, time management reaches a whole new level. You will not only have lectures to attend and homework to do. You will have to make time for your research, which will include spending extended periods of time in the lab, analyzing data, and scheduling time with other students to collaborate on research.

Also, you will most likely have to teach for a number of semesters, and you will want to attend any seminar that may be related to your research or that just peaks your interest. To top it all off, you will still want to do many of those extracurricular activities you did as an undergraduate. While in the abstract, it may seem simple enough to put this all into your calendar and stay organized, you will find quickly enough that the one hour you scheduled for a task might take two or three hours, putting you behind on everything else for the rest of the day or forcing you to cut other planned events. Be prepared for schedules to go awry, and be willing to sacrifice certain activities. For some, this might be sleep; for others, it might be an extracurricular activity or a few seminars they were hoping to attend. In short, don't panic when things don't go according to plan; anticipate possible delays and be ready to adapt.

8. Expect to learn research skills on the fly – or take advantage of the training your department or career center offers.

This may be the first time you will have to write fellowship or grant proposals, write scientific papers, attend conferences, present your research to others, or even peer-review scientific manuscripts. From my experience, very few college students or even PhD students receive formal training on how to perform any of these tasks. Usually people follow by example. But this is not always easy and can be quite aggravating sometimes. So seek out talks or interactive programs offered by your department or career center. The effort will be well worth it when you realize you've become quite adept at quickly and clearly explaining your research to others and at outlining scientific papers and grant proposals. Alternatively, ask a more experienced graduate student or your advisor for advice on these topics. In addition, be prepared for a learning curve when learning all the procedures and processes of the group you end up working in. There may be many new protocols to master, whether they involve synthesizing chemicals, growing bacterial cells, or aligning mirrors on an optical table. In addition, the group may use programming languages or data analysis software you are unfamiliar with. Don't get discouraged but plan to spend extra effort getting used to these procedures and systems. After working with them regularly, they will soon become second nature. When I first started my job at Johns Hopkins, I felt overwhelmed by all the intricacies of the experiment and definitely made a few mistakes, including breaking a number of optical elements. But by the end of my year there, I had written an updated protocol manual for the modifications I had made to the experimental procedures and was the "master" passing on my knowledge to the next person taking the job.

9. There are no real breaks.

In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done." You might be in the lab during regular work hours or you might be working until 10 p.m. or later to finish an experiment. And the only time you might have available to analyze data might be at 1 a.m. Expect to work during part of the weekend, too. Graduate students do go on vacations but might still have to do some data analysis or a literature search while away.

As a PhD student, it might be hard to stop thinking about the next step in an experiment or that data sitting on your computer or that paper you were meaning to start. While I imagine some students can bifurcate their mind between graduate school life and everything else, that's quite hard for many of us to do. No matter what, my research lies somewhere in the back of my head. In short, your schedule is much more flexible as a PhD student, but as a result, you never truly take a break from your work.

While this may seem like a downer, remember that you should have passion for the research you work on (most of the time), so you should be excited to think up new experiments or different ways to consider that data you have collected. Even when I'm lying in bed about to fall asleep, I am sometimes ruminating about aspects of my experiment I could modify or what information I could do a literature search on to gain new insights. A PhD program is quite the commitment and rarely lives up to expectations – but it is well worth the time and effort you will spend for something that truly excites you.

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Andy greenspon.

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Are you are thinking about when is the best time to begin your PhD search? If so it’s wise to understand how the timeline to starting your PhD works because it is not the same as starting a degree. We'll explore how to start a PhD programme.

The UCAS system at undergraduate level provides a standardised application process across all UK universities. Achieve the grades required, follow the relevant steps and deadlines. And next thing you know, you’re on your way to starting your degree. It’s safe to say, things can feel a little hazier at postgraduate level. In the majority of cases you’ll be applying direct to your chosen university, not through UCAS.

This guide provides an overview of what to do when based on the commonalities between most universities. But given things are less standardised a postgraduate level, always double check with your preferred universities.

Think of it less about applying to study, and more like applying for a specialist job

In order to understand how starting the PhD timeline differs from other levels of study, it’s probably useful to highlight the key difference: a UK PhD is not a taught course. It’s down to you and your own research, so think of the application process as less like applying to study and more like applying for a job - but it’s you who defines the job title and you who needs to find not only the right boss (supervisor) - but funding as well.

This is particularly true in the Arts and Humanities, although in STEMM subjects, you may be literally applying for a job in the form of a PhD studentship with a pre-defined title, working as part of a research team.

PhD studentships form one of the two main sources of funding. Research Councils – these make up UKRI, award studentships to universities. Government-funded Doctoral loans are the other main route (UK students only). Studentships are generally advertised between September and March each year for start the following September. Check out our post on UKRI funding for more information.

The work you put in before application will not only determine your likely success, but also the speed of the response time

Response times to PhD applications can be notoriously slow. This is because Admissions staff alone are not in a position to assess whether you are suitable; academic expertise combined with an understanding of whether a suitable supervisor(s) is available is required. If the relevant academic staff are on sabbatical, busy teaching or working fewer hours over the summer; don’t expect a quick response.

This is where your pre-application work comes in: if you’ve already built a relationship with your prospective supervisor(s) who has helped you refine your research proposal, the application process is likely to be far quicker. Check out our How to Find your Perfect Supervisor post for more information. Starting with finding a PhD supervisor kickstarts your timeline on the correct step.

The journey to a PhD is about a number of stars aligning

The time taken to source funding, choose a university and supervisor and refine your research proposal is going to vary greatly between individuals. The timeline below gives some sense of the steps and possible timescales involved to start a PhD in the Autumn. Remember to keep your eye out for possible PhD studentships all year round, as it’s possible to start many PhDs at any point:

What do I need in order to apply?

Most universities use an online application portal where you can save your work and complete your application in stages. These are the most common requirements:

Proof of required academic attainment (academic transcripts).
English language proficiency - ensure you know what is required if English is not your first language.
References - most will ask for two. Make sure these people know you well enough to highlight your suitability for a PhD eg Masters/Undergraduate dissertation tutor.
Research proposal (usually between 1000-3000 words)
Personal statement - your chance to show you have the personal skills and traits to complete a PhD and passion for the topic.

If your chosen university is interested in you, your final stage of the application process is likely to be an interview. Visit our post on How to Nail your PhD interview in order to ensure you don’t fall at the final hurdle.

Applying for a PhD can take time. But it’s worth the effort to ensure you find the right university and right lead supervisor. PhD studentships can be advertised pretty much as soon as you start your masters, which can seem far too soon for many. Read how Edward, a Medieval French Postdoc did just this .

Search through the latest PhD study opportunities on Postgraduate Studentships , and join our mailing list for up-to-date advice and opportunities.

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Embrace the opportunity to excel with Voorhees University’s master’s and doctoral programs. Prepare to lead, innovate, and transform your field. Apply today and embark on a transformative academic journey that will shape your future and make a lasting impact on the world.

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At Voorhees University, our master's programs are crafted to empower you with specialized knowledge and skills essential for success in today's dynamic global landscape. Whether you're pursuing a career in business administration, education, or public administration, our expert faculty and comprehensive curriculum ensure you gain a deep understanding of your field while developing critical thinking and leadership abilities. Small class sizes foster personalized attention, enabling you to collaborate closely with faculty mentors and peers.

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Our doctoral programs represent the pinnacle of academic achievement at Voorhees University. Tailored for ambitious individuals seeking to make significant contributions in their fields, our programs provide rigorous research opportunities and advanced coursework under the guidance of world-class faculty. Whether you aspire to influence policy, advance educational practices, or innovate in your industry, our doctoral programs are designed to support your aspirations and drive meaningful change.

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20-year-old PhD student researching autism wins 2 fellowships

Neuroscience major Samantha Harker, who is also diagnosed with autism, addresses misconceptions about the condition

While other 18-year-olds were apartment hunting or applying for their first internships, Samantha Harker was starting her neuroscience PhD at Arizona State University.

Only two years later and she’s received over $320,000 in awards to support her research, most recently including two predoctoral fellowships: one from the National Institutes of Health and the other from the Autism Science Foundation .

A smiling woman with blonde hair and a black blouse against a white background.

So much success at such a young age is certainly unconventional, but that’s what Harker’s path into academia has been. She started taking college courses after only one year of high school, not only because she loved school and excelled in it, but also because school gave her a path to freedom.

“I had to leave a not-so-great situation. And school was kind of an avenue out of that. I was able to ... go to college full time through this independent study track. And then from there, I was able to get scholarships so I could support myself and then move away."

She earned a bachelor's degree in English from ASU as well as a bachelor's degree in medical humanities from the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis in 2022.

Once she finished her college courses, she knew she wanted to pursue a PhD so she could research autism –– a condition she is diagnosed with, and that many people know very little about. That’s true of doctors, too; they often bring assumptions about autism into their work, which harms autistic people, Harker says — something she's experienced firsthand.

“A lot of autistic people, specifically women, are often told, ‘Oh, you don't look autistic,’ as if it has a certain look. ... In my own experience trying to even obtain a diagnosis, my doctor told me, ‘No, you don't look like an autistic person; you're not autistic.’”

Harker is passionate about dispelling such misconceptions by spreading awareness with the hope of improving autistic people’s quality of life. She often works to do that by sharing her own experiences on outlets like the Organization for Autism Research and, most recently, a TEDx Talk titled “ I DO look autistic .”

In the talk, Harker elaborates on how little publicly accessibly information there is about autism, a condition that appears in much more diverse ways than most people realize. Autism research, too, she explains in the talk, has only looked at a small subset of all autistic people, specifically young children. Harker hopes her own research can help address that critical gap.

Working with the ABA and BEAR labs at ASU, Harker investigates genetic links between autism and Alzheimer’s, as autistic people are at a higher risk for developing the disease that causes memory loss later in life. To study that, she looks at genetic and cognitive data from autistic adults, an understudied population who experience high rates of depression and anxiety. Harker sees it as imperative to better understand autistic adults and improve their quality of life.

With the two new predoctoral fellowships, she hopes she will be able to do just that.

“Autistic people and autistic women have not really been present in the research process as much as they should have been in the past. I feel like my work is important because it involves that insight directly into how my studies are designed and proposed.”

Having autistic people involved in the research is specifically important, Harker says, because of the “troubling past” of the research, which has often been undertaken from the perspective that autism is a condition that needs to be “cured” or, worse, eradicated.

“A lot of autistic people are concerned that genetics work could potentially manifest into eugenics type of things that want to cure or get rid of autism,” she says.

But by being the person behind the lab bench, Harker hopes to avoid enabling such problematic perspectives and create knowledge that benefits her community instead.

“I'm hoping to do positive work for anyone that really cares about autism and cares about an autistic person in their life. And, ultimately, I’m just doing it with the emphasis on improving someone's quality of life and making them feel like they have value.”

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TSLS and FCEF sign MoU for Graduate Business Start-Up Grant Scheme with $300,000 support for 30 TSLS sponsored graduate

The Tertiary Scholarships and Loans Service and the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation has signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the implementation of the Graduate Business Start-Up Grant Scheme where 30 TSLS sponsored graduates will be assisted to start their businesses.

The Fiji Government approved this scheme in its 2024-2025 National Budget with allocation of $300,000, to be administered by TSLS and implemented by FCEF.

TSLS CEO Dr Hasmukh Lal says this MoU facilitates a strategic public-private partnership with FCEF that will for the first-time support those graduating from tertiary education institutions to become entrepreneurs and job creators.

Dr Lal says ultimately, the scheme will enable Fiji Government sponsored graduates help in diversifying economic base.

In a joint statement, TSLS and FCEF say the Graduate Business Start Up Scheme is an innovative initiative to work closely with industry peak body of private sector in the country.

They say the scheme will be implemented as a multifaceted business incubator model that will aim to further enhance innovative, scalable and bankable business ideas of 30 TSLS sponsored graduates to start their businesses.

They say in the last five years, FCEF has developed expertise in managing business accelerator programmes such as the Fiji Enterprise Engine and the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs.

FCEF President Vinay Narsey says they have the depth and breadth of business intelligence and expertise within FCEF and their networks, so they will be drawing from them to ensure and that the incubates are provided with the relevant business development service to help them succeed.

They says the multifaceted business incubator model is more than a grant scheme and will provide the 30 incubates with business training and advisory services, business coaching and mentoring, drafting, testing and finalizing of their business plans, attachments with entrepreneurs; start-up grant and linkages to other blended financing opportunities and opportunity to actually start and operate their business.

Narsey also highlighted that strategic partnerships with MSME Fiji, Banks, Business Assistance Fiji, Universities, the ILO and others will be established from the start of the programme and will be included in the Governance structure, to ensure de-risking of the incubator and incubates businesses.

Applications for the Graduate Business Start-Up Grant Scheme will open at the end of October this year.

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PART 2: Special Miss Hibiscus Festival segment 2024 on fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan

Part 1: special miss hibiscus festival segment 2024 on fijivillage straight talk with vijay narayan.

IMAGES

What it's like to start a PhD at age 30 (after a breakdown)
How To Easily Get Into A PhD Program.
How To Get Into A PhD Program?
10 Steps To Starting A PhD
How Do I Get Into a PhD Program? A Guide for Aspiring PhDs
Starting your PhD? Watch this before you begin!

VIDEO

How to choose a lab for starting PhD ?
How to select PhD Supervisor? || Why I was rejected from DAAD? || Write Research Proposal || Vlog
Fully Funded PhD in Business and Economics at Lehigh University
Pursuing a PhD as an older student
HOW TO APPLY FOR A PHD IN CANADA
How to find the best PhD program and avoid getting rejected

COMMENTS

What age is realistically too late to start a PhD? : r/AskAcademia
I started a PhD at 30. I never obtained a masters, and I took 8 years between undergrad and starting my doctorate. In my program, I was the oldest. Sometimes it was a little socially awkward, but we all got along (even as I rolled my eyes at the drinking games and beer pong). I met a guy who retired from 25 years in the army before starting his ...
Putting it off? Bring it on!
Starting a PhD later in life can be exciting, but it isn't without its challenges. Emma Burnett has a Masters, four years experience running a start-up. . . and a small child. She explains why she feels now is the time to take on a doctorate. It was recently my birthday. Thank you, thank you, yes it was a lovely day.
Average Age of a PhD Student: When Is It Too Late?
In 2020, the average age of a graduate from a PhD program in the United States was 33. However, 6% of the graduates were over 45. ... You enter a PhD program at 25 or even 30, the average PhD duration takes six to eight years. That means you will finish when you are around 30 to 37.
Doing a PhD in your 30s
Doing a PhD in your 30s. Published on January 4, 2021. Over time, I've seen quite a few tweets from people asking whether one should do a PhD in their 30s and what it is like. I personally am of the opinion that it is never too late for education, including a PhD, and when it came to me making a decision to do one at the age of 29 it did not ...
phd
6. You are never too old, in years, to start a Doctoral program or to otherwise extend your education. However, you need to do a couple of things while you "wait". Most important is that you don't lose your edge. If you are working in the field of study you should probably be fine and your experience may help.
5 Reasons To Pursue a PhD at Mid or Late Career
There are a lot fewer mid and late-career applicants for a number of reasons. First, some candidates are held back by the myth that they are not qualified or competitive. Second, a PhD typically takes five to six years to complete as a full-time student (and much longer as a part-time student). Many people at mid- and late-career are unable or ...
Should You Start Your PhD Before 30? Doing A PhD In Your 30s
PhD is Not Similar to MBA / Masters in the 30s. You can recuperate the expenses and should have a great ROI with the Masters / MBA in the PhD. But with the PhD, you need to skip the wages for an extended time. I suggest to have a Masters degree in the 30s; however, for the PhD, you need to be devoted to the degree. You really need to have it.
How to Do a PhD Later in Life: A Primer on What to Expect
Even if you disagree with your supervisors or advisors, do your best to always remain respectful in those disagreements. Remember: 90 percent of your happiness during a PhD will be based on your relationships with your committee, so do your best to be a great student. You will feel really uncomfortable.
Twenty things I wish I'd known when I started my PhD
Lucy Taylor received her PhD from the University of Oxford, UK, in 2018. Credit: Susanne Vogel. Starting a PhD can be tough. Looking back, there are many things I wish I'd known at the beginning.
Is Doing A PhD In Your 30s Crazy?
The answer is an definite 'no.'. While many people start their PhD before they turn 30, or immediately after their undergraduate education, it is absolutely normal to start a PhD in your 30s. It is OK to do a PhD in your 30s. Read this post if you want to learn what a PhD student does all day (It's very interesting).
10 things you need to know before starting a PhD degree
5. Embrace change - don't get bogged down in the details. Felix Shaw - one of our bioinformatics researchers at EI - put it best when he said, " it felt like I was running into brick walls all the way through [my PhD]… you'd run into a brick wall, surmount it, only to run straight into another. It's true.
Top 11 Schools for Going to Grad School at 30 (And How to Apply!)
Types of Graduate Programs Good for 30-Year-Olds. There are a wide variety of graduate programs you can pursue as a 30-year-old, in fields such as: Business: Good for studying management and leadership skills, ... Choose from 75+ programs: Whether you're starting fresh or seeking advancement, our career-focused programs are designed to help ...
What to know before starting your Ph.D. program
An article published back in September, in Science magazine, aims to answer the age-old question, "What do I need to know before starting my Ph.D.?" by asking current Ph.D. students. and postdocs what they wish they had known about graduate school when they started. Starting a Ph.D. program can be a daunting experience, whether one is starting straight out of an undergraduate program ...
How to Prepare for and Start a PhD
Most research departments and lab groups will hold regular meetings, and it's helpful to get involved in these at the start of a PhD.Your department will probably hold research seminars - these are another chance to show an interest and get involved with other members of the university. There are likely to be plenty of other organised events, too.
How to Apply For a PhD: Step-By-Step
Step 1: choose your research area. The first, and most obvious, step to applying for a PhD is to decide what research area you want to work in. Whether you're looking for an Arts and Humanities PhD or a STEM one, each individual subject is made up of a vast array of research topics. Most PhD courses will expect students to have a degree in a ...
Starting PhD in mid 30's : r/GradSchool
Most Ph.D students I know are in thier 30's. Some are younger, some are much older, but 30-35 seems pretty average. I'm 34 in my first year. Like you I had some trepidation but I was working a dead-end job so, I just asked myself if I had anything better to do with my time--I did not. 42.
How to Prepare a Strong PhD Application
Prepare for the Standardized Tests. Most PhD programs require students to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE). Having high test scores is a key part of an application as it tests skills learned over the course of many years in school. Quantitative skills are especially important when applying to doctoral programs in business areas.
What to know before starting your Ph.D. program
So, it's important to do whatever you need to do to get over impostor syndrome. Have a good cheerleader—such as your partner, a friend, or a family member—to remind you that you're smart, motivated, and hard-working. Accept the compliment because it is true. And remind yourself that everyone is "faking it until they make it."
Applying for a Ph.D.? These 10 tips can help you succeed
The key is knowing what to do to prepare and how to compile and submit a strong application. We hope these 10 tips will help you get started. 1. Be true to yourself: First and foremost, consider your goals. Many students are initially interested in pursuing a Ph.D. because they want to become a professor.
Starting your PhD at the age of 30. Who's doing this? : r/PhD
I started my MSW at 40 and concurrently started a PhD at 42. I have a partner and kids. I freaking LOVE my program and wouldn't want to be doing anything else, but it is a financial burden on my family, and takes a ton of time away from them. I have yet to meet any PhD students or candidates who would say it isn't a huge life investment ...
A Guide to PhD Success: How to Thrive During Doctoral Studies
Create a schedule and take careful note of class and dissertation deadlines so you can set a schedule and stick to it. Your chances to succeed in any PhD or doctoral degree program increase when you are prepared from the inquiry stage to life after. These tips will help you survive—and even thrive—in graduate school.
9 things you should consider before embarking on a PhD
9. There are no real breaks. In a stereotypical "9-to-5" job, when the workday is over or the weekend arrives, you can generally forget about your work. And a vacation provides an even longer respite. But in a PhD program, your schedule becomes "whenever you find time to get your work done."
A timeline to starting your PhD
The journey to a PhD is about a number of stars aligning. The time taken to source funding, choose a university and supervisor and refine your research proposal is going to vary greatly between individuals. The timeline below gives some sense of the steps and possible timescales involved to start a PhD in the Autumn.
School of Graduate Studies
School of Graduate Studies Why Voorhees University? Discover the pathway to your future with Voorhees University's esteemed master's and doctoral programs, designed to cultivate excellence and innovation in a supportive academic environment. Embrace the opportunity to excel with Voorhees University's master's and doctoral programs. Prepare to lead, innovate, and transform your field ...
20-year-old PhD student researching autism wins 2 fellowships
While other 18-year-olds were apartment hunting or applying for their first internships, Samantha Harker was starting her neuroscience PhD at Arizona State University. ... She earned a bachelor's degree in English from ASU as well as a bachelor's degree in medical humanities from the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy in St. Louis in 2022.
TSLS and FCEF sign MoU for Graduate Business Start-Up ...
In a joint statement, TSLS and FCEF say the Graduate Business Start Up Scheme is an innovative initiative to work closely with industry peak body of private sector in the country.
Introducing OpenAI o1
Available starting 9.12. ... In our tests, the next model update performs similarly to PhD students on challenging benchmark tasks in physics, chemistry, and biology. ... Both o1-preview and o1-mini can be selected manually in the model picker, and at launch, weekly rate limits will be 30 messages for o1-preview and 50 for o1-mini.