FAQS on MPhil/PhD Admissions

Identify research topics for your thesis and look out for who publishes on those topics in the universities you are keen to get into. Initial email should contain three things: a brief intro of yourself, your research interest and how it aligns with the potential supervisor’s interests, and your CV. It is best to have a polished research proposal to send to the prof, especially for any non-USA schools. USA-based schools do not care much about your initial proposal since for most programs you are required to do a couple of years of graduate course work first. Do not send vague and cold emails to non-USA schools merely asking if they are taking PhD students or not. 

An excellent SoP is clear, authentic and well-written, and communicates your research story and academic interests clearly to the admissions committee. A good research proposal is one that takes into account relevant literature, identifies a viable research gap and contains questions that can potentially close the research gap. The quality of the proposal comes from the rigour of research, rigour of your thought and the references you use to create the proposal. 

Schools look for evidence that you are or can be a good researcher. Research potential can be assessed from any prior publications, conference papers, research projects, or from your unpublished (high quality) writing samples. Good grades, in the absence of the above, do not necessarily indicate research potential but may act in your favour if you have any of the above. 

Admissions to top-tier programs is extremely competitive, but you stand a good chance if you have an excellent academic record (grades, scholarships, competitions, awards, competitive exams) and show good research potential. A lot also depends on the professor you work with, since if the professor is really interested in your work and believes in your research potential, they can make a strong case for you to the admissions committee even if you seem like an average candidate overall. 

Not necessarily; most PhD applications, even to top-tier programs contain no publications. But if you do have publications in top-tier journals, you would indicate a very high research potential to the admissions committee. You would still need to meet other criteria for admission, most importantly whether the committee thinks you’ll be a good fit to the department. 

By indicating a strong research potential – take part in relevant research projects, do internships with professors in your area of interest, whether at your home country or abroad, and so on. An outstanding research proposal can trump many of these factors. See FAQ on research potential. 

It really depends on the country, program, university you are applying to, and your nationality. In the USA, nearly all good Master + PhD programs are fully funded. Funding in Europe and the UK is scarce, unless you are applying to Oxbridge or you apply for an external funding source, like Chevening. Look out for funded research projects or ask the professor you are applying to, if they have one such fund. That said, you can make a strong case if you can pitch a compelling narrative to the scholarships committee; more on that in our MPhil/PhD process page.  

There is a wealth of information on this topic, and we are happy to help if you write to us with specific programs in mind. 

MS is a practice-based degree mainly geared towards your professional advancement, such as in engineering, data science, public policy and like. MS relies heavily on taught coursework with a small research component. MPhil and PhD, on the other hand, are heavily research reliant and have little coursework (unless in the USA or a dedicated Masters+PhD program). These courses are gateways to the academic world of research and may not directly help you in the corporate world, unless your research or topic is closely related to the role you are applying for. In a nutshell: MS for professional development; MPhil/PhD for academic development.  

Choose a program that best aligns with your short-term and long-term goals. If you are applying for a PhD, the reputation of the school is as important as that of your supervisor. Also, some mid-tier schools have world-renowned departments with leading scholars. Choose them over top-tier schools with not-so-strong departments, especially if the supervisor you are thinking of working with is not so well known in that field. Sometimes, funding prospects will overshadow these considerations but do keep in mind that getting into a strong program will pay off in the future.   

PhD programs in USA (usually combined with a masters for the first two years) can run from anywhere between 5 to 10 years really, depending on the school/program. Those in UK/Europe are heavily research-focussed and typically run for 3-4 years. It is commonly believed that the latter are more research-intensive than the former. 

In terms of career prospects, getting a PhD from the USA can give better returns, for two reasons: a) they involve lots of teaching giving you an experience that you can vouch in your job applications later on, and b) there are many more schools (and thus job opportunities) in the USA, and schools in the USA tend to prefer job applicants who have received a PhD in the USA. Again, there are several exceptions to this general convention, so do your research or talk to us before you make a decision.  Australasia has an extremely varied academic landscape, so it is best to consult us before you choose. 

UK masters are relatively short, usually 9-10 months long and rely a lot on independent project work and assignments, especially at Oxbridge. Those in Europe and USA tend to be between 1-2 years and may rely more on coursework, again depending on the course. Choose a program that best serves what you are looking for. The choice is highly context-dependent and there is no one best program out there. 

As a general rule, do NOT use AI to write your application from scratch. Academics know what that writing looks like. Your goal in the application is to portray your unique story. No AI can generate this story. Keep the use of AI limited to proof-reading or with improving clarity in writing if need be. 

We offer comprehensive packages and can help with mock interviews too (either with the package or as a standalone thing). We do not do a-la-carte edits. The process we follow is intricate and detailed and is based on bringing out the unique aspects of your personality and profession/research in the application; a-la-carte edits are very far from how comprehensively we look at an application. 

We help with visa guidance and negotiating funding offers but not with pre-departure logistics or any documentation. Our help with visa guidance is limited to looking at the strength of your overall application and improving it. But should you need any help in understanding what all it might take you to successfully immigrate abroad (in terms of understanding cultural fit, academic requirements etc.), we are happy to help.