How to do grad school applications abroad (humanities & social sciences edition)

09Jul 2021 by webteam

Putting down some thoughts on how to approach PhD applications to Global North universities from my own experiences of doing applications in the Fall 2020 cycle (a tough year!). I’ll be starting grad school in Fall 2021, and a lot of friends and peers have already asked for advice since they plan to apply in the coming cycle. So I thought of collating a guide. Feel free to shoot questions or amendments after reading this. This is a broad primer for humanities and social science scholars. Which means that, disclaimer: this advice is not 100% foolproof and there are local, context-specific variations you have to account for. But I will try to walk you through some of the basics of the application cycle, from its early prep phase to its culmination in a decision.

Some disclaimers before I start. My discipline is film/media studies. I used to be an engineer long back, then did an M.A. and M.Phil in film/media from India: all of these in fairly well-known public institutes. Though I’m not from a family of academics, I have obviously benefitted from my social location as an able-bodied, upper caste, middle class, Hindu, cis-het man. Since a lot of friends and peers helped me, this is my attempt to pass the goodwill to others. But given my social location, I don’t want to impose any normative criteria for the ‘right thing’ to ensure a successful grad school application. Many face serious hurdles where I experience none, yet make it through on their own terms. The most obvious privilege to begin with: applications require at least 60K to 80K INR if you want a decent shot at a PhD: not loose change! (More on money matters at the end of Section 1.) I will be mostly focussing on the standard US and Canadian system of applications which I’m familiar with, but some variation of this might also apply, for e.g., in the UK, Europe and Australia, maybe even Southeast Asia (NUS, NTU, Hong Kong universities, etc.). I’ve added two lists of resources at the very end as appendices.

The application cycle might be broken up into roughly 8 phases, as follows:

Preparing the ground, testing the field, shortlisting target schools. This involves writing to prospective supervisors, gauging their interest in your work.
The background activities to the prep phase. Always get your documents (marksheets, transcripts, etc.) in order early so that you don’t have to run around at the last moment when things heat up. Book language tests like TOEFL in time. Reach out to your recommenders.
Taking exams like TOEFL and GRE (if reqd.) that establish your language and aptitude requirements. A really funless (and enraging) part of the applications but needs to be done.
Preparing your Statement of Purpose (SOP), Writing Sample, Personal History Statement – and rarely, a thesis proposal – for the applications. In parallel, keep opening accounts and filling up details in the application portals for the university programs you have shortlisted. This latter thing might seem inconsequential or minor but do not delay until the last minute, since it is quite a frustrating bureaucratic grind.
Getting feedback on your application materials from peers, former supervisors, or even prospective supervisors (if they are willing to have a look). Revising accordingly.
Submitting applications. Major milestone crossed. Take a break!
Interviews (optional in some cases, mandatory in others). This is an additional step some universities take to have a final call. Can be either a formal interview or more informal “getting to know you” type meet. Requires some confidence and practice in explaining your work and yourself, but don’t sweat a lot about this.
Deciding on offers and accepting one. In the best case scenario, you will have multiple options, so you need to dialogue and figure out which is the best option for you.

Now let’s get to this phase by phase.

1. Preparing the ground, testing the field, shortlisting target schools

This is the stage at which you should do the broadest kind of searches about where you want to do a PhD. Several factors play a role here:

Do you want to be – or can you be – in the particular country where an institution is situated? Is the country or place friendly or hostile to your identity? For e.g. many Middle Eastern and/or Muslim scholars did not apply to the US during Trump’s Muslim ban. Other folks might factor-in post-PhD job markets – you often apply for a job in intellectual circles you are already familiar with – or the general conditions for living during the PhD and after.
Is this institution or program generally well known in the field or subfield that you work in? What have you heard from peers, which names do you see most in conferences of interest? Does it have a research lab/cluster or library collection of particular relevance to you?
If you got interested in a (sub)field by reading some academics, the obvious thing to do is to write to them and their close associates: the kind of people they cite (or mention in their acknowledgements!). Following academic FB/twitter is helpful: I routinely get word on new scholars (and works) to follow from an initial pool of favorites, and the circle keeps growing.
Is there just this one faculty member or professor who you think you can learn from within a particular program, or is there a wide range of faculty speaking to your interests? You should always cultivate a wider range of interests than your specific subfield (in which you will write your thesis) since it rounds you off as a scholar, and allows you to teach or research in various contexts. But 2-3 profs of direct relevance to you in your own program is a must, since you will need to constitute a dissertation committee.
What is the funding model for the program? Most US and Canadian programs tend to pay out a total package consisting of fellowship, TAship and RAship for the PhD course duration just on the basis of your PhD application (i.e. no separate process is needed for funding). However some struggle to provide funds especially for international students (who cost the program more than domestic students) and insist that you have to write separate grant applications to cover some costs (no guarantees you will get them!). Preferably apply only where the basic funding is stable, where you don’t need to sweat to cover costs at every turn. (Academics need to write grant applications in any case; it’s just that you should not be in debt in case grants don’t come through.) In UK and European PhDs by contrast, the system is that you write separate funding applications in parallel, preferably earlier, alongside the PhD application. Someone who’s done this routine will be able to give you a better idea.
More broadly, do you think your PhD from this particular country and/or institution will be valued where you might work in the future (inside the academy or out)? This might be news to you, but there’s a pecking order in the academic job market for various models of PhD. For e.g. many places prefer the US model – minimum 2 years of coursework and 3-4 years of thesis writing with loads of teaching and research experience – over the UK model of PhD where you pretty much start on thesis writing the very year you join. This means that as a UK PhD graduate you will need to make your CV ‘heavy’ with extra years of postdoc work, for e.g., to be seen at par with a US PhD holder. Conversely, the chance to study in an institution like Oxford, Cambridge, SOAS, LSE, Goldsmiths or King’s College London might outweigh other considerations. However, considering the generally pitiful funding conditions in the UK today (post-Brexit and the financial collapse), I really do recommend limiting your applications to institutions and countries where you have guaranteed and integrated funding with the PhD position. If you really feel excited about studying in the UK, I highly recommend offsetting your chances with parallel applications in the US, Canada, or Europe. Though some folks crowdsource funding for their degrees in the UK or take loans, I do not recommend it as a go-to solution. The job market is worsening, and humanities PhDs have no established degree-to-job pipeline, so you don’t really want to be indebted. Please be practical about your applications.
What is your existing research/disciplinary background and how many years of coursework do you need? Some PhD programs (for e.g. in Canada, but also in the US) require you to come in with a completed M.A. [by the time you join], some others are fine with a four year bachelors. While most scholars from India go abroad for a PhD only after their masters, there are cases where folks with a four year STEM degree (B.Tech or MBBS) have switched to a humanities or social science field for PhD. In which case, you will need to complete an M.A. enroute to the PhD in the program/dept. you will be joining – so check if they have that option in the course structure in a program. In other cases, if you already have an M.A. (or equivalent) in your target PhD field, you can choose to skip extra coursework and join a program with minimum course requirements. The trajectory on your CV should be holistic, project an image that you know the field you claim to be an expert on (after PhD).

While researching these, keep listing all the possibilities on a spreadsheet. I cannot recommend using spreadsheets (offline or google doc) during the application process more. It literally kept me sane in the midst of madness. Note down the institution and professors of interest. Jot down keywords relevant to their work (will be handy when writing to them), and their email ids.

The next step is to write ‘feeler’ emails to potential supervisors, to gauge their interest in your work. The tone of this email should not be pushy or manipulative. The email should be short, around 300-500 words, and mention:

(a.) your disciplinary training/degrees/current occupation;

(b.) your prior research work (if any) or practical hands-on experience;

(c.) if you have published or presented something significant;

(d.) your PhD plans – some broad keywords and rough ideas. Don’t worry, you can change this later!

(e.) why the professor in particular or the program at large interests you. Make a better impression by reading up on their work (even if it’s a short article); include a line on its relevance for you.

(f.) End with the possibility of further conversation, with a couple of leading questions like: “Would you be interested in a project like this? Do you think it’s a good fit with the program? What funding opportunities does the program have for international students like me?” If you have more specific questions, shoot. But don’t overwhelm them. [Note: Some say that you should not be too direct in asking questions on whether Prof. X would like to mentor you, since it’s too early to commit things. Best to ask soft questions of the “are you interested” variety without asking for commitment.]

If you’re looking at applications for early December (the time when most US school deadlines for the coming fall are scheduled), this email should ideally be sent somewhere between mid-August to mid-October. Adjust according to application deadlines wherever you are applying: for late Jan applications, even mid-December emails are okay. Sometimes super late emails might work out to a successful application, but I think having time on your hands to plan is always a plus.

Keep in mind that some professors respond promptly and are honest in their evaluation (you can tell from the specificities they go into and the time they devote to replying), some are diplomatic and give lukewarm “sounds good, please do apply” responses, while others don’t reply at all. Though there is no direct correlation between these responses and the possible success/failure of your application, a good thumb rule I recommend is: only apply where you are absolutely sure your application will be read with interest. This is money-saving advice; if you can afford a couple of extra applications at your ‘dream schools’ (even if their response has been lukewarm), go ahead.

Given the inconsistent response rate, a fair idea is to write to at least 3 or 4 times the number of schools you will actually apply to. (So, let’s say 20-25 professors if you want to do 6 schools.) Write to multiple faculty members in the same school if they speak to your research interests, but don’t mention that you wrote to others too (ego clashes, y’know). The good kind of prof is anyway likely to respond saying, “oh! X, Y and Z will also be interested in your work, why don’t you speak to them?” In which case, do so. And this school becomes confirmed on your application shortlist.

Key question: How many schools should you apply to? (A.K.A. the application budget)

One answer: as many as you can afford to. But obviously, different folks will have different budgets. There’s only so much you have at your disposal, with your own savings, personal loans from family and friends, or more rarely, social media fundraisers. The key thing is to be sure your money won’t be wasted; so reaching out and conversing with prospective supervisors is a MUST if you want to keep down your total costs. My thumb rule is: a ‘good application’ will have a success rate of 1:3 (an acceptance from every third university you apply to). Folks who can afford to, often do upto 5-6 total (I did 9 because I had savings). That said, there are all kinds of ways to keep your budgets within limits:

(a.) Check which schools have high application fees – some take as much as USD 140 or 125, some take USD 75 or 95. If you have a sufficiently long list of options, and other factors allow this (good faculty, good funding once selected), apply only where application fees are lower.

(b.) Check if a particular program has an option for application fee waiver. They often do. You have to provide some kind of income proof and explain in a short essay why the waiver matters to you.

(c.) There are overhead costs for things like GRE (~213 USD) and a report on transcripts from a third party vendor like WES (~280 USD) which you can steer clear of. Many schools are removing GRE requirements these days, most don’t require any WES report at the application stage (if at all!). Skip schools that make you pay for unnecessary overheads if your budget is tight.

(d.) Always write to schools/grad admissions depts asking if they can waive a fee or an overhead cost if you really want to join a particular school but find yourself over budget.

2. Background activities, to be done in parallel, in this prep phase

(i.) Always arrange for marksheets and transcripts well ahead of time. Indian universities, at the very least, are extremely sloven when it comes to moving paper so I really suggest not sitting on this. For a December application deadline, initiate this process latest by mid-September if not earlier (August is a good time). Some will need you to physically run from pillar to post, others will need you to navigate a maze of phone calls and email ids, and send a friend/junior (if you’re not in the same city and can’t physically travel). In my case, one institution took as long as a month and a half though they just needed to make a copy of my final marksheet and stamp it as a valid transcript!

Tip #1: Most programs abroad do not require you to send a physical copy of the transcript during the application process, but some do. Check clearly in the application instructions of the relevant program what they want. The former are fine with a stamped/approved scan during applications, and will only ask for an official sealed transcript (mailed or sent electronically directly from your prior institutions) once you have decided to take admission. The latter will however ask for “original transcripts sent from your institution physically or electronically” at the application stage itself. Now in India, a lot of institutions don’t actually have the provision for either sending transcripts directly or electronically in their standard modus operandi. What they do at most is give you transcripts in sealed envelopes – in the best case with university insignia – and then ask you to send of your own volition to wherever it’s necessary. In which case, improvise (see tip #3).

Tip #2: If “n” number of your target programs want a physical transcript during applications, and the others are good with a scan, you have to requisition at least “n+1” transcripts at each of your prior institutions. (The +1 is for you to open one envelope and scan the transcript.) Keep in mind, though, that you will likely fluctuate on the number of schools – and the specific schools – that you are applying to, so it’s always better to have 1-2 more transcripts more. While ideally you can choose a very large number to requisition, it’s not always feasible: some institutions charge a substantial fee for each transcript issued. Make a reasonable guess. (I requisitioned 4-5 transcripts, and applied to 9 schools, out of which two demanded physical transcripts during the application.)

Tip #3: What to do when your target program asks for transcripts to be sent directly by your previous institution, electronically or via post, and it turns out that your ex-school has no such provision? (The reasons can be varied: they might be stone-age in technological terms, they think it’s too much labor, or they charge an insane fee for just posting a sealed envelope!) In such a case, make a requisition where you have to collect the transcript in the sealed envelope, and then send it “from” (on behalf of) your ex-institution. The envelope should, in this case, not have your own residential address as sender but your former institution’s relevant office or branch, for e.g. The Controller of Exams, or The Evaluation Branch. To be on the safer side, send this package from a post office or courier service which is the closest (or close enough) to your ex-institution.

(ii.) Book language and aptitude tests like TOEFL (or equivalents like IELTS) and GRE in time.^[1] While you can choose a test date that falls as late as November first week for early application deadlines like December 1, best to take these tests between mid-September and mid-October. This leaves your mind free in that crucial last phase for just working on your application documents (SOP, writing sample, etc.). Keep in mind that you might ‘flunk’ (i.e. not get an appropriate score) in your first try, so there should be additional time to sit for a retest (a week minimum). Since these tests now run all year long, you have ample dates to choose from; though dates from end September onwards tend to get booked out fast. (Most applicants prefer to take tests in October in comfortable time for the December deadline, while maximizing their test prep time.) As a general thumb rule you can assume that a test date will be booked out a month in advance, if not earlier, so please don’t delay booking test dates (i.e. deciding when to take them) further than mid-September. This is when you will find free slots in mid-to-end October test dates, just in comfortable time for the early December deadlines.

For TOEFL, you can choose upto 4 schools to which you can send your score/results free of charge (for others, you need to pay a fee of 20USD each – a significant sum in INR – so please don’t waste the option). You need to nominate these schools while booking the test date, though there is an option to change these schools until a day before the actual test. As soon as you ‘lock’ certain schools in your application shortlist, you should be able to book the TOEFL test. Which also means that the process of reaching out to prospective schools should have progressed significantly by the time you book a TOEFL test date. Plan your calendar accordingly.

With GRE, you have the same option of choosing 4 schools to send your test results to, free of cost, but you nominate these schools in your test centre just after you take the exam. (More on whether you need to take GRE at all in point 3.) I’m not familiar with analogous details for other tests like IELTS, so please google or call/email the relevant test agency to find out.

(iii.) Reach out to possible recommenders/referees in time. Applications bank a lot on recommendations from former teachers or bosses. Some say that recos make or break applications, so being cool-headed about it helps. Things you should consider:

Most programs need at least 3 recommenders/referees. Some need 4 and very few need just 2. When there are options for additional referees, please do not go for them unless you are absolutely certain they will write you a very positive reco. Even one bad/lukewarm reco among 4 can ruin your chances, whereas 3 good-to-glowing recos help you sail through fine.
According to the number of referees needed – you might take 3 as a stable number – decide who you want to approach. You might go for a one-size-fits-all approach – the same referees in all your applications – or more tactfully ask particular referees for particular programs (especially if they are likely to be well-known or liked by the target faculty). In general, it is best to keep 3 stable referees and, if you have the time-energy-contact bandwidth, 1-2 additional referees who you might choose to nominate in specific contexts.
The recommender will not be commenting on your character so much as your work, either in research or in an industrial/practice oriented field (as may apply). So approach someone who knows your work well. Most programs prefer academic referees over non-academic ones (not a hard and fast rule), so please be sure to balance out your roster.
If you have recently graduated from a program, be sure to have at least 1-2 referees from there. Ideally, you will have written a thesis or a paper under their guidance/in their course. If you have multiple degrees, spread out references from at least the last two programs.
If you worked in a non-academic but allied field (with a curator, archivist, independent researcher/NGO or journalistic publication), ask your boss there. The next-to-best option to an academic referee. If they are famous, it might even be better.
Your relationship with your referees is based on interpersonal trust and warmth, so do things accordingly. If you’ve not been in touch in a while, write a warm email asking how they are, what they have been reading and writing, etc. Make an earnest request to be your referee, and tell them what the earliest deadlines are. Give an approx idea of the number of schools you will be applying to, and – as with prospective supervisors – a rough sketch of your ongoing and future work/project.
Keep in mind that you need to give recommenders time to decide, to read your SOP and write the letter, so your approach-email or phone call should also not be late. Ideally you should have your recommenders fixed a month and a half before the earliest deadline.

3. Taking tests like TOEFL and GRE

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language) is essentially an English language test, compulsory for students from non-English speaking countries. You can take TOEFL or equivalents like IELTS; some schools are even allowing newer tests like Duolingo. I should add though that TOEFL seems to have the widest acceptance across world regions, of all its equivalents, so if you are planning to apply widely, it makes sense to just take one test valid everywhere. They cost roughly the same, approx. 190USD (14000 INR), and have the same level of difficulty, so go for the most ‘universal’ one. Usually you cannot waive off the TOEFL requirement, but if you are cash strapped, it is worth a try. Write to each target school and ask if they can waive TOEFL scores in lieu of something else.

TOEFL (iBT) tests whether you have conversational fluency in English, appropriate for study in a higher education institution where that is the medium of instruction. The goal of the exam is not to test academic English – you won’t be asked to write graduate-level answers (in humanities or social sciences style), and no prior knowledge of literature is necessary. If you are comfortable in standard high school level (conversational) English, you don’t need to worry a lot. If you find yourself slightly lacking in these respects, don’t worry: the exam gives significant leeway for non-native users of English in terms of grading scales. Most graduate schools abroad are reasonable in their minimum score requirements (some go as low as 80 out of 120 – really basic – though it’s more common to have score requirements of 95-100). A good target score is 100, since most grad schools are happy with that. Some might ask a minimum of 22-25 (out of 30) in each of the four sections – Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing – in addition to a total score requirement of 100, let’s say. But this is really a case-to-case requirement, so you better check the respective school/program websites and note down the requirements in your applications spreadsheet. Someone else who has appeared for IELTS should be able to fill you in about normative ‘good scores.’

GRE (Graduate Records Exam) comes in two variants: a GRE general (testing, yet again, English and basic logical aptitude) and a subject-wise GRE. Most humanities and social sciences (HSS) applicants do not have to take the subject GRE (seems to be a STEM thing). In prior years, it was a quite common requirement but most HSS grad programs have been steadily doing away with even the GRE general test. (Most film/media PhD programs, for e.g., have by now scrapped GRE, and the remaining few waived it for the Covid year.) It might be that GRE becomes entirely non-relevant for HSS, since the same skill set in English is tested by TOEFL. In any case, I recommend searching if you at all need to take the GRE for any of the schools you are applying to. If, say, only one school out of 6-7 needs it, you might consider swapping that school out for another. You pay something like 213 USD (15500 INR) to take the GRE, so it’s not an insubstantial saving.

I’m not going into the details of how to prepare for TOEFL and GRE for now. Check google and youtube for tips. There are plenty of tutorials. My general tip is to get a standard set of test prep books. Then solve question papers in a timed context. Though ETS (the company administering both TOEFL and GRE) sells you a test-prep pack, you do not need to buy it. If you are good with ebooks, Libgen has a lot of standard test prep books for both GRE General and TOEFL, including from ETS. And here’s a complete set of TOEFL test prep questions, including audio, which you won’t find on Libgen. Just practising by yourself and watching youtube tutorials is good. Do this test prep for at least a month; unless you are very strong in English and can manage good scores with little practice.

4. Preparing Statement of Purpose (SOP), Personal History Statement (PHS), Writing Sample (WS), etc.

Really the most important part of the application process. It also gets the most “subjective” here. All advice I give comes with a heavy disclaimer: that there are several routes to being selected in a good program. However certain thumb rules ought to work widely. Note: I am open to sharing my SOP if you reach out to me via email (see end of guide).

Different programs ask for different sets of documents, with different length requirements: though you can expect to submit a WS and SOP pretty much everywhere. Remember that terminology might differ, some call a SOP a Statement of Intent – same thing! Others may call the PHS Diversity Statement or more informally ask you to write, say, 500-700 words on why you deserve funding. Do not be frazzled, know what the approximate function of each document is, and write accordingly:

(a.) Statement of Purpose (or Intent): This is to give an overview of your PhD project and how you arrived at it via your prior education, research/work experience, and formative life experiences.

Here’s how an academic describes the ideal SOP type: “There’s no shortage of guides to writing this statement, but from my perspective it’s important that you use the statement to clearly motivate and articulate a research question or idea, to situate it within work that has already been done by others, and to explain how/why you will be the one to answer it.” There’s no set format of a SOP structure, but it is good to write it as a kind of teleology where your upcoming PhD project/research interests show as a culmination of all things – experiential and intellectual – that have happened to you. Some begin with formative experiences, give an overview of their higher education backgrounds (and what they gained along the way), list significant things they have written and/or made (props for creative work!) and arrive lastly at a summary of their planned PhD project. Others (like me!) begin with an anecdote, go straight to the PhD project, and then – as if in a flashback – build up how their personal and scholarly life led to this project. (It’s kind of like a silly Hollywood underdog movie.) But, if there’s space for a separate PHS, I highly recommend not getting into the nitty gritties of your personal life unrelated to the project/research interests. Balance it out, keep the very personal stuff for the PHS, the more topical project stuff in SOP. You should end it with a paragraph on why the school is a good fit for your interests, and name some faculty members with whom you want to work for specific reasons (e.g. I’d like to work with Prof. T for her interests in queer video game studies, Prof. L for her research on digital labor, etc.). Major props if you can also search and name research clusters/labs/projects active in a university/school, where you can foresee yourself working as a research associate or graduate student researcher.

Length requirements differ, but most programs will ask for something between 2-3 pages of single spaced, 12-point Times New Roman text. Stick with those requirements strictly, cut down until you fit; at last, if you still cannot fit, you can adjust page margins a bit. It’s good to go with the 2 page limit. If more space is allowed in a given school, you can expand on certain points.

Tip: SOP is practically the first document in your application package that the admissions committee will check, so this is your chance to impress. Try your best to be incisive, compelling and personal: state clearly where you want to intervene in a body of work. No need to use too many big keywords, theoretical concepts and citations; it should also be understandable by a non-specialist reader. Admissions committees are often diverse in composition, so write for an engaged general audience.

(b.) Personal History (or Diversity) Statement: This is your pitch for funding, in one sense. If you have faced handicaps in pursuing education, this is where you build up a passionate appeal on why you should be taken in, since you clearly deserve the money and the PhD position because of the hardships you have faced. Make a compelling case for how your life experiences – more personal things – relate to your work. Do you intend to do community-oriented or advocacy work post-PhD? Do not repeat the same points in SOP and PHS; there will be some overlap but there must also be sufficient differentiation. PHS will typically be between 1-2 pages of single spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman text (don’t overshoot 2 pages, no one has so much time).

Tip: Some schools don’t require a PHS but either have similar questions (to be answered within blank fields in the application portal), or have an option to upload a PHS under ‘additional docs.’ Even if it is not mandated, I recommend uploading a PHS wherever you can. It’s your pitch for funding, don’t miss!

(c.) Writing Sample: The second most important document in the application package from your side. Has to be a complete research-based essay that you have written, between 15-25 pages, of double spaced, 12 point, Times New Roman text (include images only if you have space while keeping within limits). It does not have to be published already. Include abstract, 5 keywords, stick to a well-defined structure, including citations and bibliography. Ideally you will submit a publication-worthy manuscript of a chapter from your M.A./M.Phil thesis (if you have one), a longform conference paper, or an assignment paper which is your original work (i.e. not an answer to a preset question). It must have a decent literature review, a clear methodological framework, and your intervention. The writing sample can be anything (in HSS), but I believe that one close or adjacent to your project idea is a better, more consistent pitch. That way you signal to the selection committee that you have done some groundwork in/on your PhD research project. 20 pages is a good target length since a lot of schools give that as an upper limit. Some programs allow upto 25 pages: if you find the time, expand wherever necessary or just submit the 20 page version. (Most programs allow you to submit an additional writing sample as a supplementary document, but this is not mandatory. If you have a second good essay, do submit. Else skip.)

(d.) Research Proposal: Usually not required by US and Canadian schools, but mandated by UK and European schools in most cases. This is basically a standard format 1500-2000 word project proposal – the SOP shorn of all personal material and structured properly. Usual sections will be: abstract, introduction, rationale and intervention (lit review and how you want to intervene), key research questions, methodology, chapterization, and selected bibliography.

(e.) CV or Resume: Please search online for a good CV format and list down all your significant achievements and landmarks. No need to bloat your CV with insignificant stuff you did in your school, or trivial extracurriculars, but do mention if you won a significant award or fellowship in higher education! Best to check out the CV of established academics, and follow their formatting.

Parallel task related to step 6 (submitting applications): Once your list of referees is decided for a program, send out the invites to their email ids via the application portals well ahead of the deadline: at least two weeks (university email IDs are preferred, though not mandatory). Important: waive the right to see recommendations. (Though you have a legal right, it is widely said that ‘open’ recommendations might devalue your application: it’s kind of like blind peer review.)

5. Getting feedback on your application materials

This is basic commonsense, but always have peers, teachers and referees review your SOP and Writing Sample before you finalize and submit. In rare cases, professors you have approached in target schools (via email) might also agree to review your application, if they are not on the selection committee and can spare some time. Ask them if they can do it (never in the first email, only when they reply, expressing interest in your work!), but don’t be pushy – and thank them if they agree! If you already know a PhD candidate in the program, seek their help. They can help you tailor the application best for the specific school.

Several academics and current grad students put out calls for mentoring during the grad application window on social media platforms. Reach out to them, but please respect their time. There is also this fantastic list of volunteers maintained by Noopur Raval, which you might use to reach out to possible mentors (it lists people by their current institution, areas of interest, and preferences in mentoring).

Do multiple revised drafts of especially SOP and WS (and proposals, wherever applicable). Show it to friends not in your (sub)discipline, to gauge the reaction of a non-specialized audience. The SOP should be specific enough to demonstrate that you know your (sub)field, but approachable enough for anyone to be intrigued.

Keep in mind that, especially if you are applying to different kinds of programs/depts. with the same project, you ideally must tailor your phrasing according to the discipline. For e.g., a film/media dept and a communications dept will have slightly different emphases even when you’re pitching the same project in your SOP. Tailor according to specificities, the research interests of target faculty members etc. as much as possible given your time constraints.

6. Submitting applications

Always plan to submit applications at least the day before the actual deadline. Always. There will be the off-chance that the application portal crashes on the last day due to server overload. Keep all documents handy as a saved PDF. Get transcripts etc. scanned. Fill up the tedious application forms and upload transcripts etc. long before the deadline day.

Check if your referees have submitted their recommendations 3-4 days before the deadline. Gently follow up/remind them if they haven’t submitted the letters yet. Sometimes programs allow recoes to come in later, but it’s always good to have these in before the submission.

Go through all the pages of the application portal, check that you have uploaded all the relevant application documents in the right places, filled all the necessary information etc. Use a checklist if necessary. Ideally have a close friend or sibling act as your “second pair of eyes” so that you don’t miss any minute detail or make any error under pressure. Obviously, don’t wilfully hide any easily verifiable fact which might lead to disqualification.

Only when you’re sure of all info being correct, submit your application and pay the money. Credit cards are the most foolproof option (most debit cards don’t work for international transactions). If you don’t have a credit card, ask a close friend or relative to front you the money/card info – and then pay them back promptly.

Hurray! This process has to be likely repeated multiple times, so keep a calm head and never keep filling application forms hanging till the last date. Use the “dead time” in between writing your SOP, WS, PHS etc. to fill up forms. There might be gaps between the deadlines of some schools, when you can take time to improve your SOP, WS, PHS, etc., if you want.

7. Interviews

Some schools, though not all, prefer to conduct an interview before they accept you. This is usually over videoconferencing – 15-20 mins long – and happens approximately 1.5 to 2 months after your application deadline. The format of the interview can be very formal with a large panel; or it might be more informal, getting-to-know-you kinds. In any case, prepare for both.

No need to panic, you don’t really need to know in advance in minute detail about your project. Be prepared to answer general questions on yourself, your background and work – sometimes they’ll ask you to start cold with an introduction (as if they don’t remember you from the SOP). Other times they might ask follow-on questions from your SOP and Writing Sample, requesting you to elucidate more on a point, clarify a methodology, etc. Think of this as a way to reinforce the points you have made in your application, so it’s just a question of keeping a clear head and conversing.

I highly recommend using a pasteboard or corkboard behind your laptop screen to jot down keywords and points to aid you in the interview. Glance offscreen to find your train of thought.

8. Deciding on offers and accepting one

At some point, if things work out after you’ve tried your best, the good news will trickle in. Most schools send an informal acceptance first, before they draft an official letter and give a financial offer. Keep the conversation going once the news comes in.

If you get a waitlist decision, say yes to being on the waitlist, especially if it is a good school you fancy. Though waitlists ‘open up’ only around the April 15 deadline by which all US/Canadian grad school applicants have to accept or reject their standing offers, there might be the off-chance that you get into a dream school which converts late. Don’t be hasty, keep final commitments hanging as much as possible. If by chance you’ve already committed to another school by the time the waitlist opens up, you can always turn down the lately converted offer.

In case you are in the enviable position of multiple acceptances, always take time to figure out the angles by speaking to professors and current grad students across all your school options. Some factors (not an exhaustive list):

(a.) Financial offer: The most obvious factor. You have to cover living expenses in the city, plus have enough for some recreation, emergencies, conference and research travel. Financial offer is more than what is on paper: depts or programs will have contingency funds for many things, so be sure to ask the Grad Director or a professor. Are there conference grants? Summer grants? How many RA positions does the department have beyond what is promised as a minimum on the financial offer letter? Are there any hidden costs you have to bear, and need to worry about?

(b.) Teaching duties, etc.: How many years do you have to teach according to the offer? Are there options for load reduction, i.e. for swapping out TA sems/quarters for RAship or fellowship down the line? Keep in mind that you should teach at least 2 years wherever you go (for a good CV), but teaching as many as 4 to 5 years might be an issue, tying you down with work in the university – when you could be researching and writing your thesis somewhere else more appropriate.

(c.) Fellowships or grants: Always great if you are starting out with merit-based fellowships and grants since they boost your CV, in addition to giving you off-time from TA duties.

(d.) Degree of fit: This can be considered in many aspects. How well do you fit with your research interests into the existing life/research agenda of the program? Can you acclimatize in a slightly new disciplinary context, where the work might nonetheless be very exciting and relevant to your planned PhD project? Is there going to be a holistic curve of sorts in your CV if you’re shifting into an allied discipline? There’s also a tacit question of comfort: do you feel at ease in the vibe the department gives you, or do you feel overwhelmed or jittery (depts. can be competitive and toxic)? How is your prospective supervisor as a person? Compassion is key to having a pleasant grad school experience, since PhD programs are quite stressful. Ask current grad students how they feel, but be diplomatic.

(e.) Job market: A big factor, certain disciplines have more openings than others. Some depts. also have a good reputation for a particular subfield/methodology, which might help you on the job market. Ask profs or grad students what the program’s recent job record is; what kind of job profiles their graduates take up (academic, industry, curatorial, design, etc.). What is their take and experience on the job possibilities, given your research interest?

(f.) Intellectual community and/or activist milieu: What kind of circles would you like to be in? Are there additional incentives in both your career and personal life to go to some place? Are there research groups or activist communities you’d like to join? Libraries, museums?

(g.) City and campus life, larger infrastructural context: Grad student life is stressful, so think of a larger context beyond simply what is necessary for your career/PhD. Do you need the rush of city life, or would you prefer a more idyllic campus? What options will you have for recreation? If you have special needs will those be served in the university/program/city? How much will you end up saving given your financial offer and the cost of living in a particular city?

Only once you have factored all of these in, make your decision. Attend the orientation events if they are being offered, to interact more closely with current grad students and faculty. In any case, hold multiple rounds of talks with grad students and faculty members at all your school-options, to get as much info as possible. If you are keen on joining School A, but have a better offer from School B, tell School A of your desire and ask if they can match the better offer. Given sufficient funds, schools will often improve offers if they like an applicant. So take the chance.

Formally accept one offer, and only then reject the other offers. Be sure to sign off at each place you are rejecting with a courteous email mentioning your rationale, and try to keep open lines of communication for further collaboration.

– Sudipto Basu (email: sudibasu AT gmail)

Appendix A: List of resources, curated by Trevor J Raj

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