questions to ask phd supervisor before applying

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Kshitij Tiwari Ph.D.

10 Questions to ask your PhD advisor

When applying for a Doctoral aka PhD program, you not only need to ensure that PhD is the right choice for you , but also, that you have synergies with your potential PhD advisor. You both will be working together for the years to come should you choose to accept the PhD offer, if one were to be extended to you so it is crucial to know that you will get along. This article will guide you through 10 questions to ask your PhD advisor towards the end of your PhD interview.

Please note that these prompts do not form an exhaustive list, are in no particular order and nor do they guarantee that you would gauge synergies 100% accurately, if any. They would likely give you a good idea of what to expect from your life in the group if you were there pursuing your PhD even before you actually apply for the PhD with the group. If you still don’t find synergies, you can always gracefully decline the PhD offer .

Table of Contents

What have previous lab members done after getting their PhD?

• What is the lab structure?

What does the lab culture look like?

What is the publication culture like, where does the funding primarily come from, does the advisor consider themselves a ‘hands-on’ or ‘hands-off’ advisor, how does the advisor give feedback on manuscripts in preparation, how often does the advisor meet with their students, will there be opportunities to write external research grant proposals, how would the scope of work change if you were to transition to industry, key takeaways.

If you know about the harsh realities of PhD , you would know that not every PhD graduate manages to find a position in academia and some venture out to industry in search of better and more stable job prospects. As a PhD candidate, one day you would graduate too and will be in the market for a job- academic or industrial so it helps to understand what have the previous lab members done after successfully defending their PhDs. This would give you a lay of the land and what kind of job prospects you are most likely to find upon graduation with a PhD in hand. Also, take this opportunity to learn more about some of the most successful (and unsuccessful) PhD candidates from the group.

What is the PhD advisor's lab structure?

A lab or a research group typically would comprise of your potential PhD supervisor among other members. These members could include fellow PhD candidates, Bachelors and Masters students and some temporary students such as interns. Additionally, there might be other senior members in the groups such as Postdoctoral Associates and some junior faculty members who work in tandem with your potential advisor. It helps to know what the lab structure is like and how many members are in each category. Eventually, you might end up working with some of these members in varying capacities and some of the seniors might even serve as your co-advisors. Additionally, you might also want to understand the demographics for the lab members to see where do these members come from and you might find some comfort knowing people from your own country of origin. On a similar note, you could ask for permission to connect with some of the existing members to learn more about the lab structure and a typical day in their life. 

Some professors have multiple labs (including satellite labs), and this opens up good travel opportunities when they fly you around.

 Knowing that there might be other seniors present even when your primary PhD advisor is away might give you some solace in their absence. Also, be sure to check your PhD advisors plans in the near future- 

are they coming up for tenure / promotion / retirement as this might affect their availability and/or lab resources?

As a PhD candidate, one of the many ways for you to gain visibility in your field and grow your network will be to attend conferences. You should try and understand what are some top tier conferences in your domain and how often do the lab members get to attend such conferences. For the case of robotics, these would be IEEE IROS, ICRA, RSS, CASE among a few others. Also on a related note, you could inquire about any preset requirements for number of conference and journal submissions that are mandatory for graduation so you can understand how many conferences would you have to target per year to maximize your chances of meeting the threshold of publications.

Inquire about the external responsibilities of your PhD advisor to understand their prior commitments. Are they doing a partial secondment at an industry? Would you be able to do an industrial internship? How about research visits overseas? Typically, PhD students try to maximize their exposure with a mix of industrial work and some overseas research visits thereby growing their network and also credentials.

On a more academic side of the lab culture you should inquire about the paper publication frequency. Generally speaking, in the early days of your PhD journey you would have slightly more free time as opposed to the end when you are working hard to write your dissertation, getting feedback and iteratively revising it. Try and inquire what the publication culture is like- do papers get published during the PhD thesis, or towards the end or after defending? This will help you get some sense of the expected work load and how it would grow as time passes assuming no dynamic requirements are suddenly imposed by your funding source . Be vary of the publish or perish culture in academia because if you cannot maintain a healthy work-like balance , you will likely burnout.

One of the external aspects that might affect the topic you will work on, the scope of work and planned deliverables is the funding source. As mentioned earlier, if your PhD advisor has already secured some funding to sponsor your PhD, there might be implications stemming from the funding source. Some funding sources might require additional responsibilities like prepare progress reports, traveling for administrative meetings, preparing presentations or have citizenship restrictions in case of defense funding. So, be sure to clearly understand where the funding is coming from and what is covered in the funding- tuition, living allowances, stiped, travel allowance, publication allowance, etc.

It is also at this time you should prepare for the tougher days- not necessarily worst case scenario but in case you need to extend your PhD timeline but your funding will run out after a fixed term, are there possibilities for additional funding? Will your PhD advisor support you in this process? If not, what options would you have if the situation arises?

Some PhD candidates are also interested in serving as Teaching or Research Assistants also known as TA or RA, respectively. Sometimes there might be a possibility of earning some extra financial support for such services or at other times there might be some intangible gains such as the chance to work with other faculty members, learning to interact with students, problem solving etc. So, try and understand if you are required to be a TA/RA by the funding source, is it optional, and how does it work if you were to opt for it.

As every human is different and have their own working styles, so would your potential PhD advisor. So, you should try to understand if the advisor considers themselves as a more “hands-on” or “hands-off” advisor. This working style should ideally be complementing your own approach. For instance, if you are someone who would be looking for some hand holding and you end up with an advisor who is completely “hands-on” you are likely going to struggle a lot especially in the early days. So, try and understand if the advisor tends to assign projects and tentative topics to the PhD candidates or do they instead have the students select their own. On a similar note, you could also ask them if they already have a particular topic in mind for you or are you going to start with a blank canvas and write your own PhD research proposal . In case of the former, you could also ask about the level of flexibility with respect to the direction/scope of the project. Sometimes, the project scope and deliverables are already set carefully while at other times, there might be ample room for adjustment and refinement within a vague scope.

Another crucial aspect to keep in mind is that, for a PhD, there is no preset syllabus or a list of milestones. So, measuring the performance could be tricky and either you or your PhD advisor would need to set some sort of milestones. So, you could try ask them about some key milestones that they expect the PhD candidates to achieve. 

Feedback is the breakfast of the champions

As an early stage researcher with little to no experience with writing scientific and technical manuscripts in your niche, you will likely need help. This could come not only in the form of support while conducting the research but also in the form of feedback when a manuscript is being prepared for potential submission. The more reputable the submission venue, the higher would be their quality standards so you would benefit if the manuscript undergoes revisions to match their expectations. Again depending on whether the PhD advisor is hands-on or hands-off the level of detail of their feedback will vary.

On the topic of feedback and progress review , different research groups have different internal policies and agenda for group meetings. For instance, some PhD advisors do a round robin presentation with each candidate getting a slot to present their current findings, challenges and results. This helps everyone to stay abreast with what the others in the group are working on, explore synergies and get comfortable with presenting their ideas to a crowd. Additionally, some groups may even have a policy for dedicated 1-on-1 check-ins with advisor for personalized feedback while others might keep this flexible in the sense that the PhD candidate needs to take the initiative to book such 1-on-1 meetings as and when needed. During the pandemic most of such meetings went online via tools like Microsoft Teams, Zoom etc. so if you wish, you could inquire how are such meetings being conducted at the time of your application- face-to-face, remote or hybrid. 

While not every PhD student may be required to write external grant proposals, but for your future career, such experience can come in really handy. Winning a grant, that too a prestigious grant will help you get a taste of what life is like being a Principal Investigator (PI), leading your own research work and supporting yourself. This experience will go a long way for your career ahead as eventually you would need to win grants to support yourself and your group in the years to come. During your PhD, you may not be able to independently write such research grant proposals but you might be given opportunities to help out other senior members writing grants or contribute to some sections of a grant that your PhD advisor is working on. So, it pays to know about such opportunities ahead of time.

Never shut a door of opportunity on yourself for you never know when the next door will open

There is a difference between stepping on two boats (industry and academia) simultaneously versus not covering all your basis for securing your future. By this I mean looking at all possible options and keeping the doors open. Say somewhere along your PhD, either owing to life’s circumstances or your interaction with peers you decide to move to industry upon completion of your PhD. In such a case, how would the scope of your PhD and the work you do change, if at all? It helps to know the cost of such a transition to evaluate if it is even a feasible option or should you prepare an alternative Plan B instead.

So, when it comes to applying for PhD positions, remember that as much as the PhD advisor is screening you for a potential fit, you also need to screen them to explore synergies. There is no harm in asking polite questions that might help you understand them better as a person, as an advisor and as a potential mentor to help you learn and grow in your career ahead. After all, you are going to dedicate the coming years towards your PhD should you choose to go forward with it so it is imperative that your environment, the people, the topic and everything else that comes with up are synergistically working with you and not against you.

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10 Ways to Impress a PhD Supervisor

• By Eduardo D. S.
• August 1, 2020

So you want to find out how to impress a PhD supervisor? Maybe you’re about to contact them about a potential project, perhaps you already have a meeting scheduled with them, or maybe you’re already one of their PhD students but you want to leave a lasting impression. Whatever your reasons, learning the correct way to impress a PhD supervisor can do wonders for building a great relationship and increasing your chances of success not only in your project but also in opening doors for your future career development.

Based on my own experiences, I’m going to share 10 of the best ways to impress a supervisor – 5 for before they agree to take you on, and 5 for when you become one of their PhD students.

5 Ways to Impress a PhD Supervisor Before They Agree to Supervise You

1. communicate clearly.

PhD supervisors are busy people, they receive countless emails every day from panicked students, colleagues chasing up peer-reviews, and potential PhD candidates like yourself. When you first contact a potential supervisor, stick to sending them a brief email. Note the brief there. Specify who you are, your educational background, that you are interested in their project, why you are interested in their project, and include a copy of your resume.

You can find a good breakdown of how to structure your first email here – How to Email a Potential PhD Supervisor . Whichever approach you take, the key is to keep it concise.

2. Be Knowledgeable About Your Field

All supervisors want a research student who’s knowledgeable and well-read in their field, as they tend to produce higher-quality work and encounter fewer problems. Although no one expects you to be an expert, make sure you have at least read three of the most popular journal publications in your chosen research area.

3. Research Them

Looking up the supervisor will give you an insight into their research interests, what topics they’re currently researching, and whether they’ve made any notable contributions, be it a publication, a book or a talk at a leading conference. Your goal isn’t to flatter them, but to be able to clearly explain how your project applies to them and why you would like them to be your supervisor. For example, you might pick up on the fact that the supervisor has recently published several papers or attended a number of conferences on a particular subject. Proposing a project closely linked to this area is likely to attract their attention more than a project in a subject which they haven’t published on for several years.

4. Have a Long-Term Plan

Know what you want to research, why you want to research it, and what you want to do after having completed your research.

A PhD is an enormous commitment – it can take up to 8 years, be financially challenging and mentally exhausting. A supervisor will want to reassure themselves that you genuinely believe a PhD is for you, as having a student struggle the entire way through, or worse, drop out altogether, isn’t good for any involved. Spend some time reading up on the common challenges you can expect as a PhD student and determining what your career goals are. Being able to demonstrate an awareness for both of these will help convince the supervisor that your consideration for doing a PhD is a rational one.

5. Have a Project Plan

If you have the opportunity to discuss a project in more detail with a supervisor, keep in mind that not all first interactions will be simple introductory meetings.

Some supervisors like to jump straight in and discuss your proposed project, your methodology, how you plan to collect data, what kinds of challenges you think you may encounter, etc. Answering these questions in detail will show you’re serious about the project. You don’t necessarily need to have all the right answers here but it’s more about showing that you’ve thought about these aspects and do so from a logical standpoint. In contrast, not having well-thought-out answers will give a poor impression of your level of commitment and/or ability.

If you’ve been asked to submit a research proposal as part of your application, you can almost guarantee a large part of your meeting is going to focus on the technical aspects of the project.

5 Ways to Impress a PhD Supervisor After They Agree to Supervise You

It’s natural to want to impress your supervisor, but remember, if they’ve already agreed to supervise you, they’re already impressed with your academic background and research potential. In truth, most supervisors are never more impressed with their students than on the day they receive their doctorate, with all the years of independent research, publications, and hard word work paying off.

If you still want to take a few extra steps to impress your supervisor, here are 5 things you can do during your PhD studies that will get noticed:

6. Be Proactive

Plan your work, commit to your agreed schedule, and fulfil all your obligations. Nothing makes a supervisor happier than an active student taking full responsibility for his or her project. Being proactive assures your supervisor that your project will advance in the right direction, and when you do need support, it’s for genuine issues that warrant their time.

Being a talented researcher isn’t only about being able to conduct research, but also about being able to do so independently. Showing them that you’re capable of this won’t only keep them looking forward to their next meeting, but it will also give them a high level of confidence in your long-term potential.

7. Document, document, document

It happens occasionally – you get a little complacent, or you’re unusually tired that day – and you don’t label your samples or record your results with a high level of care. No matter the excuse, that’s poor practice and will make it harder for yourself when writing up your thesis, or for your supervisor when trying to discuss your results with them.

One of the simplest ways to impress your supervisor (or any fellow researcher for that matter) is to document everything clearly and systematically. This can range from creating a detailed spreadsheet to keeping a frequently updated LATEX file .

Regardless of how you document your work, stick to a single system and make it so detailed that anyone can pick up and continue your research without having to ask for clarification.

8. Network and Promote Your Research

For creating opportunities in the world of research, nothing is more influential than your reputation. Networking with other researchers within and outside of your university and promoting your work through conferences, events and journal publications improves not only your reputation but also that of your supervisors as a likely co-author. This will help them increase the reach of their work, secure new research grants and be considered for future collaborations.

However, it should be stressed that you mustn’t overstep your bounds – especially when it comes to unfinished work or areas of new potential research. Sharing something your supervisor hasn’t yet wanted to make public is the quickest way to go from impressing to annoying them.

9. Help Them

Supervisors are busy individuals, with a schedule full of lectures, lab sessions, department meetings, plus their own research.

You can earn the gratitude of your supervisor by helping them with some of their tasks, such as offering to host a tutorial on their behalf or setting up the lab for their next demonstration. You can also extend your help to new PhD students who join your research group by acting as a mentor and guiding them through the early challenges of doctoral studies, such as explaining how to order equipment or who to talk to for certain lab requirements.

Supervisors appreciate this type of action as it creates a friendly and collaborative environment for the research group for which they are ultimately responsible for.

10. Clean up After Yourself

You shouldn’t need to be told about this, but it’s surprising how many research students fail to clean up after themselves after having completed laboratory work. This not only goes against laboratory policy , but it gives a poor impression of your research group, which is especially important when you consider the fact you are likely sharing the facilities with staff members who are colleagues of your supervisor.

Cleaning up after yourself shows you respect your colleagues and your workplace and suggests that you have a high personal standard which is always commendable in the eyes of a supervisor. Besides, it’s not that difficult to discard your samples, wipe down your surfaces and record all perishable items that need to be refilled at the end of each day.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

So there you have it, 10 ways to build a good working relationship with your supervisor.

In the same way that a supervisor takes you on as a student, you’re also taking them on as a supervisor, so the relationship must work both ways for it to be successful. I strongly encourage you, in your first meetings with a potential supervisor, to get a sense of whether your personalities are complementary or whether you think there’s a clash. Try to find out what kind of character your supervisor has before joining their research group (e.g. whether they’re a hands-on supervisor or whether they’re a laid back one); if you do this right, most of my tips will fall into place naturally without you having to try.

You’ll come across many academics with PhD, some using the title of Doctor and others using Professor. This blog post helps you understand the differences.

Learn 10 ways to impress a PhD supervisor for increasing your chances of securing a project, developing a great working relationship and more.

The Thurstone Scale is used to quantify the attitudes of people being surveyed, using a format of ‘agree-disagree’ statements.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

Browse PhDs Now

Thinking about applying to a PhD? Then don’t miss out on these 4 tips on how to best prepare your application.

You’ve impressed the supervisor with your PhD application, now it’s time to ace your interview with these powerful body language tips.

Christine is entering the 4th year of her PhD Carleton University, researching worker’s experiences of the changing conditions in the Non Profit and Social Service sector, pre and during COVID-19.

Prof Cotton gained her DPhil in the school of education at Oxford University. She is now the Director of Academic Practice and Professor of Higher Education at Plymouth Marjon University.

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20 questions to ask about potential PhD programmes

There usually comes a time in a PhD application process when the candidate can ask the admission committee questions about the programme. If you made it to this stage, you may b e wondering: What questions should I ask about the PhD programme?

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at  no additional cost to you.  I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

What makes this PhD programme unique?

What are the requirements in terms of coursework, how does this programme structure the thesis writing process, how long does it take on average for phd students to complete the degree, how much flexibility do phd students have to create their unique programmes, what facilities and equipment are available to phd students in this programme, how are phd students of this programme integrated into the wider academic community, do phd students in this programme interact with senior scientists beyond their research group, how common is it for phd students in this programme to co-author academic articles with supervisors and colleagues, what support is offered to phd students in the programme, does the programme offer any financial support, does the phd programme provide grant writing support to phd students, does the programme encourage and support phd students to work as teaching assistants, what happens if there is a problem with a phd supervisor, what are common career trajectories of phd students who complete this programme, what does the programme do to prepare phd students for the job market, does the emphasis lie on training phd students for academic careers, does the phd programme foster industry connections, collaborations with external partners and public outreach activities, does the programme organise networking events or career fairs for phd students, questions to ask about a phd programme’s setup.

A PhD interview is not just an opportunity for you to convince your interviewers that you are a good match for their programme. Your interviewers should also leave a good impression on you! This relatively open question allows them to convince you to choose their programme over any other offers that you may have. It is a good way for you to see what arguments they have to offer.

The amount of coursework can differ from PhD programme to PhD programme. Therefore, it is good to ask about specific requirements in terms of courses to follow, credits to earn, etcetera.

Similar to coursework, the thesis writing process can also differ from PhD programme to programme. Is the process divided into fixed stages (such as data collection, data analysis, and writing up)? Or is the process flexible? How is the thesis supervision organised? It is good to have answers to these types of questions in advance.

Most universities indicate the length of their PhD programmes. However, there can be a difference between the supposed length and the actual one. Potentially, a PhD programme takes 4 years on paper but most PhD students take 6 years to complete it. This information is useful to consider before committing to a programme.

You may have specific requirements for your PhD. Unique interest. And you should be aware that unexpected things can happen. For instance: care leave, illness or simply failed experiments can delay the completion of a PhD programme. Therefore, it is good to test the water and ask about the stance of the PhD programme when it comes to being flexible.

You may also like: 9 smart questions to ask a professor about graduate school

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s environment

You want to know what the PhD programme offers to PhD students, for example in terms of office space, lab equipment, laptops, etcetera. Think about the type of facilities and equipment that you would need for your specific PhD research.

There can be a huge difference in terms of how PhD students are treated in different universities. In some, they are considered regular students who have limited contact with senior scientists besides their supervisor/s. In others, they are treated as colleagues and/or staff members who are included in department meetings, research exchanges or joint lunches. Try to get a feeling for the situation in the specific PhD programme that you are considering.

As a follow-up to the previous question, you should enquire about the contact that PhD students of a specific programme have with scholars outside of their supervisor/s or small research unit. Being exposed to different perspectives, people and insights can hugely benefit PhD students’ work. Therefore it is good to know whether PhD students in a programme tend to work in isolated silos.

Co-authoring ( when done right! ) is hugely beneficial to PhD students. It enables them to learn the art of writing scientific papers, and how to collaborate effectively. Furthermore, having publications can boost their career. In some universities, it is very common for PhD students to be included as co-authors in joint research papers. In others, it is not.

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s support mechanisms

It is smart to start with a relatively broad question, to see what support mechanisms are offered in a PhD programme. This can be, for instance, a PhD council, a study advisor, or a mental health counsellor.

Some departments have funds, for instance, to support fieldwork. Some also offer budgets to PhD students, so that they can participate in (international) conferences. You can even think of travel reimbursements if you have a longer commute. It is good to know about possibilities for financial support in advance.

PhD students without full-time funding often rely on grants and bursaries. Additionally, gaining experience in grant writing during a PhD can be advantageous in an academic career, regardless of one’s funding situation. However, grant writing is time-consuming and often requires approval and administrative support from the university. Is this support provided?

Working as a teaching assistant during a PhD has financial benefits, and also improves PhD students’ chances of securing work as a lecturer once they graduate. Try to find out whether the PhD programme helps students to find these positions, and whether they support them (for instance by being flexible with the coursework schedule, etcetera).

A PhD supervisor plays a major role in the success of a PhD student. Unfortunately, not all PhD supervisors are good ones . Without being overly pessimistic, it can be a good idea to ask what would hypothetically happen if there is a problem with a PhD supervisor in the programme.

Questions to ask about a PhD programme’s career training and prospects

Try to get a sense of what PhD students of a programme do once they graduate. This question also helps you to assess what type of career trajectories are highlighted in the programme. Based on this information, you can draw some conclusions about the programme’s outlook on post-PhD careers.

Some universities don’t do anything to prepare PhD students for the job market. Be it the academic or the non-academic one. Others may offer special training sessions, application support and other job-market-related activities. Even though you are only exploring options for PhD programmes, it can be smart to think ahead.

Many PhD students start their degree programmes with the ambition to pursue academic careers and ultimately become professors. The reality, however, looks very different: only a very small percentage ultimately pursues an academic career. New insights about the possibilities to work in a non-academic setting and a highly competitive labour market play a role in this trend. Finding out whether a PhD programme is aware and adjusts their training to this reality can be informative.

Being exposed to job opportunities outside of academia, and conducting practice-oriented research go hand in hand with the relationships that are fostered with industry, community or any other external partners. These connections are also increasingly valued by grant and promotion committees.

A PhD programme is not solely responsible for your career after graduation. Yet, it can be advantageous if a PhD programme actively organises events or fairs that help PhD students to network, and to forge good relationship with external parties.

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