is a phd student a research scholar

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What is the Difference Between a PhD Candidate and a PhD Student?

Pursuing a doctoral degree is a significant academic achievement that requires years of dedicated study, research, and intellectual rigour. Within the realm of doctoral studies, the terms ‘PhD candidate’ and ‘PhD student’ are commonly used, often interchangeably. However, a closer examination reveals that there are nuanced differences between these two designations. Understanding these distinctions is crucial for both prospective doctoral students and those seeking to comprehend the various stages of the doctoral journey.

In this article, we delve into the disparity between a PhD candidate and a PhD student, shedding light on the roles, responsibilities, and progression associated with each stage. We explore the specific criteria that differentiate a student from a candidate and the various milestones marking the transition. Additionally, we delve into the responsibilities and expectations that accompany each designation, illuminating the unique experiences and commitments faced by PhD candidates and students.

Furthermore, we acknowledge the variability in terminology across international boundaries, academic institutions, and disciplinary fields, providing insights into how different contexts might influence the usage of these terms. By the end, readers will have a comprehensive understanding of the contrasting aspects between a PhD candidate and a PhD student, facilitating informed conversations and a deeper appreciation for the intricate nature of doctoral education.

Introduction

Who is a phd student, when phd student attains status of phd candidate, variation in terminology.

Pursuing a PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) degree involves conducting original research in a specific field of study, making a significant contribution to knowledge, and demonstrating a high level of expertise. It is the highest academic qualification one can attain and is highly valued in academia, research institutions, and certain industries. A PhD signifies a deep understanding of a subject area, advanced analytical and critical thinking skills, and the ability to conduct independent research.

While the terms “PhD candidate” and “PhD student” are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between the two.

A PhD student typically refers to an individual who has been admitted to a doctoral program, actively engaging in coursework and other program requirements. They are in the early stages of their doctoral journey and are working towards completing the necessary academic components of their degree. On the other hand, a PhD candidate is typically someone who has progressed beyond the coursework stage and has advanced to the research phase of their program. They have usually completed comprehensive exams, passed a research proposal defense, and are actively engaged in independent research for their dissertation or thesis.

The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the distinction between a PhD candidate and a PhD student. By exploring the criteria, milestones, and responsibilities associated with each designation, this article aims to clarify the unique experiences and progression of doctoral students. It also seeks to address the varying terminology used across different contexts and disciplines, enabling readers to grasp the intricacies of the doctoral journey and fostering informed discussions around this topic.

Through this article, readers will gain a comprehensive understanding of the journey from being a PhD student to becoming a PhD candidate and the distinct roles and responsibilities associated with each stage.

A PhD student is an individual who has been admitted to a doctoral program and is actively engaged in pursuing their doctoral studies. They are at the initial stages of their doctoral journey, seeking to expand their knowledge, skills, and expertise in a specific field of study. PhD students play a vital role in academic research communities as they contribute to the generation of new knowledge and the advancement of their discipline.

PhD students are required to complete a set of coursework specific to their field of study. These courses are designed to provide a foundation in the discipline, enhance research skills, and broaden the student’s understanding of relevant theories and methodologies. Coursework may include seminars, advanced classes, and specialized topics. The specific coursework requirements can vary between programs and disciplines.

Example: Imagine a student named Alex who has just been accepted into a doctoral program in psychology. At this stage, Alex is considered a PhD student as they begin taking relevant coursework, attending seminars, and collaborating with faculty members. They are laying the foundation for their research and acquiring the necessary knowledge in their field.

Who is a PhD Candidate?

Advancement from being a PhD student to a PhD candidate typically involves meeting specific requirements set by the doctoral program. These requirements may vary depending on the institution and field of study but often include successful completion of coursework, exams, and other program-specific milestones.

One of the primary requirements for transitioning to a PhD candidate is the successful completion of coursework and exams. PhD students are expected to complete a designated set of courses, which provide a broad understanding of their field and research methodologies. They are also required to pass comprehensive exams, which assess their comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their research area.

As part of the transition to becoming a PhD candidate, students typically prepare and defend a research proposal. The research proposal outlines the scope, objectives, methodology, and significance of the intended research. The proposal defense may involve presenting the proposal to a committee of faculty members, who evaluate its feasibility, rigour, and contribution to the field. Additionally, PhD students often have to pass comprehensive exams, which test their knowledge of their research area and related disciplines.

If you are not familiar with writing PhD proposal and making PhD proposal presentation, then visit my articles on “ How to Write PhD Proposal Presentation to the University ” and ” How to Make a PhD Proposal Presentation to the University Panel” . These articles will guide you through the process of preparation and presentation of PhD proposal to the University panel.

Upon successful completion of the requirements, PhD students are often granted candidacy status. Advancement to candidacy signifies that the student has demonstrated the necessary knowledge, skills, and potential to conduct independent research and contribute to their field. This status allows students to focus more exclusively on their research and dissertation work.

Once students become PhD candidates, there is a shift towards an increased emphasis on independent research. They are expected to dedicate a significant portion of their time and effort to conducting original research, collecting data, analyzing results, and making novel contributions to their field. The focus is primarily on their dissertation or thesis work, which serves as the culmination of their doctoral studies.

Example: Let’s consider a PhD student named Alex in the field of computer science. After completing their coursework and passing comprehensive exams, Alex develops a research proposal outlining their intention to investigate the applications of machine learning in cybersecurity. They present the proposal to a committee of faculty members, who assess the feasibility and potential impact of the research.

Alex successfully defends their research proposal and is granted candidacy status, transitioning from a PhD student to a PhD candidate. With candidacy status, Alex’s focus shifts towards conducting independent research. They spend considerable time collecting and analyzing cybersecurity datasets, developing and refining machine learning algorithms, and testing their effectiveness in detecting and preventing cyber threats.

As a PhD candidate, Alex works closely with their advisor, regularly discussing research progress, seeking guidance, and receiving feedback. They collaborate with other researchers in the field, attend conferences to present their findings and contribute to the scholarly community through publications. The focus is now on producing an original and significant contribution to the field of computer science through their dissertation.

The transition to PhD candidacy marks a critical stage in the doctoral journey, as it signifies the ability to independently drive research and make scholarly contributions. PhD candidates like Alex are immersed in the world of research, expanding knowledge, and pushing the boundaries of their field.

Terminology related to PhD candidates and PhD students can vary internationally and among different academic institutions. In some countries, the terms “PhD candidate” and “PhD student” may be used interchangeably, while in others, there may be specific distinctions. For example, in the United States, “PhD student” is commonly used, while in the United Kingdom, “PhD candidate” is more frequently employed. Additionally, different universities or institutions may have their own terminology preferences, which can create further variation.

Terminology can also vary based on the disciplinary field of study. Different academic disciplines have their own conventions and terminology for referring to individuals pursuing a doctoral degree. For instance, in the sciences, one might encounter terms like “graduate researcher” or “doctoral candidate.” In the humanities and social sciences, the terms “PhD candidate” and “PhD student” are often used. This variation reflects the specific linguistic and cultural norms within different academic domains.

In Canada, for instance, doctoral students are commonly referred to as “PhD candidates,” regardless of their stage in the program. In Australia, “PhD candidate” is the preferred term for those who have completed the required coursework and have advanced to the research phase. In contrast, in the United States, “PhD student” is frequently used to refer to individuals at all stages of their doctoral studies.

Disciplinary variations can also be observed. In engineering, individuals pursuing a doctoral degree are often referred to as “PhD students” or “doctoral students.” In contrast, in the field of education, the term “PhD candidate” is commonly used to denote those who have advanced to the research and dissertation stage.

It is important to note that these examples represent general trends, and there can still be variation within specific institutions and programs. The usage of terminology can evolve over time and may be influenced by regional or institutional preferences.

The distinction between a PhD candidate and a PhD student holds significant importance in the realm of doctoral education.

While these terms are often used interchangeably, they represent different stages and responsibilities within the doctoral journey. A PhD student is in the initial stages of their program, actively engaging in coursework, research, and academic requirements.

On the other hand, a PhD candidate has advanced beyond coursework, passed comprehensive exams, and is focused primarily on independent research and the completion of their dissertation.

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PhD Candidate vs Student: What’s the Difference?

Many people use the terms “PhD student” and “PhD candidate” interchangeably. However, these terms actually mean something quite different, including a different status level at universities.

We’re here to define the differences between a PhD candidate vs student, as well as other essential information, before you continue your educational journey.

Table of Contents

What I s a PhD student?

A doctoral student is anyone who is enrolled in a doctorate degree, also referred to as a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) program. PhD students are typically required to complete a certain number of course credits and sit qualifying exams. Next, they can move on to conduct research and present it in the form of a dissertation.

A PhD is centered around self-directed research and possibly teaching/running tutorials, but they typically also involve a substantial amount of coursework and require attending classes, either online or in person.

Unlike candidates, PhD students are in the process of completing the required coursework for the degree. They haven’t passed the relevant qualifying exams yet.

What Is a PhD Candidate?

A PhD candidate has completed the required coursework and passed the qualifying exams for their doctorate program. They are currently working on their dissertation.

Most PhD students need to go through an application process and show they meet certain requirements such as a relevant master’s degree . To become a PhD candidate, doctoral students need to pass an internal application process, typically involving a set of exams.

This stage involves significant research usually in innovative areas and incorporating this into a dissertation (this stage is sometimes referred to as “all but dissertation” [ABD]), as they’ve completed all other aspects of the program and satisfied these requirements. To complete their doctoral journey, a PhD candidate must defend their dissertation. Once they’ve successfully done this, they will be awarded their degree and move from PhD candidate to doctor of their chosen field.

PhD Candidate vs Student: 6 Key Differences

view of students in lecture hall from above

There are a number of key differences between a PhD student vs PhD candidate, from their status to the structure and nature of study.

Note: Some universities have recently started adopting hybrid approaches (where there is no clear difference between PhD students and PhD candidates). These programs don’t involve any qualifying exams and students typically begin the dissertation as part of their coursework. Most schools, however, continue with the traditional distinction between a PhD candidate and PhD student.

1. Program Stage

A PhD student could be at any stage of the doctoral program . Coursework still needs to be completed and qualifying exams must be passed. Students may be in the initial stage of the program or about to complete the coursework (before beginning their research).

On the other hand, a PhD candidate has completed all coursework and has at least started their research. They may have completed their dissertation and are preparing to defend it.

2. Research Progress

A PhD student may not have selected their research topic or settled on a particular research question. A candidate’s research is in progress and they should already have a clear research question.

3. Relationship with Advisors

A PhD student may not yet have an advisor. A candidate has an established working relationship with their advisor and works closely with them to complete their research and dissertation.

4. Level of Support

Although they work closely with an advisor, a PhD candidate is generally expected to work more independently than a student enrolled in a doctoral student. Once candidates reach this stage of their doctorate, they typically won’t receive as much direction or supervision.

5. Flexibility and Structure

Understandably, PhD candidates have more freedom and flexibility in their work. Most candidates choose their area of research, as well as the methods used to conduct their work. As part of their coursework, PhD students usually have to work within a set structure (e.g., completing core subjects, meeting deadlines).

Being a PhD candidate comes with a certain degree of status. If they’ve demonstrated a degree of expertise through completing qualifying exams, candidates can put the letters PhD(c) after their name.

Tips for PhD Candidates

view of library stacks on all three sides

A PhD is an advanced degree designed to demonstrate expertise in a given field, as well as high-level skills and abilities in various areas (including research and writing). As such, earning a doctorate can be a challenging process.

The following tips for doctoral candidates will help you put your best foot forward and set yourself up for success.

Stay Organized

Because PhD candidates have to balance many competing priorities, organization is essential. Using organizational tools such as calendars, note-taking apps , and project management software can help you keep track of deadlines and meet your targets.

Focus on Your Research

PhD candidates likely have busy schedules with plenty of demands (such as teaching commitments and crafting a dissertation). As it’s the backbone of any doctoral program, be sure to prioritize this part of your work and monitor progress to stay on track.

Actively Seek Out Feedback

Because PhD candidates often work independently, there’s a risk of feeling isolated. Ask your advisors, mentors, and fellow candidates for feedback and advice. This will help ensure that you’re considering all aspects of your research question and multiple solutions, rather than focusing too intensely on a single area.

Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities

Networking is one of the biggest benefits for PhD candidates, so take full advantage of these events. Use this time to build a strong network of professors, advisors, fellow candidates, and other professionals you meet at conferences and events.

Take Care of Yourself

A PhD program can be taxing, and it’s easy for your mental and physical health to take a backseat. Make sure you exercise, eat well, and get enough sleep . Remember: Resting and recharging is crucial for working on your dissertation.

How Long Is a Typical PhD Candidacy?

view of ivy league building with autumn leaves

Most PhD students require 1-2 years to complete their coursework and pass their qualifying exams. However, the length of a PhD candidacy is much more open. In most cases, programs take between two and five years, depending on:

the complexity of the field of research
the candidate’s other commitments, such as teaching load
other abilities, such as a candidate’s level of organization.

Once a PhD candidate has completed their dissertation, they have to defend it successfully before a panel of faculty members before they can earn their doctorate degree. This process of defending a PhD dissertation can take several months.

Some universities specify a maximum length for PhD candidacy duration. For example, Carnegie Mellon University limits this to six years .

Benefits of Being a PhD Candidate

Being a PhD candidate can be rewarding for several reasons:

1. Research Opportunities

You’ll be exposed to vast research opportunities in your field. You may contribute to valuable discoveries while developing advanced knowledge and skills.

2. Networking

Through your PhD candidacy, you’ll also be in a great position to build gain a stronger network of fellow professionals.

3. Critical Thinking

A PhD candidacy can help you develop high intellectual independence and critical thinking skills.

4. Career Opportunitie s

A PhD is an advanced degree that allows you to build a rewarding career in the academic, government, and private sectors. PhD-holders can also expect to earn more than other graduates and are most likely to find a job.

5. Salaries

According to Northeastern University , professionals with a doctorate degree earn an average annual salary of $99,290 on average (and much more for the highest-paid PhDs ) and have a 1.5% unemployment rate. For master’s degree holders, the average annual salary is $81,867 average annual salary and a 2.6% unemployment rate.

6. Personal Fulfillment

Being a PhD candidate can help you pursue your passions. This advanced qualification will allow you to become a specialist in your chosen field, allowing you to hone in on the exact subject thatl fulfills you the most.

Qualifying Exams to Become a PhD Candidate

While requirements vary by program, to become a PhD candidate, most students will need to pass a set of exams. These will test students’ knowledge in the field, measure their research skills, and ensure they’re ready to start their dissertation research.

Traditionally, qualifying exams for PhD candidates involved a written test and an oral exam. These will cover a range of topics related to your field of study, with the oral component designed to demonstrate your level of understanding.

Some universities have recently started to issue doctoral students with a set of questions and have them submit the answers within a set timeframe (usually around two weeks). Other schools ask prospective doctoral candidates to submit a dissertation proposal instead of an exam.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a phd candidate be called a doctor.

In most cases, a doctoral candidate cannot be called a doctor until after they successfully defend their dissertation and receive their doctorate.

Can I Put ‘PhD Candidate’ after My Name?

Once you’ve passed qualifying exams and embarked on dissertation research, you’re technically entitled to put “PhD candidate” or “PhD (c)” after your name. However, this is uncommon and not always recommended. It is generally more acceptable to mention that you are pursuing a doctorate (along with the field of research and university) or that you expect to complete your PhD in a certain year (on your CV and online profiles).

How Long Can You Be a PhD Candidate?

There isn’t a set length of time that a person can be a PhD candidate. The length of candidacy depends on a range of factors, including the subject of research and program requirements. Most PhD candidates complete this phase in around 3-5 years (where some university programs have set limits).

Do PhD Students Take Classes?

Yes, most PhD students must take classes and complete coursework as part of the first 1-2 years of their doctorate program. Once they’ve completed this coursework and passed qualifying exams, they move on to work on their research dissertation. At this stage, they’ll be considered a PhD candidate.

Key Takeaways

Now that you know the differences between PhD candidates vs. students, you’ve got a deeper understanding of how to obtain a doctorate. However you slice it, both will help you build your knowledge and skills to become an expert in your field.

However the program is structured, a PhD is a highly valuable degree that allows you to become a high-level professional and build a successful career.

If you know a PhD candidate who’s celebrating their accomplishments soon? Take a look at this guide to the best PhD graduation gifts .

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Lisa Marlin

Lisa is a full-time writer specializing in career advice, further education, and personal development. She works from all over the world, and when not writing you'll find her hiking, practicing yoga, or enjoying a glass of Malbec.

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What is a PhD?

Types of Doctorates
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) is the highest globally recognized postgraduate degree that higher education institutions can award.
PhDs are awarded to candidates who undertake original and extensive research in a particular field of study.
Full time PhD programmes typically last three to four years, whilst part time PhD programmes typically last six to seven years.
A PhD can lead to an academia teaching role or a career in research. A PhD can also equip you with skills suitable for a wide range of jobs unrelated to your research topic or academia.

Definition of a PhD – A Doctor of Philosophy (commonly abbreviated to PhD , Ph.D or a DPhil ) is a university research degree awarded from across a broad range of academic disciplines; in most countries, it is a terminal degree, i.e. the highest academic degree possible.

PhDs differ from undergraduate and master’s degrees in that PhDs are entirely research-based rather than involving taught modules (although doctoral training centres (DTCs) offer programmes that start with a year of lecture-based teaching to help develop your research skills prior to starting your project).

In most English-speaking countries, those that complete a PhD use the title “Doctor” (typically abbreviated to Dr) in front of their names and are referred to as such within academic and/or research settings. Those that work in fields outside of academia may decide not to use the formal doctor title but use post-nominal letters (e.g. John Smith PhD); it’s unusual though for someone to use both the Doctor title and post-nominal letters in their name.

PhD vs Doctorate

A PhD and a professional doctorate are both research-based terminal degrees.

However, where a PhD focuses on original research mostly around theoretical concepts, a professional doctorate focuses on examining existing knowledge to solve real-life, practical problems.

While there is much crossover between the two, a PhD is generally better suited for an individual to wants to advance the knowledge and understanding in their field, and a professional doctorate degree is better suited to a working professional who wants to better be able to apply knowledge and understanding to their field.

What Are the Entry Requirements for a PhD?

To be accepted on to a PhD programme, students usually need to hold at least a high ( 2:1 and above ) undergraduate degree that is related to the field of research that they want to pursue. A PhD candidate may also be expected to hold a Master’s degree , however, this does not mean you must have one, as it is still possible to enrol into a PhD without a Master’s .

Self-funded courses may sometimes be more relaxed in relation to entry requirements. It may be possible to be accepted onto a self-funded PhD programme with lower grades, though these students typically demonstrate their suitability for the role through professional work experience.

Whilst a distance learning project is possible , most PhD candidates will carry out their research over at least three years based at their university, with regular contact with two academic supervisors (primary and secondary). This is particularly the case for lab-based projects, however, some PhD projects require spending time on-site away from university (e.g. at a specialist research lab or at a collaborating institution abroad).

How Long Does a PhD Take?

Typically, full-time PhDs last 3-4 years and part-time PhDs last 6-7 years. However, at the discretion of the university, the thesis writing-up period can be extended by up to four years.

Although most doctoral programmes start in September or October, they are generally much more flexible than taught-courses and can start at any time of the year.

How Much Does a PhD Cost?

Tuition fees for UK and EU students vary between £3,000 and £6,000 per year, with the average tuition fee of £4,712 per year for 2023/24 programmes.

Tuition fees increase considerably for international students, varying between £16,000 to £25,000 per year, with an average tuition fee of £19,600 per year .

Nonetheless, most students will secure PhD funding in the form of studentships, scholarships and bursaries to help pay for these fees. These funding opportunities can either be partial, which cover tuition fees only, or full, which cover both tuition fees and living expenses.

UK national students can also apply for Doctoral Loans from Student Finance England if they are unable to secure funding.

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

What Does a PhD Involve?

To be awarded a PhD, a doctoral student is required to produce a substantial body of work that adds new knowledge to their chosen field.

A PhD programme will typically involve four key stages:

Stage 1: Literature Review

The first year of a PhD involves attending regular meetings with your supervisors and carrying out a search on previously published work in your subject area. This search will be used to produce a literature review which should set the context of the project by explaining the foundation of what is currently known within the field of research, what recent developments have occurred, and where the gaps in knowledge are. In most cases, this will be an extension of your research proposal should you have produced one as part of your application. The literature review should conclude by outlining the overarching aims and objectives of the research project. This stage of setting achievable goals which are original and contribute to the field of research is an essential first step in a successful PhD.

The supervisor is the main point of contact through the duration of a PhD – but remember: they are there to mentor, not to teach, or do it for you . It will be your responsibility to plan, execute and monitor your own work as well as to identify gaps in your own knowledge and address them.

Stage 2: Research

The second year (and prehapse some of your third year) is when you work on your research. Having identified novel research questions from your review of the literature, this is where you collect your data to help answer these questions. How you do this will depend on the nature of your doctoral research: for example, you may design and run experiments in a lab alongside other PhD students or visit excavation sites in remote regions of the world. You should check in regularly with your supervisors to update them and run any ideas or issues past them.

Have the structure and chapters of your thesis in mind as you develop and tackle your research questions. Working with a view of publishing your work will be very valuable later on.

Stage 3: Write up of Thesis

The next key stage of a PhD is writing a doctoral thesis , which typically takes from anywhere between three months to one year. A thesis is a substantial body of work that describes the work and outcomes of the research over the previous two to three years. It should tell a detailed story of the PhD project – focusing on:

The motivations for the research questions identified from the literature review.
The methodologies used, results obtained, and a comprehensive analysis and discussion of the findings.
A detailed discussion of the key findings with an emphasis on the original contributions made to your field of research and how this has been impactful.

There is no universal rule for the length of a PhD thesis, but general guidelines set the word count between 80,000 to 100,000 words.

For your thesis to be successful, it needs to adequately defend your argument and provide a unique or increased insight into your field that was not previously available.

Stage 4: Attending the Viva

A viva voce , most commonly referred to as just a ‘ viva ‘, is an interview-style examination where the PhD student is required to engage in a critical appraisal of their work and defend their thesis against at least two examiners. The examiners will ask questions to check the PhD student has an in-depth understanding of the ideas and theories proposed in their thesis, and whether they have developed the research skills that would be expected of them.

The viva is one of the final steps in achieving a PhD, and typically lasts at least two hours, but this duration can vary depending on the examiners, the university and the PhD project itself.

Once you have done the viva – you’re on the home stretch. You will typically be asked to make some amendments to your thesis based on the examiner’s feedback. You are then ready to submit your final thesis for either:

PhD – If you pass the requirements you will be awarded a PhD degree (most common outcome),
MPhil – If you failed to meet requirements for a PhD, you may be downgraded to an MPhil degree (uncommon outcome),
Fail – No award is given, typically for cases of plagiarism (extremely uncommon outcome).

What Is It Like to Undertake a PhD?

We’re often asked what it is like to undertake a PhD study. Unfortunately, this isn’t a simple answer to this question as every research project is different.

To help give insight into the life of a PhD student, we’ve interviewed PhD students at various stages of their programmes and put together a series of PhD Student Interviews . Check out the link to find out what a PhD is like and what advice they have to offer you.

What Are the Benefits of A PhD?

A PhD is the highest globally recognised postgraduate degree that higher education institutions can award. The degree, which is awarded to candidates who demonstrate original and independent research in a particular field of study, is not only invaluable in itself, but sets you up with invaluable skills and traits.

Career Opportunities

First, a PhD prepares you for a career in academia if you wish to continue in this area. This takes form as a career in the Higher Education sector, typically as a lecturer working their way to becoming a professor leading research on the subject you’ve studied and trained in.

Second, a PhD also enables the opportunity for landing a job in a research & development role outside of the academic environment. Examples of this include laboratory work for a private or third sector company, a governmental role and research for commercial and industrial applications.

Transferable Skills

Finally, in possessing a PhD degree, you can show to employers that you have vital skills that make you an asset to any company. Three examples of the transferable skills that you gain through a PhD are effective communication, time management, and report writing.

Communication – presenting your work in written and oral forms using journal papers and podium presentations, shows your ability to share complex ideas effectively and to those with less background knowledge than you. Communication is key in the professional environment, regardless of the job.
Time management – The ability to prioritise and organise tasks is a tremendous asset in the professional industry. A PhD holder can use their qualification to demonstrate that they are able to manage their time, arrange and follow a plan, and stick to deadlines.
Report writing – Condensing three years of work into a thesis demonstrates your ability to filter through massive amounts of information, identify the key points, and get these points across to the reader. The ability to ‘cut out the waffle’ or ‘get to the point’ is a huge asset in the professional industry.

Aside from the above, you also get to refer to yourself as a Doctor and add fancy initials after your name!

What Can I Do After a PhD?

One of the most desirable postdoctoral fields is working within independent Research and Development (R&D) labs and new emerging companies. Both industries, especially R&D labs, have dedicated groups of PhD graduates who lead research activities, design new products and take part in crucial strategic meetings. Not only is this a stimulating line of work, but the average salaries in R&D labs and emerging start-ups are lucrative. In comparison, an undergraduate with five years of experience within their given field will, on average, likely earn less than a new PhD graduate taking on a R&D position.

It’s a common misunderstanding that PhDs only opens the door for an academic career such as university lecturers and training providers. Although obtaining a PhD opens these doors, the opportunities extend far beyond educational roles. In fact, recent data from the UK’s Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) indicates only 23% of PhD graduates take a position in educational roles . This low percentage is primarily because PhD graduates have a wide range of skills that make them suitable for a broad spectrum of roles. This is being seen first hand by the increasing number of PhD graduates who are entering alternative roles such as research, writing, law and investment banking.

How Do I Find a PhD?

We appreciate that finding a PhD programme to undertake can be a relatively daunting process. According to Higher Education Student Statistics , over 22,000 PhDs were awarded in 2016/17 within the United Kingdom alone. Clearly there are a huge number of PhD programmes available. This can sometimes be confusing for prospective doctorates, particularly when different programmes are advertised in different places. Often, it is difficult to know where to look or where to even start. We’ve put together a list of useful sources to find the latest PhD programmes:

A great place to start is with our comprehensive and up-to-date database of available PhD positions .
Assuming you are still at university, speak to an existing PhD supervisor within your department.
Attend as many postgraduate open days as you can. Whilst there, speak to current PhD students and career advisors to get an awareness of what PhDs are on offer.
Visit the postgraduate section of university websites and the PhD Research Council section of the UKRI website.

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How to Find Success as a PhD Scholar

We interviewed PhD students from several schools around the country to find out about their experiences getting in, getting adjusted and getting the most from their programs. These students are from a diverse range of fields. All are recent PhD recipients or current PhD candidates. Here's what they had to say about how to succeed as a phd scholar, in grad school and beyond.

What was the smartest move you made during your program? What do you wish you had done differently?

Art history : Stay open–minded and honest enough to constantly reevaluate your goals, motivations, interests and happiness. In choosing a program , consider that a department or school that prioritizes teaching, mentorship and community may have advantages over one with a more prestigious name or roster of professors. Foster sociability and solidarity among your fellow graduate students rather than succumb to competitiveness. Your peers will provide you with feedback, moral and intellectual support and a social network that will keep you sane during grad school and keep you in the loop once everyone has graduated and is dispersed throughout academia.
Bioengineering : I think my smartest move was getting to know several faculty members on campus besides my own research advisor. Not only do other faculty members often have great insight into research problems, they can also be reference–letter writers–and most academic jobs require four or five references! Looking back, I wish I had not stressed so much about first-year classes and general exams. They really had no bearing on the success of my PhD program.
Computer science : I wish I had gotten my classes out of the way as soon as possible. If you're coming straight out of college, you might be tired of classes and eager to get involved in research, but, later in your career, you will find it tiresome to continue taking classes.
Sociology : My smartest move was getting involved in a brand new research project from the start. Finding an engaging project with good faculty is a great way to develop intellectual ideas, get access to data, find funding and gain valuable practical research experience. I do wish I had come in with a more concrete sense of what I wanted to study. A clearer sense of academic interest from the start would have streamlined my path through graduate school, and maybe put me on track to finish six months to a year sooner.

Read More: Graduate School Application Timeline

Are there any special perks of being a PhD student that you recommend taking advantage of?

Bioengineering : Attending research conferences becomes a great excuse to travel the world. I have had the chance to see places that I never would have had I decided to go straight into industry instead of pursuing a PhD.
Religious studies : Theoretically, being a PhD student could help with the ladies, but that hasn't been my experience. It has been my experience, however, that it helps win over their mothers. One of the best things about being a PhD student is how much free money you're entitled to. We get to travel to Asia for free every summer, just because we're PhD students.
Sociology : There are a lot of unique cultural events and opportunities on and around college campuses that you don't really find elsewhere. Student life is also remarkably flexible in terms of time. You set your own hours, so if mornings aren't your thing, work afternoons and evenings. The flexibility issue has a downside, though. Because you could be working at all times, on all days, you may often feel like you should be working at all times, on all days. It can be a rather overwhelming sensation, and you can find yourself working long, hard hours without feeling like you're making a lot of progress. This is a tension that lots of graduate students deal with during their graduate careers.

Do you have any tips for post-graduation job placement success?

Art history : Start insanely early and build your resume with publications and speaking engagements. Go to all relevant conferences and network as much as possible.
Bioengineering : Your advisor plays a key role in your post-graduation job placement success, especially if your goal is to land a job in academia. Often the only difference between the candidate who gets the job and the one who doesn't is that the hiring committee knows the successful candidate (or his or her pedigree) better than the other. For this reason it is so important for your advisor to help get your name out to his or her colleagues and create a "buzz." Of course, at the end of the day, you have to prove there is substance behind the hype.
Computer science : It's important to have publications at the big conferences and to meet influential people in your field.
Sociology : I would say it's very important for you to work on your public speaking skills well before you go into the job market. A brilliant idea presented poorly is not going to get you a job in a tight market, especially at departments that see junior faculty members as potential teachers of introductory courses that need to attract undergraduate majors.

What are non-academic careers that graduates of your program pursue?

Art history : Museums, commercial galleries, and publishers (of art criticism or other subject matter) offer the primary career alternatives. However, an MA rather than a PhD would suffice for these. There is no point in writing a dissertation if you do not want to teach and research at the university level.
Bioengineering : The biotechnology sector is rapidly expanding, providing many opportunities in industry for PhD graduates.
Computer science : Research labs (e.g., Sun, IBM) are a frequent target.
Religious studies : Graduates of my program who haven't gone into academics have ended up at NGOs, working for the CIA, and as translators for various organizations, most of them religious.
Sociology : I can't think of any good specific examples at the moment, but I know of people considering jobs in think-tanks, politics (campaigns, Congressional staff positions, elected positions), government work (the Census Bureau), and even marketing and consulting jobs.

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Research Scholarships

What is the difference between PhD Scholar and research Scholar?

PhD Scholar and research scholar are two terms that are often used interchangeably but they refer to different academic positions. PhD is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, whereas a research scholar is an individual who conducts research, usually at the graduate or postgraduate level.

PhD scholars are students who are enrolled in a doctoral program and are working towards earning their degree. They are expected to complete coursework, pass exams, and conduct original research to contribute new knowledge to their respective fields. Typically, a PhD program takes 3-5 years to complete, and students are required to defend their dissertation to earn their degree.

On the other hand, research scholars are individuals who have already completed their studies and possess a higher degree, such as a master’s or a PhD. They are engaged in research projects that align with their interests and the needs of their organization or funding body, which could be within an academic institution or a research organization. Research scholars are not typically enrolled in a degree program and may be employed by the institution where they conduct their research or may be on a fellowship or grant.

While both positions involve conducting research, the primary difference between a PhD scholar and a research scholar is that the former is a student pursuing a degree whereas the latter is an experienced researcher who has completed their studies. PhD scholars are expected to contribute original research to their respective fields as part of their degree requirements, whereas research scholars may be working on research projects for a variety of reasons, such as advancing a field, informing policymaking, or addressing societal challenges.

In summary, while PhD scholars and research scholars are both involved in research, they differ in their academic standing and focus. PhD scholars are students working towards earning a degree and conducting original research as part of their program, whereas research scholars have usually completed their formal education and are engaged in research projects on a more independent basis.

A PhD scholar and a research scholar are both involved in the academic pursuit of research. However, there are some notable differences between the two.

A PhD scholar is an individual who is pursuing a doctoral degree, typically in a specific field of study. In order to obtain a PhD, the student must conduct original research, make a significant contribution to the field, and defend their thesis or dissertation before a panel of experts. The PhD program typically entails coursework, exams, and a research dissertation. Upon successful completion of the program, the individual is awarded the title of Doctor of Philosophy.

On the other hand, a research scholar is an individual who is engaged in research in a particular field, but is not necessarily pursuing a doctoral degree. This may refer to a person who is working as a postdoctoral researcher, a visiting scholar, or a research assistant. Research scholars may work on specific projects under the guidance of a lead researcher or a principal investigator. They may be involved in data analysis, literature reviews, experimental design, and other aspects of research.

While both PhD scholars and research scholars are engaged in research, the PhD program is typically more rigorous and takes a longer time to complete. Additionally, a PhD degree is often a prerequisite for certain academic and research positions. Research scholars, on the other hand, may be employed in various research roles without necessarily possessing a PhD degree.

In conclusion, the difference between a PhD scholar and a research scholar lies primarily in their level of academic attainment and the depth of their involvement in research. While a PhD scholar is focused on attaining a doctoral degree through rigorous coursework and original research, a research scholar may be involved in research in various capacities without necessarily pursuing a PhD degree.

PhD Scholar and Research Scholar are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but there are significant differences between the two. A PhD Scholar is a student pursuing a Doctorate in Philosophy degree, a high level of education typically attained after completing a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree program. In contrast, a Research Scholar is an individual who is conducting research for academic purposes, without necessarily being enrolled in a PhD program.

One of the primary differences between the two is the level of education and training that is required. PhD Scholars have to complete a rigorous and comprehensive course of study, including coursework and research, to attain a doctoral degree. This education and training equip them with the knowledge, skills, and expertise to independently carry out research and contribute original knowledge in their respective fields.

On the other hand, Research Scholars are typically individuals who have already completed their higher education degrees and may have already obtained their PhDs. Research Scholars have significant experience in their area of research, but they may not necessarily have received formal training in research methodology and techniques like PhD Scholars. They may also not have the same level of access to resources and facilities that are available to PhD Scholars, such as laboratories and specialized equipment.

Another difference between PhD Scholars and Research Scholars is the scope of their research. PhD Scholars are required to focus their research on a particular area within their field, but they are expected to delve deeply into that area and make a significant contribution to the existing knowledge base. Research Scholars, on the other hand, may have a broader scope of research, as they may be conducting research in a variety of areas within their field.

In summary, while both PhD Scholars and Research Scholars are involved in research, the former is a student pursuing a degree, typically with formal training in research techniques, while the latter refers to anyone who is engaged in research in an academic setting. While there is some overlap between the two, PhD Scholars are typically expected to make a more significant contribution to their field, both in terms of original research and the dissemination of knowledge.

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13 November 2019

The mental health of PhD researchers demands urgent attention

You have full access to this article via your institution.

Frank B. Gilbreth motion study photographs of a typist and lab-worker

Performance management — captured here in photographs from Frank Gilbreth — has long contributed to ill health in researchers. Credit: Kheel Centre

Two years ago, a student responding to Nature ’s biennial PhD survey called on universities to provide a quiet room for “crying time” when the pressures caused by graduate study become overwhelming. At that time , 29% of 5,700 respondents listed their mental health as an area of concern — and just under half of those had sought help for anxiety or depression caused by their PhD study.

Things seem to be getting worse.

Respondents to our latest survey of 6,300 graduate students from around the world, published this week, revealed that 71% are generally satisfied with their experience of research, but that some 36% had sought help for anxiety or depression related to their PhD.

These findings echo those of a survey of 50,000 graduate students in the United Kingdom also published this week. Respondents to this survey, carried out by Advance HE, a higher-education management training organization based in York, UK, were similarly positive about their research experiences, but 86% report marked levels of anxiety — a much higher percentage than in the general population. Similar data helped to prompt the first international conference dedicated to the mental health and well-being of early-career researchers in May. Tellingly, the event sold out .

How can graduate students be both broadly satisfied, but also — and increasingly — unwell? One clue can be found elsewhere in our survey. One-fifth of respondents reported being bullied; and one-fifth also reported experiencing harassment or discrimination.

Could universities be taking more effective action? Undoubtedly. Are they? Not enough. Of the respondents who reported concerns, one-quarter said that their institution had provided support, but one-third said that they had had to seek help elsewhere.

There’s another, and probably overarching, reason for otherwise satisfied students to be stressed to the point of ill health. Increasingly, in many countries, career success is gauge by a spectrum of measurements that include publications, citations, funding, contributions to conferences and, now, whether a person’s research has a positive impact on people, the economy or the environment. Early-career jobs tend to be precarious. To progress, a researcher needs to be hitting the right notes in regard to the measures listed above in addition to learning the nuts and bolts of their research topics — concerns articulated in a series of columns and blog posts from the research community published last month.

Most students embark on a PhD as the foundation of an academic career. They choose such careers partly because of the freedom and autonomy to discover and invent. But problems can arise when autonomy in such matters is reduced or removed — which is what happens when targets for funding, impact and publications become part of universities’ formal monitoring and evaluation systems. Moreover, when a student’s supervisor is also the judge of their success or failure, it’s no surprise that many students feel unable to open up to them about vulnerabilities or mental-health concerns.

The solution to this emerging crisis does not lie solely in institutions doing more to provide on-campus mental-health support and more training for supervisors — essential though such actions are. It also lies in recognizing that mental ill-health is, at least in part, a consequence of an excessive focus on measuring performance — something that funders, academic institutions, journals and publishers must all take responsibility for.

Much has been written about how to overhaul the system and find a better way to define success in research, including promoting the many non-academic careers that are open to researchers. But on the ground, the truth is that the system is making young people ill and they need our help. The research community needs to be protecting and empowering the next generation of researchers. Without systemic change to research cultures, we will otherwise drive them away.

Nature 575 , 257-258 (2019)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-019-03489-1

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What Does 'PhD' Stand For?

A PhD is a terminal academic degree students typically pursue when they're interested in an academic or research career.

[Featured Image] A PhD student works on his laptop while listening to over-the-ear headphones.

A PhD is the highest possible academic degree a student can obtain. PhD stands for “Doctor of Philosophy,” which refers to the immense knowledge a student gains when earning the degree. While you can actually get a PhD in philosophy, "Doctor of Philosophy" doesn't always refer to someone who has a terminal degree in that discipline. You can get a PhD in a number of fields, such as science or economics, and the word "Philosophy," translated from original Greek to mean "lover of wisdom," can refer to the degree holder's dedication to understanding a subject.

Students typically pursue a PhD when they're interested in an academic or research career—or if they want to take their education as far as it can go.

This article goes beyond the definition of a PhD, and touches on important information you’ll need to know about the degree, so you can decide whether pursuing one is the best choice for you.

What is a PhD?

A PhD is an academic degree that combines general knowledge of a field with specific mastery of an area of subtopic within that field. For example, earning your PhD in political science means you have a general foundation of the field, but likely also specialize in a more focused area, such as American or comparative politics, or political economy.

PhDs—also known as doctorates—are terminal degrees , meaning they are the highest level of degree that you can achieve in certain fields, such as cognitive psychology, mathematics, English, economics, evolutionary biology, and public health.

What does it take to earn a PHD?

PhD programs typically require you to complete advanced coursework, comprehensive exams that test your knowledge of your particular field of study, and a dissertation (or original body of research). The specific requirements will differ by program or university.

How long does a PhD take?

Your PhD studies can take between four and seven years to complete, though it often depends on your field and other commitments. For example, it typically takes less than seven years to earn an engineering PhD, while it can take up to 12 years to earn an education PhD. Writing a dissertation is often credited with adding to the length of time it takes to complete a PhD program. In addition, some doctoral students may be working full-time or raising families while completing degree requirements, and thus may need additional time in their programs.

Learn more: How Long Does It Take to Get a PhD?

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Getting a PhD: what to know

If you're considering getting a PhD, there are some important aspects of doctoral degrees you'll need to know.

To apply for PhD programs, you'll need to provide academic transcripts from your prior education, samples of your academic writing and research, and letters of recommendation from former professors. You will likely also need to write a personal statement that details your academic and professional goals, research interests, why you are applying to a particular program, relevant skills and experience, and strengths.

Before applying, it's a good idea to research different education institutions to get an idea of their reputation, faculty achievements, mission statements, and the kinds of jobs former graduate students have gotten upon completing.

Once enrolled in a doctoral program, expect to complete advanced study in your field. This will likely entail two years of coursework, conducting original research into a specific topic, navigating the world of academic publishing, and working closely with faculty to prepare for an academic or research-based career.

Successful completion of a PhD program typically requires that you write a dissertation or conduct a significant research project on a specific topic related to your field. Most programs have students go through an oral defense to demonstrate mastery of the dissertation topic and describe its contribution to the field.

PhDs vs. other terminal degrees

A PhD is not the only kind of terminal degree you can earn. In fact, there are two other types of terminal degrees that tend to be more career focused.

Professional doctorates

PhDs and professional doctorates are similar in that they are both the most advanced academic degrees you can earn, but a PhD requires a dissertation and a professional doctorate requires a doctoral study.

PhDs are focused on producing original research, whereas professional doctorates typically have some professional experience they apply toward researching a solution to a practical problem. If you have significant experience in a professional field, such as business administration or public health, you might choose to pursue a professional doctorate because you can use your knowledge and expertise in more concrete ways.

Professional degrees

A professional degree is the PhD equivalent for certain professions, like for a medical doctor, dentist, or lawyer. Whereas a PhD tends to promote a historical and theoretical education, a professional degree emphasizes a practical education because it’s designed for you to begin working in medicine or law after you graduate and pass additional licensing requirements.

Did you know?

Honorary degrees at the PhD level are conferred upon people who've made significant contributions to a field or society at large. An "honorary" degree refers to an academic award that distinguished individuals can receive from an academic institution without having to complete the usual requirements of the degree. Here are some celebrity examples:

Meryl Streep has received honorary PhDs from Harvard, Yale, Princeton, and the University of Indiana at Bloomington for her cinematic achievements.

Oprah Winfrey has received honorary PhDs from Princeton, Howard University, Duke University, and Harvard for her philanthropic and business achievements.

John Legend has received honorary Doctorate of Music from the University of Pennsylvania and an honorary doctorate from Howard University.

Education requirements for a PhD

Obtaining your PhD requires earning your bachelor’s degree and likely your master’s degree before you can begin applying to doctorate programs. However, there are some programs that combine the master’s degree with the PhD so that you spend less time earning both and can begin once you finish your bachelor’s degree.

Let's look at the two most important degrees you’ll need to complete before you can begin pursuing your PhD.

Bachelor’s degree

You will need to earn a bachelor’s degree before pursuing more advanced degrees, like a master’s or PhD. You don’t have to choose a major related to your eventual doctorate, though it can help to pick a complementary subject so you have a strong foundation before taking higher-level coursework. For example, if you want to obtain a PhD in economics, then it might help to major in economics, finance, business, or even political science as an undergraduate.

While graduate programs don’t always expect applicants to have studied the same field as the one they’re applying to, you will need to explain your interest in the field of your potential graduate work and have some knowledge about what you want to study within it. Aligning your undergraduate and graduate focuses may also help you move through your graduate coursework faster.

Learn more: How to Get a Bachelor’s Degree

Master’s degree

A master’s degree is an advanced degree you can pursue after earning your undergraduate degree. PhD programs typically require a master’s before admitting you, though as we noted above, some programs may combine degree tracks to decrease the amount of time to completion.

Master’s degrees take between one and three years to finish , depending on whether you’re able to attend part-time or full-time. Master’s degrees enhance your level of expertise in your field, and you can pursue many higher-level careers with the credential—or continue with your education and apply to PhD programs.

Learn more: Is a Master’s Degree Worth It?

4 benefits of a PhD

There are a number of reasons why you might want to pursue your PhD. Let’s hone in on four of them:

1. Become an expert.

People who obtain PhDs have the highest possible education in their field. As such, they're often considered to be genuine experts in that subject matter. You may feel a tremendous amount of personal satisfaction from having achieved this level of mastery.

2. Contribute original research.

Adding to the knowledge of a particular field is no small feat. When you write your dissertation, you will have the opportunity to make a valuable original contribution that either expands people’s understanding of a subject or brings an entirely new perspective to it.

3. Broaden your job opportunities.

Earning a PhD could qualify you to work in academia or research, but it may also increase your qualifications—or help you stand out—for jobs that do not necessarily require a PhD. Holding a PhD may convey to employers that you’re knowledgeable, hardworking, and disciplined because of what it takes to earn the degree.

4. Increase your salary potential.

On average, people with PhDs can potentially make more than those with undergraduate degrees, depending on your profession. The median weekly earnings of a person with a PhD in the United States is $1,885 compared to $1,305 for bachelor's degree holders [ 1 ]. A doctorate can also lead to higher lifetime earnings. A bachelor’s degree graduate will earn an average of $2.2 million over their lifetime, but PhD graduates earn an average of $4 million over their lifetimes [ 2 ].

Careers that typically require a PhD

A PhD is an academic credential necessary to teach at the university level or conduct high-level research in a number of fields, such as the life and social sciences. The following careers typically require a doctorate:

Research associate

Research scientist

Assistant professor

Dean of students

Careers where a PhD may help you advance

While the careers listed below generally require a master’s degree, earning your PhD may help you qualify for more advanced roles within the profession—or help you develop more specialized knowledge to succeed in your career.

Anthropologist

Statistician

Political scientist

Psychologist

Explore further

If you're contemplating getting your PhD and have not yet earned your master’s, explore a number of master’s degree options from prestigious universities in high-growth fields, such as computer science , business , management , or public health. Work toward your degree at your own pace from anywhere with an internet connection.

Article sources

US Bureau of Labor Statistics.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. “ Education Pays, 2020 : Career Outlook , https://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/2021/data-on-display/education-pays.htm." Accessed August 4, 2023.

Site Selection Magazine. " Education Level Is Only One Part of the Lifetime Earnings Picture , https://siteselection.com/cc/workforce/2022/education-level-is-only-one-part-of-the-lifetime-earnings-picture.cfm." Accessed August 4, 2023.

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Research Scholar Initiative

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Research scholars work with a Harvard faculty member as a research assistant and participate in professional development seminars. Research scholars are considered full-time, non-degree-seeking students and register each term as special students. In addition, scholars may take undergraduate and/or graduate coursework in preparation for doctoral studies. While Harvard Griffin GSAS cannot guarantee admission to Harvard or peer doctoral programs, the goal of the initiative is to enhance scholars’ competitiveness when applying to a doctoral program. We mainly accept students from disciplines in the life sciences (including neuroscience and engineering), classics, and, in some years, economics. We may accept applicants from other disciplines on a case-by-case basis, but these slots are not always guaranteed.

The Research Scholar Initiative (RSI) strongly encourages applications from students from groups underrepresented in the academy.

Admissions decisions are made in March and April, and the program begins in July. Only US citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply.

To express your interest in RSI, please fill out this short interest form .

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What Is A PhD Student? A Definition

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All PhD students are conducting some sort of research and many of them will be also teaching and assisting in their departments. Very few PhDs are completed on a part-time basis, so most PhD students are studying on a full-time basis. PhD students have often been getting ready to embark on their doctoral studies for a very long time. While many of them may have taken up paid research positions, but this is not always the case so searching for funding is an on going activity for some PhD students.

Here we take a look at many of the factors that make up what a PhD student actually is...

They're quite mature...

PhD students are all mature students , as they have already completed undergraduate and postgraduate degrees already. Most PhD students will have done a masters in preparation for starting a PhD , this is often an MPhil or a Masters by Research . All of this previous study means that PhD students have strong study skills and have spent time building academic qualifications in the lead up to their PhD. Many students go straight through an undergraduate and masters level to a PhD, but many other students have already started working, and their PhD is a way to grow an already established career.

Our PhD bursary winner & funding opportunity

Mohammad Abdollahi is a 35-year-old Iranian student studying a PhD in Operational Research at the University of Essex. He was delighted when he found out he’d been awarded a Postgrad Solutions Study Bursary worth £500. As an international student coming to the UK with his wife and two children, it has proved to be an invaluable funding resource as he explains. “It was good news and exciting – I was overwhelmed with joy!”

PhD students are always researching

PhDs are all research degrees and most students who are embarking on a PhD have already completed some form of research. The research comes in many forms, such as scientific, sociological, archaeological, medical or historical and this research guided by their PhD supervisor . This is one of the most important relationships during a PhD as it is their guidance that shapes a PhD student's thesis .

Many PhD students are teaching

Many PhD students will supplement their income by teaching or working as assistants in their department or work at the university. In some institutions it is expected that PhD students will do this and in other universities it is an optional extra that is not required. Teaching responsibilities may include assisting with lectures or tutorials and helping with undergraduate supervision.

They are mostly full-time students

This can be one of the big attractions for some undergraduates when they see PhD students still living a student lifestyle. However, most PhD students would not think that their lifestyles are something to aim for and the academic work they need to do does take up most of their time. The vast majority of PhD students are full-time and part-time PhD students find it difficult to maintain their studies over the six to eight years it may take to complete their research. They are, however, often very passionate about their studies.

Some of them are getting paid to study

PhD students select their topic for research in one of two ways. They might decide on their research topic and then find a PhD supervisor or they may apply for one of the many advertised research positions. Searching for a supervisor can be a difficult route, especially if you change institutions between your masters and your PhD. Using the network of contacts you have built up during your previous studies or career is the key to finding a supervisor. The advantage of the second route is that the funding for the research is already in place and the student will receive a stipend as well.

PhD students do worry about funding

Getting funding in place is a major worry for a large proportion of PhD students and it is often the case that many students start their PhDs without full funding in place. This is often why students might start on a part-time basis. PhD funding can come from a huge range of sources including the government , grants and scholarships and most students begin their search with their university department.

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Scholar vs Student: Difference Between A Student And A Scholar In Higher Education

In universities especially, we may regularly hear the term students and scholars used, sometimes interchangeably. Are they similar, of theres actually differences between the two?

A student is an individual who are learning a field of knowledge of their choice, usually enrolled as a learner in a school or university. A scholar contributes to the field of knowledge with original research. They have expertise in a particular field of study.

In this post, we unravel the distinct paths and roles of students and scholars in the academic world, specifically at how their goals, responsibilities, and levels of engagement with the academic community diverge and evolve.

Key Differences Between Students And Scholars

Students, especially undergraduates, are typically in the process of acquiring foundational knowledge in a particular field. Their focus is more on learning the basics and broad concepts of their chosen subjects.

A scholar, however shifts from learning to actual research. You’ll conduct research, aiming to make significant research contributions using the expertise at hand.

The transition is marked by your first publication or conference presentation, a moment where you shift from consuming knowledge to creating it.

Scholars in academia don’t just pursue knowledge; they aim to advance it. They publish papers in journals, adding to the academic work in their area of specialisation. Their educational journey culminates in a:

Dissertation,
Research paper, or
a piece of original, significant research

that demonstrates mastery and the ability to implement effective research methodologies.

Role In Generating Knowledge

As a student, your role is to learn, absorb, and understand the vast sea of knowledge that exists. This is usually a task reserved for undergraduates.

Their aim is to build a solid foundation, often under the guidance of faculty mentors such as their lecturers and professors.

At this stage, they may be assisting in generating knowledge, but are not expected to lead the any research. This could be done as a research assistant, etc.

As a scholar, you’re on the frontier of creating new knowledge. Imagine a Masters, Ph.D. graduate, or a Post-Doc conducting groundbreaking research. They:

publish findings,
present at conferences, and
contribute to academic journals.

Their work doesn’t just demonstrate mastery; it advances the field. Scholars often engage in significant research, shaping new theories and methodologies. Their findings also adds depth to the existing field of knowledge.

Engagement with The Academic World

As a student, especially as undergrad, your engagement is largely focused on learning and absorbing knowledge.

You attend lectures, participate in seminars, and engage in discussions. Your role is to develop a deep understanding of your subject, often under the guidance of faculty. The goal here is to build a foundation for your future academic or professional journey.

For scholars, the engagement is more about contribution and leadership in academia. Think of a Ph.D. graduate or a academic researcher.

They’re not just consuming knowledge; they’re creating it. They publish papers, present their findings at conferences, and often lead discussions in their area of specialisation.

Their interaction with the academic community is about advancing the field, whether through significant research or contributing new theories and methodologies.

The transition from student to scholar is like moving from an observer to an influencer in the academic world. You go from learning and understanding to actively shaping and contributing to your field.

This evolution is crucial in academia, where ongoing dialogue and innovation drive progress.

Independence & Autonomy

Typically, as an undergraduate student, you’re typically navigating a structured path. Your journey is guided and determined by a curriculum, with clear learning objectives and regular evaluations.

You’re learning the ropes, under the watchful eye of faculty and supervisors. Your tasks are often outlined for you, whether it’s:

attending classes,
completing assignments, or
preparing for exams.

Completing these tasks shows your knowledge and grasp of the field of knowledge, and allow the university to reward you a Bachelor’s Degree in most cases.

A scholar however, has a contrasting experience. Here, autonomy is key. Scholars:

choose their area of research,
develop their methodology, and
pursue their unique academic interests.

They’re not just following a set path; they’re creating their own. This freedom allows them to delve deeply into their chosen area, contribute original ideas, and advance the field. Their work often culminates in the publication of papers and presentations at conferences.

This shift from a structured learning environment to one where you’re steering your own academic ship is profound. It marks the transition from student to scholar, from following to leading in your field.

Long Term Goals & Career Path

When it comes to long-term goals and career paths, students and scholars in higher education have different focuses. As a student, your immediate goal is often the completion of your assignment, dissertation, or postgraduate thesis. You’re focused on:

developing research skills,
gaining knowledge in your chosen area, and
demonstrating your competency through academic work like papers and presentations.

Here, graduates can choose between joining the industry, or staying in academia, and becoming a scholar.

As a scholar however, the path takes a different shape. Ph.D. graduates often aim for roles in academia or research where they can continue to conduct significant research and contribute to their field.

They might target positions in universities or research institutions, where they can implement their expertise, advance theories, and contribute to the scientific community. Many will continue in the field, eventually gaining tenure, and professorship.

Scholar vs Student

The journey from a student to a scholar in higher education is marked by significant transitions in roles, responsibilities, and contributions to academia. While students focus on absorbing knowledge and developing foundational skills, scholars engage in creating and advancing new ideas.

Understanding these differences highlights the dynamic and evolving nature of academic growth, shaping individuals’ paths in the vast and varied landscape of higher education.

Dr Andrew Stapleton has a Masters and PhD in Chemistry from the UK and Australia. He has many years of research experience and has worked as a Postdoctoral Fellow and Associate at a number of Universities. Although having secured funding for his own research, he left academia to help others with his YouTube channel all about the inner workings of academia and how to make it work for you.

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Feature Article

Research Culture: Highlighting the positive aspects of being a PhD student

Elena Angulo
Elsa Bonnaud
Loreleï Guéry
Eléna Manfrini
Anna Turbelin
Céline Albert
Franck Courchamp
Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, France ;
Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Spain ;
UMR Plant Health Institute of Montpellier, CIRAD and INRAE, France ;
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Germany ;
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, United States ;
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Camille Bernery
Léo Lusardi
Clara Marino
Martin Philippe-Lesaffre
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Introduction

Three benefits of doing a phd, recommendations, data availability, article and author information.

Articles about doing a PhD tend to focus on the difficulties faced by research students. Here we argue that the scientific community should also highlight the positive elements of the PhD experience.

Doing a PhD can be both demanding and rewarding. In addition to overcoming the scientific and intellectual challenges involved in doing original research, a PhD student may also have to deal with financial difficulties, an unhealthy work-life balance, or resulting concerns about their mental health ( Woolston, 2017 ; Auerbach et al., 2018 ; Oswalt et al., 2020 ; Evans et al., 2018 ). Despite all this, most PhD students seem satisfied with their decision to do a PhD, mostly because they work in stimulating environments with a high degree of independence and good supervision ( Pommier et al., 2022 ; Woolston, 2017 ).

Paradoxically, however, the fact that most PhD students are positive about doing a PhD is not always apparent to the outside world. For example, the present authors recently analysed more than 90,000 tweets about the PhD experience: almost half of the tweets were positive, and less than a sixth were negative, yet the negative tweets received more likes and retweets ( Figure 1 ). What can be done to counter such misleading and negative impressions? In this article we – a group of PhD students, postdocs and permanent academics – highlight the positive elements of doing a PhD in order to present a more balanced view of the whole PhD experience. We also make recommendations to maintain a positive momentum throughout the PhD. Although these ideas and recommendations are based on our experiences as researchers in ecology working in Europe, we feel that most of the points we make also apply in other disciplines and places.

Sentiment analysis of tweets about the PhD experience.

We retrieved all tweets posted in the English language during 12 consecutive weeks, from September to December 2021, that contained any of the following six hashtags: #phdlife, #phdspeaks, #phdvoice, #phdchat, #phdtips, #phdstudent. We then measured the sentiment (positive, negative or neutral) associated with each original tweet (excluding retweets). Of the 91 229 tweets we retrieved, 43,941 were positive, 12,298 were negative, and 34,990 were neutral. Mann-Whitney U tests were performed to compare the average number of likes and retweets of positive versus negative tweets. Negative tweets received significantly more likes than positive tweets (14.5 vs 12.3; P <0.001); negative tweets were also retweeted more than positive tweets but the difference was not significant (1.7 vs 1.5; P =0.383). The Twitter API and the “rtweet” R package ( cran.r-project.org/web/packages/rtweet/vignettes/intro.html ) were used to retrieve the tweets; the “syuzhet” R package ( rdrr.io/cran/syuzhet/ ) and the Bing lexicon ( Liu, 2012 ) were used for the sentiment analysis; all analyses were performed with R software ( R Development Core Team, 2021 ).

There are two primary outputs from a PhD: new skills and expertise for the graduate, and new knowledge for the wider world. In this article we focus on the former and discuss the three main benefits of doing a PhD for the individual: (i) the development of specific skills to become an expert; (ii) the ability to work in a collaborative environment; (iii) improved communication skills while sharing knowledge ( Figure 2 ). For each of these benefits we discuss both general aspects that apply to most doctoral students, and specific aspects that depend on the student’s supervisor, field of research, location and other factors.

The positive aspects of doing a PhD.

The three primary benefits of doing a PhD are acquiring expertise (pink circle), learning to work in a collaborative environment (blue), and developing communication skills for sharing knowledge (yellow). For each benefit, general aspects that apply to almost all doctoral students are shown in bold type in the small circle, and specific aspects that depend on, for example, the student’s supervisor or field of research are shown in plain type in the large circle. The large grey area contains more abstract and subjective ideas that are not discussed in the main text. It should be noted that this figure is conceptual, and that the aspects and ideas in it could be grouped in other, equally valid, ways.

Becoming an expert

Throughout a doctoral project, a PhD student will develop many of the skills needed to grow into an independent researcher, while also developing expertise in a given field. In addition to learning a great deal about their own field – and adding knowledge to it – a PhD student will learn how to perform a variety of tasks, and thus acquire new transferable skills. These will include autonomy, critical thinking, organization and planning, resilience, and the ability to design, lead and carry out projects. Furthermore, unlike postdocs and principal investigators, who have to carry out various management and administrative tasks, PhD students are usually free to dedicate their working hours almost exclusively to academic pursuits that they are (or can become) passionate about. This freedom is one of the aspects that make the PhD experience unique, and it should not be overlooked or taken for granted. Unfortunately, not all PhD students benefit from or are aware of such autonomy, but this ought to be an objective for all PhDs.

A PhD does not consist of a number of uneventful years that culminate in a single success. Rather, there are many steps along the way – such as mastering a technique, completing a series of experiments or activities in the field, or finishing the first draft of a manuscript – and the feeling of accomplishment that comes with each completed milestone should be a source of pride to the student.

Working in a collaborative environment

Learning how to work with other researchers is an important part of getting a PhD. The PhD student’s most important working relationship is with their supervisor (or, in some cases, supervisors), but most PhD students will also have the opportunity to collaborate with other members of their research group or lab, or even with researchers from the wider community. Working on other projects from time to time can help the student’s own project through increased productivity and creativity; moreover, it can strengthen lab cohesion, and might even lead to the student being a co-author on a paper. Additionally, supervising undergraduate students – or even new graduate students – is a good way of acquiring management skills.

Conferences are another way to meet and interact with other researchers. In particular, they are an opportunity to discover, discuss and be inspired by the work of other scientists. Conversations at conferences can generate new research questions or ideas for new and improved ways to tackle existing questions. Moreover, presenting results at a conference gives students a chance to receive feedback, to be recognized as active researchers by their peers, and to build a professional network.

Collaboration also can happen through the many virtual communities that PhD students can join for technical, scientific or moral support. For example, the Global PhD Server enables doctoral students to discuss their experience, exchange anecdotes, and offer or seek help. The @PhDForum supports a variety of activities, such as writing sessions for PhD students working on papers or chapters of their thesis, while Stack Overflow is a good place to offer/seek help with coding and statistics.

Developing communication skills

The ability to communicate results is a crucial skill for any researcher. A PhD student will, for example, be required to present their work to other scientists as talks or posters at meetings and conferences. The student will also start learning how to write a scientific article. Moreover, there are many opportunities for PhD students to share their passion and knowledge about their field, such as teaching and mentoring undergraduates and other graduate students. They can also get involved in public outreach, and contribute to awakening new passions or educating citizens on certain topics.

Along the PhD journey, neither the doctoral student nor the supervisor will have full control over what will happen. Some things will go wrong, which is why it is important to remain positive and try to make the most of what is a unique opportunity. Ways for the student to remain positive include going back to old pages in their laboratory notebook to see how much progress has been made, and keeping a note of all the positive feedback from different people. It is also important to remember that one does not become a PhD student by chance – being accepted to do a PhD is an achievement in itself. Additionally, sharing preliminary results with other members of the group and attending social events of a lab can build a supportive working atmosphere and help students to stay positive.

Focusing only on research can sometimes be exhausting, so spending time on other activities – such as supervising students, teaching, or working on outreach – can break the monotony and generate a sense of progress. Finally, it is important to celebrate achievements, such as a first draft, an accepted paper, a conference presentation or the submission of a grant proposal (and, obviously, a successful grant proposal). These achievements can be celebrated in the real world, on social media – or both! By regularly highlighting positive outcomes, it is easier to recognise that past difficulties have been overcome, that progress has been made, and that expertise, skills and knowledge have been gained.

In parallel, it is important to try to limit the impact of the negative aspects of the PhD experience, for they are real and various, and can be crushing if left unchecked. First, it is essential to contextualize them. For example, bear in mind that failure is an integral part of progress, and is often just a temporary setback as opposed to a defeat. This is especially true when a manuscript is rejected by a journal: viewing the rejection as an opportunity to improve the manuscript, and acknowledging that the reviewer reports are about the science, not the authors, can help reframe rejections in a positive light. After all, even the most distinguished researchers have experienced rejection many times. Moreover, as highlighted above, science is a collective adventure, and one is rarely alone when help is sought out. In this regard, talking about the challenges one encounters during a PhD with other students or researchers can also help put these challenges into perspective and to see the positive aspects.

The relationship between the PhD student and their supervisor will likely have a big influence on the PhD experience. However, it is important to recognize that this relationship works both ways, and both stand to benefit if it works well. Among other things, the PhD students can help their own cause by being clear on the type of feedback they want, or by scheduling regular meetings focused on their PhD – and persisting even if their supervisor is busy ( Kearns and Gardiner, 2011 ).

We would also encourage supervisors to be positive in their interactions with their PhD students, and to build a global productive environment that could benefit the PhD student ( Andreev et al., 2022 ). Supervisors could, for example, praise PhD students when the opportunity arises, and ensure that criticism is always constructive – and also encourage other members of their lab to do the same.

PhD students may also face challenges that cannot be overcome with positive thinking. Abusive behaviours such as bullying, harassment or discrimination should be reported to the relevant authorities immediately.

Some PhD students will also be anxious about their future job prospects, especially if they hope to remain in academic research. One way to help reduce such anxiety is to clarify life/career goals and identify the steps needed to reach them. For example, if the student makes a list of all potential funding opportunities (including deadlines) at the start of their last year, it will help them plan for the future and relieve some of the pressure that will build up towards the end of their PhD. Building a professional network can also help with career planning, and attending conferences and establishing collaborations are crucial in this regard.

Finally, if needed, it is entirely acceptable for a PhD student to take a break during their PhD, to refocus on what they really want in life, or to even leave their PhD without finishing it if they realize that it is not for them. However, before making such a decision, we would encourage the student to ask themselves if the doubts they are experiencing are due to a momentary difficulty that will pass, or if a PhD is not really the right career path for them.

Doing a PhD is a unique experience that typically occupies three or more years of someone’s life. Through this experience the student will be enriched by acquiring a range of professional and personal skills, and by gaining a prestigious qualification. In the end, it is in the interest of everyone – the PhD student, the supervisor, their colleagues, their institutions, and academia in general – to make this experience as positive as possible.

All data generated or analysed during this study came from Twitter API and cannot be shared.

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Bruffaerts R
Demyttenaere K
Pinder-Amaker S
Zaslavsky AM
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Author details

Camille Bernery is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Contribution

Contributed equally with, for correspondence, competing interests.

Léo Lusardi is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Clara Marino is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Martin Philippe-Lesaffre is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Elena Angulo is in the Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Sevilla, Spain and the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Elsa Bonnaud is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Loreleï Guéry is in the UMR Plant Health Institute of Montpellier, CIRAD and INRAE, Montpellier, France

Eléna Manfrini is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Anna Turbelin is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Céline Albert is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Ugo Arbieu is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France, the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, and the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, United States

Franck Courchamp is in the Laboratoire Écologie Systématique Évolution, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS and AgroParisTech, Orsay, France

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the internal reviewers (Céline Bellard, Eva Delmas, Christophe Diagne and Xavier Fauvergue) for useful recommendations. Work on this paper began during a lab retreat attended by all co-authors. PhD students were funded by the French Ministry of Higher Education (CB, LL, CM, MPL); postdocs were funded by the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (UA), the Biodiversa ERA-Net AlienScenario project (AT), and the AXA Research Fund Chair for Invasion Biology of University Paris-Saclay (EA, CA, EM); Tenured academics salary were funded by the University Paris-Saclay (EB), the CIRAD (LG) and the CNRS (FC). MPL was also funded as an intern by the ENS Paris-Saclay during part of the project.

Publication history

Received: June 15, 2022
Accepted: July 13, 2022
Version of Record published: July 26, 2022 (version 1)

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Research Article

Do successful PhD outcomes reflect the research environment rather than academic ability?

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Visualization, Writing – original draft

* E-mail: [email protected] , [email protected]

Affiliation Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN), School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Roles Data curation, Formal analysis, Methodology, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Methodology, Resources, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Faculty of Health, Office of Faculty of Health, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia

Daniel L. Belavy,
Patrick J. Owen,
Patricia M. Livingston

Published: August 5, 2020
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327
Peer Review
Reader Comments

Maximising research productivity is a major focus for universities world-wide. Graduate research programs are an important driver of research outputs. Choosing students with the greatest likelihood of success is considered a key part of improving research outcomes. There has been little empirical investigation of what factors drive the outcomes from a student's PhD and whether ranking procedures are effective in student selection. Here we show that, the research environment had a decisive influence: students who conducted research in one of the University's priority research areas and who had experienced, research-intensive, supervisors had significantly better outcomes from their PhD in terms of number of manuscripts published, citations, average impact factor of journals published in, and reduced attrition rates. In contrast, students’ previous academic outcomes and research training was unrelated to outcomes. Furthermore, students who received a scholarship to support their studies generated significantly more publications in higher impact journals, their work was cited more often and they were less likely to withdraw from their PhD. The findings suggest that experienced supervisors researching in a priority research area facilitate PhD student productivity. The findings question the utility of assigning PhD scholarships solely on the basis of student academic merit, once minimum entry requirements are met. Given that citations, publication numbers and publications in higher ranked journals drive university rankings, and that publications from PhD student contribute approximately one-third of all research outputs from universities, strengthening research infrastructure and supervision teams may be more important considerations for maximising the contribution of PhD students to a university’s international standing.

Citation: Belavy DL, Owen PJ, Livingston PM (2020) Do successful PhD outcomes reflect the research environment rather than academic ability? PLoS ONE 15(8): e0236327. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327

Editor: Sergi Lozano, Universitat de Barcelona, SPAIN

Received: October 3, 2019; Accepted: July 3, 2020; Published: August 5, 2020

Copyright: © 2020 Belavy et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License , which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Data Availability: Participants did not give consent for their data to be published in online databanks and data are accessible with appropriate ethical approvals. Interested parties may contact the authors and/or the Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee [email protected] to gain access to the data.

Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.

Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Introduction

A research doctorate degree comprises a process of independent research that produces an original contribution to knowledge [ 1 ]. The Australian Commonwealth Government supports [ 2 ] both domestic and overseas students undertaking research doctorate degrees, known as PhDs. These scholarships, which comprise a stipend for three years, are competitive. For this reason, when students apply for scholarships for their PhD studies, prior academic performance and research training play a key role in deciding whether the applicant receives a scholarship. However, is assigning scholarships predominately on the basis of academic grades and previous research experience effective in determining who will succeed?

A university’s international and national ranking is important for its reputation and marketing to prospective students [ 3 ]. Citation rates, number of publications and impact factor of journals faculty publish in, influence the ranking of a university. The Quacquarelli Symonds University Rank [ 4 ] is weighted 30% by the number of citations per faculty member, the Times Higher Education World Ranking [ 5 ] 30% by the number of citations and 6% by the number of publications per academic, and the Academic Ranking of World Universities [ 6 ] 20% by number of highly cited researchers, 20% by number of papers published in Nature or Science and 20% by the number of publications in total.

PhD students are important drivers of research outputs from universities, with one analysis [ 7 ] showing that one-third of research publications was from doctoral students. It is important to consider to what extent the procedures by which universities select students who go on to produce higher numbers of highly cited publications in high impact journals. We are not aware of any prior research that has examined this topic.

Waldinger [ 8 ] showed that the quality of academic staff (in departments of mathematics at German universities in the 1930s) influenced the likelihood of whether a doctoral student would become a full professor later in their career. Waldinger also showed that the amount of citations the scientific work of a doctoral student received through their entire subsequent scientific career was influenced by the status of their supervisor. Other factors, such as, the reputation of a department [ 9 ], the reputation the group leader [ 10 ], and access to resources and equipment [ 11 ], the number of full-professors on staff [ 12 ] influenced the research output of the academics involved in that group. Less information is available on the impact of student academic ability or prior research training on PhD outcomes: one analysis found that the reputation of a given department was more important for employment outcomes post-PhD than the accomplishments of the student during their studies [ 13 ]. Overall, the evidence available implies that the research environment may have an inordinate impact on the PhD student outcomes (e.g. citations, number of publications, impact factor of journals of those publications).

Here we examine the relationship between information known about applicants and their proposed supervisory teams at the time of scholarship application with the subsequent research outputs, as measured by number of citations, number of publications and the impact of journals of those publications.

Materials and methods

Deakin University Human Research Ethics Committee reviewed this project (2019–191) and found it to be compliant with the Ethical Considerations in Quality Assurance and Evaluation Activities guidelines of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and determined that no further ethics review was required. Consent was not obtained and the data analysed anonymously.

Over a four year period, 2010–2013, 324 PhD scholarship applications were submitted to the Faculty of Health at one university in Australia ( Fig 1 ). In these applications, data were collated on:

the grade the student achieved for their prior research training degree and their rank in this degree (top, middle, bottom third of first class honours or second class honours; or their equivalency to this),
the grade point average achieved in their undergraduate degree (ranked on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 = high distinction grade point average plus prizes awarded, 4 = high distinction grade point average, 3 = distinction, 2 = credit, 1 = pass).
whether the applicant had published in a scientific journal (‘yes’ or ‘no’)
research environment: whether the primary supervisor was located in a strategic research centre or institute within the university (‘yes’ or ‘no’).

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In 2010 to 2013, applications were submitted for PhD scholarships and in July 2018 data on publication outputs and completion of degree were obtained. Overall, 11 students did not enrol in PhD despite an offer with scholarship being made and 37 withdrew from their studies after starting.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.g001

At the time of ranking for scholarships, the review panel scored each application on the basis of their academic merit and the research experience, alignment of the proposed research with the strategic research goals of the Faculty and university, and the experience of the supervisory team (as expressed by prior PhD completions, student progress, external grants, previous student publications, supervisor track record). In July 2018, these scores were reviewed by two independent assessors experienced in the scholarship ranking process and consensus was attained. Subsequent to this, following variables were generated:

quartile of the academic merit scores in which each student was located.
strategic alignment score achieved maximum points (‘yes’ or ‘no’). The presence or absence of a maximum score was taken for this variable as there were few instances of low scores on this criterion and data were skewed to the maximum score.
supervisor team scores achieved maximum points (‘yes’ or ‘no’). The presence or absence of maximum score was taken for this variable as there were few instances of low scores on this criterion and data were skewed to the maximum score.
level of academic appointment of the primary supervisor (lecturer/senior lecturer, associate professor, or full professor)

Data on whether the applicant subsequently enrolled (if ‘no’ they were excluded from further analysis; Fig 1 ), whether they completed their studies (‘yes’ or ‘no’), and whether the student received a scholarship to support his/her study (‘yes’ or ‘no’) obtained from another university database.

The university tracks publication outputs of its faculty and students. In July 2018, these data were obtained to link the number of publications by the student with their primary supervisor, the impact factor of the journals in which these publications appeared, and the number of citations received by the publications in Web of Science by the cut-off data of data access. Publications were matched on the basis of student name and primary supervisor name. If a change of primary supervisor occurred during student candidature, publication matches with the new primary supervisor were included as well. If the student had enrolled in a PhD but achieved no publications within the time-period examined, data were coded as zero publications, zero citations and zero average impact factor. Datasets were merged in using custom written code implemented in the 'R' statistical environment (version 3.4.0 https://www.r-project.org/ ). Where repeat applications were submitted in subsequent years by the same person, only the data available at the first application was used in further analysis. Prior to statistical analysis, all identifying information was removed.

Statistical analyses

All analyses were conducted using Stata statistical software version 15 (College Station TX, USA). Univariate associations between continuous dependent variables (number of publications, number of citations, number of citations per publication, average publication impact factor) and explanatory variables were assessed by the Kruskal-Wallis H test or Mann-Whitney U test (both non-parametric tests), as well as one-way analysis of variance and t-tests (both parametric tests). Univariate associations between withdrawal (yes/no) and independent variables were assessed by penalized maximum likelihood [ 14 , 15 ] logistic regression. We categorised the explanatory variables as follows: student specific factors (student research degree rank, student undergraduate rank, student prior publication, student academic merit), supervisor specific factors (supervisor located in a strategic research centre, supervisor academic level, supervisor team scores achieved maximum points), research topic related factors (strategic alignment score achieved maximum points), and whether a scholarship was awarded. To investigate which variables were more important than others for PhD student outcome metrics, factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) as well as stepwise multiple linear regression models with both forward and backward selection were used to assess the association between the dependent variables and the independent variables. We further conducted factorial ANOVA to assess the association between the dependent variables and independent variables. Stepwise penalized maximum likelihood logistic regression models were used to predict withdrawal from PhD (yes/no) based on independent variables. An adjusted alpha level of 0.10 to enter and 0.20 to remove were used for all step-wise regression models. An alpha-level of 0.05 was adopted for all other statistical tests, including the assessment of the final step-wise regression models.

Primary analyses involved 198 students who enrolled in PhD (61% of 324 applications; Fig 1 ). The descriptive data on the characteristics of the students are shown in Table 1 . In the whole cohort, median (25 th percentile, 75 th percentile) and mean (standard deviation; SD) number of publications were 1.0 (0.0, 3.0) and 2.8 (4.4), impact factor 0.86 (0.00, 2.61) and 1.59 (2.36), citations per publication 0.0 (0.0, 4.5) and 3.5 (7.4) and total citations 0.0 (0.0, 17.0) and 19.6 (49.8). S1 Table presents the stability of the explanatory variables across each year of student applications. The relationship between ranking criteria and PhD student output metrics are shown in Table 2 (non-parametric analyses) and Table 3 (parametric analyses). Findings of both non-parametric and parametric analyses were similar. Non-parametric ( S1 Table ) and parametric ( S2 Table ) effect sizes as well as variability among variables by year of application ( S3 Table ) are reported in the data supplement.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t001

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t002

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t003

Number of publications

On univariate analysis (Tables 2 and 3 , Fig 2 ), primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (non-parametric and parametric both: P≤0.014), supervisory teams who received a maximum score (both: P≤0.014), being awarded a scholarship (both: P<0.001), student academic merit score (non-parametric: P = 0.017, parametric: P = 0.758) were associated with this outcome, but student undergraduate performance (both: P≥0.588), student research training degree outcome (e.g. first-class honours upper band; both: P≥0.262), research topic (both: P≥0.347), primary supervisor academic level (both: P≥0.107) were not.

Data are non-parametric effect sizes (95% confidence interval) for each parameter. See S1 Table for more detail and Tables 2 and 3 for more detail on each parameter. Student academic merit score from scholarship panel ranking showed moderate effect sizes, yet these students received 46% of all scholarships and multivariate analyses showed that receiving a scholarship was more important than the student's academic merit (see Results for more detail). Other markers of student ability and prior research training were unrelated to outcomes from the PhD. The score assigned by the panel to the alignment of the research topic with research priorities was unrelated to outcomes.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.g002

Step-wise regression models ( Table 4 ) showed that receiving a scholarship (P = 0.001), primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (P = 0.018) remained in final model for number of publications, and whilst 'research topic' remained in the final model, it was not significant (P = 0.076). Factorial ANOVA ( S4 Table ) yielded similar results (having a scholarship, supervisory teams who received a maximum score, primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre were associated, but not student related variables).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t004

Number of citations

On univariate analysis (Tables 2 and 3 , Fig 2 ), primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (non-parametric and parametric P both≤0.010), supervisory teams who received a maximum score (both: P≤0.012), being awarded a scholarship (both: P<0.001) were associated with this outcome, but student undergraduate performance (both: P≥0.668), student research training degree outcome (e.g. first-class honours upper band; both: P≥0.237), student academic merit score (both: P≥0.080), research topic (both: P≥0.202), primary supervisor academic level (both: P≥0.482) were not.

Step-wise regression models ( Table 4 ) showed that supervisory team who received a maximum score (P = 0.039) and the receiving a scholarship (P = 0.053), but in this case the scholarship award was not significant. Factorial ANOVA ( S4 Table ) yielded similar results (having a scholarship and supervisory teams who received a maximum score were associated, but not student related variables).

Citations per publications

On univariate analysis (Tables 2 and 3 , Fig 2 ), primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (non-parametric and parametric P both P≤0.009), supervisory teams who received a maximum score (non-parametric: P<0.001, parametric: P = 0.159), being awarded a scholarship (both: P≤0.048) were associated with this outcome, but student undergraduate performance (both: P≥0.640), student research training degree outcome (e.g. first-class honours upper band; both: P≥0.668), student academic merit score (both: P≥0.082), research topic (both: P≥0.185), primary supervisor academic level (both: P≥0.160) were not.

Step-wise regression models ( Table 4 ) showed that primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (P = 0.079) and supervisory team achieving maximum score (P = 0.087) remained in the final model, but neither terms were significant. Factorial ANOVA ( S4 Table ) yielded similar results (having a scholarship and supervisory teams who received a maximum score approached, but did not reach, significance).

Average impact factor

On univariate analysis (Tables 2 and 3 , Fig 2 ), primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (non-parametric and parametric P both P≤0.001), supervisory teams who received a maximum score (both: P≤0.005), being awarded a scholarship (both: P<0.001), student academic merit score (both: P≤0.005), were associated with this outcome, but student undergraduate performance (both: P≥0.077), student research training degree outcome (e.g. first-class honours upper band; both: P≥0.238), research topic (both: P≥0.161), primary supervisor academic level (both: P≥0.125) were not.

Step-wise regression models ( Table 4 ) showed that receiving a scholarship (P<0.001) and primary supervisor being located in a strategic research centre (P = 0.051) remained in the final model, with the latter not achieving statistical significance. Factorial ANOVA ( S4 Table ) yielded similar results (having a scholarship was significant, but supervisor related variables approached, but did not reach, significance; student related variables were not significant).

Drop-out from PhD

Odds ratios for student attrition is shown in Table 1 . Students were more than two times more likely to withdraw from their PhD when the supervisory team did not achieve maximum score (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 2.88[1.39, 5.93], P = 0.004) or a scholarship was not awarded (odds ratio [95% confidence interval] 3.04[1.37, 6.73], P = 0.006). No other independent variables significantly predicted the likelihood of withdrawal.

The final multiple logistic regression model (χ 2 = 13.80, df = 3, P = 0.003) for predicting withdrawal from PhD included maximum supervisory team score (OR = 3.29, P = 0.013; i.e. lower risk of withdrawal when the supervisor score was maximum), student undergraduate degree grades (OR = 0.58, P = 0.047; i.e. reduced risk for each GPA rank lower) and receiving a scholarship (OR = 2.30, P = 0.090; i.e. lower risk when scholarship received), albeit the latter was not significant.

Associations between explanatory variables

Students in the highest quartile of academic merit received the most (42%) of all scholarships awarded. Of those in the highest quartile of academic merit, 79% received scholarships, compared to 62% in the second quartile, 20% in the third quartile and 22% in the lowest quartile.

Students who received a scholarship were more often supervised by strong supervisory teams (χ 2 = 9.346, P = 0.002; Table 5 ) and by supervisors who were located in a strategic research centre (χ 2 = 8.225, P = 0.004; Table 5 ). Supervisors who were in a strategic research centre were more likely to attract students in the highest quartile of academic merit (χ 2 = 3.899, P = 0.048; Table 6 ). Supervisory teams who received a maximum score were more likely to attract students in the highest quartile of academic merit (χ 2 = 10.147, P = 0.001; Table 6 ).

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t005

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.t006

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first analysis of PhD student outcomes in relation to their research environment, their academic abilities and prior research training. The key finding was that the 'research environment', such as whether the supervisor was in a research centre or institute and the research experience of the supervision team, were most significant predictors of, with the largest effect sizes for, student outcomes. In contrast, the students' previous academic outcomes and previous research training were not predictors. Receiving a PhD scholarship had a significant influence on positive student outcomes and was more important than students being judged as having the highest academic merit. Receiving a scholarship occurred more frequently in students tied to stronger supervisory teams and supervisors in strategic research centres.

Entry to a PhD is typically restricted to those students with a minimum grade in a prior Masters or Honours degree [ 16 ]. At our university, prospective PhD students are required to have completed a research project with a dissertation of at least 25% of one year full-time study at Honours or Masters level and their grade needs to have been at least 70%. Our findings suggest that once students meet the minimum academic ability for entry into PhD, any further ability or research training above that does not influence the outcome of their PhD. This is in line with findings that scientist’s intelligence quotient does not correlate with their citation rates [ 17 ].

By contrast, it is the research environment in which the student is embedded that is decisive for the outcomes of their PhD; including the strength of their supervisory team. This is in line with the hypothesis of “accumulative advantage”, also known as “Matthew effects” in science [ 18 ] where differences between scientists at an early stage of their career become reinforced over time [ 19 ]. The standing of a PhD supervisor directly influences [ 8 ] the future career trajectory, and number of citations, their students receive throughout their career. Also, the standing of a department influences the future employment chances of its PhD graduates, on average, more than the individual achievements of those students [ 13 ]. The impact of teacher quality is seen in other areas of education [ 20 , 21 ], although ‘PhD supervisor quality’ is assessed differently to teacher quality in school and undergraduate education.

There are other factors known to impact the number and impact of publication outputs. Research collaboration has clearly been shown to lead to higher impact publications [ 22 – 25 ]. In the health-sciences field, publications of higher levels of evidence [ 26 ] are more likely to be cited. Similarly interventional (rather than observational) and prospective (rather than retrospective) studies [ 25 , 27 ], as well as randomised controlled trials and basic science papers [ 28 ] are more likely to be cited. Papers published in high impact factor journals will be more often cited simply for that reason [ 23 , 25 ]. We argue these factors are more likely to be determined by the research culture in which the student are embedded, as opposed to being determined by the student alone.

We also showed that receiving a PhD scholarship contributed to the students’ outcomes, in particular with more publications arising, more citations higher impact factor journals. In step-wise regression, we found that impact of the scholarship persisted for the number of publications and average impact factor of the journals in which the students published. This finding is in line with prior work [ 29 ] that showed PhD students receiving scholarships to support their studies published more peer reviewed papers. Similar to prior work [ 29 ], our results showed that receiving a scholarship was also associated with lower withdrawal rates.

Students were awarded scholarships based on their prior academic performance [ 30 ]. At this university, whilst the student’s academic merit contributed to 60% of their total ranking score, in practice this was the most decisive factor in determining which applicants were offered scholarships first. We show here, however, that the most significant attributes for PhD success were research environment and the performance metrics of the supervision team. How these attributes may influence employment opportunities post PhD also warrants further investigation.

Strengthening the research environment is also worthy of further investigation. Prior work [ 12 ] has shown that very few university departments rely solely on a small number of high-performing researchers for its research productivity. We show here that supervisor team quality has a key impact on the PhD student’s outcomes. Therefore, having more highly trained researchers is likely to lead to overall higher research student productivity, such as in having a higher percentage of faculty members who are at full-professor level [ 12 ]. Strategies for strengthening the research capacity of academic staff and potential supervisors include [ 31 ] structured research mentoring of academic staff, formal requirements for further academic research training.

The strengths of this analysis include being a prospective analysis of outcomes based on data that were known at the time of student selection. The limitations of the analysis were that it was focussed on one faculty at one university. It was not possible to conduct this analysis more widely at our university or at other universities as not all faculties and universities collate the same data on their PhD applicants. It would be relevant to examine such patterns at a wider range of universities, however obtaining such data from other universities is further complicated by data from scholarship ranking being confidential internal university information. Whilst this study was comprised one university, we believe its findings can easily be extrapolated to other regions of Australia and/or the world. Furthermore, we focussed on outcomes from PhDs that relate to university ranking procedures. Other outcomes, such as employment achieved post-PhD, student satisfaction, mental health are important to consider more widely.

Conclusions

In conclusion, to best of our knowledge, our study is the first to examine the relative importance of the environment versus student ability in the allocation and outcomes of their PhD. Our key finding was that the research environment is likely more important for supporting PhD students to produce larger numbers of highly cited publications in higher impact journals. Once the minimum level of academic ability and research training is met for entry to PhD, working with a strong research focussed supervisory team, being embedded in a research intensive institute, and receiving a scholarship are also important factors for publication and citation outcomes.

Supporting information

S1 table. non-parametric effect sizes between the ranking criteria of the 198 unique phd applications and researcher metrics..

Data are Cohen’s d. Bold = P<0.05. GPA: Grade point average.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.s001

S2 Table. Parametric effect sizes between the ranking criteria of the 198 unique PhD applications and researcher metrics.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.s002

S3 Table. Variability among variables by year of application.

Dependent variables are mean (standard deviation), expect withdrawing from PhD which are number (percentage within year). Explanatory variables are number (percentage within year). GPA: Grade point average.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.s003

S4 Table. Results from factorial ANOVA.

Data are F-value (corresponding P-value). ANOVA fits explanatory variables sequentially to the dependent variables. Explanatory variables were fitted to the dependent variables in the order above (i.e. top variable at left fitted first, followed by the second to top variable). This therefore accounted for potential association of student related factors first to PhD outcomes, with then having a scholarship and then supervisor related factors considered. Despite accounting for student related variables first, having a scholarship and supervisor quality were most consistently associated with outcomes from a student’s PhD.

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236327.s004

Acknowledgments

The authors thank Grant Michie, Rachelle DeBrito and their teams for assistance with access to enrolment and publication output data, Steve Sawyer for assistance in reviewing and accessing the scholarship application data and biostatistician A/Prof Steven Bowe for statistical advice.

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Aspiring PhDs: the (un)surprising relation between doctoral students and research productivity

Review Paper
Published: 22 January 2023
Volume 3 , article number 32 , ( 2023 )

Cite this article

Cristóbal Rodríguez-Montoya ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8988-0248 1 ,
Carlos Zerpa-García ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7150-384X 2 &
Mirnalin Cherubin ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-4296-4046 3

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Knowledge is a significant driver of economic growth. For higher education institutions (HEIs)-prime knowledge generators- as well as for nations, research productivity is a priority. The contribution of PhD students to research productivity is not entirely visible. This lack of visibility may have implications for policy making at the institutional and national level. This research employed a bi-level, mixed-method approach: qualitative at the microlevel (institutionally and individually) for inductive insights about the connection of PhD programs and students to research productivity; and quantitative at the macro-level, analyzing data from 78 countries, from 2014 to 2019. We found a statistically significant correlation between the number of PhD students and the quantity of papers published: over 90% ( R 2 = 0.904, F (1.365) = 3431.9, p < 0.01). Participant observation provided theoretical insights about the “how” and “why” of the student´s connection to research productivity.

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The Shifting Sands of Academic Output: University of Cape Town Research Output in Education and Social Anthropology—1993–2013

The Shifting Sands of Academic Output: University of Cape Town Research Output in Education and Social Anthropology (1993–2013)

Exploring Researcher Motivation: Implications for PhD Education

Data availability.

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Rodríguez-Montoya, C., Zerpa-García, C. & Cherubin, M. Aspiring PhDs: the (un)surprising relation between doctoral students and research productivity. SN Soc Sci 3 , 32 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43545-023-00616-8

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Google PhD fellowship program

Google PhD Fellowships directly support graduate students as they pursue their PhD, as well as connect them to a Google Research Mentor.

Nurturing and maintaining strong relations with the academic community is a top priority at Google. The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional and innovative research in areas relevant to computer science and related fields. Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology. Google’s mission is to foster inclusive research communities and encourage people of diverse backgrounds to apply. We currently offer fellowships in Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, India, Latin America, New Zealand, Southeast Asia and the United States.

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Program details

Application status, how to apply, research areas of focus, review criteria, award recipients.

Applications are currently closed.

Decisions for the 2024 application cycle will be announced via email in July 2024. Please check back in 2025 for details on future application cycles.

Launch March 27, 2024
Deadline May 8, 2024
Winner selected by July 31, 2024

The details of each Fellowship vary by region. Please see our FAQ for eligibility requirements and application instructions.

PhD students must be nominated by their university. Applications should be submitted by an official representative of the university during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Australia and New Zealand

Canada and the United States

PhD students in Japan, Korea and Taiwan must be nominated by their university. After the university's nomination is completed, either an official representative of the university or the nominated students can submit applications during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

India and Southeast Asia

PhD students apply directly during the application window. Please see the FAQ for more information.

Latin America

The 2024 application cycle is postponed. Please check back in 2025 for details on future application cycles.

Google PhD Fellowship students are a select group recognized by Google researchers and their institutions as some of the most promising young academics in the world. The Fellowships are awarded to students who represent the future of research in the fields listed below. Note that region-specific research areas will be listed in application forms during the application window.

Algorithms and Theory

Distributed Systems and Parallel Computing

Health and Bioscience

Human-Computer Interaction and Visualization

Machine Intelligence

Machine Perception

Natural Language Processing

Quantum Computing

Security, Privacy and Abuse Prevention

Software Engineering

Software Systems

Speech Processing

Applications are evaluated on the strength of the research proposal, research impact, student academic achievements, and leadership potential. Research proposals are evaluated for innovative concepts that are relevant to Google’s research areas, as well as aspects of robustness and potential impact to the field. Proposals should include the direction and any plans of where your work is going in addition to a comprehensive description of the research you are pursuing.

In Canada and the United States, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

What does the Google PhD Fellowship include?

Students receive named Fellowships which include a monetary award. The funds are given directly to the university to be distributed to cover the student’s expenses and stipend as appropriate. In addition, the student will be matched with a Google Research Mentor. There is no employee relationship between the student and Google as a result of receiving the fellowship. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If students wish to apply for a job at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

Up to 3 year Fellowship
US $12K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
Google Research Mentor
1 year Fellowship
AUD $15K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
Up to 2 year Fellowship (effective from 2024 for new recipients)
Full tuition and fees (enrollment fees, health insurance, books) plus a stipend to be used for living expenses, travel and personal equipment
US $10K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
Yearly bursary towards stipend / salary, health care, social benefits, tuition and fees, conference travel and personal computing equipment. The bursary varies by country.

Early-stage PhD students

Up to 4 year Fellowship
US $50K to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Late-stage PhD students

US $10K to recognise research contributions, cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel
US $15K per year to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Southeast Asia

US $10K per year for up to 3 years (or up to graduation, whichever is earlier) to cover stipend and other research related activities, travel expenses including overseas travel

Is my university eligible for the PhD Fellowship Program?

Africa, Australia/New Zealand , Canada, East Asia, Europe and the United States : universities must be an accredited research institution that awards research degrees to PhD students in computer science (or an adjacent field).

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open to universities/institutes in India, Latin America (excluding Cuba), and in eligible Southeast Asian countries/regions (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam).

Restrictions : All award payments and recipients will be reviewed for compliance with relevant US and international laws, regulations and policies. Google reserves the right to withhold funding that may violate laws, regulations or our policies.

What are the eligibility requirements for students?

All regions

Students must remain enrolled full-time in the PhD program for the duration of the Fellowship or forfeit the award.
Google employees, and their spouses, children, and members of their household are not eligible.
Students that are already supported by a comparable industry award are not eligible. Government or non-profit organization funding is exempt.
Past awardees from the PhD Fellowship program are not eligible to apply again.
Grant of the Fellowship does not mean admission to a PhD program. The awardee must separately apply and be accepted to a PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) at an eligible institution.
Grant of the Fellowship will be subject to the rules and guidelines applicable in the institution where the awardee registers for the PhD program.

Nominated students in Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Canada and the United States, East Asia and Europe.

Universities should only nominate students that meet the following requirements:

Africa: Incoming PhD students are eligible to apply, but the Fellowship award shall be contingent on the awardee registering for a full-time PhD program in computer science (or an adjacent field) within the academic award year of the Fellowship award, or the award shall be forfeited.
Australia and New Zealand : early-stage students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).
Canada and the United States : students who have completed graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins.
East Asia: students who have completed most of graduate coursework in their PhD by the academic award year when the Fellowship begins. Students should have sufficient time for research projects after receiving a fellowship.
Europe: Students enrolled at any stage of their PhD are eligible to apply.

Direct applicant students in India, Latin America and Southeast Asia

Latin America : incoming or early stage-students enrolled in the first or second year of their PhD (no requirement for completion of graduate coursework by the academic award year).

What should be included in an application? What language should the application be in?

All application materials should be submitted in English.

For each student nomination, the university will be asked to submit the following material in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file:

Student CV with links to website and publications (if available)
Short (1-page) resume/CV of the student's primary PhD program advisor
Available transcripts (mark sheets) starting from first year/semester of Bachelor's degree to date
Research proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee''s work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
Student essay response (350-word limit) to: What impact would receiving this Fellowship have on your education? Describe any circumstances affecting your need for a Fellowship and what educational goals this Fellowship will enable you to accomplish.
Transcripts of current and previous academic records
1-2 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)

Canada, East Asia, the United States

Cover sheet signed by the Department Chair confirming the student passes eligibility requirements. (See FAQ "What are the eligibility requirements for students?")
Short (1-page) CV of the student's primary advisor
2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the nominee's work (at least one from the thesis advisor)
Research / dissertation proposal (maximum 3 pages, excluding references)
Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
Student essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes or contributed to group efforts over time. (A leadership role can mean more than just a title. It can mean being a mentor to others, acting as the person in charge of a specific task, or taking the lead role in organizing an event or project. Think about what you accomplished and what you learned from the experience. What were your responsibilities? Did you lead a team? How did your experience change your perspective on leading others? Did you help to resolve an important dispute at your school, church, in your community or an organization? And your leadership role doesn’t necessarily have to be limited to school activities. For example, do you help out or take care of your family?)

Students will need the following documents in a single, flat (not portfolio) PDF file in order to complete an application (in English only):

Student applicant’s resume with links to website and publications (if available)
Short (one-page) resume/CV of the student applicant's primary PhD program advisor
2-3 letters of recommendation from those familiar with the applicant's work (at least one from the thesis advisor for current PhD students)
Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: Describe the desired impact your research will make on the field and society, and why this is important to you. Include any personal, educational and/or professional experiences that have motivated your research interests.
Applicant's essay response (350-word limit) to: What are your long-term goals for your pathway in computing research, and how would receiving the Google PhD Fellowship help you progress toward those goals in the short-term?

How do I apply for the PhD Fellowship Program? Who should submit the applications? Can students apply directly for a Fellowship?

Check the eligibility and application requirements in your region before applying. Submission forms are available on this page when the application period begins.

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia: students may apply directly during the application period.

Africa, Australia, Canada, East Asia, Europe, New Zealand, and the United States : students cannot apply directly to the program; they must be nominated by an eligible university during the application period.

How many students may each university nominate?

India, Latin America and Southeast Asia : applications are open directly to students with no limit to the number of students that can apply from a university.

Australia and New Zealand : universities may nominate up to two eligible students.

Canada and the United States : Universities may nominate up to four eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage additional nominees who self-identify as a woman, Black / African descent, Hispanic / Latino / Latinx, Indigenous, and/or a person with a disability.

Africa, East Asia and Europe : Universities may nominate up to three eligible students. We encourage nominating students with diverse backgrounds especially those from historically marginalized groups in the field of computing. If more than two students are nominated then we strongly encourage the additional nominee who self-identifies as a woman.

*Applications are evaluated on merit. Please see FAQ for details on how applications are evaluated.

How are applications evaluated?

In Canada and the United State, East Asia and Latin America, essay responses are evaluated in addition to application materials to determine an overall recommendation.

A nominee's status as a member of a historically marginalized group is not considered in the selection of award recipients.

Research should align with Google AI Principles .

Incomplete proposals will not be considered.

How are Google PhD Fellowships given?

Any monetary awards will be paid directly to the Fellow's university for distribution. No overhead should be assessed against them.

What are the intellectual property implications of a Google PhD Fellowship?

Fellowship recipients are not subject to intellectual property restrictions unless they complete an internship at Google. If that is the case, they are subject to the same intellectual property restrictions as any other Google intern.

Will the Fellowship recipients become employees of Google?

No, Fellowship recipients do not become employees of Google due to receiving the award. The award does not preclude future eligibility for internships or employment opportunities at Google, nor does it increase the chances of obtaining them. If they are interested in working at Google, they are welcome to apply for jobs and go through the same hiring process as any other person.

Can Fellowship recipients also be considered for other Google scholarships?

Yes, Fellowship recipients are eligible for these scholarships .

After award notification, when do the Google PhD Fellowships begin?

After Google PhD Fellowship recipients are notified, the Fellowship is effective starting the following school year.

What is the program application time period?

Applications for the 2024 program will open in March 2024 and close in May 2024 for all regions. Refer to the main Google PhD Fellowship Program page for each region’s application details.

A global awards announcement will be made in September on the Google Research Blog publicly announcing all award recipients.

How can I ask additional questions?

Due to the volume of emails we receive, we may not be able to respond to questions where the answer is available on the website. If your question has not been answered by a FAQ, email:

Africa: [email protected]

Australia and New Zealand: [email protected]

Canada and the United States: [email protected]

East Asia: [email protected]

Europe: [email protected]

India: [email protected]

Latin America: [email protected]

Southeast Asia: [email protected]

See past PhD Fellowship recipients.

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Speaking, writing and reading are integral to everyday life, where language is the primary tool for expression and communication. Studying how people use language – what words and phrases they unconsciously choose and combine – can help us better understand ourselves and why we behave the way we do.

Linguistics scholars seek to determine what is unique and universal about the language we use, how it is acquired and the ways it changes over time. They consider language as a cultural, social and psychological phenomenon.

“Understanding why and how languages differ tells about the range of what is human,” said Dan Jurafsky , the Jackson Eli Reynolds Professor in Humanities and chair of the Department of Linguistics in the School of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford . “Discovering what’s universal about languages can help us understand the core of our humanity.”

The stories below represent some of the ways linguists have investigated many aspects of language, including its semantics and syntax, phonetics and phonology, and its social, psychological and computational aspects.

Understanding stereotypes

Stanford linguists and psychologists study how language is interpreted by people. Even the slightest differences in language use can correspond with biased beliefs of the speakers, according to research.

One study showed that a relatively harmless sentence, such as “girls are as good as boys at math,” can subtly perpetuate sexist stereotypes. Because of the statement’s grammatical structure, it implies that being good at math is more common or natural for boys than girls, the researchers said.

Language can play a big role in how we and others perceive the world, and linguists work to discover what words and phrases can influence us, unknowingly.

How well-meaning statements can spread stereotypes unintentionally

New Stanford research shows that sentences that frame one gender as the standard for the other can unintentionally perpetuate biases.

Algorithms reveal changes in stereotypes

New Stanford research shows that, over the past century, linguistic changes in gender and ethnic stereotypes correlated with major social movements and demographic changes in the U.S. Census data.

Exploring what an interruption is in conversation

Stanford doctoral candidate Katherine Hilton found that people perceive interruptions in conversation differently, and those perceptions differ depending on the listener’s own conversational style as well as gender.

Cops speak less respectfully to black community members

Professors Jennifer Eberhardt and Dan Jurafsky, along with other Stanford researchers, detected racial disparities in police officers’ speech after analyzing more than 100 hours of body camera footage from Oakland Police.

How other languages inform our own

People speak roughly 7,000 languages worldwide. Although there is a lot in common among languages, each one is unique, both in its structure and in the way it reflects the culture of the people who speak it.

Jurafsky said it’s important to study languages other than our own and how they develop over time because it can help scholars understand what lies at the foundation of humans’ unique way of communicating with one another.

“All this research can help us discover what it means to be human,” Jurafsky said.

Stanford PhD student documents indigenous language of Papua New Guinea

Fifth-year PhD student Kate Lindsey recently returned to the United States after a year of documenting an obscure language indigenous to the South Pacific nation.

Students explore Esperanto across Europe

In a research project spanning eight countries, two Stanford students search for Esperanto, a constructed language, against the backdrop of European populism.

Chris Manning: How computers are learning to understand language

A computer scientist discusses the evolution of computational linguistics and where it’s headed next.

Stanford research explores novel perspectives on the evolution of Spanish

Using digital tools and literature to explore the evolution of the Spanish language, Stanford researcher Cuauhtémoc García-García reveals a new historical perspective on linguistic changes in Latin America and Spain.

Language as a lens into behavior

Linguists analyze how certain speech patterns correspond to particular behaviors, including how language can impact people’s buying decisions or influence their social media use.

For example, in one research paper, a group of Stanford researchers examined the differences in how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online to better understand how a polarization of beliefs can occur on social media.

“We live in a very polarized time,” Jurafsky said. “Understanding what different groups of people say and why is the first step in determining how we can help bring people together.”

Analyzing the tweets of Republicans and Democrats

New research by Dora Demszky and colleagues examined how Republicans and Democrats express themselves online in an attempt to understand how polarization of beliefs occurs on social media.

Examining bilingual behavior of children at Texas preschool

A Stanford senior studied a group of bilingual children at a Spanish immersion preschool in Texas to understand how they distinguished between their two languages.

Predicting sales of online products from advertising language

Stanford linguist Dan Jurafsky and colleagues have found that products in Japan sell better if their advertising includes polite language and words that invoke cultural traditions or authority.

Language can help the elderly cope with the challenges of aging, says Stanford professor

By examining conversations of elderly Japanese women, linguist Yoshiko Matsumoto uncovers language techniques that help people move past traumatic events and regain a sense of normalcy.

Graduate School

Harrington recognized for exceptional mentorship of brown students and postdocs.

Elizabeth Harrington, Professor of Medicine, Research Scholar, and Associate Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies, Division of Biology and Medicine, came to Brown in 1997 and has been making an impact as a researcher and mentor ever since.

Image of Beth Harrington in black and white print shirt

Beyond the confines of her laboratory, Harrington has spearheaded institutional training grants, fostering a nurturing environment that has propelled a cohort of trainees toward successful academic careers. Drawing praise from her peers, she has seamlessly integrated Brown's academic community with faculty from local hospitals, fostering a collaborative atmosphere for research training and mentorship.

Harrington serves as principal investigator (PI) on four pivotal training grants, each catering to diverse strata of academic advancement, ranging from undergraduates to postdoctoral scholars. Her responsibilities span the entirety of the grant lifecycle, from crafting compelling applications to overseeing mentor-mentee relationships, organizing professional development events, managing budgets, and delivering comprehensive annual reports detailing the progress of these initiatives.

Two of the grants she manages, the Short-Term Training to Increase Diversity in Biomedical Research and the Initiative to Maximize Student Development (IMSD) offer mentored research experiences for students from underrepresented groups. She has led the Biomedical Research grant through three successful renewals and received a perfect score on its last review.

IMSD is a collaborative program providing stipends and professional development support for doctoral students in the STEM disciplines. Harrington, who has been a multi-PI, stepped in as lead PI for the program in 2023 to ensure a seamless transition when former Dean of the Graduate School, Andrew Campbell, retired.

As an active mentor, Harrington facilitates discussion of short and long-term career goals with scholars. One mentee attributed her successful doctoral application and current postdoctoral role at Rhode Island Hospital to Harrington's unwavering support and encouragement.

Harrington “personifies all the characteristics of an outstanding mentor and adviser, providing support in both the professional and personal aspects of a career in academia. Without doubt, I, and many others who have been mentored by Beth, would not have reached our professional goals and successes without her mentorship and support,” shares Havovi Chichger, Associate Professor in Biomedical Science at Anglia Ruskin University and former postdoctoral researcher at Brown.

Harrington's trainees and mentees have been honored by external grant support from organizations such as the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. They have also gone on to successful careers at institutions across the U.S. and around the world.

Harrington joined Brown University in 1997 as a research instructor and was promoted through faculty ranks to Professor in 2015. Her research on endothelial cell signaling has been continuously supported by federal funding from the VA and/or the NIH since 1998. She has authored 60 original contributions in the area of lung endothelial cell biology, in addition to book chapters and reviews. Harrington has served on national committees for the American Thoracic Society, the American Heart Association, and numerous review panels for the NIH.

Faculty members Elizabeth O. Harrington, Daniel E. Ibarra, Susan L. Moffitt, and Candace Rice received the Graduate School’s Faculty Award for Advising & Mentoring at the University Awards Ceremony on May 1, 2024.

Ph.D. student earns Department of Defense scholarship

Thursday, May 02, 2024 • Brian Lopez : contact

Nolan Gutierrez, a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, has received a prestigious Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).

“This scholarship will help me pursue a more permanent career within the Department of Defense,” Gutierrez said. “I hope to work with my mentor and their team at the Army Research Lab to delve deeper into my research and propose my own projects that align with their research goals.”

Gutierrez will use the scholarship to build upon research he started last year during an internship with the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, or DEVCOM, in the Army Research Lab. Specifically, he will focus on enhancing the adaptability of pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) cameras through multitask learning.

He will see if training a PTZ control system on a variety of motion profiles—such as square, circular, and straight-line movements, both forward and backward—will improve its adaptability and performance. This approach includes deploying a PTZ-equipped robot in scenarios that mimic real-world operational conditions relevant to the Army.

Gutierrez works with UTA computer science Assistant Professor William Beksi in the Robotic Vision Lab. He is Beksi’s second student in as many years to earn a SMART scholarship, following Minh (Jerry) Tram in 2023.

“Not only does Nolan's SMART scholarship strengthen the ties between the DEVCOM Army Research Lab and UTA, but it also shows UTA's commitment to train and provide the DoD with STEM Ph.D. graduates,” Beksi said.

SMART scholarship recipients earn full tuition, a significant annual stipend and a book and health allowance. They also complete a summer internship at a DoD facility and are assigned an experienced mentor. The full scholarship and other benefits allow participants to focus on complex research to further the DoD’s mission and create a lasting impact. The program is a one-for-one commitment: For every year of degree funding, the recipient commits to working for a year with the DoD as a civilian employee.

- Written by Jeremy Agor , College of Engineering

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Four from MIT named 2024 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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Two by two grid of Top row: Vittorio Colicci, Owen Dugan, Carina Letong Hong, and Carine You, all with the same reddish roofttops and trees in the background

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MIT senior Owen Dugan, graduate student Vittorio Colicci ’22, predoctoral research fellow Carine You ’22, and recent alumna Carina Letong Hong ’22 are recipients of this year’s Knight-Hennessy Scholarships. The competitive fellowship, now in its seventh year, funds up to three years of graduate studies in any field at Stanford University. To date, 22 MIT students and alumni have been awarded Knight-Hennessy Scholarships.

“We are excited for these students to continue their education at Stanford with the generous support of the Knight Hennessy Scholarship,” says Kim Benard, associate dean of distinguished fellowships in Career Advising and Professional Development. “They have all demonstrated extraordinary dedication, intellect, and leadership, and this opportunity will allow them to further hone their skills to make real-world change.”

Vittorio Colicci ’22

Vittorio Colicci, from Trumbull, Connecticut, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a BS in aerospace engineering and physics. He will receive his master’s degree in planetary sciences this spring. At Stanford, Colicci will pursue a PhD in earth and planetary sciences at the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability. He hopes to investigate how surface processes on Earth and Mars have evolved through time alongside changes in habitability. Colicci has worked largely on spacecraft engineering projects, developing a monodisperse silica ceramic for electrospray thrusters and fabricating high-energy diffraction gratings for space telescopes. As a Presidential Graduate Fellow at MIT, he examined the influence of root geometry on soil cohesion for early terrestrial plants using 3D-printed reconstructions. Outside of research, Colicci served as co-director of TEDxMIT and propulsion lead for the MIT Rocket Team. He is also passionate about STEM engagement and outreach, having taught educational workshops in Zambia and India.

Owen Dugan, from Sleepy Hollow, New York, is a senior majoring in physics. As a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, he will pursue a PhD in computer science at the Stanford School of Engineering. Dugan aspires to combine artificial intelligence and physics, developing AI that enables breakthroughs in physics and using physics techniques to design more capable and safe AI systems. He has collaborated with researchers from Harvard University, the University of Chicago, and DeepMind, and has presented his first-author research at venues including the International Conference on Machine Learning, the MIT Mechanistic Interpretability Conference, and the American Physical Society March Meeting. Among other awards, Dugan is a Hertz Finalist, a U.S. Presidential Scholar, an MIT Outstanding Undergraduate Research Awardee, a Research Science Institute Scholar, and a Neo Scholar. He is also a co-founder of VeriLens, a funded startup enabling trust on the internet by cryptographically verifying digital media.

Carina Letong Hong ’22

Carina Letong Hong, from Canton, China, is currently pursuing a JD/PhD in mathematics at Stanford. A first-generation college student, Hong graduated from MIT in May 2022 with a double major in mathematics and physics and was inducted into Sigma Pi Sigma, the physics honor society. She then earned a neuroscience master’s degree with dissertation distinctions from the University of Oxford, where she conducted artificial intelligence and machine learning research at Sainsbury Wellcome Center’s Gatsby Unit. At Stanford Law School, Hong provides legal aid to low-income workers and uses economic analysis to push for law enforcement reform. She has published numerous papers in peer-reviewed journals, served as an expert referee for journals and conferences, and spoken at summits in the United States, Germany, France, the U.K., and China. She was the recipient of the AMS-MAA-SIAM Morgan Prize for Outstanding Research, the highest honor for an undergraduate in mathematics in North America; the AWM Alice T. Schafer Prize for Mathematical Excellence, given annually to an undergraduate woman in the United States; the Maryam Mirzakhani Fellowship; and a Rhodes Scholarship.

Carine You ’22

Carine You, from San Diego, California, graduated from MIT in May 2022 with bachelor’s degrees in electrical engineering and computer science and in mathematics. Since graduating, You has worked as a predoctoral research assistant with Professor Amy Finkelstein in the MIT Department of Economics, where she has studied the quality of Medicare nursing home care and the targeting of medical screening technologies. This fall, You will embark on a PhD in economic analysis and policy at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She wishes to address pressing issues in environmental and health-care markets, with a particular focus on economic efficiency and equity. You previously developed audio signal processing algorithms at Bose, refined mechanistic models to inform respiratory monitoring at the MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics, and analyzed corruption in developmental projects in India at the World Bank. Through Middle East Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow, she taught computer science to Israeli and Palestinian students in Jerusalem and spearheaded an online pilot expansion for the organization. At MIT, she was named a Burchard Scholar.

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Three from MIT named 2023 Knight-Hennessy Scholars

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Meet the class of 2024, harvard college.

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Isabella Madrigal

Isabella’s senior thesis screenplay, a genre-bending family drama full of magical realism, centers the issues of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, and two-spirit people.

Dora Woodruff

Dora will next pursue a Ph.D. at MIT in algebraic combinatorics, a branch of mathematics that applies methods found in abstract algebra to discrete counting problems.

Aaron Shirley

Aaron dove into the world of medieval medicine with his thesis, “Holiness to Wholeness: Restoring Medieval Surgery to its Religious Cultural Context.”

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Davida Bynum

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Eduardo Avalos

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Claudia Hill

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The growth I’ve experienced at HDS, both personal and academic, has been beyond anything I expected.” Samirah Jaigirdar Master of Theological Studies Learn more about Samirah’s studies

Jude Terna Ayua

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Christopher Siuzdak

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Brian Mazmanian

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For the first time, I truly felt like I was doing work that was very in touch with what GSD wants people to do, which is working with communities.” Priyanka Pillai Master in Design Engineering A joint Graduate School of Design and John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences program Learn more about Priyanka’s work

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2024 Convocation Recognizes Exceptional Graduate Students

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Weill Cornell Medical College Graduat School 2024 convocation

Graduates of the Executive MBA / MS in Healthcare Leadership program at Convocation in Uris Auditorium. Credit: Amelia Panico.

Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences highlighted students in the Class of 2024 for their academic achievements during its convocation ceremony on May 15.

The ceremony honored students who are graduating with their master’s degrees, as well as those who earned special awards and prizes for their accomplishments in research, scholarship and service.

In addition to celebrating students, the ceremony also honored graduate school faculty. Dr. Cynthia Leifer (Ph.D. '99), professor of microbiology and immunobiology at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University, won the 2024 Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences Award of Distinction. This award honors alumni who have demonstrated exceptional achievements and outstanding contributions to biomedical research and education.

2024 Award Winners

Distinguished Student Commencement Speaker Award

Chloe Lopez-Lee, Neuroscience Program; Mentor, Li Gan, Ph.D.

David P. Hajjar Excellence in Teaching and Mentoring Award

Jason Lewis, Ph.D.

Professor, Pharmacology Program

Member, Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute

Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Teaching and Mentoring Award

Theresa Lu, MD, Ph.D.

Member, Immunology Program, Hospital for Special Surgery

Co-Director, Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

Pharmacology Teaching and Mentoring Award

Kristen Pleil, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Pharmacology Program, Weill Cornell Medicine

Executive MBA/MS Excellence in Healthcare Leadership Award

Waleed Javaid, M.S.

Executive MBA/MS in Healthcare Leadership

Julian R. Rachele Prize for significant research published in a scientific journal

David J. Falvo, “A reversible epigenetic memory of inflammatory injury controls lineage plasticity and tumor initiation in the mouse pancreas.” Developmental Cell 58, 2959–2973 (2023). Mentor: Rohit Chandwani, M.D., Ph.D.

Albert S. Agustinus, “Epigenetic dysregulation from chromosomal transit in micronuclei.” Nature 619, 176–183 (2023). Mentors: Yael David, Ph.D. and Samuel F. Bakhoum, M.D., Ph.D.

Student Service Award

Kathleen Mills, Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

In recognition of her mentorship of high school and undergraduate students and her service to the IMP Program and WCGS.

Student Diversity Award

Yasmine Issah, Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program

In recognition of her outstanding dedication to fostering an inclusive and diverse community.

Vincent du Vigneaud Research Symposium Awards

First-Year Poster Presentation Awards

First Place:

Peyton Carpen , “Impact of Calorie Restriction on Bone Marrow Stromal/Stem Cell Lineage Differentiation” (PI: Baohong Zhao, PhD)

Ziqi (Christine) Yu , “Treating Triple Negative Breast Cancer in Brain Metastasis using P-selectin Targeting Nanoparticles” (PI: Daniel Heller, PhD)

Second Place:

Sarah Sheridan , “Effect of NKD1 Knockdown on Colorectal Cancer Cell Proliferation” (PI: David Scheinberg, MD, PhD)

Carolyn Ton , “Living Origami: How Cell Behaviors Drive Neural Tube Closure” (PI: Jennifer Zallen, PhD)

Austin Varela , “Harnessing Intrinsic Variability within the Tumor Microenvironment to Explainably Determine Cellular Communication” (PI: Ashley Laughney, PhD)

Second Year and Above Poster Awards

Hailey Goldberg , “A Nanoparticle-Based Platform for the Treatment of Senescence-Related Pathologies” (PI: Scott Lowe, PhD)

Moniquetta Shafer , “What Makes Methylmalonic Acid? Identifying and Characterizing the Functions of an Understudied Oncometabolite-Producing Enzyme” (PI: John Blenis, PhD)

Patrick Wallisch , “Interrogating the CD47-SIRP Axis in Chronic T Cell Stimulation to Translate Novel GvHD Therapies” (Professor David Scheinberg)

Rachel Payne , “Development of a PSMA Heterogeneous Tumor Model for Targeted Radiotherapy.” (PI Jason S. Lewis, Ph.D.)

Oral Presentation Awards

Madison Darmofal , “Deep Learning Model for Tumor Type Prediction using Targeted Clinical Genomic Sequencing Data” (PI: Quaid Morris, PhD)

Stephen Ruiz , “A Redox Stress-Modulated Phospholipase A2 Remodels Lipids to Regulate Ferroptosis in Cancer” (PI: Daniel Heller, PhD)

Celeste Parra Bravo , “Human iPSC 4R Tauopathy Model Uncovers Modifiers of Tau Propagation” (PI: Li Gan, PhD)

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Are PhD Students and PhD Researchers the same thing?
1. PhD students and PhD researchers are not the same thing. A "PhD researcher" is a researcher who has a PhD, while a PhD student is working on a project in order to obtain a PhD (i.e. does not have the degree yet). I agree with you, that the term "PhD student" in English is rather unfortunate - in reality, it is much closer to an ...
PhD student vs PhD researcher
A PhD student is a student pursuing a doctoral degree, while a PhD researcher can be anyone who is conducting research at the doctoral level, including PhD students, postdocs, and faculty members. However, in practice, the terms PhD student and PhD researcher are often used interchangeably. The confusion comes from the fact that a PhD research ...
Difference Between a PhD Candidate and a PhD Student
A PhD student is in the initial stages of their program, actively engaging in coursework, research, and academic requirements. On the other hand, a PhD candidate has advanced beyond coursework, passed comprehensive exams, and is focused primarily on independent research and the completion of their dissertation.
PhD Candidate vs Student: What's the Difference?
2. Research Progress. A PhD student may not have selected their research topic or settled on a particular research question. A candidate's research is in progress and they should already have a clear research question. 3. Relationship with Advisors. A PhD student may not yet have an advisor. A candidate has an established working relationship ...
Explained: What Is a PhD Degree?
The second year of a PhD. Your second year will probably be when you do most of your core research. The process for this will vary depending on your field, but your main focus will be on gathering results from experiments, archival research, surveys or other means.. As your research develops, so will the thesis (or argument) you base upon it. You may even begin writing up chapters or other ...
What makes a good PhD student?
Be creative. Think about what you are doing and why, and look for better ways to go. Don't see your PhD as just a road map laid out by your supervisor. Develop good writing skills: they will make ...
Doctor of Philosophy
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: philosophiae doctor or doctor philosophiae) is the most common degree at the highest academic level, awarded following a course of study and research. The degree is abbreviated PhD and sometimes, especially in the U.S., as Ph.D. It is derived from the Latin Philosophiae Doctor, pronounced as three separate letters (/ p iː eɪ tʃ ˈ d iː ...
What is a PhD?
Definition of a PhD - A Doctor of Philosophy (commonly abbreviated to PhD, Ph.D or a DPhil) is a university research degree awarded from across a broad range of academic disciplines; in most countries, it is a terminal degree, i.e. the highest academic degree possible. PhDs differ from undergraduate and master's degrees in that PhDs are ...
How to Find Success as a PhD Scholar
The Staff of The Princeton Review. For more than 40 years, students and families have trusted The Princeton Review to help them get into their dream schools. We help students succeed in high school and beyond by giving them resources for better grades, better test scores, and stronger college applications. Follow us on Twitter: @ThePrincetonRev.
Research Scholar Initiative
The Research Scholar Initiative is a post-baccalaureate program that helps scholars enhance their competitiveness and preparation for a doctoral program. The Research Scholar Initiative (RSI) strongly encourages applications from students from groups underrepresented in the academy. Through the RSI, individuals interested in pursuing a PhD can ...
What is the difference between PhD Scholar and research Scholar?
PhD Scholar and research scholar are two terms that are often used interchangeably but they refer to different academic positions. PhD is an abbreviation for Doctor of Philosophy, whereas a research scholar is an individual who conducts research, usually at the graduate or postgraduate level. PhD scholars are students who are enrolled in a doctoral program and are working towards earning
The mental health of PhD researchers demands urgent attention
The health of the next generation of researchers needs systemic change to research cultures. Anxiety and depression among graduate students seems to be on the rise. ... outstanding young scholars ...
What Does 'PhD' Stand For?
A PhD is a terminal academic degree students typically pursue when they're interested in an academic or research career. A PhD is the highest possible academic degree a student can obtain. PhD stands for "Doctor of Philosophy," which refers to the immense knowledge a student gains when earning the degree. While you can actually get a PhD in ...
Full article: A 'doctoral compass': strategic reflection, self
Whereas the research landscape might be tailored to the scholar's doctoral level research development, there also conceptually exists a doctoral development landscape to advance scholars' doctoral development (see Figure 2). Therefore, in successfully completing a PhD, a metacognitive scaffolding to assist a suitably effective self ...
Research Scholar Initiative
The Research Scholar Initiative is a non-degree granting post-baccalaureate program that provides mentored research and training for individuals interested in pursuing doctoral studies. ... non-degree-seeking students and register each term as special students. In addition, scholars may take undergraduate and/or graduate coursework in ...
What Is A PhD Student? A Definition
PhD students are all mature students, as they have already completed undergraduate and postgraduate degrees already. Most PhD students will have done a masters in preparation for starting a PhD , this is often an MPhil or a Masters by Research. All of this previous study means that PhD students have strong study skills and have spent time ...
Scholar vs Student: Difference Between A Student And A Scholar In
A scholar contributes to the field of knowledge with original research. They have expertise in a particular field of study. In this post, we unravel the distinct paths and roles of students and scholars in the academic world, specifically at how their goals, responsibilities, and levels of engagement with the academic community diverge and evolve.
Research Culture: Highlighting the positive aspects of being a PhD student
Doing a PhD can be both demanding and rewarding. In addition to overcoming the scientific and intellectual challenges involved in doing original research, a PhD student may also have to deal with financial difficulties, an unhealthy work-life balance, or resulting concerns about their mental health (Woolston, 2017; Auerbach et al., 2018; Oswalt et al., 2020; Evans et al., 2018).
Do successful PhD outcomes reflect the research environment ...
Maximising research productivity is a major focus for universities world-wide. Graduate research programs are an important driver of research outputs. Choosing students with the greatest likelihood of success is considered a key part of improving research outcomes. There has been little empirical investigation of what factors drive the outcomes from a student's PhD and whether ranking ...
The Daily Life of a PhD Student
It might seem like a cliché, but the reality is that isn't really a typical day for a PhD student. Your daily routine will depend on several different factors, from your research area and the stage of your PhD to what you've agreed with your supervisor and your own learning style. We've covered the main aspects that will affect how you spend your PhD below.
Aspiring PhDs: the (un)surprising relation between doctoral students
The research employed a bi-level, mixed-method approach: (a) qualitative at the microlevel (institutionally and individually) for inductive insights about the relation of PhD students to research productivity; and b) quantitative analysis at the macro-level (by country) to explore the association between total number of doctoral students and research productivity in the sampled countries.
PhD Fellowship
The Google PhD Fellowship Program was created to recognize outstanding graduate students doing exceptional and innovative research in areas relevant to computer science and related fields. Fellowships support promising PhD candidates of all backgrounds who seek to influence the future of technology. Google's mission is to foster inclusive ...
Google Scholar
Google Scholar provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. Search across a wide variety of disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions.
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Students explore Esperanto across Europe. In a research project spanning eight countries, two Stanford students search for Esperanto, a constructed language, against the backdrop of European populism.
Harrington Recognized for Exceptional Mentorship of Brown Students and
Elizabeth Harrington, Professor of Medicine, Research Scholar, and Associate Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies, Division of Biology and Medicine, came to Brown in 1997 and has been making an impact as a researcher and mentor ever since.
Ph.D. student earns Department of Defense scholarship
Thursday, May 02, 2024 • Brian Lopez : contact Nolan Gutierrez, a doctoral student in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering at The University of Texas at Arlington, has received a prestigious Science, Mathematics and Research for Transformation (SMART) scholarship from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
A Nonapocalyptic Vision of Graduate Education's Future
Indeed, what universities seem to have forgotten is that they have more than a bit of a say in how these forces play out. There is a vibrant and prosperous future for M.A. and Ph.D. education not in radical transformation but in reconciliation—reconciliation between academic and applied domains of knowledge production, and in enabling lives as researchers and scholars both within the academy ...
Four from MIT named 2024 Knight-Hennessy Scholars
MIT senior Owen Dugan, graduate student Vittorio Colicci '22, predoctoral research fellow Carine You '22, and recent alumna Carina Letong Hong '22 are recipients of this year's Knight-Hennessy Scholarships. ... a Research Science Institute Scholar, and a Neo Scholar. He is also a co-founder of VeriLens, a funded startup enabling trust ...
The Class of 2024 graduate profiles
Explore our student profiles and learn about the dedicated scholarship and ambitious plans of graduates from all of Harvard's degree-granting Schools. ... Harvard Kenneth C. Griffin Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Harvard Graduate School of Design ... Dumbarton Oaks Research Library Ernst Mayr Library Fine Arts Library Frances Loeb ...
2024 Convocation Recognizes Exceptional Graduate Students
The ceremony honored students who are graduating with their master's degrees, as well as those who earned special awards and prizes for their accomplishments in research, scholarship and service. In addition to celebrating students, the ceremony also honored graduate school faculty. Dr.

What is the Difference Between a PhD Candidate and a PhD Student?

Introduction

Who is a PhD Candidate?

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PhD Candidate vs Student: What’s the Difference?

What I s a PhD student?

What Is a PhD Candidate?

PhD Candidate vs Student: 6 Key Differences

1. Program Stage

2. Research Progress

3. Relationship with Advisors

4. Level of Support

5. Flexibility and Structure

Tips for PhD Candidates

Stay Organized

Focus on Your Research

Actively Seek Out Feedback

Take Advantage of Networking Opportunities

Take Care of Yourself

How Long Is a Typical PhD Candidacy?

Benefits of Being a PhD Candidate

1. Research Opportunities

2. Networking

3. Critical Thinking

4. Career Opportunitie s

5. Salaries

6. Personal Fulfillment

Qualifying Exams to Become a PhD Candidate

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Put ‘PhD Candidate’ after My Name?

How Long Can You Be a PhD Candidate?

Do PhD Students Take Classes?

Key Takeaways

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What is a PhD?

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What Are the Entry Requirements for a PhD?

How Long Does a PhD Take?

How Much Does a PhD Cost?

What Does a PhD Involve?

Stage 1: Literature Review

Stage 2: Research

Stage 3: Write up of Thesis

Stage 4: Attending the Viva

What Is It Like to Undertake a PhD?

What Are the Benefits of A PhD?

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What was the smartest move you made during your program? What do you wish you had done differently?

Are there any special perks of being a PhD student that you recommend taking advantage of?

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