Finding a PhD supervisor

Finding a supervisor can be a somewhat daunting task especially when your school of interest is a plane ticket away - so booking a visit might be impossible.There are various steps to finding a Ph.D. supervisor but I will share a few tips that have worked time and again.

1. Start early- you have a better chance to get that supervisor of choice if you start your search early enough (about a year before your intended start date). However, this doesn't mean you can't get a supervisor  in a few months. Experiences are peculiar.

2. Expand your search- if you're thinking of a doctoral degree, you probably have an idea what area you want to research and maybe an idea what school you think is best. While this is valid, it is important to know that the best supervisor for your area of interest might not reside in your university of interest. So expand your search, be open to new cities, and use the 'very reliable' Google search.

3. Ask Questions - After you must have identified a couple of potential supervisors, it is time to ask them some questions. You need to know if they are open to taking new students and if they are willing to supervise you. You also might like to know their current students and their research areas (sometimes this information is on the school’s website).

We shall discuss what your email to a potential supervisor should look like in a later post.

4. This is probably the most important. No matter how many ‘Nos’ you get, DO NOT STOP TRYING. If you really want it, then go for it. If they do not reply your emails, call their office numbers. If they do not pick up, leave a voicemail message. If they do not respond, send emails to the department of interest. If no one responds, try another school.

This list is definitely not exhaustive. Are you a grad student? Please share with us how you got your supervisor.