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The Professor Is In

Guidance for all things PhD: Graduate School, Job Market and Careers

How to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor

By Karen Kelsky | July 25, 2011

Please note that I no longer respond to comments/questions to this post! 

Grad school application guidance package and other help listed below the post..

One of the most common points of confusion among undergraduates and new graduate students is how to write an email to contact a professor to serve as a potential Ph.D. or graduate school advisor.  This can be a minefield.  Yet the email inquiry to a potential advisor is one of the most important steps in your entire graduate school process, in that it is your chance to make a first impression on the person who will dictate many elements of your life for the next five to ten years.

I have been on the receiving end of many emails from hapless students who clearly had no guidance, and whose communication with me ended up appearing flippant and rude.

Here is that sort of email:

“Dear Professor Kelsky, I am a student at XXX College and I’m thinking about graduate school on xxx and I’m getting in touch to ask if you can give me any advice or direction about that. Sincerely, student X”

This is an instant-delete email.

Here is what an email to a professor should look like:

“Dear Professor XXX,

I am a student at XXX College with a major in xxx.  I am a [junior] and will be graduating next May.  I have a [4.0 GPA] and experience in our college’s [summer program in xxx/internship program in xxx/Honors College/etc.].

I am planning to attend graduate school in xxx, with a focus on xxx.  In one of my classes, “xxx,” which was taught by Professor XXX, I had the chance to read your article, “xxxx.”  I really enjoyed it, and it gave me many ideas for my future research.  I have been exploring graduate programs where I can work on this topic.  My specific project will likely focus on xxxx, and I am particularly interested in exploring the question of xxxxx.

I hope you don’t mind my getting in touch, but I’d like to inquire whether you are currently accepting graduate students.  If you are, would you willing to talk to me a bit more, by email or on the phone, or in person if I can arrange a campus visit, about my graduate school plans?  I have explored your department’s graduate school website in detail, and it seems like an excellent fit for me because of its emphasis on xx and xx,  but I still have a few specific questions about xx and xxx that I’d like to talk to you about.

I know you’re very busy so I appreciate any time you can give me.  Thanks very much,

Why is this email good?  Because it shows that you are serious and well qualified.  It shows that you have done thorough research and utilized all the freely available information on the website.  It shows that you have specific plans which have yielded specific questions.  It shows that you are familiar with the professor’s work.  It shows that you respect the professor’s time.

All of these attributes will make your email and your name stand out, and exponentially increase your chances of getting a timely, thorough, and friendly response, and potentially building the kind of relationship that leads to a strong mentoring relationship.

If the professor doesn’t respond in a week or so, send a follow up email gently reminding them of your initial email, and asking again for their response.  If they ignore you again, best to probably give up.  But professors are busy and distracted, and it may take a little extra effort to get through.

HOW TO CONTACT A PROSPECTIVE PHD ADVISOR

Guidance package.

Encapsulates all of the advice that we provide in our graduate school advising services, including:

1. General instructions and overview of the function and “best practices” of an initial query email to someone you hope to work with

2. A template for what an email like that should look like

3. A sample email to a business school prospective advisor

4. A sample email to a comparative literature prospective advisor

5. A sample email to a computer science prospective advisor.

AND FOR HANDS-ON INDIVIDUAL HELP WITH ALL ASPECTS OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL APPLICATION, WE OFFER THESE SERVICES:

• EMAIL CONSULTATIONS
• SKYPE CONSULTATIONS
• EDITING YOUR STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
• INTERVIEW PREPARATION

SEE MORE HERE  AND EMAIL AT [email protected] TO LEARN MORE AND GET ON THE SCHEDULE, OR CLICK BELOW:

Similar Posts:

• How Do You Write an Email or Letter to a Professor?
• How Not To Invite The Professor To Your Campus
• Working the Conference: A Letter from a Client
• Don’t Go To Graduate School (An Inadvertent Guest Post)
• Advisors, #dobetter

Reader Interactions

July 25, 2011 at 2:18 pm

Thanks for posting these bits of advice. There are so many little things about grad school that we don’t know but we are expected to know! Even though I always try to be respectful and professional in my emails to professors, having a template like this is helpful.

July 25, 2011 at 4:06 pm

You’re very welcome, Liana! I agree, it’s these little unacknowledged and untaught things that can make or break a graduate school career…. I am genuinely mystified as to why graduate colleges don’t keep a full time advisor on the staff to help undergrad and grad students with these small but critical processes. But since they don’t, I’m going to try and be that here at The Professor Is In!

January 21, 2014 at 2:28 am

I wanted to ask about: what if i sent a professor an email, which has no subject line? how will he see me, and how can i fix this problem?

2nd: i didn’t write my email as much detailed as shown above, and i sent my CV as a detailed introduction about me. so how will he see me and how can i fix this?

Please Help!

October 26, 2020 at 7:30 am

Hello there! I know this reply is late, but I just want to put it out here so that other students who had the same problem as you can know what to do. I have a question, how long ago did you send the email? If it is just a short while ago, like five minutes, you can send the professor another email saying that you clicked the send button by mistake, and this time round make sure you include a subject. If it is more than five or ten minutes, then it is best to wait for his reply. By waiting I mean one week. If he does not reply in one week, send him another email. This time you can be more detailed. And also do not forget to include the subject.

November 5, 2014 at 10:17 pm

I have sent phD project proposal to the potential advisor 12 days back, but I have not received any reply from her till today. What Shall I ask her, whether she has gone through the proposal or not or else she is not interested in that topic. Kindly advice

October 26, 2020 at 7:32 am

12 days are quite long, I will say send her a reminder email. Just one line will do, asking if she had the chance to read your previous email. If she does not reply in one week, then just move on.

August 2, 2011 at 11:26 am

This is really helpful. Actually, I had sent my first email to the potential supervisor which I had written myself without consulting to anyone or any websites and I am happy that I covered all the things that Karen has explained here. After I sent my first email he responded very well and we exchanged three emails as well. Finally he asked me to send my Masters dissertation, CV, and the proposal as well which I did after 20 days and I also got an email from him saying he received it and will get in touch with me soon. But now it has been nearly a month since I haven’t heard anything from him so I thought to write a follow up email to him and once I started writing I myself was not satisfied with the email that I wrote because I thought it was bit arrogant to directly ask what is happening with my application. So I would really be grateful if anyone could help me with that and I also don’t know how long should I wait before sending him follow up email. Any help highly appreciated. Thanks

December 5, 2017 at 4:06 pm

hi Niraj, What is happened after? I did and sent couple of professor and i did not get back yet. please advise me furhter. Thanks mohammed

November 30, 2021 at 7:10 am

Can you share with me your format of email?

August 5, 2011 at 9:00 am

What about writing an e-mail to request the addition of someone new to your committee? I have had one professor leave the University and another…well…let’s just say he is no longer a welcome member of my committee and I need to fill two spaces.

August 5, 2011 at 1:55 pm

I will do that, jenn. Look for it next week, on Monday.

September 20, 2013 at 8:44 am

Thank you! I could also use this advice, as I need to approach professors for my exams and it just feels … awkward.

October 22, 2011 at 8:37 pm

Dear Mrs. Karen, I am a Chinese stduent at Beihang University, and I want to get the first contact with my potential PhD. supervisor via E-mail, thank you very much for this constructive suggestion. Thank you very much! Best Wishes! Xu Chen

November 14, 2011 at 10:44 am

Good job demonstrating to students how to suck up to their “superiors” (and I use the word very, very lightly) by providing an example of how to properly be a subservient schmuck and schmooze a highly over-inflated, narcissistic ego. But then again, as many will end up wage slaves to people like you, it is a good skill to have. Then again, to others it reads like a massive endorsement for self-reliance.

What I find simply amazing is the endless self-congratulation that many professors give themselves for jumping through hoops in what amounts to an essentially, a pointless bureaucratic game. Hopefully your research contributes to the whole of humanity. Otherwise it is simply a waste of time in the larger scheme of things. There are people starving and dying out there, and we are worried how to properly impress the likes of you? You need to seriously examine the implications of this. In other words — get over yourself.

June 14, 2012 at 8:23 pm

You are not being fair at all. I thought you would suggest something more helpful after all the ranting. If you can’t help others don’t criticize those who are

March 14, 2013 at 10:12 am

I found this comment to be stimulating and engaging! Well done! Next time, you could also try to look at things from the other side of the argument. Many of us feel that in order to achieve success it’s important to perform in a way that academics recognise and sadly hoop jumping is a necessary facet of life whether you are a street performer looking for a permit from your local authority or an artist applying for grants from a Charitable Trust. The point of this post and the point it makes quite clearly is that many students such as myself are not trained or advised on the correct protocol concerning contacting people who are probably already quite busy and who have to read literally hundreds of emails a day. If you think you could do a better job or don’t like academia no one is forcing you to do it and there is certainly even less of an obligation to do a PhD. You site doing good for humanity as the goal we should live by. I think you also need to assess the assumptions that this makes and the moral and ethical values you espouse but don’t seem to understand.

May 12, 2013 at 10:06 am

July 15, 2013 at 6:02 pm

McDonald’s employee detected

October 13, 2013 at 2:46 am

Anunomus just about sums it up. All of this advice perpetuates academic arrogance because many of the students reading this will eventually become professors themselves and will in turn want to be treated the same way by future students.

October 11, 2015 at 8:09 am

With respect?

December 31, 2020 at 12:50 am

What’s wrong with telling a professor you like their research? Isn’t that the whole point you want to study under them? Because you respect their intellect, the unique way they approach a subject and because your interests align?

September 11, 2018 at 3:08 pm

I was hoping to find a comment like this. The author of this article “instantly deletes” an email asking for help on a matter? And for what reason, other than a disdainful hubris? Disgraceful, in my opinion.

December 29, 2011 at 10:56 pm

Dear Mrs. Karen i am really thank full to you providing such a nice post. this is very very helpful to student like me. i really appreciate your work. best wishes! and happy new year vishal mehra

January 31, 2012 at 5:00 pm

Dear Mrs. Karen

Thank you very much for your clear and concise post regarding this small but nevertheless quite important and hard to find advice.

I’m from Portugal. I’m starting my PhD in Clinical Research and i will focus my attention in resistant schizophrenia. Would it make sense to have a supervisor from a foreign country and which i don’t know personally? Don’t you think that he would accept?

Thank you very much for your help, Nuno

January 31, 2012 at 9:28 pm

Your advisor has to be in the Ph.D. program you enroll in. If you are interested in enrolling in a foreign program (and are still exploring options), then yes, you can get in touch with a potential advisor there, and if accepted, you can then attend that program. They won’t discriminate based on the fact that you are from another country, if your application is strong.

October 14, 2014 at 11:52 am

I know I’m replying to an old thread, but it occurred to me that nuno might mean getting an external advisor from a different institution than the one nuno is doing his/her PhD in. Is this done in the States at all? In a lot of European universities it seems to be possible to have an advisor from another programme or even another university.

February 20, 2015 at 12:24 am

Hey Christina,

In the US usually you are at the institution where you adviser is. However you usually have outside committee members that supervise your thesis and the can be from outside universities.

February 13, 2012 at 2:14 pm

I have a question about how to title the subject line of the email. What is a respectful and concise subject heading for an email to a potential advisor?

February 13, 2012 at 4:52 pm

Inquiry from a Prospective Graduate Student

October 10, 2013 at 2:15 pm

Thank you, this was the exact question I was trying to find an answer to. I wrote a professor earlier in the week just to introduce myself, and now I have an appointment set up with the department grad advisor and I want to meet with the professor while I am up there. I wrote a second email and asked if they had time to meet with me while I was in town. Is this rude?

February 16, 2012 at 11:19 pm

Karen, Great job ignoring anunomus, in fact I’d hugely disappointed if you do him the honor of trading words with him. This is a very helpful template. Thanks.

April 5, 2012 at 1:47 am

Dear Mrs. Karen It’s give me pleasure to visit your webpage, relay your post is very helpful, useful, and rich. I’m from Palestine, I awarded DAAD scholarship in 2008 to get M. Sc. in computer information systems, now I am looking to begin my PhD. in Germany, I must find a supervisor then we arrange to write the PhD. proposal. Finally, I found my supervisor , he send me acceptance letter after finishing PhD. proposal but my application was rejected for scholarship for some special reasons, now I am working to find another supervisor , what is your advice to me , it will better to inform the new supervisor about my previous one .. Or not? and could you provide me with a template for comprehensive motivation letters and statement of propose .

Thank you very much for your help, Rasha

April 5, 2012 at 12:16 pm

Thank you so much! I have been sitting here stumped as to how best to contact potential supervisors, as you only get one chance at a first impression. This was so helpful, and I just wanted to let you know my appreciation for sharing your advice.

Thank you, Amna

April 5, 2012 at 12:37 pm

you’re very welcome, Amna!

May 1, 2012 at 6:38 am

Professor Karen, thanks for this post. It is actually very helpful.

May 4, 2012 at 4:11 am

This is an excellent forum you have created. Thank you very much. Please i Just want to ask whether it is wise to call a Professor who has an open PhD position in his Lab and you are strongly interest, but you sent him and email and recieved no response. And is it generally a good idea to call a Professor on phone when you find interest in his research and hope that he takes you in into his Lab.

May 20, 2012 at 9:13 pm

This is what look for last long month ago. I have to say thank you very much for thing you have done, in my country we not familiar with this. Your advise help me to appropriate starting and encourage to step forward on my ph.d pathway. Thank you kullat,

May 28, 2012 at 1:21 pm

Dear Karen,

Thank you for the very insightful postings and advice.

Do you have any suggestions for a mature applicant for PhD program, who is older than most of targeted potential supervisors? I am currently working as an assistant professor as PQ faulty in a foreign institution and trying to pursue a doctoral degree starting from forthcoming fall semester.

Many thanks,

May 28, 2012 at 5:32 pm

My advice is don’t do it. I don’t say that to all potential PhD applicants, but I do say it to older ones. It’s generally a disastrous choice both financially and psychically.

July 2, 2013 at 9:47 am

I just wanted to say that I was quite pleased by this advice until I read this response. I entered higher education as a “non-traditional” student and it has turned my life around. I’m now a masters student looking at PhD programs. It pains me to see an someone in your position advising someone against further education because of their age.

July 9, 2013 at 4:17 pm

Unfortunately with the abysmal job market and the likelihood of massive debt, age becomes a major risk factor in any phd decision. I have seen the tragic outcomes among my clientele. Some do still prevail, but many more do not.

July 1, 2014 at 10:02 am

What do you consider as a “mature” applicant? Past age 25, or past age 30?

September 20, 2016 at 3:35 am

I suppose it depends what field you are in and if you are paid to be at the institution or not. In my field PhD students are typically given full funding packages and stipends, eliminating the need to take out loans. Of course, these stipends aren’t exactly generous and the job market is still dismal, but at least you don’t necessarily have to go into debt to receive a PhD. That being said, are you suggesting that there is another factor, perhaps some sort of “ageism” that also works against older students?

June 13, 2012 at 11:04 pm

Dear Karen, thanks for you rsuggestion! Do you think that including the CV as attachment might be a good move?

June 14, 2012 at 9:40 am

yes, you could. I have the slightest hesitation though. At your stage your cv won’t be very impressive, and may well be completely improperly formatted, so it could do a lot more harm than good. I suppose my instinct would be to not send it, until asked.

June 14, 2012 at 3:45 am

Dear Professor Karen Kelsky, I do appreciate creating such a great website for us as students. Actually your advice, comments and tips are very very helpful to me and I’m sure to others too. I check this website everyday indeed! Thanks Sepideh

June 14, 2012 at 8:27 pm

Thank you professor. this came at a good time.

June 14, 2012 at 8:28 pm

please continue to ignore the likes of anunomus .

June 15, 2012 at 10:41 am

June 20, 2012 at 4:12 pm

Thanks for this outline! I am currently looking into potential advisors for Fall of 2013 and would like to contact them. When would be the ideal time to do so?

July 2, 2012 at 8:58 pm

Hi Thank you for your great advices. It was all about phd application, but what about masters? What graduate school are looking for in master applicants to accept them? Thanks

July 15, 2012 at 12:04 pm

i am 3rd year medical student and want to go abroad for research elective.i have no past research experience but now i am interested in doing research in immunology.how should i write letter to any doctor.kindly paste a format here so that i can send it to docs. thanks

July 17, 2012 at 8:08 am

Thank you for your advice. Your example is the best I read so far! 🙂

April 25, 2013 at 9:14 am

http://pixie658.wordpress.com/2010/02/15/contacting-potential-advisors/

July 25, 2012 at 12:26 am

Dear Professor Karen, Thank you very much for guiding prospective Ph.D students towards the realization of their dreams. These essential things add up in a big way to help secure an admit. It becomes a bit confusing as to how to convey all your thoughts to the professors and yet be concise in your approach. After all you just get once chance to hit the bull’s eye.

Thank you for your timely help.

Regards, Ashwini

July 25, 2012 at 9:41 am

Hello Professor Karen,

Thank for sharing this king of information.. Could tell what is subject line for seeking Phd Supervisor. And could you send the separate email for asking about that..

Thank You..

July 31, 2012 at 5:27 pm

Dear Professor Karen, Thanks so much for your help , it is highly helpful as I am in the process of communicating a potential Advisor . Hope I find an Advisor like you . By the way , Who Would Care Communucating With an anonm…… ?!

August 7, 2012 at 9:46 pm

It’s great to see you posting something like this, it has really helped me out. I was wondering though, I’m in a situation where there are two professors at the same University that I am interested in speaking with. Should I contact them both or just pick one and stick with it? They are in the same department, but are focused on different aspects of the same field (one is shellfish restoration and the other is shellfish aquaculture).

August 8, 2012 at 9:10 pm

It’s ok to contact both, but just disclose to each that you’re also contacting the other.

August 13, 2012 at 10:48 am

Thank you very much for you great input. Can you please post a followup email sample. I am working on one for about a week. But I think I came across rude.

Warm regards, Ashran

August 14, 2012 at 9:39 am

Thank you for your great post, that’s very helpful.

I have used your post as an email template and send it to several professors. About half of them respond positively. I think your template is a very good format for PhD application.

Could you also give me more suggestion on how to continue the communication with professors? shall I first talk about my own experience? Or I should do research about the professors’ current projects and talk about that. Thanks very much

Best regards,

Ruoyu(Ryan)

August 25, 2012 at 10:55 am

Dear Prof. Karen,

I would like to thank you for your post, it is very helpful. I am in the process of communicating with two potential Advisors and this will be my last effort to attend a PhD.

Best Regards,

August 29, 2012 at 5:14 am

Thank you very much for this post. I am about writing my very first letter to a potential supervisor. I hope with these few tips you shared, that I get a good response.

Best regards.

September 2, 2012 at 3:28 am

thank you very much for your effort, i just want to ask if i can use this form to contact a professor in my faculty and i took some clases with him before

September 3, 2012 at 1:50 am

September 3, 2012 at 1:15 pm

Is it ever ok to send more than one inquiry to professors in the same department? Especially if it’s a large department?

September 3, 2012 at 2:28 pm

Yes, it’s ok, as long as you disclose in the email that you are doing so.

September 4, 2012 at 10:59 pm

Dear Karen, I’ve finished my master about 5 years ago. since then, I am working in research institutes. I want to apply for a one-year research fellowship abroad which needs to prepare research proposal. I do not know how to choose my subject. If I ask about it from a potential supervisor, would it be harmful?? It is very kind of you replying. Bests, Mary

September 5, 2012 at 10:23 am

Yes that would be harmful. the expectation is that you have a full-fledged research program of your own.

September 11, 2012 at 3:36 am

Thank you for your reply but do you agree with me that it is really a difficult decision what to choose for your PhD topic which is innovative and also appealing to yourself and others??

September 11, 2012 at 6:09 am

No, not necessarily. I think most phd students have a deep impulse or drive to do a topic and it just flows out of them. that was the case for me, certainly, and most others I know. If you don’t have that, I think doing the Ph.D. might be difficult.

September 17, 2012 at 8:40 pm

Thank you! I’m terribly nervous about communicating with professors–I was always the kid that sat by the door and snuck away at the end of class because I was too nervous to talk to adults–and the sample letter was hugely helpful in formatting the inquiry I just sent. Thank you, thank you for helping us would-be grad students not look dumb!

September 19, 2012 at 5:26 am

Dear Professor Karen, Thank you for posting such important information. I actually got your information after i sent my first email to my potential supervisor. I understand i made many mistakes. Now it has been days since i sent it. So will wait the response. God help me! My question for you, is it appropriate to contact another professor from the same university & the same department in case i get no response from the first professor?

Thank you very much,

Mesfin G. (Ethiopia)

September 19, 2012 at 10:34 am

Yes, you can do that. Just disclose that you have.

September 19, 2012 at 11:48 am

I wrote to one of the potential advisor and he has replied back the same day with a request for cv.

Can you please advise me for the tips for CV? I am in the University town. Do you think it is a good idea if I request him for a meeting?

thanks guneet

September 19, 2012 at 1:00 pm

Read the post, Dr. Karen’s Rules fo the Academci CV.

I would not meet him yet.

September 25, 2012 at 9:59 am

Thanks for this awesome post. I followed your advices and wrote an e-mail to potential faculty for Ph.D program that I want to join. And it worked very well. I received an e-mail back from him the following morning! I did not ask whether he had time to talk to me though, and I only asked whether he is accepting students this year. His e-mail was very brief (2 sentences), saying # of students he is accepting, and he encourages me to apply. Should I send another brief ‘thank-you’ e-mail? If so, should I try to talk to him more about his group/program? or would it be better to just keep it as ‘thank-you’ e-mail? I would very much appreciate your time and help!

October 7, 2015 at 5:26 am

what did you reply to the professor? I got same response.

Professor encouraged me to apply in the admissions. and he wrote nothing else.

December 12, 2016 at 1:36 pm

can you show your email to apply for phd i’d like to apply for phd program and want to contact w?th faculty member about the application and asking for schollarship.

September 26, 2012 at 1:55 am

Dear Karen Have you any suggestion for applying together with our spouse!! My husband and I are planning to attend in a same school. how should we contact with the potential supervisor?? Do we have to mention this in our first email? Do we have to send emails separately?? How can we improve our chance to get admitted in same place???

September 26, 2012 at 5:45 am

Thank you for your info. I found your advice reassuring. I have one question though. I have had some good responses and offers in Europe. Now I am planning to apply to some high-ranked US universities for a research position in electronics. My master’s institution in Sweden is not that famous which I perceived as a disadvantage. How much weight does professors in the US give to GRE and grade when selecting students for a PhD? My GRE (Q:800, V~510) and B+ GPA.

Thank you again. Daniel

September 27, 2012 at 6:16 am

i faced the same problem. i’ve sent email to one prof at uni. X, but after 3 weeks, he didint reply me. so i’ve sent another email tp another prof at uni. Y… after few hours he reply saying, im ready to supervise you, welcome to uni Y.

Then, a week after that, the Prof from Uni X replied me saying. plese send your 2 pages proposal for my consideration.

What should i replied him? Seeking for your kind opinion…..

September 29, 2012 at 11:53 am

Dear Dr. Karen Hello, Thank you very much for your helping. I’ve finished my master (marine biology) about 1 years ago and i would like to continue my study in PhD, but i don’t know, how i can to apply how i can obtain Scholarship and etc. Is it possible that i send email to head department and ask him/her about that? Would you please give me any advice or direction about that. Thanks in advance Regards Parisa A.Salimi

September 29, 2012 at 1:11 pm

Thank you very much. I am a senior, finishing up my B.S., and in the process of applying to Ph.D. programs. Writing to professors can be extremely intimidating. I found that your example was a wonderful tool for organizing the information and thoughts that have lead me to apply the my individual programs.

October 8, 2012 at 12:33 am

To what detail would I need to present my hypothesis?

October 12, 2012 at 11:20 am

Dear Karen there were great tips i have never known. i just want to know if it works if i mention that i completed a first year of PhD in my home country and i dont want to pursue it any more or not? What if i guess my publication is not enough strong to compete with other candidates in the university i want to apply for? Does it mean i will not be able to attract a supervisor? It is a big problem in my mind and i dont know how to deal with.???

October 15, 2012 at 7:31 am

Dear professor Karen, Thank you for this advice. could you please advice me about few matters. i have completed my M.Sc in Biomedical Genetics last year and now i am planning to do my PhD in genetics in Canada, for that i would like to contact a supervisor and in my letter what all the information should i have to include and another problem is, i am planning to publish an article in the last of this month i have already send to the journal, so whether i should try to contact the adviser after the article is published or i should contact the adviser now itself as there are only limited seats for PhD . please help me Thank you

October 16, 2012 at 9:00 am

DEAR COMMENTERS TO THIS “HOW TO WRITE AN EMAIL TO A POTENTIAL PH.D. ADVISOR” BLOG POST: I AM UNABLE TO RESPOND INDIVIDUALLY TO ALL OF THE REQUESTS FOR ADVICE IN THIS COMMENT THREAD. I KNOW THAT PEOPLE DESPERATELY NEED GUIDANCE ABOUT THIS CRITICAL TRANSITION INTO PHD PROGRAMS, BUT THE LARGE VOLUME OF REQUESTS FOR ADVICE THAT I RECEIVE HERE ON THE BLOG AND IN MY EMAIL INBOX PREVENTS ME FROM RESPONDING TO INDIVIDUAL QUERIES. I APOLOGIZE AND WISH YOU THE BEST. IF OTHERS WISH TO PROVIDE RESPONSES I WELCOME THEM. SINCERELY, KAREN KELSKY

October 20, 2012 at 12:09 am

thank you so much.

October 22, 2012 at 4:40 am

hello Thank you so much for this site, but what should be the subject of our emails?

October 23, 2012 at 6:29 pm

“My specific project will likely focus on xxxx, and I am particularly interested in exploring the question of xxxxx.”

While the second part of this sentence is fine, I’d be rather cautious about the first half. I am in the process of writing a letter to a potential supervisor myself and have gone to talk to different professors in my current university to ask for advice. I do have a topic in mind, but almost everyone told me NOT to mention a specific topic in the e-mail but rather general idea. One of the professors even told me that more often than not the person who says they have something specific in mind will be stubborn about changing their topic (because let’s be honest, PhD topics change) and consequently not asked for an interview.

Then again, I’m speaking from an European’s point of view. Maybe the grad school application approach is different in the States.

October 24, 2012 at 9:12 am

My advice reflects US expectations.

January 11, 2016 at 4:25 pm

I think you are right in that the approach is different in different countries. I am in Australia and I have met up with a university professor. He told me that most people would not be able to choose their own PHD topic and that it is important to be flexible while still making sure you will enjoy the topic you end up doing. This is because the professors apply for grants on specific topics and then need students to do that topic in their PHD. The only way you could do your own topic is if you do a self-funded PHD, i.e. apply for grants yourself. For this reason I will be including broad areas of interest in my emails rather than specific topics.

January 15, 2017 at 3:49 am

Hi Laura, I saw your reply and I though of send you this message as I am in Australia too and planning to work on my PhD. If usually we have to work on professors projects, I couldn’t find much published topics /projects online. The only thing I found was interests of supervisors and in few universities some research projects but not relevant to my field. I hope you can give me some guidance.

August 5, 2022 at 1:39 pm

Thank you, so helpful that it confirms the similar advice I got from a reliable source.

October 26, 2012 at 12:17 pm

that was a good manuscript sample for the astudents who intend to applying and they first language is’nt english.thank u

November 6, 2012 at 8:20 am

Thank you for your advice! Could you also suggest what I should include/how I should organize an email to a professor I met at a conference but don’t know well? Thanks again in advance!

November 23, 2012 at 2:32 pm

Thank you so much for your blog!

I am currently applying to graduate school programs and was wondering if you had any advice on interviews. Some programs do on-campus interviews, and others do phone/Skype interviews. I was wondering what I should expect.

November 27, 2012 at 9:51 am

Hi Karen, Thanks for the advice. I am an undergraduate student and will be applying for graduate school in the Fall of 2013, but I need to ask graduate schools if they will accept my pre-requisites for Speech Pathology because it varies at different schools… What would your advice be to go about emailing them?

November 28, 2012 at 1:22 am

Dear Prof. Karen Kelsky,

Thank you very much on posting such a wonderful e-mail template. It helped me a lot. I was wondering if you could kindly help me about writing ‘ Statement of purpose’ (SOP). I tried on my own and took the help of many seniors but all was in vain. I will be aplying for a masters degree in US for fall 2013 and I am very desperate to write a good enough SOP.

I would be obliged if you could reply as soon as possible. Thanks very much

December 28, 2012 at 4:26 am

thank you very much for your valuable hints

January 15, 2013 at 3:53 am

Thanks for providing such a nice insight and useful suggestions for admissions. I am 44 and wish to do an engineering MASc in Canada. Will my age(44) go against me ?? I am working in government of India R&D sector and can get a leave (without pay) for two years only (otherwise I would have opted for a PhD). I Will require funding. I hold a patent in Canada (should I mention that in my email ? This patent however is for a practical device and not related to professor’s field so much…)

January 16, 2013 at 12:58 am

Dear Professor Karen, Thanks for your suggestion . However, I am having a problem. I could not find any publication or research work available on the internet of the supervisor I want to work with. So what sort of comment(regarding his work) may I make which can help me grabbing his attention? I am a prospective MSc student.

Best regards Sanjoy

February 19, 2013 at 3:14 pm

Dear Karen, Your description was very helpful on how to write the e-mail, but what continues to stump me is what to put into the subject line. During my time as an undergraduate, I have had many professors tell my classes to chose our subject lines wisely because they delete mail not directly related to their classes or from faculty memebers. What would be short, to the point, and attention getting as a subject so the professor doesn’t just immediately delete the e-mail without reading it?

Best Regards, Danielle

August 15, 2013 at 3:46 am

I concur. I just finished composing my email to a potential Professor in an Ivy league school, and I am now confronted with the question of what subject would be appropriate for my mail. Please Karen, your help is really needed. Thanks

October 14, 2014 at 2:55 pm

This is probably of no use to you now, but she answered it in the above comments already. “Inquiry from a Prospective Graduate Student”

February 20, 2013 at 11:55 am

Very thanks Karen about this informations, it was so helpful to me. Regards >>

February 25, 2013 at 8:58 pm

Thank you so much for such a nice and informative article.I was about to send an email to professor with many mistakes. I have just visited your site and found your page likes on facebook are 3999 and i would be the lucky one to make it 4000. So congratulations from my side on reaching 4000 likes in FB.

Thank you again. Regards, Engr Nouman Khattak Junior Design Engineer BAK Consulting Engineers.

February 26, 2013 at 11:33 am

thank you, Nouman! good luck.

February 25, 2013 at 10:30 pm

Dear Professor Karen, Thanks for your valuable post . You have provide a good idea to write in a correct and polite way. This post is very helpful and guiding me to write an email for a professor.

Best regards Lia P.

March 2, 2013 at 4:30 pm

Dear Karen, I must confess that I have been terrified just thinking about contacting the professor in a program that I am interesting in. After reading your posting and your template, I feel so much better. I plan to pursue a master degree in biomedical engineering with a focus in medical instrumentation at the university of Saskatchewan. I have been on the program website but not quite sure how to address the section in your template: my specific project will focus on xxx and I will be interested in addressing the question of xxx Furthermore, how does one credit you for the information? Sincerely, Linus Luki

March 5, 2013 at 10:15 pm

Dear Professor Karen, Thank you for posting this guide! It’s taken the fear out of initially contacting a potential advisor. I was wondering if you have any suggestions or additions to this for students looking to apply to M.Sc. coursework programs? Tailoring the program to my interests is heavily dependent on my potential advisor, however I also feel that any competent faculty member would be able to assist me with this. I’m now questioning the value I’m placing on selecting the right advisor to contact. Thank you kindly in advance for any advice. Ana M.

March 8, 2013 at 7:10 am

Thanks for this very useful post Karen. I do have a question – it has been 9 years since I graduated from University (BSc. Hons) and have been working in a separate field since graduation (except 1 year spent teaching the Sciences to high school students). I am now looking to return to complete an MSc in Environmental Management. Should I mention/explain my break from the field in my email? What would be your suggestion on the best way to approach this?

March 26, 2013 at 9:21 pm

I just wanted to say I agree wholeheartedly about following up if you don’t get a response (and you’re serious about the professor and/or line of work). I wrote to a professor enquiring about full time openings in her lab but she didn’t reply. I followed up after 2 weeks, and she replied almost 2 seconds later apologizing for not getting in touch sooner because she was out sick and the email then got forgotten. In this case, there was a happy ending. The prof flew me out for an interview, and I’m still at the same lab working full time. I was never more glad of my persistent stick-to-it-ness.

p.s., I should probably add I didn’t send a form email and that my email was tailored specifically for that lab and the research the PI does.

May 29, 2013 at 6:00 am

Dear Professor Karen, Thank you so much for this valuable post. It was so informative. I am aspiring to do Phd in fall 2014. I would like to the right time for contacting professors regarding Phd and what are the things I should mention other than the info provided in your article

June 5, 2013 at 2:34 am

Dear Prof. Karen, Thank you so much for this very useful and valuable post. I would like to ask question about , how to reply a mail after a supervisor giving negative feedback for an application.

June 11, 2013 at 8:50 am

Hi Karen. Your advice was very useful in helping me figure out and frame my email to a potential supervisor. There is one concern however, and I have been frantically searching online for a tip on the same. I am a student doing my Masters (Thesis-based) and after three years I have decided to switch to a different university for a Course-based degree in the same program. I have completed 6 courses and a part of my research but it took me a while to figure out that research (long term research) does not suit me very well. My confusion is if I should mention that in my email and if I do then how to put it across in a polished manner, so that it does not have any adverse effects on my application. I would appreciate if you could kindly advise me on this. Thank you.

June 27, 2013 at 2:22 am

Thank you for your advice. I’m graduated 3 years ago (MSc.). I have 2 papers published and attended some workshop and 2 national congresses. I had been working as a teacher assistant. Meanwhile I had to work that is not related to my education for 2 years. Now I’m worried and I don’t know how to explain about the gap since the graduation up to now. Could you please advise me about that? thank you very much.

June 30, 2013 at 8:04 am

Hi Ms Karen,

Thanks very much for such an incredible post. It will really guide us through the application process and applying for funding opportunities. I can not imagine what would have happened if we did not have such a nice person like you around us! Really appreciate your work. Thanks Shabnam

July 12, 2013 at 10:47 am

This is a great resource for learning how to properly contact advisers, thank you for making this!

I think it would also benefit for us to know about social/Facebook etiquette when involving potential graduate advisers. Should we befriend them on Facebook? I could see reasons for and against do that. Seeing the posts, pics, and etc., could be helpful in getting to know the adviser better. On the other hand, if the adviser seems something on your page he/she doesn’t like, you run the risk of losing them. What do you? Maybe right another blog on social/ Facebook etiquette with advisers? Thanks!

July 29, 2013 at 7:09 pm

Dear Pro Karen,

Thank you for your advice. It’s help me a lot. I have already emailed my prospective supervisor, however i found out we have different personalities, and i’m afraid that i can’t work well with him. I’m decided to find another supervisor but I not know how to tell him. Besides, he work on human isolates ( microbe and molecular field) while im interested to deal with animal isolates as i’m animal science student.

I hope you can give any suggestion on this matter. Thank you..

August 2, 2013 at 6:21 am

Thank you for this guide, I was lost what to write for a potential thesis adviser.

August 4, 2013 at 1:08 pm

Thanks for this informative post! Mentioning the potential research focus in the email is still a sticking point for me (“My specific project will likely focus on xxxx, and I am particularly interested in exploring the question of xxxxx”). In my case, there are many research questions I am interested in exploring within a broader topic. I don’t want to be generic, noncommittal, or scattered, but I also don’t want to be dishonest by picking a research question and declaring it my particular interest. How can I reflect this openness while still showing I am focused?

August 14, 2013 at 4:14 pm

Dear prof. Karen,

Thank you for this great blog and willingness to share your professional knowledge. Could you please, very briefly, address two issues: 1. If a topic can be supervised by several members of faculty and is rather specific (it`s in social sciences), would it be appropriate to address one (presumably “highest ranking”) professor at the department, but at the end to kindly ask that if she/he is not interested or not able to be advisor to recommend to me someone in the department who could be more appropriate/willing/able/suitable to contact? I don’t think anyone has raised this, but coming from Eastern Europe, I don’t know if this would be considered “weak”, or “improper”, or “insulting”?

2. This is not so important, but I read few people asked similar question and it remained unanswered, but is also in way related to the previous one. I am intending to apply with my partner/fiancee who is in the same discipline, we met on first year, and since have studied, worked and lived together (I am 26, she is 39), and are very successful in it and highly compatible and productive when together – studying the same issue, but from quite different perspectives and different aspects of it (we might need to have different supervisors). Would you consider it to be a drawback that we are applying together for PhD in the US? And do you think that in similar cases it is better to send one e-mail to a Prof., or two separate, or two separate to two Prof.s?

Once more, thank you very much, I assume it`s a hassle. Best regards, Milos

PS – Your text on passives was very useful not just for British, but I would say for most of Europe. PPS – Please answer my post (at least No. 1), it was my birthday yesterday and I am so depressed! 🙂

August 14, 2013 at 9:17 pm

Yes you can do as you say re question 1. Well actually, don’t do it in the initial email. Wait until you’ve had a negative reply and then ask. To ask up front would be a little awkward. Re question 2: it’s fine for you two to both apply but you must both apply independently and contact the profs independently.You can let drop informally that you are a couple, but formally in the apps, it’s got to be entirely individual.

August 14, 2013 at 10:44 pm

Thank you very much! When we are accepted (implementing positive (American) attitude), we will write you an e-mail on issues we had as Eastern European candidates and how we successfully resolved them! 🙂 Thank you, once again, very much, your whole blog gave us a lot of positive energy and motivation to apply for PhD! 🙂 Best regards, Milos

August 20, 2013 at 3:59 am

Dear Professor Karen,

Thank you for giving such a nice template. I must say this would definitely help me in writing it to the professor for my phd program. This is awesome. I was always confused how to approach to the professor, i did get the reply for the emails i have sent to different school but this will make it more precise and would be easy for a professor to explain. Really appreciate it.

Best regards, Komal Sharma

September 1, 2013 at 12:05 pm

I think you just saved me from being just-another-email-to-delete in my potential supervisor’s inbox. I was going to send a poorly written email but decided to get some tips on what exactly to include in my first letter and I stumbled upon your excellently written article. I really appreciate you taking time out to write these articles.

I am going to apply for a masters degree and I am currently writing a letter to some of the professors in whose research I am interested in.

Thank you, Abdullah Siddiqui

September 20, 2013 at 8:06 am

Prof. Karen, Thanks for this insightful post. I’ve already contacted some Professors for possible Ph.D. supervision and the content of my e-mail was close to (but not as detailed) as the template here because I was trying to avoid sending a lengthy mail. However, I’ve not gotten any reply for days now. Please, I need your advice; should I resend my mails following this template or … ? Here’s a sample of the mail I sent on Tue, 17th, Sept., 2013:

Hello Prof. XXX,

I am XXX, a graduate of XXX and a current research student at the XXX University. I am writing you this email to inform you of my interest in your field of research (XXX). My current Masters research is in XXX and I have also been researching into more problems in this area. I have been able to come up with a research proposal for proposed Ph.D. and want to solicit your support in seeing my dream come true by accepting to supervise my work. Sequel to my preliminary findings, I make bold to reiterate that I have come to respect your insight and experience in this field and I am open to suggestions and/or corrections to my drafted proposal.

I have attached to this mail, a copy of my CV, a brief proposal and an abstract of the same proposal so you can quickly go through it.

I am currently applying for XXX Scholarship and I need an approval letter from my supervisor to complete my application. In case you will not be able to supervise me, I will appreciate it if you can suggest some other people whom you know can supervise my work. I look forward to reading from you soonest to allow me complete the application on time.

Thank you, Sir. Sincere regards

September 21, 2013 at 7:23 am

Hello Prof Karen, Thank you for generous tips and advice. I got tired to get such kind of information to relief my stresses. On the other hand, I would expect that I will need a far more deeper guidance about my PhD application road map. I have selected USCD (Materials Science + Chemical Eng.), Carnegie Mellon U. (Materials Science), U of South Florida (Chemical Engineering). My challenge that I will be facing both the TOEFL on Oct 25th and GRE on Dec 19th. Additionally, I have my courses in the master that I study here in Brazil, UFRGS. While the sites of the aforementioned schools state that it is not advised to contact faculties as they can not give any prior admission unless to submit all the application materials; test scores, transcripts, etc, it is welcome to contact them if you want to talk about the research they do or you want to do. The problem is that I am missing mind duel to all this timed tasks that I have to carry out simultaneously. During that I feel that an optional transaction like initiating a contact with a professor who shares my research interests – specially they won’t respond mostly – is not so advisable. Do you agree with me? Second point I study here in Brazil in Portuguese. As an Egyptian, I used to study engineering in a mixture of English and Arabic. Thus, it was difficult to understand and communicate with the teacher and classmates during discussion. After all, it is a MSc and understanding to solve questions in exams is important than understanding the language itself. So that I used to study in English and then make such conversion from English to Portuguese in exam times. As a result, I usually get B grades. I got only one A. Do you think that will lower my chance of getting admission? Third about recommendation letters, I do not have the complete ability to determine which faculty professors I should ask to recommend me. For example, my supervisor is really a nice woman and supportive. However, some times she looks like angry from me and neither I nor my colleagues know a specific reason for that. I just try to relax, supervise, and educate myself. Like that, shall i ask her to recommend me or not. Other professor who was my 65 year old supervisor in Egypt. He was considering me as a son to him and he has written many recommendations to me. But due to out-of-control problems in my work as a TA in the same dept, I feel like he has changed towards me. I am sure that he still appreciate my hard work and traits and he is the most knowledgeable person about me. Shall I ask him to recommend me?

October 5, 2013 at 7:20 pm

I am happy to find this template. I definitely believe it is a great help. I have one concern though. I saw you stated that age is a big risk. I am applying to PhD in finance programs for fall 2014. I will 40 years soon. I hold a triple major and an MBA.

Do you have any advice for me?

Thanks in advance.

October 27, 2013 at 5:54 pm

Thank you for the excellent resource. I just used it to email a prospective graduate advisor. I feel I ALWAYS ask this question, but panels are often targeted on larger problems like GRE, NSF, and personal statement advice.

I was wondering if you could answer two questions.

1) What should a good signature for an undergraduate student look like at the end of an email?

2) How important is a personal website in the application process?

November 4, 2013 at 12:35 pm

Wow!!!!! What an amazing and informative resource. Thank you so much Karen for taking precious time to advice complete strangers on something extremely worthwhile…it takes someone with a good heart to do just that. I (and many others as I’ve seen from the comments) have really benefited from this post on contacting potential supervisors. May God bless you so much beyond your wildest dreams!

November 7, 2013 at 3:10 am

Have you any suggestion for applying together with our spouse!! My husband and I are planning to attend in a same university. please let me know how I can write such an email.

November 14, 2013 at 12:00 am

I really appreciate this post. I was trying to write an e-mail to my potential advisor and had hard time figuring out what to write about.

I referenced your format when I was writing my e-mail. It was a great help.

Sincerely, Cho

November 14, 2013 at 1:57 am

I sure could have used this about two weeks ago. Thank you for providing this template and sharing your information, it is greatly appreciated. If I may ask a question Prof. Karen, is it any good to send a second email with this template to a prof? I sent a less dense email to two potential advisors about two weeks ago and I was hoping I could redeem myself as it appears my first emails were not impressive. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?

December 5, 2013 at 12:18 am

i recently completed my graduation in biotechnology. i want to per-sue my PhD, but it is difficult for me how to write a impressive email to a supervisor who really take interest in my mail.

December 12, 2013 at 8:18 am

Prof.Karen,Thank you very much for your helpful posts.

I have a question about communication with a as a future research group member. what should we do when we feel that the coordinator is not very straightforward( in case it is impossible to meet him/her in their office).

Should we talk about it with our professors? given that most cases they are supporter of each other.

December 17, 2013 at 5:20 am

Dear Prof. Kelsky,

Many thanks for such an informative post. Some of your answers in the thread are very helpful as well.

Do you think it is a good idea to send a draft research proposal to a potential supervisor when approaching him/her?

Kind regards,

December 18, 2013 at 12:14 am

Great posting. I sent a professional email to a my prospective adviser and she gave ma a short

“I do expect to accept one, maybe two, students for next year. I will look forward to seeing your application! Let me know if you have further questions in the mean time.”

I am not sure if I should keep the conversation or leave it at that. I kept it professional, stated my goals and interest and my interest in her research. I don’t want to send unnecessary questions and make myself look bad

January 16, 2014 at 12:29 pm

Can you please advice on whether or not it is a good idea to make a first email contact with a potential advisor, after having submitted the PhD application to the university?

January 18, 2014 at 1:12 am

Dear Professor Dr. Karen,

I am an international student. Your article, “how to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor”, had helped shining the way to communicate with professors who live overseas.

After sending my email to three places, I received a good reply from a prospective professor who told me that I was a good fit to his/her laboratory.

Because this is only one month after submitting my applications, I do not know whether the email from the professor will guarantee my chance of acceptance. At least his/her reply helps me narrow down the researches that I should pursue.

Recently, I came across a problem. I found a university in which there are more than one professor that I would like to work with.

In fact, this problem is often, but I cannot make a decision for this department. Could you please give me advice on whether I should send the letter to more than one professor in the same department or what positive or negative consequences that I might have encounter.

Thank you for taking your time.

Sincerely yours,

Suvita Swana

February 3, 2014 at 11:45 am

February 20, 2014 at 4:34 am

thank you Mrs. Karen for such a good post, i read it and its quite helping .i wanted to ask you that would it be good idea to go for a Ph.D after completing M.Sc. while you have a business mind more than an academic? I have completed BS in Electrical Engineering in 2013. Secondly i need to support my family after MSc so would i be able to support them while pursuing a PhD.

March 14, 2014 at 2:14 pm

Dear, Dr. Karen: Thank you very much for this helpful post. Ahmed Eltayeb Sudan

March 17, 2014 at 11:54 am

Hello Dear, Thank you very much for your valuable post. If you don’t mind, I want to share with you my letter which I prepared for my Master’s Course in Surgical Oncology in a Canadian university for your experienced guidance.

Thank you Najmul Islam Sabbir

April 3, 2014 at 2:23 am

Hi Karen, Thank you for this post. I just discovered it yesterday,before sending the first version 🙂 I wonder- I am about to finish my master in Germany when I finished my bachelor in Israeli and worked in between. Should I write all of this info in the first paragraph? I feel it might be too much? (CV style) I will be happy to hear your opinion before sending. Thanks a lot in advance. Jasmin

April 4, 2014 at 5:49 am

Thank you Prof. Karen. This letter provides necessary way to connect PhD guide. thank you once again.

April 16, 2014 at 9:55 pm

I can’t help but echo what someone else had already mentioned in the earlier posts. I feel like you have to suck up to the professor to get any real attention. I’m a straight forward guy, and I don’t understand why we can’t just keep it short and sweet, like two or three sentences, with a CV/resume.

I don’t think I can bring myself to go into detail about how great the professor is, or how I’ve read all his/her papers, or how excited I am to start my research career. It’s politics, and I hate that game.

May 8, 2014 at 12:40 am

Oh my goodness, thank you soooo much!! I am so glad i stumbled upon this right before i was about to send out my email! I’m contacting a masters supervisor, and i can assure you, my email was going to be along the lines of the “instant delete” one!! Thank you so so much! I think you just got me into a masters!!

May 29, 2014 at 3:41 am

thank you for your brief guideline for the most of us. i will try this way and if will success i will tell you.

June 11, 2014 at 2:11 am

Dear professor Karen, This is really the most important and fantastic system of writing for admission application i ever had. Surprisingly, I was facing a big challenge how to write a constructive email for consideration of my graduate program this year. I have now alleviated this mountainous problem. Thank you so much Keren!

June 22, 2014 at 6:17 am

Dear professor Karen, Hello. I am a graduate student in physical chemistry (Master of Science). I am going to continue my study in Computational Chemistry fields for PhD degree in abroad. I preferred an Email (see bellow) to Ph.D. positions. Would you please read this letter and say you point of view about, is this letter suitable for sending to professors?

Dear professor ….,

Hello. I am a graduate student in physical chemistry (Master of Science). I have worked in Computational and Theoretical chemistry for more 3 years. I have many publications in good journals (see attached files). I have very good experiences in theoretical and computational chemistry (Ab initio, DFT, Post-HF, QM/MM) and also working with computer systems, UNIX operating systems and programming.

After graduation for gaining more experience and knowledge, I went to Isfahan University of Technology, department of chemistry, as a Research Assistant and continued my research under Professor H. Farrokhpour.

I am going to continue my study in Computational Chemistry fields for PhD degree. I visited your homepage and I think your research areas are fit to my interest, very well and I am interested in working with you as my supervisor.

Regarding my characteristics, I am a reliable, organized, and so enthusiastic student. I can learn everything fast. I am sure that I will carry over the same enthusiasm and skill in doing my PhD as I know that my background will prove to be an effective match for your demands. Therefore, I would like to have the opportunity to develop my abilities, for which I am confident that I have the skills, knowledge and competence. In addition, my English language is good and I can read, speak, write and listen. For more information, please see my CV in attached file.

Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you. Yours Sincerely, Mostafa Abedi

Research Assistant,

Department of Chemistry, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran

June 30, 2014 at 7:37 am

I have sent a very similar e-mail to my prospective supervisor. It been a week but I have not received a reply yet.I want to ask if he received my email how should I write an email?

September 11, 2014 at 6:32 am

Thank you so much for posting this information. I have used this information to contact my desired mentor, and I received a response within 24 hours. The professor has now asked for a writing sample. After performing multiple edits, the sample is ready to be sent. Is there a specific response I should give when I send this sample? Thank you again.

December 17, 2014 at 12:36 am

I believe the nice thing about this post is that it reminds you to tell something about yourself; your GPA, your experience, your good qualities. I think those are always worth mentioning. The other really nice thing is that it tells you to get to know the supervisor’s research (after all, why would you want a supervisor whose research was not interesting?) But I disagree with being too concerned about pleasing the professor. I think honesty is way better, and I think people should remember that it’s not just the professor evaluating the potential student, but also the student evaluating the professor; if the professor is always busy, he probably won’t have time for you either. Sucking up will eventually *always* fail. Also, by attempting to please the professor too much I think people are supporting a system where professors pick their students based not on their qualifications and interests but how much they like the person. Just my two cents.

December 17, 2014 at 8:12 am

There is no ‘sucking up’ in this email.

January 2, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Thank you so much for this great post! I am wondering if it is ok to mention my undergrad and grad project? Because it is related directly to the professor’s research area.

January 5, 2015 at 8:53 am

January 25, 2015 at 9:28 pm

Hi Karen, thank you for sharing, it really help.

After i read this article, there is one thing i need to ask you. On the statement above: “My specific project will likely focus on xxxx, and I am particularly interested in exploring the question of xxxxx.” I wonder how specific i should fill on the xxxx and xxxxx. Do you mean that i Should fill it with my research title? I was intend to fill it with my research title but then i was confused because i have some alternative for my research project.

Thank you and i appreciate any answer.

March 19, 2015 at 7:22 pm

Hello Karen,

Thank you very much for the blog. it was useful to get to know about Prof’s mindset. I am getting some replys with the help of it.

May 22, 2015 at 8:36 pm

This is an awesome post, I am using it to contact some researchers of my own.

Thanks. Neelam

August 10, 2015 at 2:53 am

Thanks for your post. I have been thinking of the most polite way of going about this and I think I just found one

October 20, 2015 at 11:34 am

Thank you for writing this post. In my day job, I frequently write professional correspondence to senior management, clients, and team members. That being said, I’m a little nervous about my PhD application. I appreciate the few tips I pulled from these examples.

March 7, 2016 at 11:28 pm

Dear Karen Would you please send me a template for PhD application? I am a PhD student in my country but I want to apply for a part-time PhD research as PhD research opportunity in a foreign country. Thank you Best regards, Mahboob

March 9, 2016 at 9:26 pm

No, I don’t send templates for any type of writing, and especially not for Ph.d. applications.

May 30, 2016 at 6:21 pm

Thank you for your advice, it really helped me. I sent e-mail to a professor and he answered me asking to send CV, Cover letter, and Personal statement. Would you please help me about what should I write in the cover letter and what is the difference between it and personal statement.

Thanks a lot.

May 31, 2016 at 3:19 pm

We offer this help on a case by case basis. Please email me at [email protected] .

March 25, 2017 at 5:12 am

Dear Karen:

Your kind help is helpful to many new graduates.

Sincerely, Khurram ali shah

August 18, 2016 at 1:32 pm

Dear Dr. Karen,

Thank you for your informative article. I have a rather trivial question about … style (?)

At the end of the text of the email, is there a reason for using a comma after “Thank you very much” instead of a period (dot) or an exclamation mark? Thank you very much!

August 30, 2016 at 5:42 am

Dear Karen I must say you have done a good job in helping people like me regarding this area. Thank you so much for sharing. I would like to know if you offer any paid services in relation to research in general. Secondly, I am currently working on my research proposal and will be consulting potential supervisors very soon, however I do have a big worry. I am 32 years and I intend to start my Ph.D next year. I have 2 Bachelor of Science Degrees and a Masters of Science Degree. I have never worked, all I ever did was go to universities.If the supervisor asks for my CV, which has only a list of courses I have undertaken, would it be OK if I told them I never worked? Do you think having never worked is a disadvantage for me to be considered for a Ph.D? Thank you

September 5, 2016 at 3:36 am

You are amazing for doing this. I found this absolutely helpful.

October 4, 2016 at 7:00 am

Just used your advices for a PHD request in Finland. Fingers crossed!

January 27, 2017 at 7:42 am

Great advice, I just used then in my Master’s application. Thank you!

February 19, 2017 at 9:13 am

Thanks, it gave me a boost.

May 19, 2017 at 6:07 pm

99% of the professors will ignore the email since it is too long, and they cannot afford to read 200 such long emails which come to their inbox every day.

March 28, 2018 at 2:11 pm

Good, but most importantly, “How do we reply for a response?”

[…] with the potential advisor is perhaps the most important element of all; refer to this post for advice on how to initiate the conversation. Ideally you want the advisor to commit to you ahead […]

[…] some good “how not to sound like an idiot when writing to a potential advisor” templates here and here. There are plenty more where these came from, so don’t sweat it if this is an area that […]

[…] satu bloger menulis dalam blognya ( http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/07/25/how-to-write-an-email-to-a-potential-ph-d-advisor/ )tentang pentingnya sebuah email bagi para pencari beasiswa dan menjelaskan mengapa email tersebut […]

[…] Source: theprofessorisin.com […]

[…] TPII is a great resource for students (of all education levels). Dr. Kelsky covers everything from contacting potential supervisors to mental illness in academia to getting tenure. She also offers paid services if you’re […]

[…] Source […]

[…] have two websites about that subject, you can link here and here. But in short I can say […]

[…] made a list with all the academics conducting researches that might interest me. These were alternative supervisors that I could contact by email. Not only the ones doing similar stuff to what I was doing, but people whose style of supervision I […]

[…] emails daily and many, many requests from prospective students every year. You need to stand out. Here is a very thorough post about nailing the inquiry email. If you are able, try to arrange an informal […]

[…] How to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor. […]

[…] > http://theprofessorisin.com/2011/07/25/how-to-write-an-email-to-a-potential-ph-d-advisor/ […]

[…] OPTIONAL, IF NEEDED: The Professor is In (blog): How to Fire a Professor (from your committee), How to Write an E-Mail (to a potential research advisor) […]

[…] https://theprofessorisin.com/2011/07/25/how-to-write-an-email-to-a-potential-ph-d-advisor/ […]

[…] supervisor is not your laurels. They can find that in your CV. It is the part where you establish common ground. You must be able to connect the dots between the professor’s research interests and your […]

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Emailing Future Ph.D. Advisors

This is an important, but often overlooked, step in the application process..

Posted October 1, 2014 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

An advisor (sometimes referred to as a “major professor”) is a faculty member who directs the research and training of a Ph.D. student. When applying to a Ph.D. program, you are usually expected to name a potential advisor based on interest in his/her research and the desire to become an apprentice to this person. An advisor will serve as the head of your dissertation committee and train you to become an expert in his/her area of research. Emailing potential future advisors has become a crucial step in the process of applying to Ph.D. programs.

In this blog post, we will cover why emailing a potential advisor is important and how best to do it. Please note: Emailing advisors is not necessary when applying to Psy.D. or Masters programs because these programs do not run on an apprenticeship model like Ph.D. programs.

What is the purpose of emailing a potential advisor before applying?

Making initial contact with professors you would like to work with as a Ph.D. student is extremely important for two reasons. First, it is your chance to make a positive impression even before your application is submitted. Unless you know this professor from your undergraduate education or you have met him/her at a conference, the email exchange will be the first impression you make, and as psychologists, we know how influential first impressions can be on subsequent attitudes about people.

The second reason the initial email is important is because it will play a significant role in determining whether or not you will actually submit an application to that professor’s program. In the email, you will seek to find out if he/she will be accepting at least one new Ph.D. student the year you will be applying.

Research faculty members are not likely to take new Ph.D. students each and every year. This could be for a variety of reasons. For example, a professor might be going on sabbatical, taking on an administrative role, or phasing out for retirement . It is also possible that the faculty members in a program take turns admitting students each year due to funding constraints, a limited number of openings, or lack of office/laboratory space.

Ph.D. programs are very selective and, therefore, applicants should focus their efforts primarily on those advisors who are actually seeking new students. Spending energy on applying to work with faculty members who are not accepting new students is not well spent and reduces one’s chances for admission.

Truth be told, when I applied to Ph.D. programs, I was unaware that I should email advisors before applying to work with them. I applied to 11 programs and later found out that only roughly half of the professors who I named as possible advisors in my personal statements were actually accepting new Ph.D. students. Fortunately, admission still worked out for me that year, but knowing better now, I advise others not to cut their chances for admission by neglecting this important step in the process.

What should the email be like?

Keep the initial email to a potential advisor short, to the point, and professional. It should be no longer than three brief paragraphs with a closing statement (see suggested structure below). Ideally, in this small amount of space, you want to show that you are a competent student coming from a good educational background and that you are involved with research that is related to that of your reader. Importantly, you also want to ask if this person is planning to at least consider applications for a new Ph.D. student or two.

Send emails to potential advisors in August – October before applications are due in November – January. At this time of year, faculty member’s minds begin to shift to the upcoming round of applications and whether or not they are seeking a new student will become clearer.

Contact only one faculty member per department. It will not appear that you are uniquely excited to become a part of his/her lab if he/she discovers that you have emailed one or more other faculty members in the same program.

Here is the structure I suggest my clients use when emailing potential advisors:

Subject line: Ph.D. applicant -Or- Your Research on XYZ

Dear Dr. So-and-so,

Paragraph 1: Briefly introduce yourself and your research experience.

I am beginning my senior year at the University of [Somewhere]. During my time as an undergraduate, I have become involved with research on [XYZ] under the direction of Dr. [Someone]. I am in the process of conducting my own study examining the effects of [A] on [B] and expect to find [hypothesis].

Paragraph 2: Connect your research to that of the potential advisor.

I have read your research about [XYZ] and find it interesting. I am especially interested in how X from your studies relates to Y from my study. This is one area I could see myself exploring in research as a graduate student.

Paragraph 2: Alternatively, instead of connecting your two areas of research, make an intelligent observation or ask a great question about the reader’s research.

I have read your research about [XYZ] and find it interesting. I was wondering how W would affect your finding about XYZ. Did your study or another one find that W is also related to XYZ? This is one area I could see myself exploring further in research as a graduate student.

Paragraph 3: Ask if he/she is accepting graduate students.

I will be applying to Ph.D. programs this fall and would very much like the opportunity to join your lab group. Will you be accepting applications for new graduate students for entry in [year]?

Thanks very much for your time. I hope we have the chance to speak about research in the future.

If your CV is in good shape, you could attach it to the email for the recipient’s perusal.

If you work closely with a current Ph.D. student or know one of your current or past professors in the field to which you are applying well, I recommend asking this person to read over your email before sending it. Ask for feedback and it is always good to have a second set of eyes check for typos. I am also available to review these emails as a consultant .

What should I expect in a reply?

First off, you should not necessarily expect a timely reply or any reply at all. Professors are inundated daily with emails from their current students, other faculty and administrators at the university, collaborators all over the world, journalists, and others. With all of this inbox traffic, your email may not very well be on the top of his/her reply-to list.

Let’s start by discussing the worst-case scenario: you receive a reply that indicates the professor will not be considering applications this year. At this point, it is safe to either remove the program from the list of those you will be applying to and replace it with another program or make contact with another professor in the first program whose research interests you. Do not email more than two people per program though.

In the best-case scenario, you receive a reply that indicates he/she will be considering applications. By all means, keep this program on the list of those to which you will be applying. The faculty member who you corresponded with will likely recognize your name when it comes time to review applications and this could work to your advantage. Refrain from reading too much into a warm or overly positive reply though. It does not mean much about your chances for admission. Admission will largely depend on the quality of the other applicants and on performance during an interview – both of which faculty members cannot assess based on your email exchange.

Finally, if you do not receive a reply at all, you can still apply to the program and name the faculty member as the person who you would like to be your advisor, but consider it a more “risky” program on your list with a lower chance of admission.

Laura E. Buffardi, Ph.D. , is a post-doctoral researcher in the iScience Group at Universidad de Deusto in Bilbao, Spain.

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A First-Gen's Guide to Grad School: How to Get in, Survive, and Thrive

Helping first-gen students along their PhD journey!

PhD Admissions: Emailing Potential Advisors

A great way to initiate contact with a potential advisor is by introducing yourself through email! If you are applying to programs where you don’t need an advisor lined up, then you don’t necessarily have to do this step. However, if you are applying to programs where you are expected to have an advisor before you start, this step is especially important. Here are some of my tips for emailing potential advisors as well as the email templates I used:

PRO TIP #1: Make sure there are at least TWO professors whose research aligns with yours at each program you apply to! Only having one is risky because you never know what could happen (e.g., they could get a new position at another university and you don’t want to move with them).

PRO TIP #2: DON’T FORGET TO ATTACH YOUR CV!

PRO TIP #3: Read at least one recent article by your POI (professor of interest) so that you can mention their work in your email (e.g., one that was published in 2018 or later).

PRO TIP #4: Check the lab/program website BEFORE emailing POIs to make sure it doesn’t already say whether they are accepting students. Also check a professor’s personal website (if they have one).

PRO TIP #5: I sent out emails mid-late October, which I think is a good time to do so. By this time, professors will probably have a sense of whether they will be able to accept a student into their lab. However, if you want to email earlier, that’s also fine.

PRO TIP #6: Don’t be afraid to send follow-up emails if your POIs don’t respond the first time! I sent a few follow-up emails after 2 weeks and received responses from everyone. Also be sure to send the follow-up email in the same thread that you sent your initial email so your POIs can see your previous attempt to reach out. I had a 17/18 (94.4%) success rate with the following email templates, so I hope they work as well for you all!

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• PhD admissions

Published by enricab7

Fourth-year Communication and Media, and Developmental Psychology PhD candidate at the University of Michigan. Future media/developmental psychologist. Interested in the ways that media help us form our identities. My blog aims to help other first-gen students on their PhD journey! View all posts by enricab7

36 thoughts on “ PhD Admissions: Emailing Potential Advisors ”

Good tips! Especially #3.

Thank you SO MUCH for this. I have not seen a better example.

No problem! I’m glad it’s helpful 🙂

Thank you so much! I hope you know how much this means to me as a first-gen/Latinx student!

No problem! I’m glad I can be of help 🙂

A motivating discussion is worth comment. I do believe that you should publish more about this subject, it may not be a taboo matter but usually people do not speak about such topics. To the next! Kind regards!!

Thank you so much for your help. Your tips are really amazing! I hope you can publish more soon. I have just written my CV and need someone to provide me some valuable feedback on that. Would you please help me with this matter and, if possible, send me your email address? I would be greatly appreciative of your valuable help.

Sure! You can email me here: [email protected] .

Excellent post. I used to be checking constantly this weblog and I am impressed! Very useful information specially the closing section 🙂 I deal with such info much. I used to be looking for this particular info for a very lengthy time. Thanks and good luck.

Hi! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I genuinely enjoy reading your posts. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same topics? Thanks a ton!

Thank you so much! If you want to read more posts about being first-gen or just about grad school life in general, I would definitely recommend Academic Twitter posts (this page would be a good place to start: https://twitter.com/academicchatter ). Also feel free to check out #AcademicTwitter and #firstgen posts!

Thank you for your information! I am an international student and have a question. Is the last sentence of the follow-up email template grammatically correct? I do not see conjunction before “will you?” I would appreciate it if you could help me with English.

Hi! There is a comma before “will you” in the template, which I *believe* is grammatically correct.

Thank you so much for the awesome tip!!

No problem!

Thank you so much for this guide. Sir can you review my statement of purpose

no problem! If you send it to me at [email protected] , I can maybe take a look at it (I may not be the best person to review it if you’re applying for programs outside of the social sciences, but I can try!).

Your tips has risen great confidence in me. I hope to share my success story with you. Thanks

I’m glad my tips have been helpful!

Hello, thank you for this post! I am new to all this. I applied to a Master’s program in January. I thought for my particular program that it was not a requirement to secure a supervisor prior to applying. So I didn’t email any professors. Now people are hearing back and one successful applicant shared that I should’ve talked to a potential supervisor. Is it now too late to do that? or since I didn’t get rejection yet, I should go ahead and try emailing some professors? what would you advise? 🙂 Thank you in advance!

Hi! I don’t think it would hurt to email professors. The worst that could happen is that they don’t respond (which could be the case for several reasons, so I wouldn’t take it personally). Go for it!

You are at a really nice university. Good job! 👍 Who taught you to advocate for yourself? Did you have a mentor?

Thanks! I’ve had several mentors over the years that have believed in me and my abilities even when I didn’t (and still have a hard time doing so now). Their encouragement is why I have been able to slowly but surely advocate for myself and help others do the same!

Hi! Thank you for this post. Regarding pro tip #4, I’m wondering if it would still be a good idea to email potential advisors if they did list whether they are taking students in this application cycle. Should I confirm with them if they are taking students, or would that be redundant? Would it be a good idea to just introduce myself or ask another question? What are some other questions that may be good to ask?

Hi Lisa! If a potential advisor lists that they are taking students for this application cycle, I don’t think it’s necessary to email them (unless it is not clear that they are accepting students for the 2023-2024 school year, then you can maybe email to clarify as this info may be from last year).

However, if you are wondering whether, for example, they are still planning on taking their research in a direction that relates to your interests in the near future, you can maybe ask that? Otherwise, I would say to maybe not send an email. Some professors also say that they don’t chat with students before interview/recruitment weekend so that’s also something to keep in mind. Hope this helps!

Thank you so much for the advice! It is really helpful! I did notice one professor wrote on her faculty page that it is not necessary to contact her ahead of time. Others encourage students to reach out ahead of time. So it sounds like it varies widely.

No problem! Yes, I would definitely say it varies widely.

Thank you!! This was extremely helpful!! I’ve been overthinking these emails for weeks. This helped clarify something’s for me.

this is awesome! will definitely use this

glad it’s helpful!

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 20 July 2020

Writing the perfect recommendation letter

Andy Tay is a freelance writer based in Singapore.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Undergraduates need them for graduate-school applications; PhD students and postdocs use them to apply for fellowships and jobs; senior scientists often have to have them to apply for awards and promotions. But writing an effective and personal recommendation letter can be time-consuming, especially for academics who must juggle grant applications, manuscripts, teaching and student supervision. And some might struggle to say the right things to support a former employee or student in their career move, while sounding original and unique.

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Nature 584 , 158 (2020)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-020-02186-8

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A Letter to My PhD Supervisor

16 th August 2022

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PhD supervisors are the unsung heroes of doctoral degrees, helping students stay calm, complete their assignments and achieve excellent results throughout the course. If there’s a problem that you need to talk through or want to bounce an idea off of someone, PhD supervisors are there to lend an ear. As such, it seems only fair to shine a light on the guidance generously given by these wonderful experts. Siung Ghai is studyinga PhD in Space Physics at the University of Sheffield . He explains how much his supervisor has done for him during his degree, and why they’re so important in assisting you with your PhD studies…

Ever since I was young I have always wanted to be an astronaut. However, whenever I have told people about this, they have laughed at me. But now that I’m studying towards a PhD in Space Physics, and through this have had the opportunity to work with scientists, NASA and the European Space Agency, they’re not laughing anymore!

One person who never laughed at me was my brilliant supervisor Simon. When I told him my dream was to go to outer space he listened to me with 110% concentration. Our first meeting was a moment that I'll never forget. There was no laughter, just unwavering support for my passion and dream, something which I’ve come to greatly appreciate in my time at university as a postgrad.

The best supervisors are those that stimulate and foster your talents and ability with unconditional support. I passed my degree with flying colours and excelled in my current PhD work but could not have done any of this without the support and guidance of my supervisor.

When you’re a PhD student it’s often easy to feel lonely as the reality of independent study sets in. It’s important that your supervisor is as available as possible to you – and I was lucky to find someone who was always ready to listen to any of my concerns.

Throughout my studies Simon was proactive about putting networking opportunities in front of me, not just with others within the UK with an interest in my discipline, but also on the overseas stage. I was invited to give academic presentations at three international space assemblies in Turkey, the USA and Japan, largely thanks to his support.

Space may be the final frontier, but many countries have an interest in the field. It’s impossible to work in isolation so a supervisor who can support you with international collaboration opportunities will be a huge asset to you. I was lucky to benefit from his connections and was paired up with scientists from NASA for my current research – something which I could only have dreamed of, when starting out as an undergrad all those years before.

But as much as support is valuable, it’s about inspiration too. A supervisor who can motivate you to go the extra mile, to do that little bit more, will pay dividends in terms of the quality and standing of your eventual research output. Simon inspired me not only to dream big, but dare to achieve bigger than anything I thought possible. It’s easy to feel intimidated by someone who is a leading expert in their field, but when this person can make you feel as though you are on the same level it is easy to be inspired to do more.

I’m not for a second pretending that a wonderful supervisor will make your PhD a walk in a park…there will be challenges, it will still be hard work. But if you can find a PhD supervisor just a little bit like Simon, you will be very lucky indeed. I can’t be more grateful to have had him as part of my research journey.

Next: Search for Doctorate Degrees in Astronomy and Space Science

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PhD applicants: Everything you need to know about letters of recommendation

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In this blog post, Chris Blattman gives advice on what the purpose of recommendation letters is, who you should ask, and how to manage the process.

Excerpt: Will a professor write you a letter of recommendation? My answer: Writing student recommendations comes with the faculty job, and I usually write if asked. But since this academic territory is often so unfamiliar to grad and undergrad students, let me give some general guidelines and advice.

Read the full article here.

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Cover Letter Examples Academic Advisor

Below, I generated a few examples for the Academic Advisor position with our Cover Letter Builder . I tailored these examples to real job vacancies found on job search websites.

Experienced academic advisor cover letter example

For the experienced professional, the cover letter showcases a rich background in academic advising, highlighting specific accomplishments and skills that align with the job requirements.

Northwestern University

Senior Enrollment Advisor

Dear [Hiring Manager Name],

I am writing to apply for the Senior Enrollment Advisor position at Northwestern University. With 10+ years of academic advising experience and expertise in student needs and program development, I am confident that I am the ideal candidate.

As a Senior Academic Advisor at Stanford University, I provided undergraduate and graduate students with comprehensive guidance. Coordinated workshops to improve student performance metrics. Customized educational plans for students with special interests or needs. Implemented a peer-mentoring program. As an Academic Advisor at the University of Michigan, managed advising for 400+ students each semester in the College of Literature, Science, and Arts. Played a key role in revising the first-year orientation program, focusing on academic planning and goal setting. Coordinated with departments for up-to-date curriculum information.

Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from Harvard University and Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from UCLA provide extensive knowledge of advising principles.

Excellent communication skills enable effective connections with diverse students. Proficient in using Starfish and Navigate software. My expertise aligns perfectly with the responsibilities outlined for this position. Results-oriented, driven by achieving targets, and eager to contribute towards enrollment goals as part of your team.

Thank you for considering my application. Please contact me anytime if you require further information or wish to schedule an interview. Sincerely,

[Employee Name]

This text is generated by Coverler

Cover Letter for Academic Advisor with no Experience

In contrast, the entry-level cover letter focuses on the candidate’s academic achievements, relevant coursework, and any transferable skills or experiences, such as internships or volunteer work.

University of Southern California

Admissions Advisor (Remote)

I am writing to apply for the Admissions Advisor (Remote) position at USC Bovard College. With a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and internship experience in academic advising, I have the skills and passion needed for this role. At Concordia University, I provided academic guidance, answered student questions, and promoted university programs. These experiences strengthened my counseling skills.

In addition to my education, I have excellent communication skills. As a Concordia University Psychology Club member, I actively participated in discussions and presentations. Volunteering at a high school college counseling center allowed me to meet with students one-on-one. During my internship in an academic advising office, I showcased strong organizational skills by managing multiple tasks simultaneously. Additionally, I contributed effectively to the development of marketing materials and the creation of social media content.

With proficiency in MS Office applications, I can navigate various software systems efficiently.

I am confident that my dedication, interpersonal skills, and organizational abilities would make me an asset as an Admissions Advisor at USC Bovard College. Thank you for considering my application.

Sincerely, [Employee Name]

How to Write a Cover Letter for Academic Advisor?

When crafting a cover letter for an academic advisor position, it’s essential to highlight your educational philosophy, relevant experience, and unique qualifications. Start with a personalized introduction, emphasize your key achievements, and conclude with a proactive call to action.

Below, we’ll discuss more about how to effectively communicate your strengths and stand out in your application.

Table of Contents:

Choose your style

Customization tips for your academic advisor cover letter.

Dos and Don’ts for Your Academic Advisor Cover Letter

Essential Industry Insights

Examples of Intro and Conclusion Paragraphs

Frequently Asked Questions

In crafting a cover letter for a college academic advisor position, it’s crucial to choose a style that reflects your unique professional journey and showcases your value. I’ll guide you through various styles and approaches tailored to different experiences and career stages to help you create a compelling and memorable cover letter.

Examples of various styles and approaches

The storyteller.

Narrative-driven, engaging, personal

Ideal for candidates with a rich background or unique journey to academic advising

Start with a personal story related to education, like a transformative experience leading to a passion for academic advising

The Problem-Solver

Analytical, solution-oriented

Best for those who have experience dealing with specific challenges in academic environments

Outline a challenge faced in a previous role (e.g., improving student retention rates) and the solution

The Enthusiastic Newcomer

Energetic, passionate

Suitable for recent graduates with no experience or those transitioning from other fields

Highlight educational achievements, relevant coursework, internships, or volunteer experiences showing passion and potential

The Data-Driven

Fact-based, results-focused

Ideal for those with quantifiable achievements or comfortable using data to demonstrate effectiveness

Include metrics or achievements (e.g., “Developed a mentorship program increasing student engagement by 30%”)

The Connector

Relationship-focused, empathetic

Excellent for candidates who excel in building relationships and understanding of student needs

Discuss the ability to connect with students, faculty, and staff to create a supportive environment

The Visionary

Forward-thinking, strategic

Suitable for those with experience in program development or innovative advising strategies

Share a vision for the future of academic advising and its alignment with the institution’s goals

The All-Rounder

Balanced, showcasing a mix of skills

For candidates with diverse experiences offering a well-rounded skill set

Illustrate a balance of administrative expertise, counseling experience, and academic planning skills

The Specialized Expert

Expertise-centered, highlighting specialized knowledge

Best for candidates with expertise in a specific area relevant to the job

Focus on specialized skills and their benefits in the context of the academic advisor role

Each approach allows you to tailor a cover letter to your unique strengths and experiences, making you relatable and effective in communicating the value you can bring to the academic advisor role.

In this part, I have designed customization tips to help you effectively tailor your cover letter for an academic advisor position.

Understanding the Institution

• Research the Institution : Research the institution you are applying to before writing. Understand its mission, values, student demographics, and unique programs.
• Reflect Institutional Values: In your cover letter, align your experiences and goals with the institution’s values and vision. Use specific examples to demonstrate this alignment.

Highlighting Relevant Experience

• Match Job Description: Carefully review the job description. Highlight your experiences that directly relate to the listed qualifications and responsibilities.
• Use Specific Examples: Provide specific examples from your past roles that demonstrate your competencies. This could include situations where you provided academic counseling, developed educational programs, or addressed student retention challenges.

Showcasing Your Skills

• Skill Mapping: Identify the key skills required for the role, such as communication, problem-solving, and organizational skills. Map these to your own skill set.
• Evidence of Skills: Use concrete examples to show how you’ve used these skills in your previous roles. This can include scenarios like organizing student events, resolving academic issues, or collaborating with faculty.

Addressing the Letter

• Personalize the Salutation: If possible, address the cover letter to a specific person, such as the hiring manager or department head. Avoid generic salutations like “To Whom It May Concern.”

Closing with Impact

• Call to Action: End your cover letter with a call to action, encouraging the reader to contact you for an interview.
• Thank the Reader: Express gratitude to the reader for considering your application and convey your enthusiasm about possibly joining their team.

Focus on your goals!

Let us write a cover letter for your academic advisor position.

Navigating Success: Dos and Don’ts for Your Academic Advisor Cover Letter

Crafting an impactful cover letter for an academic advisor position involves more than just sharing your experiences and qualifications. It’s about striking the right balance between professionalism and personality, relevance and brevity. In this section, we’ll explore the key dos and don’ts to keep in mind while writing your cover letter.

• Do Tailor Your Letter: Customize your cover letter for each application, addressing the specific needs and culture of the institution.
• Do Highlight Achievements: Focus on concrete achievements and how they’re relevant to the academic advisor role.
• Do Show Passion for Education: Express your genuine passion for education and student success.
• Do Use a Professional Tone: Maintain a formal yet approachable tone throughout your letter.
• Do Include Keywords: Integrate keywords from the job description to pass through Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).
• Don’t Use a Generic Template: Avoid sending a one-size-fits-all cover letter. Personalization is key.
• Don’t Repeat Your Resume: Use your cover letter to complement, not repeat, the information in your resume.
• Don’t be Overwhelmed with Text: Keep your cover letter concise. Avoid long paragraphs and unnecessary details.
• Don’t Neglect Proofreading: Always proofread for spelling and grammar errors. Consider asking a colleague to review it.
• Don’t Forget to Follow Up: After submitting your application, consider sending a polite follow-up email if you haven’t heard back within a reasonable time frame.

Essential Industry Insights: Tips for Academic Advisor Cover Letters

In the unique field of academic advising, certain industry-specific tips can significantly enhance your cover letter’s impact.

• Emphasize Student-Centric Skills: Highlight your ability to understand and address student needs.
• Showcase Educational Insights: Demonstrate your knowledge of current educational trends and challenges.
• Mention Technological Proficiency: Include your experience with educational technology and student information systems.
• Discuss Collaboration: Discuss your ability to work with faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.
• Reference Policy Understanding: Show your familiarity with academic policies and regulations.
• Include Diversity Awareness: Highlight your experience or training in supporting a diverse student body.
• Discuss Data-Driven Decision Making: If applicable, mention your experience in using data to inform advising strategies.
• Highlight Program Development Experience: Include any experience in developing or managing academic programs.
• Speak to Continuous Learning: Express your commitment to professional development in the field of academic advising.

Captivating Openings and Strong Closings: Examples of Intro and Conclusion Paragraphs

The opening and closing of your cover letter are like the bookends of your narrative; they hold everything together and shape your application. A compelling introduction grabs the reader’s attention, while a strong conclusion leaves a memorable impact. Below, find examples of starting and ending your cover letter on the right note.

Intro Samples:

“Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name],

With a deep commitment to fostering educational excellence and a track record of supporting student success, I am excited to apply for the Academic Advisor position at [University Name]. My experience in academic counseling and program development, aligned with [University Name]’s innovative approach to education, positions me to contribute effectively to your team.”

“Dear [Hiring Manager’s Name], The opportunity to join [University Name] as your next Academic Advisor immediately caught my attention. My passion for education, coupled with five years of experience in a diverse and dynamic academic setting, has equipped me with the skills and knowledge to make a meaningful impact in the lives of students.”

Conclusion Samples:

“In conclusion, I am eager to bring my expertise in student mentoring and curriculum planning to [University Name]. Thank you for considering my application. I look forward to the possibility of contributing to your academic team and am excited about the prospect of helping shape the educational journey of your students.”

Related Teaching Cover Letter Examples:

• Assistant principal cover letter
• Tutor cover letter
• Admissions counselor cover letter

Stop wasting time on cover letters! Let us do the writing, while you prepare for the interviews and offers

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What should an academic advisor cover letter contain?

An effective cover letter for an academic advisor should introduce yourself, specify the job you’re applying for, and demonstrate how your skills and experience align with the job requirements.

What are common mistakes to avoid in an academic advisor’s cover letter?

Common mistakes include not tailoring the letter to the specific job, failing to highlight your accomplishments, not expressing enthusiasm for the job, and neglecting to proofread your work.

How can I show my personality in a cover letter?

This can be achieved through the tone of your writing, the examples you choose to share, and how you express your enthusiasm and commitment to the role.

How to properly introduce myself in a cover letter?

Begin by stating your name, the position you’re applying for, and a brief overview of your professional background.

Which program are you applying to?

Accepted Admissions Blog

Everything you need to know to get Accepted

June 1, 2023

Deciding Who Should Write Your Letters of Recommendation – PhD

Letters of recommendation (LORs) are a key part of your application. Strong ones provide meaningful support, while a lukewarm one can really hurt your chances for admission. In this post, we’ll answer two questions: Who should write in support of your PhD application? How can you make sure your LORs are as good as they can be?

How to choose the best LOR writers

It is important to select LOR writers who know you well and, ideally, for a reasonably long period of time. Select individuals who can comment specifically and knowledgeably about your abilities. It is helpful if you have stayed in touch with your recommenders since you studied or worked with them.

Select writers who can address your research experience and potential. The more closely the writer’s background aligns with your field of study, the better. You should select faculty members to write the majority of your LORs for PhD programs.

If you have relevant work experience, you can also ask a current or previous employer. The employer should focus on your research potential. You can ask internship supervisors if the type of work you did as an intern is related to your intended field of study.

When you ask your recommenders if they would be willing to write  in support of your application, ask whether they feel they can write a strong, positive letter. This provides a gentle way for a hesitant recommender to decline – they can admit that they don’t think they know you well enough to do so (or you might sense their hesitation), and you can move on to someone else who can and will.

How to help your recommenders write strong LORs

It is important to provide information to your recommenders that will help them write the strongest letter possible. This can include your resume, copies of work you produced for their class (for faculty members), and a list of job accomplishments (for supervisors). Also provide a list of the schools you are applying to and the specific degree programs. Include a link with instructions as to what to include in the letter. Provide all these materials at one time in an organized manner.

Offer to meet with your recommender to discuss your plans and goals. You can also send them a link to Accepted’s  10 Tips for Writers of Letters of Recommendation .

Agree on a timeline of at least several weeks for them to complete their letter. Be aware of the academic calendar if you are asking a faculty member; the final weeks of the semester are often very busy. Remember that professors go on sabbatical and might not be available at all times.

A few days before the agreed-upon deadline, send a reminder to your letter writer.

Say thank you!

Always remember to follow up with a thank you note. (Ideally, you can write another thank you note after you get in, sharing the good news!)

You need to choose your PhD letter of recommendation writers wisely and then present them with the right materials to assist them in constructing strong letters that will represent your greatest strengths. We can help you with this and with any other element of your PhD application. Check out our catalog of  Graduate School Admissions Services , and let us know how we can help you achieve PhD admissions success!

By Alice Diamond , former associate dean for career and community service at Lesley University. Alice has a BA from Colgate University, an MA from Bryn Mawr College, and an MS from Cornell University. She has more than 35 years of experience in career and admissions advising for undergraduate and graduate candidates. Alice’s clients have been accepted to top programs in a wide range of fields. Want an admissions expert to help you get accepted? Click here to get in touch!

Related Resources:

• Choosing the Best PhD Programs , a free guide • An Admitted Johns Hopkins MD/PhD Candidate Reflects on His Journey • Lining Up Letters of Recommendation and Searching for Fellowships

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How to Write a PhD Motivation Letter

• Applying to a PhD

A PhD motivation letter is a document that describes your personal motivation and competence for a particular research project. It is usually submitted together with your academic CV to provide admissions staff with more information about you as an individual, to help them decide whether or not you are the ideal candidate for a research project.

A motivation letter has many similarities to a cover letter and a personal statement, and institutions will not ask you to submit all of these. However, it is a unique document and you should treat it as such. In the context of supporting a PhD application, the difference is nuanced; all three documents outline your suitability for PhD study. However, compared to a cover letter and personal statement, a motivation letter places more emphasis on your motivation for wanting to pursue the particular PhD position you are applying for.

Academic cover letters are more common in UK universities, while motivation letters are more common abroad.

A motivation letter can play a key part in the application process . It allows the admission committee to review a group of PhD applicants with similar academic backgrounds and select the ideal candidate based on their motivations for applying.

For admission staff, academic qualifications alone are not enough to indicate whether a student will be successful in their doctorate. In this sense, a motivational letter will allow them to judge your passion for the field of study, commitment to research and suitability for the programme, all of which better enables them to evaluate your potential.

How Should I Structure My Motivation Letter?

A strong motivation letter for PhD applications will include:

• A concise introduction stating which programme you are applying for,
• Your academic background and professional work experience,
• Any key skills you possess and what makes you the ideal candidate,
• Your interest and motivation for applying,
• Concluding remarks and thanks.

This is a simplistic breakdown of what can be a very complicated document.

However, writing to the above structure will ensure you keep your letter of motivation concise and relevant to the position you are applying for. Remember, the aim of your letter is to show your enthusiasm and that you’re committed and well suited for the programme.

To help you write a motivation letter for a PhD application, we have outlined what to include in the start, main body, and closing sections.

How to Start a Motivation Letter

Introduction: Start with a brief introduction in which you clearly state your intention to apply for a particular programme. Think of this as describing what the document is to a stranger.

Education: State what you have studied and where. Your higher education will be your most important educational experience, so focus on this. Highlight any relevant modules you undertook as part of your studies that are relevant to the programme you are applying for. You should also mention how your studies have influenced your decision to pursue a PhD project, especially if it is in the same field you are currently applying to.

Work experience: Next summarise your professional work experience. Remember, you will likely be asked to submit your academic CV along with your motivation letter, so keep this section brief to avoid any unnecessary repetition. Include any other relevant experiences, such as teaching roles, non-academic experience, or charity work which demonstrates skills or shows your suitability for the research project and in becoming a PhD student.

Key skills: Outline your key skills. Remember the admissions committee is considering your suitability for the specific programme you are applying for, so mention skills relevant to the PhD course.

Motivation for applying: Show your enthusiasm and passion for the subject, and describe your long-term aspirations. Start with how you first became interested in the field, and how your interest has grown since. You should also mention anything else you have done which helps demonstrate your interest in your proposed research topic, for example:

• Have you attended any workshops or seminars?
• Do you have any research experience?
• Have you taught yourself any aspects of the subject?
• Have you read any literature within the research area?

Finally, describe what has convinced you to dedicate the next 3-4 years (assuming you are to study full time) of your life to research.

How to End a Motivation Letter

Concluding the motivation letter is where most people struggle. Typically, people can easily describe their academic background and why they want to study, but convincing the reader they are the best candidate for the PhD programme is often more challenging.

The concluding remarks of your motivation letter should highlight the impacts of your proposed research, in particular: the new contributions it will make to your field, the benefits it will have on society and how it fits in with your aspirations.

With this, conclude with your career goals. For example, do you want to pursue an academic career or become a researcher for a private organisation? Doing so will show you have put a lot of thought into your decision.

Remember, admissions into a PhD degree is very competitive, and supervisors invest a lot of time into mentoring their students. Therefore, supervisors naturally favour those who show the most dedication. Your conclusion should remind the reader that you are not only passionate about the research project, but that the university will benefit from having you.

Finally, thank the reader for considering your application.

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

Motivation Letter Format

There are some basic rules to follow when writing a successful motivation letter. These will mimic the standard format for report writing that the supervisor will be familiar with:

• Use a sans serif font (e.g. Arial or Times New Roman),
• Use a standard font size (e.g. 12pt) and black font colour,
• Keep your writing professional throughout and avoid the use of informal language,
• Write in the first person,
• Address your motivation letter to a named person such as the project supervisor, however, this could also be the person in charge of research admissions,
• Structure your letter into paragraphs using the guidance above, such as introduction, academic history, motivation for research, and concluding remarks.

How Long Should a Motivation Letter Be?

A good rule of thumb for PhD motivation letters is to keep it to around one side of A4. A little longer than one page is acceptable, but two pages is generally considered too long. This equates to approximately 400-600 words.

Things to Avoid when Writing Your Motivational Letter

Your motivational letter will only be one of the several documents you’ll be asked to submit as part of your PhD application. You will almost certainly be asked to submit an Academic CV as well. Therefore, be careful not to duplicate any of the information.

It is acceptable to repeat the key points, such as what and where you have studied. However, while your CV should outline your academic background, your motivation letter should bring context to it by explaining why you have studied what you have, and where you hope to go with it. The simplest way to do this is to refer to the information in your CV and explain how it has led you to become interested in research.

Don’t try to include everything. A motivation letter should be short, so focus on the information most relevant to the programme and which best illustrates your passion for it. Remember, the academic committee will need to be critical in order to do their jobs effectively , so they will likely interpret an unnecessarily long letter as in indication that you have poor written skills and cannot communicate effectively.

You must be able to back up all of your statements with evidence, so don’t fabricate experiences or overstate your skills. This isn’t only unethical but is likely to be picked up by your proposed PhD supervisor or the admissions committee.

Whilst it is good to show you have an understanding of the field, don’t try to impress the reader with excessive use of technical terms or abbreviations.

PhD Motivation Letter Samples – A Word of Caution

There are many templates and samples of motivation letters for PhDs available online. A word of caution regarding these – although they can prove to be a great source of inspiration, you should refrain from using them as a template for your own motivation letter.

While there are no rules against them, supervisors will likely have seen a similar letter submitted to them in the past. This will not only prevent your application from standing out, but it will also reflect poorly on you by suggesting that you have put minimal effort into your application.

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Graduate School Letter of Recommendation Examples 2022-2023

Grad school recommendation letters are an essential part of every graduate school application package–even in this (almost) post-COVID era of remote work and Zoom classes. Nearly all applications to graduate school still require at least two recommendation letters from individuals who can discuss your abilities, competencies, and personal character in a coherent way and recommend you for admission to graduate school.

Many referees have difficulty writing these recommendations themselves (for language issues or simply because they are busy) and some rely on the applicant to pen the draft of the letter and receive confirmation before submitting it to the graduate school. But regardless of who is writing the letter, there are a few key elements the recommender needs to include to craft a stellar recommendation for their graduate candidate.

Who should write a recommendation letter for graduate school?

Choosing which professors, supervisors, or advisors to request a graduate school recommendation letter from can be somewhat overwhelming. Should you choose someone who does not know you personally but who has connections to your target graduate school? If a famous professor writes you a grad school recommendation letter, will this automatically give you an advantage with the admissions committee? 

In general, graduate recommendation letters should come from people who know you well, who respect you enough to say glowing things about you as a student and researcher, and who hold positions in school or work that are above your own. At least one letter of recommendation should be submitted from a past or current professor or academic advisor. 

Another could be from someone in a slightly different role, including an employer, a research adviser, a senior colleague, or a professor from a different department or kind of class (e.g., a discussion class professor instead of a lecturer). No matter who it is, the recommender should know the applicant and recognize their accomplishments. It also helps if the recommender understands some details about the program to which their candidate is applying.

Here are some guidelines to follow when choosing who to ask for letters of recommendation for graduate school. Select someone who:

• Knows you well and can answer positively. Choose an individual who you have spent time with outside the classroom if possible. They should also be familiar with your career goals and hold a favorable view of you. 
• Has known you for quite a while. A recommendation letter for graduate school carries more influence if the person has known you for months or years instead of months. If you can, find someone who knows you from various contexts, such as a professor who is also your advisor. 
• Can speak to your strengths in relation to your graduate program. Choosing a finance professor to write your recommendation letter for an MBA program would be a good idea because they can write about the qualities that will aid you in pursuing an MBA (qualities you can also include in your MBA essay ) and a broader career in business. 
• Has substantive stories to share about you. Who was fortunate enough to see you succeed in an academic, extracurricular, or professional setting? Having someone write your LOR who has good stories to share about you is certainly going to benefit you more than someone whose class you took with two hundred other students. 

How to Request a Letter of Recommendation for Graduate School

Knowing how to request a letter of recommendation for graduate school can directly impact the quality of the letter your referee writes for you. Show respect and consideration for the time that your recommender is taking to write a glowing review that will get you into graduate school and positively impact the rest of your life. 

With this in mind, it may seem obvious that the very best way to ask for a letter of recommendation for graduate school is to do so in person. While this isn’t possible for all students (due to availability or schedule), it is the best route if you want to ensure that your LOR is not only written on time, but includes all the positive information about you that admissions committees want to see in a graduate candidate. When you cannot ask in person, sending an email is an appropriate second-best option. But remember to always be cordial and polite when making this request. 

What information should be included in a graduate recommendation letter?

Your referral letter should cover a range of skills, from academic abilities to research experiences, to applied experiences in and out of class. As the recommender, your letter should clearly answer some specific questions:

Your letter of recommendation should cover a range of skills, from academic abilities to research experiences, to applied experiences in and out of class. As the recommender, your letter should clearly answer some specific questions:

• What is your relationship with the student?
• Why should the graduate faculty listen to your opinion? (include your status, title)
• What makes this student special? (discuss their characteristics, qualities, traits)
• What specifically did this student do to impress you? (discuss their accomplishments, habits in class)
• What makes this student qualified for graduate school and for this program? (include specific courses or interests of the student in addition to abilities and traits)
• What do you know about the program the student is applying to?

What information does the LOR recommender need from me?

The recommender should be given sufficient time to write (and/or confirm) the letter. If it has been a while since you were last in contact, sending a background information file will make things easier. Include the following information so that the recommender can use a few details to bolster their letter:

• Classes the student has taken with the recommender
• Experiences you have shared
• Transcripts
• Research experience and internships
• Awards and achievements
• Academic/career goals
• Relevant professional experience

In addition to background information, make sure that the recommender has the necessary information to plan the writing in a timely manner and target the letter as much as possible:

• Graduate program application due date
• Copy of recommendation forms (if applicable)
• Instructions for submitting LORs (hard copy, soft copy, or direct to school)
• Details about the program and school the student is applying to

What style of writing should be used in a recommendation letter?

Although the letter of recommendation is more informal than academic writing, you should make sure that your language has no grammatical or mechanics errors and that it is of an academic level that reflects the author’s educational level and qualifications. Apply the following standards to the writing and the essay-drafting process:

• Make your language more personal in tone than research writing.
• Use the active voice and first-person point of view more often.
• Write chronologically, starting from important traits and then moving on to actions and achievements.
• Use lots of details—list course names, scores, and specific achievements of the student.
• Edit your letter before submitting it to the graduate admissions faculty.

How to Write a Grad School Letter of Recommendation Letter: LOR Outline

A well-structured recommendation letter (like any organized essay) will guide the reader logically towards an understanding of why this student is worthy not only of praise but of admission to graduate school. Grad school requires quite a few high-level scholastic attributes that not all students possess, and therefore it is important to focus on both the achievements of the candidate and on their personal character and potential to thrive in a difficult academic environment.

Use this outline as a letter of recommendation template in which to input your candidate’s achievements, skills, and traits. Note that the flow of information moves the reader into greater detail, using form phrases and transitions that increase the readability of the letter.

1. Greeting to the recipient

Dear {Name}, or To Whom It May Concern, To the graduate faculty of the {University / Department}

2. Opening paragraph: position; relationship to the applicant; general assessment of the applicant

It is my absolute pleasure to recommend {Name} for admissions to {Program} at {University}… I am a professor of {area of study} in the department of {department} at {University}.

3. Second paragraph: positive skill or trait; evidence of trait or skill; anecdotes demonstrating this skill

Jane has excellent communication skills. Her written work is both clear and concise, as well as interesting to read…

4. Third (up to fifth) paragraph: Other skills or traits; evidence of character and skills; detailed anecdotes

At a personal level, Jane is a well-disciplined, industrious student with a pleasant personality. She went well beyond the course expectations…

5. Final Paragraph: clear recommendation of the candidate to the specific school or program.

Jane is unquestionably an exceptional candidate for graduate study in {Program Applying for}. Jane’s work in “Developments in Anthropology” suggests that she would greatly benefit from the opportunities for intellectual development provided by a sustained period of graduate study…

6. Closing line: polite offer to be contacted if needed

If I can be of any further assistance, or provide you with any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Letter of Recommendation Template and Useful Phrases

Admission essays often contain template phrases or “form phrases” that allow the writer to plug in their specific information while not spending too much time deciding how to compose every single aspect of the writing. This can be especially useful for ESL authors because conventional expressions used in academic and essay writing can be difficult to learn and memorize. Use the following form phrases to help craft a more professional letter of recommendation.

Introducing yourself

• My name is  {Author}  and I have been a Professor of Math at  {University}  since  {date} .
• I write to you today to proudly express my support for  {Student}  in applying to your prestigious university.

Discussing your relationship with the applicant

• I first came to know  {Student}  while teaching him/her in my  {Course Name}  course…
• I was  {Student} ’s thesis advisor during his/her senior year.
• I have known  {Student}  for several years now and can attest to his/her strengths and quality of character.

Discussing the student’s general positive traits

• {Student}  has excellent communication skills and displays them regularly in class discussions.
• He/She is a highly intelligent and competent student who excels in many areas.
• Not only is  {Student}  hard-working and thoughtful, but he/she also demonstrates kindness and generosity towards his/her peers.

Demonstrating evidence of student’s character and skills

• She/he has shown herself/himself to be a true leader who is able to successfully develop plans and implement them in his/her work.
• {Student}  demonstrated his/her independence daily, completing difficult lab exercises by researching outside of class.
• During his/her internship,  {Student}  consistently managed his/her work responsibilities diligently and learned quickly. For example…

Discussing the school/program the student is applying to

• As  {University}  is renowned for its  {Program} , I believe this is an ideal place for  {Student}  to solidify his/her abilities and cement his/her knowledge of  {area of study} .
• The learning environment that  {University}  is famous for creating excellent opportunities in which  {Student}  to apply his/her skills.

Final endorsement and offer to be contacted

• For the above reasons, I am confident that  {Student}  will make an excellent addition to your graduate program, and I wholeheartedly support him/her for admission to your program.
• Thank you for your time and attention in reading my endorsement.

Further Tips for Writing Admissions Essays

• Highlight your self-motivation, competence, and potential in this essay
• Emphasize everything from a positive perspective and write in the active voice.
• Demonstrate through examples; don’t just write that you are a “persistent person”—show it!
• Approach every topic with continuity and focus.

The Final Step: Editing Your Recommendation Letter

As any good writer knows, it takes more than one draft to create a strong and compelling work of writing. After you have written your recommendation letter draft, there is still a lot of room for revision. One way to ensure that grammar mistakes and style errors do not get in the way of a strong letter is to let the admissions experts at Wordvice’s Admissions Editing Services edit and proofread your (of your candidate’s) letter of recommendation or other application essays, raising the chances that your candidate will be admitted to the program of their choice.

With a full suite of professional proofreading services , we edit thousands of admission documents each year for all kinds of authors of academic and admissions documents just like you. Furthermore, our application essay editing services , recommendation letter editing services , personal statement editing services , CV editing services , cover letter editing services , and SOP editing services are tailored to the needs of your specific admissions essay.

For more articles on writing and editing your essays and academic work, visit Wordvice’s Academic Resource page . 

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• Entering and staying in the UK
• Visas and entry clearance
• Work and investor visas
• Graduate route: rapid review
• Migration Advisory Committee

Letter to the Home Secretary on the rapid review of the Graduate route (accessible)

Updated 16 May 2024

© Crown copyright 2024

This publication is licensed under the terms of the Open Government Licence v3.0 except where otherwise stated. To view this licence, visit nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3 or write to the Information Policy Team, The National Archives, Kew, London TW9 4DU, or email: [email protected] .

Where we have identified any third party copyright information you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holders concerned.

This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/graduate-route-rapid-review/letter-to-the-home-secretary-on-the-rapid-review-of-the-graduate-route-accessible

Migration Advisory Committee 2nd Floor Peel Building NE 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF

[email protected]

14 May 2024

Rt Hon James Cleverly MP Home Secretary 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF

Dear Home Secretary,

I am pleased to inform you that we have published the Migration Advisory Committee’s (MAC) rapid review of the Graduate route, a copy of which has been provided to your office.

Our report provides insights on the five questions posed in your commissioning letter. We have not found evidence of widespread abuse on the Graduate route, where we define abuse as deliberate non-compliance with immigration rules, and we conclude that the route is not undermining the integrity and quality of the UK higher education system. However, we have reason to believe that some agents and subagents recruiting international students are mis-selling UK higher education and exploiting students in the process. We expect the impact on public finances of Graduate visa holders on the route to be small but positive, as most appear to work, are young, and have no recourse to public funds.

Having laid out in full our answers to these five questions in our report, we provide three sets of recommendations:

We recommend retaining the Graduate route in its current form. We found that the Graduate route is broadly achieving the objectives set out by the Home Office, while also supporting Government education policy as outlined in the International Education Strategy. The changes to the rules on student dependants which were implemented in January and are in effect a change to the dependant rules of the Graduate route, will likely have a significant effect on Graduate route usage going forward. Whilst initial data suggests these changes are already substantially reducing international student numbers, we believe their full impact should be assessed before considering further changes. Implementing additional restrictions or closing the route now could risk overcorrection. Given international student fees help make up the financial deficit that universities have from teaching domestic students and research, any significant restrictions to the route should only be considered once the structural funding issues in the higher education sector have been addressed. This speaks to the broader point that any changes to migration policy will likely involve trade-offs across other areas of Government policy.

We recommend that the Government establishes a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents and subagents which encompasses the quality controls in the voluntary Agent Quality Framework, consulting with the Devolved Administrations to ensure UK-wide coverage. We recommend that universities should be required to publish data on their spend on recruitment agents and the number of international students recruited through such means annually as a starting point to improving disclosure. Whilst most agents play an important role in promoting the UK and in supporting international students, we found some examples of bad practice from certain agents. Our recommendations should help ensure that the quality of UK higher education is upheld, and students are protected from exploitation.

We provide several recommendations on data and monitoring for the route and the wider immigration system which are outlined in our report. Firstly, we recommend that the Government should only open new migration routes or make significant policy changes when it has a clear plan for how it will collect and monitor data to assess the effectiveness of the route against its objectives and understand wider impacts. We also recommend that the Home Office introduces a requirement for universities to provide it with confirmation of the course outcome (e.g., class of degree) on the Student route, in addition to confirmation that a course has been successfully completed which is currently required. We note that some of the data you referred to in your commissioning letter was incorrect. This data was not referring to those that had switched from the Graduate route to the Skilled Worker route, rather it covered those that had switched from the Student route to the Skilled Worker route. This takes us to our next recommendation; we recommend the Home Office undertakes a review of the data variables used for analytical purposes across the largest visa routes (including the Skilled Worker route, Student route and Graduate route) to develop a clear definition of what these data represent, and the quality of each variable collected. Finally, we recommend that the Government explore and make further use of the HO/HMRC matched data.

We look forward to your response to our report and to receiving the Immigration Salary List commission shortly.

On behalf of the Migration Advisory Committee,

Yours sincerely,

Professor Brian Bell Chair, Migration Advisory Committee

• Tom Pursglove MP, Minister of State for Legal Migration and the Border
• Matthew Rycroft, Home Office Permanent Secretary
• Simon Ridley, Home Office Second Permanent Secretary
• Daniel Hobbs, Director General Migration and Borders Group

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Joseph Wakim PhD Thesis Defense

Physical models of chromatin organization and epigenetic domain stability, event details:, this event is open to:.

Joseph Wakim PhD Candidate Chemical Engineering Academic advisor: Professor Andrew Spakowitz

Abstract: Physical Models of Chromatin Organization and Epigenetic Domain Stability

Although there are about 200 distinct cell types in the human body, all somatic cells in an individual share the same genetic code. The spatial organization of DNA plays an important role in regulating gene expression, enabling broad cellular diversity. In each cell, approximately two meters of DNA is organized into a cell nucleus only about 10 microns in diameter. This high degree of compaction is achieved by wrapping DNA tightly around histone octamers to form units called nucleosomes. These nucleosomes are arranged into tight chains called chromatin. Chemical modifications along the chromatin fiber, known as epigenetic marks, cause chromatin to phase separate into loose “euchromatin” and dense “heterochromatin.” Genes in euchromatin are accessible to transcriptional machinery and are more likely to be expressed, while those in heterochromatin are inaccessible and tend to be suppressed. Dysregulation of 3D chromatin architecture has been implicated in several age-related disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease and cancer.

During this presentation, I will explore how patterns of epigenetic marks and conditions in the nuclear environment dictate chromatin organization. I will begin by focusing on the transcriptionally active euchromatic phase. Despite its overall accessibility, euchromatin is characterized by isolated clusters of nucleosomes, which can affect local transcription levels. I will introduce a model that explains how nucleosome geometry and positioning are affected by trace levels of epigenetic marks in euchromatin, causing clusters to form along the chromatin fiber. Using this model, I will evaluate the physical factors dictating cluster sizes.

I will then introduce a model that explains how interacting “reader proteins,” which preferentially bind specific epigenetic marks, affect large-scale chromatin organization and contribute to the segregation of euchromatic and heterochromatic phases. I will demonstrate that direct interactions between different reader proteins are not required to facilitate their crosstalk. Rather, due to the shared scaffold to which reader proteins bind, chromatin condensation by one reader protein may indirectly support the binding of another. According to our model, if different reader proteins compete for binding sites along the chromatin fiber, large-scale chromatin organization can be remodeled in response to changes in reader protein concentrations. By characterizing modes of epigenetic crosstalk, I will demonstrate the interdependence of multiple epigenetic marks on the spatial organization of DNA.

Overall, my presentation will leverage principles from polymer theory, statistical mechanics, and molecular biology to identify factors contributing to the physical regulation of gene expression. The projects I will discuss offer a framework for evaluating how changes in epigenetic patterning and the nuclear environment affect local chromatin accessibility, which is implicated in cell differentiation and age-related diseases.

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Explore more events, sevahn vorperian phd thesis defense, benny freeman, four l.a.s.e.r. talks: human embodiment, 3d printing, ocean health, chinese computing".

Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs: Everything You Need to Know

These programs provide medical school hopefuls an opportunity to boost their GPA and take prerequisite courses.

Premedical Programs: What to Know

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Postbaccalaureate premedical programs enable potential med school hopefuls to bolster their academic transcripts.

Key Takeaways

• Postbaccalaureate premedical programs often exist to bridge equity gaps in medical schools.
• Bachelor's graduates can earn additional prerequisite credits for some programs.
• Postbac premed programs don't make sense for some med school hopefuls.

Getting into medical school is difficult, especially for students who have a lower GPA or lack prerequisite credits. One option to boost their application is by enrolling in a postbaccalaureate premedical program.

However, this route can be expensive, so it's important for students to do research and consider the following factors before applying.

What Are Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs?

Postbaccalaureate premedical programs were created in the mid-1990s to provide a bridge for underrepresented students from undergraduate education to medical school, says Shawn Cummings, assistant dean of advising in arts and sciences at Washington University in St. Louis .

"There was just still a real big gap between the population in medical school being overly dominated by, generally, Caucasian students and there not being as many minority students in medical schools as were represented in the population at large," he says.

While some programs' missions have shifted, others maintain that original goal of closing equity gaps. These programs are "designed to specifically support a student who wants to transition into a professional school," says Julie Gilbert, senior specialist of education pathways and learner inclusion at the Association of American Medical Colleges, a nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. "Usually it will enhance their college competitiveness for admission to a medical school."

Graduates who completed a bachelor's degree can earn additional, nondegree prerequisite credits for various health programs in addition to medical school, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, physician assistant, accelerated nursing, dental school and veterinary school . The credit-granting programs are open to applicants from any background, not just those who graduated with a science or health-related major at the bachelor's level.

"Students don't have to invest in a whole second degree," says Laura Bigaouette, associate dean of the Post-Baccalaureate Pre-Med/Pre-Health Program at Fordham University in New York. "We look at previous coursework and we can waive certain courses that were done recently or with success. But they only need to take the (courses required by health professional schools) without having to spend the time and the money again to fulfill another degree."

There are different types of postbaccalaureate premed programs. Record enhancer programs, for example, are for students who've completed the prerequisites – such as biology, chemistry, physics and organic chemistry – but their science GPA is not competitive. Meanwhile, career changer programs cater to those who have taken only a few science courses, or none.

Most programs offer one or the other, although some have both, Cummings says.

Some schools also offer a special master's program in which courses count toward a student's graduate GPA. For this type of program, students receive a master's degree upon completion.

Postbac premed programs typically take about one to two years to complete, depending on whether a student attends full or part time, experts say.

Application Requirements for Postbac Premed Programs

Postbaccalaureate premed program requirements vary, and some are more competitive than others. Most programs ask applicants to meet a certain GPA minimum, submit a transcript and letters of reference , and complete an admissions interview.

Fordham, for instance, requires at least a 3.0 undergraduate GPA. However, there is some flexibility depending on the applicants' circumstances, Bigaouette says.

"We conduct interviews and find out what happened in their undergrad program," she says. "Our program is very rigorous, so we want to make sure that candidates are a fit based on GPA as well as other factors around academic ability and commitment to the health field. .... A lot of people have personal challenges undergrad and that's what hit their undergrad GPA, so we want to give those people a chance in a postbac program. And quite often, we see a significant and dramatic growth trajectory in GPA, which means a lot for medical school."

Admissions officers are also looking to see if an applicant has explored medicine, Cummings says.

"Have they had direct patient interaction ? Have they observed doctors? Do they really know what they're getting into? We have a lot of students apply with really strong stats," he says. But if they have a resume "that isn't informed by real-world experience, we are probably not going to admit them. We don't want them to come here and start spending thousands of dollars on a trajectory that they are really not well informed about."

Some programs have their own application, while others are part of the Post Baccalaureate Centralized Application Service. This service allows potential students to apply to more than one participating program at a time.

"It is a more expensive way to apply to postbac programs, but not all postbac programs have an alternative," Cummings says.

Is a Postbac Premed Program the Right Fit for You?

Postbac premed programs can help students strengthen their transcript or their educational knowledge, experts say. Other potential benefits include networking opportunities, MCAT preparation support and advising to help with the medical school application process.

Additionally, while med school admission is not guaranteed, some postbac programs have direct linkage to certain medical schools. For instance, the Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Program at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland has a linkage arrangement with eight medical schools. To be eligible for consideration, students often have to uphold a certain GPA and MCAT score while in the postbac program.

Postbac premed programs don't make sense for every student, especially those with a high GPA who don't need additional coursework, experts say.

"I sometimes have students coming to our program and the real problem is the MCAT. They've got a low MCAT (score), but they want to come to us to take more coursework," Cummings says. In those cases, "you probably need a very targeted MCAT prep program as opposed to additional coursework."

To determine whether a postbac program is a right fit, students should consider several other factors, including the program's location – to determine the cost of living – and the total price of attendance. It's important to research available financial aid , as it can be limited for these types of programs, experts say.

Potential applicants can use the AAMC's Postbaccalaureate Premedical Programs database to search for options that meet their academic goals. Additionally, Gilbert advises potential applicants to "ask their pre-health advisor and or the admissions officers at these medical schools for assistance and guidance on whether or not it's the right decision for them."

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York sets out importance of Graduate Visa route to Prime Minister

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Posted on 21 May 2024

Professor Charlie Jeffery, University of York Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the N8 research-intensive universities, has helped coordinate a letter asking the Prime Minister to accept the findings of the Migration Advisory Committee.

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Recent MFA Graduate Translates Complex Concepts Into Visual Form

• Post published: May 17, 2024

As an interdisciplinary artist, animator, and immersive experience designer, Adeline Newmann weaves narratives that challenge perceptions and delve into the depths of human experience. Her own artistic journey has been a flurry of unique experiences. Before pursuing an MFA at Michigan State University, her career ranged from VJing the dark corners of goth clubs to designing animation and visuals for music festivals. Her most recent position was as a Video Media/VFX Designer for theme parks across the United States and Asia.

She’s now a recent Michigan State University graduate, having received her MFA in Spring 2024 from the Department of Art, Art History, and Design , and her thesis project, Corrupted Uncorrupted , is now on display at the MSU Broad Art Museum as part of the 2024 Master of Fine Arts Exhibition that runs through Sunday, May 26. This thesis project showcases Newmann’s drawings from a variety of places, including the Crypt of the Capucchin Monks in Rome and the Mütter Museum in Philadelphia — both places where photography isn’t allowed, but drawing is. Her creative workflow used in the making of Corrupted Uncorrupted involved two separate paths that converge during the making process. The first path involves immersive sketchbooking sessions, where she draws inspiration from real-world observations. “Observational drawing is an incredibly powerful way to engage deeply with research, history, and collections,” she said.

The second path is experience design, where Newmann envisions how viewers will engage with her art.

“This includes considering how a person might move through the exhibit space and what creative technologies might be used in the final exhibit design,” she said. “I follow both of these paths and bounce them off one another at key intervals. Eventually, they converge in the final piece.”

Laden with profound themes and poignant narratives, Corrupted Uncorrupted dismantles the binary notions of health and illness and delves into the annals of misogyny within the history of medicine.

“I hope mostly that visitors will come away from ‘ Corrupted Uncorrupted ‘ with a wonder and respect for the human body, both as ‘specimen’ and as ‘person,’ and a renewed desire for health care access for all.”

“I’m fascinated (and horrified) by the stories about illnesses and myths about who can get sick and who cannot, the evolving narratives around cervical cancer and HPV-related cancers, and the true horror that people die all the time from these preventable cancers because of vaccine misinformation and lack of access to healthcare,” Newmann said.

Translating complex concepts into visual form is a challenge Newmann takes a unique approach to. Drawing from her visual research and literary exploration, she seeks to create a symbiotic relationship between internal narratives and external stimuli.

“I use my visual research and sketchbooking and also reading to help with this,” she said. “In my experience, I’ll have an internal concept and narrative cluster that functions as a guide, and I seek out places, collections, and other things and when one matches or dialogues with the internal concept/narrative, then I draw it to ‘collect’ it. These drawings become ‘concept design’ and sometimes also final pieces of the final exhibit.”

Experimentation is foundational to Newmann’s artistic process, rooted in experimental cinema and animation.

“I know that an experiment is successful when the emotion or idea I have inside connects with the feeling I get from the experimentation/artwork,” Newmann said. “The process itself is a lot of iterating and adjusting until suddenly it’s there.'”

As Newmann researched her thesis project, she found a tangled web of ideas and stories that ultimately didn’t tell the whole story without the rest of their interconnected entanglements. This was the structure she wanted the exhibit to reflect.

HR Giger is a long-time influence, which is apparent in Corrupted Uncorrupted . His history of creating both production design for cinema and fine art is especially important for Newmann.

“Giger builds worlds with his art and design,” Newmann said. “For me, art making is more about building a world and inviting the audience to step in and spend some time in it. “

“For me, art making is more about building a world and inviting the audience to step in and spend some time in it.”

Newmann hopes to provoke introspection and dialogue in navigating the balance between personal expression and audience interpretation. Her artworks, ranging from abstract to representational, serve as conduits for individual reflections.

“My hope is that the more representational elements (falling figures, disarticulated bodies, etc.) anchor the theme or ‘world’ of the piece while the more abstract elements (bodily textures and colors) offer a suggestive Rorschach for the audience to read into and meditate on,” Newmann said.

Newmann also hopes to instill a sense of wonder and empathy in viewers of Corrupted Uncorrupted .

“I hope mostly that visitors will come away from Corrupted Uncorrupted with a wonder and respect for the human body, both as ‘specimen’ and as ‘person,’ and a renewed desire for health care access for all,” Newmann said. “And for any visitor who is on a journey through illness, I hope the show is a reminder that we are not alone in these journeys, no matter how scary or uncertain the path is ahead.”

Reflecting on her MFA journey, Newmann emphasizes the importance of time and space for artistic exploration.

“We live in an incredibly fast-paced world, and the opportunity to slow down, think, and make is such an important one,” she said.

Looking beyond the MFA program, Newmann envisions her artistic practice as an ever-evolving journey. Her thesis project doesn’t mark an endpoint but a genesis of further exploration into further interconnected stories.

For more information on the MFA Exhibition, see the  2024 MFA Exhibition web page .

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No evidence foreign students are abusing UK graduate visas, review finds

Migration Advisory Committee says the risks are low, despite Tory claims the route is being exploited

There is no evidence of widespread abuse of the UK’s graduate visa route, the government’s immigration advisers have concluded, despite repeated claims from senior Conservatives that it is being exploited to enter the jobs market.

The Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) said the graduate visa entitlement – allowing international students to work for two or three years after graduating – should remain in place. Members said the risks of abuse were relatively low and were “not undermining” the integrity and quality of the higher education system.

The report’s release has stoked an internal Conservative party row over net migration, with senior rightwing MPs describing it as a “whitewash”.

Robert Jenrick, a former immigration minister, wrote that the committee’s inquiries were tightly controlled by the commission from James Cleverly , the home secretary.

“The MAC’s conclusions have clearly been constrained by the narrow terms of reference deliberately set by the government. If you order white paint, you get a whitewash,” he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Neil O’Brien, a Tory MP who is an ally of Jenrick, described the report as a “whitewash” on Substack: “We are pursuing an arbitrary target, and the expansion of universities for their own sake.”

Another Conservative MP said backbenchers were “piling pressure” on Rishi Sunak to ignore the committee’s conclusions.

The government has so far declined to say whether it will accept the MAC recommendations. A source close to the home secretary said he would read the review thoroughly and listen to Prof Brian Bell, the committee’s chair, carefully before he makes any decision. They were due to meet on Tuesday afternoon.

The committee’s decision was greeted with relief by university vice-chancellors, who have warned that abolishing the graduate visa would spell financial turmoil for the sector. But higher education leaders said they still feared No 10 could cherrypick elements of the report to justify a further crackdown.

University leaders had been told to expect the government’s response in the middle of next week, alongside the publication of the ONS’s net migration figures. But the MAC report in favour of retaining graduate visas may have scuppered plans by ministers to use it as the centrepiece of a fresh crackdown.

Cleverly commissioned the review amid a growing clamour in Tory circles that graduate visas were being abused to gain access to employment.

Last week, Jenrick published a report with the Centre for Policy Studies thinktank that called for the graduate visa to be abolished, claiming it “allowed people to come and work in the gig economy and on very low wages”.

In a forthright response, Bell said: “Our review recommends the graduate route should remain as it is, and is not undermining the quality and integrity of the UK’s higher education system.

“The graduate route is a key part of the offer that we make to international students to come and study in the UK. The fees that these students pay helps universities to cover the losses they make in teaching British students and doing research. Without those students, many universities would need to shrink and less research would be done.”

The committee said:

There is no evidence of widespread abuse specifically for the graduate route. The risks of abuse are relatively low due to the limited number of conditions the route imposes.

There is concern about potential exploitation of both student and graduate visa holders due to poor practices by certain agents who recruit students on to courses and may be mis-selling UK higher education, but this is a separate issue from abuse of the rules of the graduate route.

114,000 graduate route visas were granted for main applicants in 2023 with a further 30,000 granted for dependants.

The use of the graduate route is concentrated among four nationalities: the top four – India, Nigeria, China and Pakistan – account for 70% of all graduate visas with India accounting for more than 40%.

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Most of those on the graduate route completed postgraduate taught courses.

Graduate visa holders are initially “overrepresented in lower-paid work” but their outcomes improve over time, the report said.

The MAC review was unable to assess the risk of overstaying due to a lack of Home Office data.

Alex Proudfoot, the chief executive of the representative body Independent Higher Education , said: “We urge the government to swiftly confirm they will follow their experts’ recommendation that the graduate visa be retained in its current form, and commit afresh to working with the education sector to maximise the benefits that international students bring.”

Tim Bradshaw, the chief executive of the Russell Group of leading research universities, said: “The overall message from the MAC is that the graduate route is achieving its objectives as set out by the government. We would therefore urge ministers to end the uncertainty and confirm as soon as possible that the route will continue in its entirety.”

In February, Universities UK (UUK) said it would review international student admissions processes after the allegations of “bad practice” by agents recruiting overseas students.

The MAC has recommended the government should establish a mandatory registration system for international recruitment agents, and universities should be required to publish data on their use of agents to “help protect the integrity” of the UK higher education system.

The review was launched in March after Cleverly instructed the committee, which gives independent advice to the government, to investigate “any evidence of abuse” of the graduate route, “including the route not being fit for purpose”, and to look at which universities were producing graduates who used the route.

Vivienne Stern, the chief executive of UUK, said: “The MAC’s recommendation that the graduate route should remain on its current terms is extremely important and welcome.

“The uncertainty caused by the decision to review the visa has been toxic,” she said. “We hope and expect that government now listens to the advice they have been given and provides categorical reassurance that the graduate visa is here to stay.”

A government spokesperson said: “We are committed to attracting the best and brightest to study at our world-class universities, whilst preventing abuse of our immigration system, which is why the home secretary commissioned an independent review of the graduate route.

“We have already taken decisive action to address unsustainable levels of migration and our plans are working, with a 24% drop in visa applications across key routes in the first three months of this year, compared with the same period last year.

“We are considering the review’s findings very closely and we will respond fully in due course.”

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