So you want to do a PhD?

When I finished my Masters, I decided to leave education for a while and get some work experience. I told myself that I would only do a PhD if I could find a project that I was absolutely passionate about. In my mind, I thought this would be at least a few years in the future. But you simply can’t plan for these things. Even before acquiring my first job after my Masters, I came across a NERC advertised PhD opportunity that sounded perfect. It was a fully-funded project at the University of Birmingham, which was in my local area and the project was titled ‘Promoting wildtype behavioural ecology in sanctuary great apes to aid reintroduction programmes’. I am fascinated by primate behaviour, especially in sanctuaries, as it is incredibly complex and challenging work. I also have experience in this field, working with modifying enclosures to aid sanctuary gibbons in their rehabilitation. I felt like the PhD was written just for me. Of course I applied, and what do you know, after working in education for one year and one year after finishing my Masters degree, I had started a PhD!

However, getting onto the PhD was not an easy road. Fully-funded projects are especially competitive, and it is therefore a long and selective process. In my case, the project was funded through CENTA, a doctoral training programme. This meant that in addition to my other application documents, I had to submit a CENTA studentship application form. To give you an example of what a PhD application looks like, here is a list of the documents that I had to include within my application:

• CENTA studentship application form (about 5 pages)
• Curriculum Vitae (about 2-3 pages)
• Personal statement (about 1 page)
• Copy of my diploma and academic transcript (Bachelors degree)
• Copy of my diploma and academic transcript (Masters degree)
• Copy of my diploma and academic transcript (secondary school)
• Two reference letters
• Scan of my passport
• Certificate to prove my English language proficiency (this may not be necessary for those of you who are UK citizens)

It takes some time to get your application together, and it takes longer to prepare than the time you would spend on your average job application, which usually only requires a CV and covering letter. I would suggest you do carefully consider the PhDs you apply for. Not only because it is competitive and you only need apply if you have relevant experience, but also because it is a 3-4 year intense commitment. If you aren’t sure whether you will enjoy the project, then it may well be a very tough experience for you. A PhD can however open up many opportunities in the future, and you will benefit enormously from it, both on a personal and professional level. So think about why you want to do a PhD and what your motivations are for choosing a particular project.

Once you have gone through the application process, the next step is the interview. In my case there was more than one interview. Firstly, I was selected for a Skype interview to determine who the supervisors wanted for their project. Once I was selected as their candidate, I had an interview with staff from CENTA and the University of Birmingham. Then it was up to the University to select which projects they wanted to put foward for funding to CENTA. My project and myself as a candidate were selected. This selection process occurred not just within the University of Birmingham, but in multiple Universities. CENTA is a collaborative effort, involving the following academic institutions:

• British Geological Survey
• Centre for Ecology & Hydrology
• Loughborough University
• The Open University
• University of Birmingham
• University of Leicester
• University of Warwick

This meant that each of these institutions would have put forward which projects they wanted to be funded. Once these selections were made by the institutions, it was up to CENTA to decide which of the projects they wanted to fund. After this funding decision had been made, I was notified that I had gotten the studentship. Between applying for the PhD and being accepted onto the studentship, the whole process took around 1-2 months.

Please don’t let this discourage you from applying for a PhD. If you have the chance to do a PhD and a project you really want to apply for, do it! In the end, it is only time that you have to lose, but there is a whole lot to gain. Whether you go for a project which is already advertised, or whether you choose to propose your own research project, I would recommend you apply for a fully-funded position. A PhD is an expensive process, and without funding, you will have additional stress and you may miss out on opportunities due to the cost of it all. Whichever route you choose to take, you will learn a lot from your PhD. On top of furthering your research skills, critical thinking, and subject-specific expertise, you are essentially a project manager for 3-4 years. You have to manage your funding, your time, arrange your work, effectively work with your supervisors and further network, and also manage a healthy work-life balance. There is so much to be gained, so if you are thinking of doing a PhD, I would recommend you start searching!

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What is your experience with the PhD application process, and if you are a PhD student, how are you finding it? Share you experience in the comment section below.

Looking for a PhD? Check out the CENTA website for fully-funded studentships in central England, or check out FindaPhD.com. For more information about my personal journey, check out my student profile on the CENTA website.