Jungshin

Haha yea well I won't be too upset about it since it's not wasted (comparatively speaking to beer), but it definitely allows me to be more careful about my selections. Nope. no US schools at all. Canada(domestic) and Europe. Trying to keep my mind off these stuff.

Just 3 so far. I've been pretty picky with applications since I'm too poor, even for application fees =(

I hate waiting too. Historically, the schools I've applied to should give me a response by the end of December. I think I will cry a little bit if I didn't get an interview, and then I shall make more applications. Best wishes to all.

Oh and make sure you're Actually interested in what their doing. Which you should be able to figure out while reading their publications. You may or may not be desperate to find a PhD position, but don't be so desperate that you're asking for projects you are not interested in. It makes you look terrible if you start complaining about the project 2-3 years into your PhD.

At first contact, you should be concise and provide them with all the details of your purpose of emailing them. You also may provide them with your background specifications if you feel that it's something worth sharing. You should refrain from complimenting them and their publication record, however, you should make scientific comments on their recent publications (within 3-5 years). You don't have to read all their publications, but you should read the ones that were published in respectable journals, the ones that were published solely out of their lab without collaborators, and the ones that relates directly with what the professor needs help with (if the position was advertised). And keep an open mind when you're writing about these scientific stuff, you're not the expert nor do they expect you to be. At the end of the day, if you are enthusiastic and polite, you should be able to obtain responses from most of them and whether or not they are available space or funding for a PhD student. Don't be discouraged if you don't obtain a response, because some emails really do get lost and never read. You should also refrain from emailing a bunch of professors within the same department at the same time, they do talk to each other and if they sniff that it's a mass-email (although it's really not), they will never respond to you. One at a time, with personalized emails really do help, and within the Canadian institutions as a domestic applicant, this is the main way of getting into graduate school as a PhD student. I cannot say the same for international applications because there are other factors to consider, but as a domestic applicant of your own country it should be the easiest and the best way to apply into graduate school. Hope that helps. If not, whatever.

It's worse when you're done and the waiting starts. End up checking websites and emails multiple times a day.

+1 for Self deprecation

@neuropatholover Neurodegeneration. Blah, there was a status change at EPFL online application server. It says I should be notified of the results in 4-6 weeks. Christmas is going to suck this year.

Hah I know how you feel. Finding a spot as an international student is difficult. It costs supervisors double the money of domestic students if you don't bring your own funding.

Anyone applying abroad to European schools? From reading this forum, it seems that students generally apply for 5-10 school for PhD. I have applied to three school so far and it feels like I should apply for more.