When do faculty at universities decide to take new students?

[Doppio Con Panna]

Does anyone know the general time frame faculty post on university websites, etc. that they'll be accepting students next year? I'm reapplying and would like to know a good general time frame to email professors.

 

Thanks!

[Mickey26]

It honestly seems to depend on the university. You can always email the specific profs to determine if they're taking students in the upcoming year. This serves 2 purposes: 1) You get an answer to your question (if they reply), and 2) the profs will actually know you/have connected with you prior to seeing your application. I emailed early around June-August, but most people email around September (this is a better idea as profs don't usually know if they will take students in June haha). Good luck

[Doppio Con Panna]

8 minutes ago, Mickey26 said:

It honestly seems to depend on the university. You can always email the specific profs to determine if they're taking students in the upcoming year. This serves 2 purposes: 1) You get an answer to your question (if they reply), and 2) the profs will actually know you/have connected with you prior to seeing your application. I emailed early around June-August, but most people email around September (this is a better idea as profs don't usually know if they will take students in June haha). Good luck

thank you!!

[Mickey26]

Forgot to mention that not only is it university specific, it's also idiosyncratic to each prof haha Some know earlier on in the year (as they have funding, have graduating students and hence space in the lab, etc.), others may not know until Sept/Oct. Again, your best bet is to directly email!

[PokePsych]

Start of the fall semester seems right! Also because faculty is bound to university budgets and the like (and which other faculty may have priority etc.)

[higaisha]

1 hour ago, Doppio Con Panna said:

Does anyone know the general time frame faculty post on university websites, etc. that they'll be accepting students next year? I'm reapplying and would like to know a good general time frame to email professors.

 

Thanks!

I emailed all the way from April-October, no right time to do it really, but I think the sweet spot was definitely early August, as faculty were winding down from summer and preparing to move into the fall term so they were 1) more responsive and 2) had an idea of whether they would take a student. Some departments this isn't the case, and POIs wont know until much later, but I got some definitive answers in August.

Edited March 1, 2019 by higaisha