Middle East and History; PhD acceptance chance, Applicant from Middle East

[Middle_East]

Dear friends, I hope you are doing well.

I need your help and guidance and please help me to make the right choice.

I want to apply for a Ph.D. in History in the coming fall, and based on my CV, I wanted to know my approximate chances of getting accepted.

My bachelor's degree is not related to history, but I have a master's degree in Middle Eastern studies from the best university in my country, which is in the Middle East. Also, I'm studying for my second master's degree in one of the history tracks in Italy, which has a global rank between 100 and 150.
M.A (second one): 3.50 Until now
M.A (first one): 3.50 
B.A: Under 3

My general focus is on the history of the Middle East, migration, and Islamic societies.

I have several courses and conferences in the field of history in my CV and will add a few others to my resume until I apply.

I have some important questions and I would appreciate it if you can help me in this regard. According to my CV, do I have the potential to be admitted to one of the universities between the ranks of 40 and 80?
 (2)Before applying, should we communicate with the desired professor in each university and get his/her positive opinion?
(3) Do all departments have interviews in the process of accepting or rejecting an applicant?
(4)do you have any important advice or tips? Because I don't have enough information about the details and the admission process of the History course for the Ph.D. in America.

[Omar899]

Hi, 
I'm in a similar boat to yours actually. Have a BA from a top ranking university in the Middle East and am applying for Master's in History in Europe, and hopefully a PhD right after that. 
Would I be right in thinking that you are in the MA Global Cultures program at Bologna? 
I think that it depends what program you want...ideally you should be getting guidance from your current professors, and hopefully a letter of recommendation. Some places like the Berlin Graduate School require you to explicitly list who you want to work with, and give you a list of their faculty roster and who is available to supervise and who isn't. 
 

[Aishaaa]

Hi, I am a bit late, but I can answer your questions as a Ph.D. student in Middle East History. 

First of all, yes, you should contact your POI before applying, and if it is possible, you should ask for a short Zoom meeting to introduce yourself before applying.

Some universities do formal interviews after the application. Still, others can accept or reject you without a formal interview (I had two acceptances without a formal interview but met before the application informally.
 There is no guarantee based on your CV achievements; it is all about the fit, the financial situation of the department, the willingness of the professor to accept you, your research experiences, and your ability to prove that you can survive in a Ph.D. program.