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I have been applying for PhD and got rejected by eight schools so far in the US, the UK and Canada.

I just completed my MSc in the UK with distinction. My supervisor who is a professor write me a good reference based on my independent research in my thesis, but I keep getting rejected for a PhD.

Any suggestion on how I can submit an outstanding application to get accepted for PhD?

Ab Ab
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    Is there any "low to middle" tier universities among the eight schools? What's your GPA? Other test scores? Good recommendation letters? – Nobody Apr 22 '23 at 05:18
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    Please clarify your specific problem or provide additional details to highlight exactly what you need. As it's currently written, it's hard to tell exactly what you're asking. – Community Apr 22 '23 at 05:19
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    Apply to more than eight universities. – astronat supports the strike Apr 22 '23 at 08:52
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    This might help: https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/38237/how-are-ph-d-applications-evaluated-in-the-us-particularly-for-weak-or-borderl – Allure Apr 22 '23 at 13:12

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There's a misconception that applying to PhD programs is like applying to undergrad, but harder. PhD programs are more like apprenticeships. There are programs that accept students based only on applications, and then try to match the applicant with an advisor. But the best programs have too many great applicants, and the advantage goes to those applicants that are already matched to a professor in the program. Actually, nothing in your application matters if a professor on there inside tells the admissions committee "I want this student". It's not just a good strategy to try gain admission, but I can't imagine wanting to attend a program where I don't know a good potential advisor to start with. Attend conference and speak with potential advisors. Ask your former advisor for introductions. Don't obsess about "top programs", obsess about "top advisors"

Cheery
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Firstly, PhDs are really competitive and it isn't out of the ordinary to get rejected. You have said your supervisor has written a good reference but have you asked them to look at you applications? It's a big ask now you have graduated but I've generally been okay with discussing applications with my students if they ask.

Some other points:

  1. Is there a specific topic you want to study and are you applying for PhDs on that topic, or writing your own thesis topic outlines and trying to get funding for that. As a supervisor I want to know a student wants to work in my specific area and isn't just applying for any PhD topic going in my general field. You want enthusiasm and dedication from a student.
  2. Did you get good grades in your masters/ is the supervisor likely to be writing you a good reference?
  3. Have you considered getting a job that does not require a PhD but is in academia - you haven't mentioned you field, but lab assistants sometimes don't need PhD. This is a opportunity to gain more experience and possibly get to know a supervisor who will support an application.
  4. Are you learning some skills that make you stand out over other candidates? Have you shown some autonomy outside your core masters work that suggests you are a good PhD candidate (i.e publishing masters work - which should be done with the masters supervisor).

without knowing more detail this is the most advice I can offer.

JayBee
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It is difficult to provide anything but a broad answer to this question as there are very few details.

It seems likely from the context of your question that you would be an international application to the US or Canada. In this case the first issue is funding, or more precisely who will pay for your funding.

In the humanities scholarships or other means of supporting students (such as institutional or supervisor support) are very limited and tuition can be quite high, depending on the location of the school. In Ontario, tuition fees for international students are around ~CAD$ 25k, and many state schools have comparable levels (tuition and related fees vary quite a bit by state or province). As a result, schools accept only a very small number of international applicants because there’s no $$ to support them.

In the STEM, grants are more common but grants are not infinite and faculty prefer to fund in-state or domestic students simply because these students require less support.

If you applied to schools in Ontario, the situation is far from rosy at some of them and schools are looking to pause admission, and possibly close programs. (Although this piece is about undergrante and MSc programs at one specific university, it should reflect an overall malaise in the funding of universities in this province.) Laurentian University in Ontario filed for bankrupcy a few years ago. There are rumours circulating that some schools will offer no entrance scholarships to Canadian students this year. So if you applied to schools in Ontario, you might be a casualty of the financial crunch of these institutions, irrespective of how good you are as a candidate.

Overall, applying “cold” to universities as an international student is now a much more difficult proposition since few departments and supervisors are now inclined to takes chances on unknown candidates.

ZeroTheHero
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Did you have the results of your MSc before applying to the PhD programmes? If not I would reapply next year with this in hand, and try your best to get a publication from your Master's thesis. This would strengthen your application. Also how strong were your letters of recommendation? They also go a long way in making you look like a desirable candidate, so in the next cycle ask people who you know will write very strong recommendations for you. Good luck!

Don Julio
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Lisa Mafia
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