Do I Need Publications to get a Fully-Funded PhD Abroad?

by Dr. Sriyash Mangal, PhD

Requirements of Publications for PhD Abroad: It’s a natural question to ask when applying to a PhD program: “Do I need to already have publications before I apply?”. Simply put the answer is No, you do not need to have published papers to apply to a PhD. In my career of advising PhD aspirants, I have always seen students worrying too much about not having publications. Some students even consider having publications as an eligibility requirement to pursue PhD abroad. So, do you really need to have publications on your CV when applying for PhD positions?

The answer is NO. Publications are not required to secure a fully-funded PhD position. However, the prospective supervisor or the admissions committee wants to see that you have the skills required to be an excellent researcher. Indeed, publications are a good indication of this, but they are not the only way to demonstrate that you have strong research skills. There are other things that can make up for not having any publications, like:

presenting research at conferences,
having a nicely written bachelor’s or master’s dissertation
internships at reputed institutes, companies, industry, universities, hospitals or any other research centre
having hands-on experience in techniques commonly used in your area of research interest
having ongoing research which is on track for publication in the near future
having excellent letters of recommendation

A publication on your CV (even if it’s in a different field) can help your application stand out when applying to a competitive program or make up for a weakness elsewhere in your application. But, it does not mean that students with publications on their CV have a higher chance of getting selected. Professors and admissions committee gives more or equal weightage to other factors also like your communication skills, working style, problem-solving skills, knowledge about the research area & the subject in general, character and personality, and what your teachers/ professors think about you. In addition, they pay close attention to how well you present yourself in the statement of purpose and whether or not you are able to write an impressive research proposal.

Keep in mind that every field has different a publication output. For example, in arts & humanities, a large number of students graduate from PhD programs without any publication, therefore, PhD applicants are not at really expected to have any publications. Some subjects like Biology have longer experiment times, so professors don’t mind assessing your quality of work from your bachelor’s or master’s thesis.

Rather than worrying about publications, you should focus on gaining proper research experience and learning the techniques that are used in your field. Write a nice master’s or bachelor’s thesis and engage in every research/ academic activity such as conferences and workshops that come your way. These are equally valuable ways to demonstrate that you have the kind of research experience that makes you a promising applicant.

To conclude, most universities, PhD programs and scholarship award committees will not expect a potential PhD student to have publications at the time of applications. You should, however, make sure that you emphasize in your application all the different times or ways in which you demonstrate your ability to think like a researcher. Your research proposal and statement of purpose are two such documents where you get a chance to showcase your writing abilities, communication skills, ability to think logically, and knowledge about the area of interest. In addition, your referees should also comment on how good of a researcher you are. Therefore, the success of your application is not determined by the number of publications you have, but by the quality of the application package you have submitted. This includes Statement of Purpose, Letter of Recommendations, Research Proposal, any other essay, and CV.

Also Read:

How to Develop your research ideas for PhD?

Eligibility Criteria for PhD abroad

Benefits of studying PhD abroad

Author Bio:

Dr. Sriyash Mangal

Ph.D. Cell biology from LMU Munich, Germany MSc Biomedical Sciences, University College London, UK Dr. Sriyash Mangal has been mentoring Ph.D. aspirants to secure fully-funded Ph.D. positions abroad for more than 5 years. He has lived in the UK and Europe for over 7 years and completed his higher studies with 100% scholarship. He is an expert in applying to highly competitive Ph.D. programs and scholarships/ fellowships.

For more information regarding funding opportunities and PhD positions abroad, contact our team at Road to Abroad (+91 8383050912). For more general information about studying PhD in abroad in various countries like UK, USA, Australia, Germany, Switzerland, etc visit our PhD Consultation Page.

Searching for Open PhD Positions Abroad? Click here

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Education Transcending Borders

Do I Need Publications to get a Fully-Funded PhD Abroad?

by Dr. Sriyash Mangal, PhD

Author Bio:

Dr. Sriyash Mangal

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