How to find a supervisor

Why the supervisor matters

For a research degree or a research position, the person you work with shapes your daily work, the questions you study and often your next step. In many research programmes you need a supervisor's agreement before you can be admitted, so finding one is often the first step, not the last. Check the rules of each programme you are interested in.

1. Know what you are looking for

• The research field and the kind of questions you want to work on.
• The kind of position: MSc, PhD, postdoc, research assistant or research staff.
• Practical needs: funding or a stipend, location, start date, and whether you study full time.

2. Find people who work on it

• Browse the open positions on AcadMatch: each one shows where it comes from, and positions found on other websites link to their original page.
• Read the faculty and department pages of the universities and research institutes that interest you.
• Look up the authors of recent papers you liked, and see where they work now.
• Ask lecturers, former supervisors and current students for recommendations.
• Go to seminars, conferences and open days, where you can meet researchers in person.

3. Learn about the lab before you write

Read the lab's website and a few of its recent papers. Find out what the lab works on now, how big it is, and whether it advertises open positions. If you can, talk to current or former members about what working there is like.

4. Write a short, personal email

• A clear subject, for example: "Prospective PhD student: [topic]".
• Who you are, your degree and your relevant experience, in two or three sentences.
• Why this lab: mention specific work of theirs that interests you, and why.
• What you are asking for: a position, a short meeting, or whether they are taking students.
• Attach your CV and, if asked for, your grade transcript.

Write to each researcher separately. A generic email sent to many people is easy to recognise and is often ignored.

5. Follow up and meet

Researchers are busy. If you have had no answer after about two weeks, one polite reminder is reasonable. If they agree to meet, prepare: know their recent work, have questions ready, and be ready to talk about your own experience and interests.

6. Questions to ask

• What projects could I work on, and how is a project chosen?
• How is the position funded, and for how long?
• How often do you meet your students, and how does the lab work day to day?
• What do former students and lab members do now?
• What are you expecting from me in the first year?

If you can, ask current students the same questions. Compare a few labs before you decide.