How to approach a potential PhD supervisor

Contacting a potential PhD supervisor is one of the most important steps in the research application process. Your initial contact isn't about presenting a perfect research proposal – it's about showing that you understand the supervisor's research interests and have the potential to develop a strong research project together.

While reaching out can feel intimidating, a thoughtful email and a well-prepared first meeting can help you make a positive first impression.

We sat down with Deakin University’s Associate Professor Chris Hughes to gather tips on the best way to approach a potential PhD supervisor.

Once you've identified a potential PhD supervisor (often through a directory such as Deakin’s Find an Expert), take time to explore their current research before reaching out.

Read a few of their recent publications, familiarise yourself with their research interests and assess whether their interests align well with yours. You can also review their academic profile and, importantly, whether they're open to new supervision opportunities.

Once you’ve done your homework, it’s time to make contact, usually via email. While every supervisor has different expectations, there are a few guidelines that can help you write a professional first email.

Introduce yourself

Within your email, briefly explain your academic background, relevant work experience and any research achievements such as publications, conference presentations or funded projects.

Personalise your email

You’ve picked this particular supervisor for a reason and this is your opportunity to explain why. You could mention:

• a recent paper they’ve written that relates to your proposed research
• one of their research projects that you found interesting
• why their research aligns with your interests and goals.

Explain your research idea

According to Hughes, clarity of idea is important. ‘Prospective supervisors value an email that articulates as clearly as possible that a credible and viable project is being proposed. If a supervisor can see a connection with their existing work, then that is beneficial,’ he says.

‘Think carefully about the specific research you want to pursue and be able to show that you are passionate but, crucially, capable of pursuing it,’ says Hughes.

Briefly explain your research topic, why it matters and how it aligns with the supervisor’s expertise.

Keep it concise

Keep your email short to sustain your potential supervisor’s interest, and leave any longer explanations for your first meeting.

‘Academics have a range of responsibilities and in their supervisory work; they face pressures to support candidate development and timely completion,’ explains Hughes.

‘A coherent, relevant, logical and manageable proposal increases the chances of your ideas landing with a prospective supervisor and of them seeing you as a future candidate who they can support to deliver on time,’ he says.

Think of your email like a cover letter for a job application and consider following a simple structure:

• Subject line: Make it clear and concise such as ‘Prospective PhD student interested in [research area].
  
• Salutations: Ensure that you include their correct title such as [Professor, Dr] [Supervisor last name].
  
• Introduction: Introduce yourself, your academic background and what degree you’re interested in studying.
• Body: Over a few short paragraphs introduce your research interests, your potential research project and how it relates to the supervisor’s research.
• Conclusion: Request a meeting with the supervisor to discuss the projects they may have available for you and mention your ideal start date.
• Attachments: Include a current curriculum vitae. Some students also like to attach a one-page potential research project summary.

While your email doesn’t need to be perfect, there are some common mistakes you can easily avoid when contacting a potential PhD supervisor.

Grammar and formatting

Before you hit send, do a quick check to ensure that all text is the same font and size. Also run a spell-check to make sure that you haven’t missed any obvious errors.

Tone

Ensure that you have used a formal tone throughout your email. This includes using the supervisor’s correct title.

Passion versus viability

Another mistake can be made in thinking that just because you are passionate about a topic, your research should go ahead.

For instance, Hughes says that some students confuse their passion for the proposed project with justification for why it is being proposed.

‘Prospective supervisors will be asking themselves the question – why does this project warrant attention? Being able to articulate this is pivotal,’ he says.

Hughes says that the best way to think of approaching your potential supervisor is as a phased approach.

‘If the first email is seeking to instigate a credible conversation, then I think that it is wise to recognise that this initial phase, the phase where a project is still prospective, probably takes longer than one might think,’ he explains.

‘I’m inclined to say that a lead-in time of at least a couple of months is required in those cases where a prospective graduate researcher is emailing a prospective supervisor for the very first time,’ he says.

While there is no universally recommended timeline, many universities suggest contacting a supervisor at least two months prior to application deadlines. Ideally, as early as possible to give enough time to discuss and refine your application before it is due.

Supervisors are often very busy juggling the demands of academic life, so don’t be surprised if you don’t receive an immediate response. If a week has passed and you still haven’t heard back, a polite follow-up email is acceptable.

If you still don’t receive a response after following up, it’s worth approaching another suitable supervisor whose research aligns with your interests.

As Hughes explains, ‘It could be that the initial email simply did not sufficiently articulate the proposed project and thus it just “didn’t register” with the prospective supervisor.’

The first meeting is just as much about determining whether you're a good fit for each other as it is about discussing your research idea. It's also an opportunity to understand how the supervisor works and whether their supervision style matches the support you're looking for.

Hughes explains that a prospective supervisor will ‘be very impressed if at the first meeting the prospective candidate can show that they are developing a clearer appreciation of the research questions and an idea about why those questions are important and how they will sustain a credible project that can make an original contribution to the field.’

‘Being able to show an understanding of research design would be an advantage. A potential PhD supervisor isn’t expecting a definitive view, but they will be trying to assess the level of pre-planning and the prospect of the project being deliverable within a three-to-four-year timeline,’ he says.

A few questions you might consider asking include:

• What are you currently working on?
• Do you think our research fields are a good fit?
• What are your expectations of graduate researchers?
• What is your approach to mentoring?
• Do you supervise other graduate researchers and, if so, what’s your current capacity?

Just remember that approaching a potential PhD supervisor doesn't require a perfect research proposal, but it does require preparation.

As Hughes reminds prospective students: ‘First impressions count.’ Taking the time to research a supervisor's work, write a thoughtful email and prepare for your first meeting demonstrates that you're serious about your research and prepared for doctoral study.