Resources

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Resource library

16 practical, no-fluff resources — written from inside hundreds of real PhD and Masters applications our mentors have reviewed.

Your application documents

5 resources
📄
How to write an academic CV that gets you shortlisted
A step-by-step guide to the research CV that European PhD supervisors actually want to read.
Resource · 9 min read →
✉️
How to write a Statement of Purpose / Letter of Motivation that gets read to the end
What to say, how to tailor it, and what makes supervisors read to the end.
Resource · 10 min read →
🔬
How to write a research proposal that convinces a supervisor to take you on
A clear research question, feasible method, and realistic timeline — what supervisors are actually checking for.
Resource · 9 min read →
📝
How to get letters of recommendation that actually help your application
Who to ask, when to ask, and exactly how to brief your referee so the letter actually helps you.
Resource · 8 min read →
🎓
How a Masters motivation letter differs from a PhD statement of purpose
The same letter that wins a PhD place can sink a Masters application. What a taught-Masters committee actually wants, and how it differs from a PhD SOP.
Resource · 7 min read →

Reaching out to supervisors

3 resources
📧
How to email a professor for a PhD position (with examples)
What to say, what to avoid, and real subject-line examples that actually get opened.
Resource · 8 min read →
🤔
Should you contact professors before applying?
When direct contact helps, when it's optional, and how to time it right.
Resource · 6 min read →
🧑‍🔬
How to choose the right PhD supervisor
Research fit, lab culture, funding stability and what past students can tell you.
Resource · 9 min read →

Interviews and standing out

2 resources
🎤
How to prepare for a PhD interview
Common questions, what to ask them back, and how to explain your research clearly.
Resource · 10 min read →
🧬
Why you should publish your master's thesis on bioRxiv (or a similar repository) before applying for a PhD
Make your research visible, citable, and easy for a future supervisor to evaluate.
Resource · 8 min read →

Funding & finances

3 resources
💶
How PhD funding in Germany actually works
TV-L contracts vs DAAD and institute stipends, what's actually taxable, and the costs nobody mentions until you've already said yes.
Resource · 9 min read →
📚
How Masters funding actually works in Europe
Tuition-free public universities, DAAD and Erasmus Mundus scholarships, and the semester fees nobody explains clearly before you apply.
Resource · 8 min read →
🛂
The visa process after a funded PhD offer — Germany, Netherlands, Austria
What actually happens between accepting a funded PhD offer and landing with a visa in hand, country by country, and the timeline gap nobody warns you about.
Resource · 8 min read →

Setbacks and next steps

1 resource
🔁
How to handle a PhD rejection and what to do next
Why most PhD rejections say nothing about you, how to work out where you actually lost, and what to change before the next application.
Resource · 8 min read →

Choosing where to apply

2 resources
🇪🇺
Why a funded PhD in Europe is the stronger route right now
The US has put a four-year clock on student visas. Here is what a European PhD actually gives you instead — no tuition, a paid three-to-four-year contract, and a stay-back route that was designed on purpose.
Resource · 11 min read →
🎯
How to choose the right Masters programme and university
Why the programme should come before the university name, how to actually use rankings, and the questions that matter more than reputation.
Resource · 8 min read →
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