I often think back to my time applying for grad school (or what is also known as postgraduate studies). I was still in university, in my final semester, and the thought of doing an MPhil at Cambridge loomed in my mind. Of course, I always knew I wanted to do a master’s abroad, but it didn’t hit me till October 2020, in the thick of another lockdown:
I need to think about the next steps in my career (and life, let’s be real).
So in a fumbling state, I opened an application for MPhil in Developmental Biology at Cambridge, took a month to write out my personal statement and fill out the application (horribly, I might add, looking back), and pish-posh sent it off. A month later, I got called for the interview and several administrative emails later; I was given a conditional offer. Looking back, I had no clue how to prep for grad school- and sometimes people take years to prep!
I honestly was very befuddled the first time I applied. When I approached my lecturers about doing an MPhil, they were very supportive but told me they didn’t know much about applying to Cambridge. It was competitive, they warned me, but no harm in trying. So it was me, my mum (as my editor) and the 6-page application process against the world. How I got an interview still surprises me. (Fun fact: there were about 60 candidates for my MPhil course, and only 9 of us got chosen; I was the only one who didn’t go to a UK university for undergrad- so take that imposter syndrome!) However, while making my PhD application, I had more guidance and insight into the process. I had older PhD students in my current lab and my supervisor instead of just me and my mum arguing about what word would sound better than “reading Genetics”.
Maybe I came from a rather unique educational background. I was fully publicly educated up until my undergraduate. I went to a fairly normal government school. Yes, we had high achievers and all. Still, I do not remember being “trained” to apply for matriculation or how to even apply for scholarships (I think privilege, race and higher education in Malaysia is another topic for another day). At that point, it did not matter to me. I would go to Form 6 (which you automatically get into), hoping to get into the University of Malaya to do a degree in Genetics (which requires you to choose up to 12 choices in ranked order on your UPU form). I had never even heard of a personal statement or how to sell yourself to people you never met. I felt like a child again and had to give myself grace. I was applying to something no one in my wider circle of friends, family, or classmates had ever ventured into.
Almost two years later, with two successful applications (both for my MPhil and PhD) and a few scholarship offers, I think I can look at that time with some pride that I made it out of “The Application Season” (what I termed the months of October-January before the year of study) alive. It is not fun, especially when you do not have a guide or someone to help you out personally or someone who has been in the Oxbridge postgrad system willing to offer you help (Don’t get me started on the weirdness of gatekeeping when someone asks for help in academia- it is rare but it happens).
My advice mainly centres around the Cambridge application process since this was the only place I applied to, but I think it can apply to many other UK universities. I’m pretty sure these are pretty “duh!” advice, but some people (like myself) that didn’t have the resources or “cables” that others did. Also, for context, I am a ‘fresh’ grad student, meaning I went from a Bachelors-Masters-PhD all in one go (The odd internship and part-time jobs don’t count, apparently!). That limits your circle on who to ask for advice. If you’ve started working and had a few years in a job/out of school, you’ve got more people to ask advice to. So, in turn, I would like this post to act as a starting point for access to the resources you need. Mind you, Googling “How to apply to Oxbridge” isn’t entirely helpful, but maybe a guide to navigating such searches is a good start.
If I could give you only one piece of advice, it would be this:
just do it.
Just take that leap and apply. I never imagined I would be studying at Cambridge. People often say, "You're so smart, you'll definitely get in!" but I didn't believe it was possible. It seemed out of reach. However, I decided to give it a shot and was fortunate enough to get in on my first attempt. I think of it as a blessing as it often takes people multiple tries, or they may even pursue a local master's degree or secure a job before applying. Since then, my Life has improved significantly. The decision to apply was big, but it was (and still is) worth it. Don't let your doubts and fears hold you back. Go ahead and press that apply button!
I want to focus on the application itself since it’s about time for The Application Season. It will probably be a two-parter since there are a lot of bases to cover (and I would like to be as thorough as possible while keeping you engaged!) The first part would mostly revolve around the initial motivations for applying, a little bit of personal statement work and how to select your references.
Also, as a Malaysian, I would like to stress that grad school overseas is a little different compared to locally. There is a certain emphasis on a “why” you’re applying to grad school (which I will talk about soon) and not just “Oh, I want to evade working for another 3 years”. So, maybe there’s a lot more weight in applying overseas- especially in terms of career trajectory (that Oxbridge degree does look nice in a CV….). Going in, you must be more determined and lay the groundwork for a good application.
What makes a grad school application? There are several sections, depending on the university or course, but they comprise of mostly:
Personal details, including your nationality, age, where you reside
Educational background, including final grades and transcript
Personal statement of application
Jobs/internships history
References
Several essays depending on the course. It could be research experience/expertise, a research proposal or a brief about a certain topic to showcase your interest.
Resume/CV
Where do you start?
Structure a plan
Now, I went into my grad school process with almost nothing in mind other than wanting to study genetics, developmental genetics, to be precise. Looking back, I think planning out my application in a structured way could have made the process much less anxiety-riddled, but perhaps you could learn a few things from what I now know and plan.
Start narrowing down your choices of where you want to go.
It would be best if you had an idea of where would be a good place to do your postgraduate studies. I would suggest looking at not the university but the course itself. Don’t be fazed by the university's ranking, but focus on the value and ethos of the course. How is it structured, who is teaching, what is being taught? These things are more important as you will be dealing with them on a day-to-day basis.
I had a good course director who always went above and beyond. I found a great supervisor who is very supportive and understanding about life as an international student and adjusting to life abroad. It just so happened that all this was at Cambridge and ticked all my boxes.Stick to a maximum of 5 programs. You want quality applications. Personally, I would have applied to only two programs if I could look back (one as a safety). Graduate panels can tell if you’ve copied and pasted an application without thought, so it’s best to put your energy and focus on a select few. Sure, it’s nice to flex about how you applied to 20 programs and maybe got into all of them, but you’re only going to one! So make that matter.
Set realistic timelines.
When should I start my application? Most application seasons run from August to January prior to the next academic year (if you want to be considered for any funding). Give yourself around 2-3 months to plan, contact references, get feedback, and contact a potential supervisor.
Create an Excel spreadsheet of important deadlines, and set reminders to contact your references as such. Take into account that you might need to ask your current or previous schools for transcripts or letters supporting your application. For example, I did not have my final grade when applying for my MPhil. I needed a written letter from my undergrad to grades before I graduated. Administrative bureaucracies take time-so keep all those in mind.
Commit 5-6 hours a week to your application. This could entail reading up on a topic, drafting essays, or meetings with people to further help with your application. I find that sectioning time out to focus fully on the application. You might have other commitments, a job or trying to finish up uni! I felt so discombobulated juggling my ONE application and getting a first in my final year. Planning ahead could have definitely saved me a lot of anxiety and worry.
Another tip I didn’t do the first time is to try to reach out to people to ask for help. I felt very almost “shy” to ask around for help. The closest thing I did was talk to my referees, who had little guidance to apply. Find someone who maybe went to the university of your choice. Bonus if they come from a similar personal or academic background as you. I did not know any Malaysian-Indian women applying to Cambridge straight from a public uni STEM degree, who were willing to talk to me, but perhaps if I had asked around more, I could have been connected to someone.
Show, don’t tell.
I hate the phrase, show, don’t tell. I truly do. You see it being parroted around every application season. But oh boy, is it true. As someone who has spent a fair amount of writing in academia, I've come to understand the significance of backing up your claims with evidence. Your personal statement is the anchor that hooks your entire application. It is your introduction to the graduate admissions team of who you are- a stranger to them. So, most of your application's content (and the pizzazz of what makes you the right applicant for the course) must stem from here.
Unlike in undergraduate personal statements, where a simple statement about attending seminars to hear scientists speak may suffice, in postgraduate personal statements, you need to provide concrete examples of how a talk by a prominent scientist has inspired you to pursue research in a specific field. For example, you joined a lab to learn certain scientific skill sets.
You should also be able to succinctly explain what you learnt at each career point- preferably in a paragraph. I followed The Three Whats Rule (I made this up-patent pending) to explain my experiences prior to applying.
What you did
What you learnt
What came out of it
For example:
During my undergrad, I undertook a final project in the field of developmental genetics studying the effects of germline mutations in cancer cell lines (bonus if you tie this back to your interest or the program) (1). I conducted cell culture maintenance, PCRs and image analysis using ImageJ to assess the presence and absence of XYZ (2). My findings demonstrated that xyz….abcd. Following the completion of a 10,000-word thesis, I undertook a viva and was awarded the Best Presenter Award and the undergrad Book Prize Award (3).
This is the best way to subtly “show” and not tell. Do not flower your statements with words like “hardworking” or “determined”. SHOW a hardworking attitude by demonstrating the skills you pick up. Winning awards are a bonus. It shows that your work had some value-ie you are worth training (remember, a postgrad study is training, not an achievement!)You can be as technical as you want on these statements because the people reading them will likely have some expertise in what you are discussing.
Your references matter
Start building relationships with your lecturers from your undergraduate days. Many Oxbridge applicants are required to submit an academic reference, so it's important to do the pre-work.
You can establish a good rapport with your lecturers by being an engaged student, such as actively participating in class discussions.
You produce exceptional output in a given task consistently.
You get good grades (duh) and preferably are the top scorers in your year.
Why are references important? They provide a vouching system. Suppose you are doing your master’s or PhD in a new institution. In that case, chances are the graduate admissions panel would one some sort of backing that you are as outstanding as you say you are in your statement. Sometimes what separates an applicant could just be what their referee has said.
Who should I select as my reference? This is another important aspect of your application. You want someone you’ve had close contact with who is able to speak of not just your academic traits but also your values as a person. I chose my undergraduate supervisor, who taught me throughout my degree, and my internship supervisor and a lecturer who taught me for all three years of my studies, as my references. They are always willing to provide a reference for me (both for my MPhil and PhD and subsequent funding applications) because I was a participatory student and went above and beyond when needed.
For example, I never missed a lecture. No joke. I always showed up, and that gives great ammo for references. Showing up looks get on any application- shows you are reliable. I also scored top grades in their classes. I was a team leader, being able to take charge. Once again, this can be your opportunity to demonstrate your credibility without simply stating it. Having a third party vouch for you adds weight to your application. A really good reference can take your application from a good one to a great one.
I hope this gives you a rough idea of how to tackle the first steps to applying to grad school. Sure, you could open an application and send it off like I did, but honestly, looking back, some structure and advice of what I know now would have prepared me better. I hope this will do some good for someone. Also, I don’t think you could ever be too extra with your commitment to applying to grad school. It is your future, after all!
I want to emphasize that I am always willing and available to help anyone who needs it. Whether you need a small pep talk to boost your confidence about applying for a PhD or a master’s program or have a specific question regarding your application, you can always contact me through a DM or email.
Stay tuned for part 2!
I leave you with what the great Nipsey Hussle said:
“I just didn’t quit. That’s the only distinguishing quality from me and probably whoever else is going through this, or went through this or is gonna go through this, is I ain’t quit”.
