Starting your PhD can be overwhelming, exciting, nerve-wracking, and many other things! You may be really looking forward to it, or feeling apprehensive, or a combination of both. However you are feeling, this post outlines some steps that you can take to help ease your transition into your PhD programme and to set yourself up well for the semesters and years ahead of you.
Before you start reading this post, it’s important to note a couple of things. You don’t need to do everything in this post all at once, or even at all if it doesn’t fit with your circumstances and plans. It isn’t intended as a list of things that you must do at all costs to be successful; success looks different for different people, and you may need or want to wait to do some of these things once you are more settled into your programme. Take from this what works for you and leave the rest!
One. Find a place to live, if you don’t have one already
If you are relocating for your PhD programme, you will need to find a place to live. Even if you are staying in the same city that you already live in, if you live within community distance of your university, or if you are completing a fully online programme, you may still be looking for a new living situation for various reasons.
In an ideal world, you would organise your accommodation a few weeks or months in advance of your programme’s start date. However, depending on various factors such as local rental markets, visa processes, commitments that mean you may not have time to look for accommodation according to a particular timeline, or changes in plans, you may not be able to plan where you will live very far in advance at all.
Regardless of your timeline, there are some things that you can consider. When choosing a place to rent (or buy, if you are in a position to do so, although this is not necessarily a common choice for PhD students for myriad reasons), think through the following factors and try to find somewhere that best suits your needs:
University-owned vs. private accommodation: Does your university offer graduate student accommodation? If so, does it meet your needs and is there enough availability for you to secure a room or apartment for the coming academic year? Should your university have accommodation reserved for graduate students, you do not necessarily have to live in it if you would prefer to rent privately or if buying a place suits you better.
Price range: What can you afford to pay each month? Are utilities and other charges included in your rent, or will you have to budget for those separately?
Location: How far away are you able to or do you want to live from campus? Will you be able to use public transport or walk? If you don’t have your own transport such as a car or bike, does that mean you will need to live within a certain distance of campus or other resources that you need regularly?
Safety: You may wish to review published statistics about crime in the area(s) you are considering and to talk to others who have previously lived in those locations. If you personally do not feel safe when you are visiting potential properties and/or when you are talking to people that you are considering living with, listen to those feelings and look for alternatives.
Accessibility: Do you have health conditions and/or disabilities that mean that you require a certain type of accommodation or adaptations to existing rooms and/or properties? Do you need to live within a certain distance of the university buildings that you need to use regularly and/or other places and facilities?
Space and conditions: If you are on a limited budget or trying to rent in an area where there is a lot of competition, you may not find a place that you really like in terms of its appearance and décor. Work out what are dealbreakers for you: it’s always advisable to avoid properties with mould or damp, for example, but living in a room that is smaller than you might like or sitting on a slightly saggy sofa for a year or putting up with awful velvet curtains isn’t the end of the world in the grand scheme of things.
Living alone, with family, or with housemates/roommates: If you need to live alone or would prefer to live alone, can you afford to do so? Are you happy living with housemates/roommates? If so, would you prefer to live with other students, or are you happy to live with people who are working outside of academia?* If you have family living within community distance of your university or other places that you need to access regularly for your research if you are away from campus, can you live with them to save money?
*Note: UK-based students are not responsible for council tax if they are registered as full-time students. If you are studying in the UK and sharing with other adults who are not students, they are responsible for the council tax bill and you are not required to contribute. Remember to check with your local council for up-to-date information about exemptions and how to apply for them.
You may not be able to find a place that ticks all your boxes, so take some time to decide what is a dealbreaker, what is very important, and what would be nice-to-have, but you could let go if necessary.
Once you have worked out what you need, focus on finding a place to rent, if you will not be using university-provided accommodation. In the UK, many people find flats and houses to rent online using RightMove or Zoopla. If you’re looking to join an established houseshare or flatshare, or to find someone to replace a departing housemate, SpareRoom is a good place to start. In the US, many people find places to rent using Craigslist. Many universities have their own listings for off-campus housing; I used the University of Michigan’s Off-Campus Housing Site to find the room I rented in a family home during the first year of my PhD. In all cases, check carefully for scams and try to visit a property or connect via video call with landlords prior to handing over deposits and any other fees.
Two. Understand what you need to do academically
PhD programmes can all have different requirements. You don’t need to plan exactly how you will use every minute of your research and writing time as soon as you arrive, but it is important to take a couple of hours to sit down and understand what you will need to do each year and each semester to meet your programme’s requirements in a timely fashion.
In the UK system, in which the thesis is often, although not always, the only major requirement, make sure that you understand the expectations for this piece of work, including word count, number of chapters, and any interim deadlines. You will probably have a Transfer of Status or a PhD Upgrade towards the end of your first year, which usually involves submitting a piece of work to a committee in advance, and may have other milestones such as a Confirmation of Status or regular reviews. Note any milestones that you will have to meet so that you can plan your thesis work with them in mind.
It is also a good idea to talk to your supervisor, or supervisors if you will work with two or more, to clarify expectations around meeting cadence, progress updates, deadlines, and receiving feedback on your writing. Programme and departmental handbooks, as well as your supervisor and staff members who work predominantly with graduate student affairs, are the best places to find out information about these requirements. Make sure that you attend any orientation and informational sessions that are offered; these can also be sources of information about academic requirements.
In the US system, you will most likely spend at least your first and second year, and in some cases, your third year, taking courses. Programmes usually have credit requirements, for example, eight credits at the graduate level per semester to be considered a full-time student, which, in the case of eight credits, could be fulfilled by taking three three-credit seminars. Make sure that you are taking enough courses to fulfil basic credit requirements. Your programme may also mandate that you take specific courses, for instance an introductory course to graduate studies, a teacher training course, and a range of seminar courses spread across different time periods or areas of your discipline. Some programmes are more flexible than others and have few required courses, whereas some PhD students find themselves with little choice over the seminars that they take. Whatever your situation, make sure that you sign up for all required courses.
There are usually multiple requirements that you need to meet before attaining candidacy, namely the stage that you reach once you are deemed ready to work on your dissertation full-time, having completing most or all other programme requirements. Find out what these are and note the hard deadlines for when you must meet them. Make a rough plan for how you will meet the first few requirements. These can include language requirements, teaching requirements, and service requirements; students can also be required to take part in annual reviews of their progress. Typically, students must pass a qualifying exam, sometimes called Comps (Comprehensive Exams) or Prelims, to advance to candidacy, and some programmes also require a prospectus or a portfolio prior to the dissertation stage. Your department handbook or the equivalent document should have information about all programme requirements. Make time to talk to your mentor or advisor about what you should plan to accomplish during the early stages of the programme and pay attention during any introductory seminars and orientations, where these requirements may be discussed in more detail.
Regardless of the academic system that you are in, there are other academic expectations that you might want to think about sooner rather than later. It can save you a lot of time in the long run if you check that you are using the standard referencing system for your field and region before you start working on papers and your dissertation! If you are not sure about how to structure and plan your written work at this level, or would like to work on your academic writing style, talk to your advisor or use campus services such as writing centres and language centres proactively. It can pay dividends to spend a couple of days analysing successful articles and book chapters in your field and noting how others structure their work and shape their writing style. Pay attention to the norms of academic interactions in your department and field. For example, how do people interact with each other in classes and at research seminars? What kind of questions do people ask? Are you expected to attend as many department events as possible, even if they fall outside your main academic interests?
Lastly, what are the expectations for academic professionalisation during the programme and in preparation for the academic job market, if that interests you? When should you start applying to present at conferences or preparing articles to submit to journals? Should you try to get involved in committee work at the department or university level? You can talk to your advisor, students who are further ahead in the programme, or others who can offer academic advice to understand what might be expected and how you can best use your time.
Three. Understand how your funding situation works and make a flexible plan for your money
Note: Finance and budgeting are personal interests of mine and I am keen to empower readers to seek out as much information as possible about how money management, saving, and investing work in their country or region. However, I have no formal qualifications in finance therefore this type of content should never be taken as professional or legal financial advice. Always consult qualified financial advisors and professionals, as well as the relevant funding bodies, university offices, and campus units, for advice on these matters. The following paragraphs are intended simply as a list of things that you might think about when planning financially for and during your PhD.
If you are going to receive a funding package, check exactly how much you will receive and what it covers. Tuition fee waivers that are part of a bigger funding package and many other tuition scholarships are usually paid directly from the funding body or university department to the university office responsible for collecting fees so you will not normally be responsible for this process yourself. The same goes for health insurance if this is part of your package in the US; your department usually covers the cost directly. If you are responsible for tuition payments or health insurance yourself, for example if you are covering these with savings, loans, or income from employment, check when the payment deadlines are and be sure to transfer the money in time to avoid penalties such as late fees and withdrawn access to university services.
In terms of funding that is intended to cover living costs, there are more things to think about. Here are some things to consider:
Understand what type of funding you are receiving. If you are teaching, your salary will usually be taxed at source as earned income; verify that you are not being hired on a contractor or self-employed basis. If you are receiving a scholarship or fellowship, these payments are not usually classed as employment because you are not providing services to the university in exchange for the money. However, you may still need to pay tax on these amounts. Always check with qualified tax and accounting professionals and official sources, such as pages from the IRS (US) and HMRC (UK) for up-to-date information about any tax liability, or the lack thereof. For example, in the UK, most scholarships are tax-free; in the US, funds from most scholarships, grants, and fellowships that are not used to cover tuition, fees, and other qualified expenses are taxable at the federal level. In some cases and for some students, universities are obligated to withhold taxes from fellowships and scholarships. If you are unsure about any of this, consider starting by clarifying your position by asking the relevant campus unit if taxes will be withheld from your fellowship or scholarship so that you can plan your finances accordingly.
Find out when you will receive your money. For instance, you may receive it monthly, biweekly, or as a lump sum at the start of the semester or the summer. It may be distributed in equal amounts or the amounts may vary each time. Work out how much you will have at your disposal each month. Your institution may publish pay and disbursement schedules, or you may need to check with the unit that has hired you or that is responsible for scholarships and fellowships.
If you have multiple sources of funding, for example a fellowship and a part-time job, remember to include them all in your calculation of monthly income. If you are funding your studies from other sources such as savings or loans, work out how much you will have to cover your monthly expenses.
From the total monthly amount, deduct your essential expenses such accommodation, bills, food, transport, and healthcare costs. If you have dependents, debt repayments, or other commitments, don’t forget to factor these in here too.
If you can meet your essential expenses with you existing source(s) of income, you can use any remaining money how you choose, whether that’s for savings or discretionary spending. If you’re currently unable to cover your expenses, look for supplementary income sources to make up the difference, provided that you are able to do so under the terms of your funding and visa, if you have one.
Many universities and external organisations offer funding to PhD students to cover conference attendance, research travel, professional development, and other costs that may arise during your studies. If you receive any information about additional funding opportunities that you can apply for in the future from your department or university and if you come across any such opportunities elsewhere, make a note of these and their deadlines so that you have a prepared list of things that you might want to apply for when the time is right.
Four. Learn about the opportunities and resources that are available on campus
Many universities offer a wide range of support services and professional development opportunities to students for no additional cost. During your first few weeks as a PhD student, note down any resources and services that are mentioned during orientations and information sessions in case you need or want to use them in the future. You can also do your own research into what your university offers. Explore its webpages to find information about careers support, health and well-being services, clubs and activities, fellowships and scholarships, support for finding internships and part-time jobs, technology services and subscriptions that you have access to for free as a student, events that are taking place, and any other kinds of resources and support that your university offers.
You don’t have to use or join everything all at once. Consider dedicating a few pages of a notebook, a spreadsheet, or a document to recording information about all the services and opportunities that may be of use to you in the future. You can then check this throughout your studies if you need additional support or if you are looking for new things to do or apply for.
Five. Make social connections
Working on a major project such a dissertation or a thesis can be isolating, especially because in the Humanities, you will most likely be doing the bulk of your research and writing alone. It is a good idea to proactively make social connections as soon as possible to help avoid feeling isolated throughout this process and to settle into your new environment.
When you meet other PhD students at orientation sessions, in classes, at research seminars, or elsewhere on campus, don’t hesitate to ask them if they would like to meet up for coffee, drinks, or another activity. The same goes for people you encounter at any hobby groups or classes that you might join, colleagues if you are working while you study, and anyone else you may meet during this time.
Many universities organise regular events where PhD students can connect with each other throughout the year. These can include writing groups, workshops, trainings and career sessions, seminar series, social events, and support groups. If you meet people that you click with, ask them if they would like to meet up again. People may be balancing multiple demands on their time and projects, and it can be easy for a whole semester to go by without meeting up with someone, so consider scheduling specific times and recurring meetings on the calendar in advance if you want to intentionally make time to spend with friends and peers.
You may not have time to venture beyond your department or campus at the start of the year when you are still settling in, but once you have a regular schedule, consider joining groups or volunteering off campus so that you meet a wider range of people outside the academic bubble; this can also be a good way to build meaningful connections and make new friends.
Six. Remember that not everything will work out and that not everything will happen instantly
Working on a Humanities PhD means that you will not always see results instantly. It can take several drafts of a paper or a chapter to finish developing your argument, and of course, you can always make further improvements and edits to a piece of written work. You might spend several months at the start of your thesis or dissertation changing your arguments and revising your original research project and plans, or you might end up changing your topic entirely. These changes are all part of the process; doing a PhD would be a waste of time if you could produce a polished dissertation or thesis right at the start because then you would have nothing left to learn from sharing your work with others and pushing your ideas further.
You may also not see instant results in other aspects of your PhD life. It can take time to get used to teaching at the university level and to each new group of students. You may find yourself submitting multiple conference abstracts or articles to journals before one is accepted. You might apply to multiple jobs and internships until you are successful in securing one. As long as you have the space and support to reflect on your experiences and to explore new opportunities in the future, it isn’t the end of the world if you don’t secure every opportunity you apply for or if you have to try multiple times to reach your goals.
Seven. Above all, remain flexible!
When you start your programme, you simply can’t predict everything that will happen during your time as a PhD student. You might change your research topic because something you had not thought about before piques your interest or you discover something fascinating in a library or archive, or you might even be forced to choose a different focus for various reasons. You may decide on a career pathway that is very different from the aims that you had when you entered the programme and end up structuring your time as a student to prepare accordingly.
In a similar vein, you might receive emails or see online notifications about opportunities that you had not even heard of before, such as doctoral internships or volunteering projects, which encourage you to change your overall trajectory. Additionally, some PhD students may experience unexpected health issues, changes in family circumstances, or other personal challenges that lead them to reevaluate their work as a PhD student, to change the way they work, to leave the programme, or to plan for a different future following their time in academia. Major world events can also force us to change what we research, how we write and connect with others, how we teach, where we live, and what resources are available to us.
As far as possible, remain flexible and openminded to changing circumstances and new opportunities so that you can get the most out of your time as a PhD students, regardless of what happens.
I hope that this post has provided some guidance for the start of your PhD journey. If you have already started your PhD or if you have completed it, what helped you at the start of your programme? And is there anything that you wish you had done differently? Comment any further tips and suggestions down below!
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