PhD Applications: Documents required during the process

Application for doctoral program is a tedious process. It will be very beneficial if you organize and keep all your necessary documents in your folder prior to application.

Main documents required for PhD. application include:

• Resume- An updated academic resume

• Transcripts- All transcripts from School and University

• Language Certificate- eg. IELTS certificate in majority of English speaking countries is important

• Master thesis document- A PDF containing summary and relevant details related to your Masters thesis

• Letter of Recommendation- Have minimum of 3 reference letters or list of referees who are available to write a LOR for you.

• Cover letter

• Statement of Purpose

• Motivation letter

• Research Proposal- This will depend on the type of PhD. application. But preparing a research proposal will help you get a clearer understanding of your research interests.

• NOC from previous employer

• Scan copy of your Identity cards- especially Passport for International applicants

• Keep extra copies of all your documents

• Medical Certificate- It depends upon the PhD program. Some might ask to send medical certificate while applying for the program and few others after initial screening.

Few points to be considered:

1. Make sure all documents are scanned in good quality and should be in PDF format.

2. Do not forget to name the documents properly for eg., type of document-yourname.PDF

3. Keep the size of the files minimum

4. Prepare a draft of cover letter, motivation letter and SOP to avoid last minute hurry. But it is always recommended to write it based on the PhD program or position vacancies.