I don't know which programs to apply to
Build a longlist, narrow it to a shortlist that fits your goals and budget, and check each program properly before you apply.
In short
Start here, today. Write down three things your degree needs to give you, such as a research project, a professional qualification or a move into a particular sector, and two limits, such as a budget or a city you can't leave. Then add every program you're curious about to the Application Tracker with the status Considering, without judging them yet. This takes about 30 minutes.
After that, work through these steps. Choose one to jump to it.
Step by step
Tick each step as you finish it. Open a step for the how.
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Start with a generous longlist
Look further than a ranking table. Search university graduate school directories, note where the authors of papers and books you admire work, and ask lecturers, supervisors or colleagues where people in your field study. At this stage, add anything plausible, because you'll cut most of the list later.
Decide which kind of fit matters most
For a thesis-based master's or a PhD, research fit comes first. List two or three faculty members in each program whose recent work connects with yours, and check whether they're taking students. For a course-based or professional master's, read the actual course list and look at any placement or practicum, class times and whether you can study part-time.
Read past the front page
Find the program handbook or regulations, which set out the real requirements, the expected length and what happens if you need longer. Check the admissions requirements too, including minimum grades, tests and prerequisite courses. Some universities publish completion rates and times for each program, and if a program doesn't, you can ask its graduate coordinator.
Work out the cost and the funding
For each program, note whether students are usually funded, what the funding covers and for how long, and what tuition, fees and living costs would add up to over the whole degree. Two programs with similar fees can cost very different amounts once you add rent, program length and funding. Put any funding or scholarship deadline in the Application Tracker next to the application deadline, because funding often closes first.
Talk to current students
Ask the department to put you in touch with one or two current students, or find them on the department website and send a short, polite email. Ask why they chose the program, how supervision and funding work in practice, how long people really take and what they wish they'd known. Cornell's Graduate School also suggests asking whether they would choose the program again, and why.
Narrow it to a shortlist you can manage
Every application takes hours of tailored writing, references and often a fee, so a shorter list of programs that really fit usually serves you better than a long list of long shots. Aim for a range, with some programs where you meet the requirements comfortably and one or two that would be a stretch. Write down why each one made the shortlist in the Decision Log, since those reasons will help you write each statement.
Plan ahead if you're changing fields or returning
Check each program's prerequisites closely, and ask the admissions office whether work experience, a professional qualification or an extra course could make up for anything you're missing. Some programs welcome career changers and returning students and say so on their pages, and some offer qualifying or bridging courses. In your statement, explain the change in a sentence or two and show how your experience connects to what you want to study.
Words you can use
Is this you? Signs to look for
- You have a dozen program pages open and no clear way to compare them.
- You're choosing mainly by a university's name or ranking, because you're not sure what else to look at.
- You can't tell whether a program is funded, how long it really takes or what it would cost you.
- You're changing fields or returning after years away, and you don't know which programs would consider you.
Why this happens
Choosing where to apply is hard partly because the information is scattered, and much of it is written to attract applicants. Program pages tell you what a program offers, but rarely what it's like to study there, how long students actually take to finish or whether the funding lasts. Rankings usually compare whole universities, and they say little about whether one department, one supervisor or one course will suit you.
It helps to separate two kinds of fit. Research fit matters most for thesis-based master's and PhD programs: are there faculty working on questions close to yours, and are they taking students? Course fit matters most for course-based and professional programs: do the courses, placements and timetable match what you want to learn and how you need to study? The route shapes your time and money too. The University of Calgary describes thesis-based master's programs as typically taking two years, and most course-based ones as designed to take one to two years of full-time study.
Funding and completion are the questions applicants most often leave too late. The Council of Graduate Schools points out that funding packages can vary widely between institutions and programs, and suggests asking programs what percentage of their students graduate and how long they typically take. Cornell University's Graduate School suggests asking current students why they chose the program and what they wish they had known before they did. If a program can't answer these questions, that tells you something too.
Worth a look (6)
- Important Questions to Ask, Cornell University Graduate SchoolTwo lists of questions, one for programs and one for current graduate students, covering funding, completion, advising and culture.
- Understanding graduate studies, University of Calgary Faculty of Graduate StudiesA plain comparison of thesis-based and course-based master's programs, including who each suits and how long they usually take.
- Know Before You Go: Financial Questions to Ask Before Graduate School, Council of Graduate SchoolsQuestions to ask programs about the full cost, funding, completion rates and what graduates go on to do.
- FindAPhDA large searchable database of PhD projects, programs and funded studentships, strongest for the UK and Europe but with places worldwide. You can filter by subject, country and funding.
- FindAMastersA directory of master's degrees and other postgraduate courses at universities around the world, with guides to funding and applying. Handy for comparing taught and research master's options.
- MastersportalSearch and compare master's programs worldwide by subject, country, fees and scholarships. Browsing is free, and a free account lets you save programs.
When to bring someone in
A lecturer or supervisor in your field is often the best person to ask which programs and supervisors are strong in your area, because that knowledge rarely appears online. Admissions offices and graduate coordinators can answer questions about requirements, funding and timelines, and answering them is part of their job. If you're a current student or a recent graduate, your career centre may also offer appointments on choosing a graduate program.
Find the right person, or talk to Ify