by Franziska Boenisch and Adam Dziedzic

Congrats, you figured out that you actually want to do a Ph.D. But now the question is where? Here is our take on that. We’re happy to hear what made people choose the places for their Ph.D.s?

To answer the question on where to do your Ph.D., we think that it is most helpful if you know your goals. What is the most likely thing you’re gonna do after your Ph.D.? Where do you want to live? Do you want to stay in academia or go to industry? In academia, do you prefer to do the latest research, do you like teaching more, or do you want to combine both?

Fact is, not everyone needs to do a Ph.D. at a U.S. elite university. Of course, if you want to go to academia, a Ph.D. from a prestigious university or research institute will probably always be helpful in applying for positions. However, we are convinced that you can also achieve success in your research if you do your Ph.D. outside of North America. The key is to find an advisor who can support you in this endeavor and lead you to publish at the top conferences of your field. From your end, find a topic that you’re passionate about, be laser-like focused, and work hard.

If you are more into the teaching aspect, again, the advisor and the environment are key. You should be looking out for a place where you can gain extensive teaching experience, in the best case with an advisor who supports you in developing your teaching skills. We’ll be sharing our thoughts on how to choose a good advisor with you tomorrow.

In a different line of thought, if you already know that you will want to go into the industry (outside of Google Brain, Microsoft Research, etc.), you may want to choose universities or institutes that have strong connections and collaborations with the industry. This might allow you to make connections that turn out more valuable than a big name on your CV. There are even more possibilities. For example, some universities offer a joint program between industry and academia. A Ph.D. student can work in a company on topics that are at the cutting edge of science. This approach is oriented towards direct transfer of research to products or services. So, if you are more on the practical side, this might be a path for you.

Moreover, think about where you want to live in the future: a Ph.D. gives you plenty of time to apply for permanent residence or equivalents in a country. So, it might be helpful to do a Ph.D. where you would like to live afterward.

Finally, we also recommend you to think about equipment. Much research requires dedicated hardware, whether it is GPUs in our case for machine learning or a piece of specific measurement equipment for physics. Make sure that the place where you’re applying has what you need.