PhD admissions

This page is still under construction/revision - let n.gaston@auckland.ac.nz know if you have suggestions for content

How do I apply?

The process is managed centrally by the School of Graduate Studies and they give details here.

But what else do I need to know?

  • The first thing you need to do is talk to potential supervisors. More than one is fine, if you aren't sure who to work with - everyone in the department is happy to talk to prospective PhD applicants.
  • Think about what you want to get out of your PhD: skills, knowledge and understanding, a pathway to a specific type of employment that requires a PhD. Talk about this with your supervisor to ensure that you find a good fit. Feel free to talk to other students who work with the same supervisor, to make sure your expectations are realistic.
  • Once you have an idea who you want to work with, discuss with them a research topic and write a research proposal.
  • Figure out what your funding options are early on: some supervisors will have funded projects available: you should ask! If you are coming from outside the UoA, you might want to check your eligibility for university scholarships by calculating your GPE here. It's not a guarantee but it may help with parsing the indications on the scholarships website.

Do I need a co-supervisor?

Yes. In the first instance, you should discuss this with your main supervisor who will provide suggestions.

So how do I write the research proposal?

The research proposal - also called a Statement of Research Intent - is used by the department, once your qualifications and supporting documents have been checked centrally. It is used for several things:

  • To make sure that you have chosen a supervisor who can support you in what you aim to do
  • To make sure the department has the resources to support your chosen area of research
  • To test that you can outline a credible research proposal, that you have looked into some initial literature in the field, and that you know what an original contribution to research in this field will look like.

These tests are all to maximise your chances of success in the PhD.

Please use the standard form.

How long should I expect the admission process to take?

You can expect it to take one to two months from final submission of your documents (including receipt of your referees' letters, which can take a few weeks). This is to allow us to review your research proposal and ask for any revisions that the Graduate or Research Committees think appropriate.

Naturally - the more complete your original proposal is, the less time the department is likely to take in approving your admission.