Application Mentorship: FAQ and Timeline
Financial
Do I have to pay to do a PhD, or will I get paid?
Students in EAPS are paid a stipend every year that is supposed to be able to cover living expenses. All tuition fees are also covered. You can learn more about stipend rates for the upcoming year here as well as information on financial support for graduate students with dependent children here.
Is there a way to waive the application fee?
Yes! Instructions and eligibility requirements for fee waivers can be found here.
Timeline and Logistics
Do I have to reach out to a faculty member in EAPS? What is the best way to contact someone?
You don't have to reach out to a faculty member, and each faculty member handles this differently. Some post on their personal websites about openings, some expect you to individually reach out, and some wait for the applications to be turned in for any discussions to occur. Feel free to talk to email students/postdocs in the lab/group you are interested in if you are nervous about talking to a professor first, and of course, you can follow up with or reach out to professors directly as well.
Is it okay to reach out to students in the group I'm interested in?
Yes! Many of us did the same when we were applying to graduate school. It is helpful to hear more about the group dynamic and to determine if this is a space you can see yourself working in. This can be done before or after you send in an application. If one of our mentors is in a group you'd be interested in, it is ideal to request them as a mentor in our application and reach out to them via that method.
How do I fill out the section asking for 'subjects taken' and their relevant textbooks?
As the EAPS application website explains: "You should list the science and math courses, by field, that you consider to provide either major or supportive backgrounds for your proposed studies. Please list math courses first. Occasionally courses in areas other than science and math will have provided a background relevant to your proposed graduate studies. If so, please list these courses last."
When is the application to EAPS due?
Check the EAPS website for the official word on when the application is due. This year it is on December 1.
Potential Timeline for applying to EAPS
Within 5 years before the application deadline: Prepare for and take the GRE. If you are applying to the Planetary sciences, you will also need to take a Chemistry or Physics Subject Test. Check the website for updates on GRE test requirements due to COVID-19.
Within 2 years before the application deadline: Prepare for and take either the IELTS (preferred) or TOEFL if you are a non-native English speaker. Learn more about the requirements for this here.
June-October: Reach out for recommendations from your three recommenders
August: Apply to the Application Mentorship Program
August-October: Check out some papers from the advisors you're interested in, consider emailing them and/or their students/postdocs to set up a zoom/phone call
August-November: Work on your personal statement, comprise a list of the relevant math and science courses you've taken, meet with your mentor through the Application Mentorship Program, finalize all elements of your application
December 1: Application is due