Finding a PhD Supervisor and Writing a Research Proposal

Two ways into a PhD

In the UK and Ireland there are broadly two entry routes, and they shape how you find a supervisor. In the advertised-project route, a department or Doctoral Training Partnership posts a funded project with a defined topic and a named supervisor; you apply to that project. In the open or self-proposed route, you develop your own topic and approach a potential supervisor whose interests align with it.

Knowing which route you are on changes your strategy. For advertised projects, the proposal work is partly done for you and you align your application to the project. For self-proposed PhDs, the research proposal you write is the heart of the application.

Many applicants pursue both routes in parallel, applying to advertised funded projects while also approaching supervisors with their own idea.

Finding the right supervisor

A supervisor is not just an administrator of your PhD; they are the person who will guide several years of close research work, so fit matters. Look for academics whose recent publications, research groups and current projects overlap with your interests.

Good places to search include university department and research-group pages on official .ac.uk and .ie sites, DTP and Centre for Doctoral Training listings, and advertised-project boards. Read a few of a potential supervisor's recent papers so you can speak to their work specifically.

Check practical signals too: whether they are currently taking students, whether funding is attached, and how their group is structured. This homework makes your first email far stronger.

• Match on recent publications and active research projects
• Search department, research-group and DTP/CDT pages
• Read 2–3 recent papers before making contact
• Check whether they are taking students and whether funding is attached
• Note group size and how the lab or unit is run

Approaching a supervisor

Your first contact is usually a concise, professional email. Introduce yourself briefly, show that you understand their work, explain why your interests align, and outline — in a few sentences — the kind of research you want to do. Attach a CV and, where relevant, a short outline or draft proposal.

Keep it specific and respectful of their time. A targeted message referencing a particular paper or project lands far better than a generic mass email. Be clear about your stage (still exploring, ready to apply) and ask whether they are open to discussing supervision.

For many funded routes, especially international applications to UKRI projects, prior contact with a prospective supervisor is effectively a required first step, so do not skip it.

• Personalise every email — reference a specific paper or project
• State your background, interests and intended research briefly
• Attach a CV and a short proposal outline where appropriate
• Ask directly whether they are accepting and able to supervise
• Expect to make early contact before any funded application

What a research proposal contains

A research proposal sets out what you want to investigate and why it matters. While formats vary by university and discipline, most proposals share a common spine: a working title, a clear research question or aim, the background and why the gap is worth addressing, your proposed methods or approach, and an indicative timeline.

The proposal does not have to be the final plan for your PhD — research evolves — but it must show that you can frame a feasible, significant question and that it fits the supervisor's expertise and the department's strengths.

For advertised projects, you may instead write a statement explaining how your skills and ideas fit the existing project, rather than a full original proposal. Always follow the specific application instructions on the official course or project page.

• Working title and a focused research question or aim
• Background, context and the gap your work addresses
• Proposed methods or theoretical approach
• Why it fits this supervisor and department
• An indicative, realistic timeline
• References to key literature you have read

Writing a strong, original proposal

Write clearly and concisely, and keep the question at the centre — assessors look for focus, feasibility and significance more than ambition for its own sake. Show that you know the field by engaging with key literature, and be honest about scope: a doable project beats an impossibly large one.

All prose must be your own original work. Drawing on sources is expected, but the writing, argument and framing must be yours; passing off others' text as your own is academic misconduct and can end an application. Where you draw on a supervisor's input, that is collaboration, not a substitute for your own writing.

Finally, follow the format and word limit the university specifies, and ask your prospective supervisor for feedback on a draft before you submit. Confirm all requirements on the official application page, as they differ between institutions and intakes.