Many of the best-funded graduate places abroad are not advertised as scholarships at all. They come from research grants held by individual professors, who hire students as research assistants (RAs) or departments that pay teaching assistants (TAs). If you can show a professor you would be useful to their research, you can win a tuition waiver and a monthly stipend without competing in a national scholarship round.
How Funded RA and TA Positions Work
An assistantship pays you to work part-time on research or teaching while you study. In return, you usually receive a tuition waiver, a stipend for living costs, and often health insurance. The details depend heavily on the country.
United States
Most US PhD offers in science, engineering, and many social sciences come with full funding through RA or TA positions. Packages typically include a tuition waiver and a stipend that often ranges from about $25,000 to over $45,000 per year, depending on the field, university, and city. Funded master’s places are rarer, but some departments offer TA roles or partial waivers to strong master’s students.
Canada
Research-based master’s (thesis) and PhD programmes in Canada are often funded through a supervisor’s grant, combined with TA work and university awards. Many departments will only admit you once a professor agrees to supervise and fund you. That makes contacting professors before applying especially important in Canada.
Europe
In countries such as Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway, PhD positions are often salaried jobs advertised by universities and research groups. You apply to a specific project rather than a general programme, and the contract includes a salary and social benefits. Master’s study in Europe is less commonly funded this way, so scholarships matter more at that level.
Other Destinations
Research universities in Australia, Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Saudi Arabia also fund PhD students through scholarships tied to supervisors or research centres. In these systems, a professor’s support often decides whether your scholarship application succeeds.
How to Find the Right Professors
The biggest mistake is emailing professors at random. A short list of well-matched professors will get more replies than hundreds of generic emails.
Use these sources to build a targeted list:
- Recent papers in your field:Search Google Scholar for topics you know well and note who the active authors are.
- Department faculty pages:Read each professor’s research summary and recent projects.
- Lab and group websites:Many state openly when they are recruiting students for the next intake.
- Grant announcements:Newly funded projects often need students, and grant databases list them publicly.
- Job portals for PhD positions:In Europe, many funded projects are advertised on sites like EURAXESS and university vacancy pages.
Aim for 15 to 30 professors whose work genuinely matches your background. Read at least one or two recent papers from each before writing to them.
When to Email Professors
For US and Canadian programmes starting in the autumn, the best time is usually August to November of the previous year, before application deadlines in December and January. European PhD positions are advertised year-round, so watch job portals continuously and apply as soon as a relevant post appears. Avoid sending emails during major holidays or exam periods, when professors are least likely to reply.
How to Write an Email Professors Will Read
Professors receive many unsolicited emails, so yours needs to be short, specific, and easy to act on. Keep it under 250 words, use a clear subject line, and attach your CV as a PDF.
A strong email follows this structure:
- Subject line:“Prospective PhD Student: [Your Research Area], Fall 2027”
- Greeting:Use the professor’s correct title and surname.
- Who you are:One sentence on your current degree or job and institution.
- Why them:Mention a specific paper or project and how it connects to your interests.
- What you bring:Two or three concrete skills, results, or publications relevant to their work.
- The ask:Ask whether they are taking new students and whether funding is available.
- Close:Thank them and note that your CV is attached.
Sample Email
This short example shows how the structure comes together. Adapt every detail to your own background and the professor’s actual work.
Dear Professor Okafor,
I am a final-year MSc student in Environmental Engineering at the University of Lagos, and I read your 2025 paper on low-cost sensors for urban flood monitoring with great interest. My thesis develops a similar sensor network for Lagos, and I have built and deployed 12 field units using Python and LoRaWAN.
I am applying for PhD programmes starting in Fall 2027 and would like to ask whether you expect to take new students in your group, and whether RA funding may be available. My CV is attached for your reference.
Thank you for your time.
Kind regards, [Your Name]
Following Up
If you receive no reply after about two weeks, send one short, polite follow-up in the same email thread. If there is still no response, move on, since silence usually means the professor has no space or funding. Never send more than one follow-up.
Mistakes That Get Emails Ignored
Most unanswered emails share the same problems. Avoid these and your reply rate will rise noticeably:
- Mass emails with “Dear Sir/Madam”:These are deleted almost immediately.
- Long life stories:Professors want to know your research fit, not your full biography.
- Asking only about money:Lead with research interest, then ask about funding.
- Misreading their research:Praising a topic they no longer work on shows you did not read recent papers.
- Large attachments:Send one CV as a PDF, and avoid sending transcripts or certificates unless asked.
- Copy-paste errors:Leaving another professor’s name in the email ends your chances instantly.
Final Thoughts: Make It Easy for a Professor to Say Yes
Funded graduate positions often go to applicants who show a clear match with a professor’s research before they ever submit a formal application. Build a focused list, read the work, and write short emails that show what you can contribute. Pair this outreach with formal applications and scholarship searches, since a professor’s support works best alongside a strong file.
Start contacting professors several months before deadlines, and track every email and reply in a simple spreadsheet. Persistence and precision will open more doors than volume.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a fully funded PhD abroad?
Apply to programmes that fund students through RA or TA positions, and contact professors whose research matches yours before applying. In Europe, apply directly to advertised, salaried PhD positions.
Can I get a funded master’s degree as an international student?
It is possible, especially for research-based master’s programmes in Canada and some US departments. Funding for taught master’s degrees is rarer, so scholarships are usually needed.
When should I email professors for a PhD?
For autumn intakes in the US and Canada, email between August and November of the year before. For European PhD positions, apply whenever a relevant vacancy is advertised.
What should I attach when emailing a professor?
Attach a concise CV in PDF format. Only send transcripts, writing samples, or research proposals if the professor asks for them.
How many professors should I email?
Aim for 15 to 30 professors whose research genuinely matches your background. Quality and fit matter more than the total number.
What if a professor does not reply?
Send one polite follow-up after about two weeks. If there is still no reply, move on to other professors.
