劍橋教育所博士回饋文

劍橋教育所博士回饋文 For those who are interested to apply to Cambridge PhD in Education

歡迎至我的網誌觀看全文，比較好閱讀 Please visit my blog for more information

#劍橋 #教育所 #博士 #Cambridge #PhD #Education

有興趣申請劍橋大學教育所博士的同學可以參考參考：

（非常多前輩已分享了碩博的認識、選校、找老師、申請文件、職涯發展等等的資訊，我在此只著墨於申請過程中我的時間表與流程，以及我的一點點個人淺見）

首先，Student Room 以及 Grad Cafe 是好東西，在申請的任何一個階段滑爆它們就是了，也呼籲強人遊子們在獲得無論是好壞消息後，請都不吝嗇地po出自己的申請資訊、流程或心得到這兩個網站（當然也要回饋台灣的網站），讓全世界跟我們一樣在電腦前崩潰過、無頭蒼蠅撞牆過的學生們有一些頭緒及心理準備。

剛好這幾天有外國網友寫信詢問我申請的事宜（她從Grad Cafe看到我的資訊的，所以分享真的有用！！會幫助到人！！），我借此機會也分享一下我的申請狀況；不要忘記，在申請過程中，最怕的不是只看到大家的好消息不斷像炫耀一樣地po出，或只看到大家的失敗史抱怨特輯，而是什麼資訊都找不到！！！沒有別人的經驗拿來做比較！！！好的壞的都無從參考，相信我，在我申請過程中，任何一點關於申請流程、行政單位的comments/feedback我都跪謝到不行！！

我只針對劍橋大學教育所博士的申請做分享，記得！！這只是參考！！！同是劍橋的其他科系、其他學位也許可以看看，但真的因人/時間/空間而異！！

This article is for those who are interested to apply to Cambridge PhD in Education.

Student Room and Grad Cafe are two websites I visited a lot during my application process. I also posted my information after receiving my offer for the purpose of helping future students, which is something I hope every postgraduate student should do to shed light on what our timeline of application looks like, how we feel when applying, and what reflection we have after the application.

An international student approached me (she saw my post on Grad Cafe) and asked about my application:

Subject: Hello! I'm interested in studying doctoral degree in Cambridge.

Hello! I'm . I saw your post on the gradcafe. Congratulations and I envy you so much to get into the school!!

I'm going to apply to Cambridge this year, so It would be appreciated to give some answers.
1. Did you contact the professor before applying? (When did you apply?)

2. Did you get any scholarship? I heard U.K.is really tough to get scholarships. T.T

3. Can you tell me Ielts score? I saw the minimum score is overall 7.5. I wonder if it's okay to get just a minimum score.

Thank you for your posting and again congratulations!!

Sincerely,

---




This is my reply:




---
Hi ,

I hope you are staying safe and looking after yourself during what is obviously a difficult and unsure time.
I have to firstly say I’m really happy to receive your email and to know the brief information I posted on Grad Café is helping others.

Here's my very detailed timeline (UK time, 2020):

Sun 5 Jan 9:16pm
submitted

Wed 8 Jan 4:25pm
Higher Degrees Office requested to identify POI

Mon 13 Jan 9:57am
POI replied and showed interest
Mon 13 Jan 3:02pm
The Department forwarded the application

Wed 22 Jan 10:30am
Skype interview with POI only (less than 24 hours notice)

Under review by the Department somewhere between here

Tue 11 Feb 1:33pm
POI: application has been processed from Faculty side and has been passed on to the doctoral management side of the process. The letter is in the system.
‘Please don’t worry. Administratively I'm afraid it's just a case of waiting.’

Mon 30 Mar 10:00am
Wrote to Higher Degrees Office to enquire about the status.
Mon 30 Mar 12:20pm
‘You application is currently with the Doctoral Leadership Team for their consideration. We won't be running a reserve list until we make our quota of offers, but I should have a decision for you soon.’

Somewhere between 22 and 24 Apr
Central Graduate Admissions Office

Wed 29 Apr 5:30 pm
Conditional offer


As for the scholarship, I did apply for scholarships from Cambridge but did not receive any. Like you said, it is extremely difficult and competitive. I have scholarships and sponsorships from Taiwan and will keep looking for further funding throughout my PhD.


Regarding the IELTS test, I have an overall 8 (L 9, R, S, W 8).
AFAIC, there is a minimum score accepted in the language test and it’s acceptable to just get a minimum. But the score differs from courses to courses. See here.


If I may make a suggestion, I would say as international students, we have to, in all aspects, actively provide evidence that we are qualified as well as academically and intellectually ready for a PhD course, even when they don’t ask. That is, do not merely give the documents they request or obtain the minimum score they set. Don’t forget that this is Cambridge and obviously they only want the best. We have to prove ourselves that we ARE the best.


Also, I’d say the most important stage when applying is identifying a POI (Professor of Interest).
Think about this: a POI needs to (a) discover our email (trust me, they are super busy), (b) read it and the attachments as well, (c) reply if interested and (d) ask for the complete research proposal, (e) arrange an appointment to interview us (usually via Skype), (f) still show interest and contact us afterward. After that, the Department/Faculty needs to (g) review our application and decide whether to accept us, and subsequently forward it to GAO (Graduate Admissions Office). They (h) review again and approve it. We then await Immigration Office to (i) apply for our CAS. Finally, we (j) receive our offer.

This is certainly a long and excruciating journey, let alone the impact the pandemic brings. I figure we international students have more things/documents to submit and be checked, e.g. visa, language test, and educational background. The waiting is accordingly longer and the process more complex.

Anyway, I am really happy to know that you are thinking about applying for a PhD and are seeking external help. I haven’t started my PhD yet, so am not in the position to give comments pertaining to the course. But I must say that I have been a satisfied applicant during my application process. They responded fast and showed consideration.

I hope this helps.

Should you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact me!
Wishing you lots of luck!

Warmly,
Lancelot
---






再附上之前與教育平台合作的心得：


申請心得
不得不說Cambridge的申請程序很繁瑣，需要提供很多證明文件，但應該也跟我是就讀碩士時就在申請博士有關，需要很多證明自己有學術寫作能力的文件。找老師這個階段我認為是最重要的，需要天時地利人和（後面會詳述）。我覺得就是心態調整好吧！？在申請時要拿出「我就是獨一無二最屌的」破釜沈舟魄力，申請結束等待通知時抱好最壞的打算、抱著「全數槓龜」的悲觀心態，才不會有所傷害。然後多問多問多問！認識了學長姐就問、看到有神人前輩們在該領域耕耘也寫信去network、say hi，既然決定要走這條路了就不要害羞！！總而言之，都要申請PhD了，就把自己當準學者（雖然菜到不行）吧！別用「拜託錄取我」的心態在應對。申請的態度要儘量創造win-win的感覺，就是「進到貴校/系能幫助我的研究與職涯，但同時間我的加入也能帶來、注入……」這種感覺。

3-5個申請的tips
心臟要夠大顆
被拒絕、被忽略、或被否定是家常便飯
Email該催就要記得催
英國行政效率沒有最…只有更…

3-5個避免犯的錯誤
寫信要有禮貌、學術倫理，不丟台灣學子們的臉
時程表要看清楚，不錯過日期
得失心不要太重（非常難但盡量）

推薦人選擇的原因
我大學端請了兩位從申請碩士以來就很好、很瞭解我的老師寫；碩士這邊請了系主任，因為我修了她的幾門課且也保持很好的師徒關係，我固定會以「碩士老師+大學老師其中一位」的模式分配推薦信，因為大部分都只要2封，當然像Oxford需要3封的時候就會都麻煩她們。 我認為的原則是要「一位夠瞭解我，看過我成長」與「學術份量與地位夠且也與我有交集」的兩位老師寫推薦信，且真的要在一開始說好自己的計畫，因為常常會申請很多間學校，會非常麻煩他們，向老師們知會一下還是比較有禮貌，且最後也要好好謝謝他們。

CV撰寫的tips
太多神人前輩都分享、教導過了，在此不多做說明，請多爬文ptt留學版、PhD版、AfterPhD版。我在申請時的原則是「包裝包裝再包裝」， 很多看似微不起眼的經歷，經過一些文字修飾，都是很棒的履歷，多多找人改、找人校稿檢查。若是先找到老師，甚至可以在正式提交申請前請老師過目、修改。





不知道如何總結，就祝福莘莘學子們都能如願申請上自己心目中（而非周遭大家心目中或這個社會心目中）滿意且快樂的學校！歡迎email聯絡我問問題！

Feel free to drop me an email. I am more than willing to help!