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PhD Transferable Skills

Translating your skills and experiences.

Transferable skills are skills you acquire or learn in one setting that can be applied or translated to new and different settings, environments, and activities. Doctoral students often fall into the trap of seeing their skills as applicable in only one setting, thus do not recognize that they are qualified for a wide variety of career paths. Don’t let this happen to you! In the table below you will find a list of skills most sought after by employers. In the final column of the table are examples of activities that demonstrate these essential skills. For several of the skills you can also take online assessments to identify which areas you still need to develop.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS: Adaptability , Analytic skills , Balance & resilience , Communication skills ( oral and written ), Conflict resolution/negotiation , Cultural/Intercultural , Discipline-specific skills , Ethics & Integrity , Follow-through/Ability to get things done , Fundraising , Independent (self-starter), Intelligence , Inter-/Multi- disciplinary , Interpersonal skills , Leadership (program) , Leadership (personnel/management) , Networking & collaboration , Organization , Outreach , Project management , Research , Self-direction/Entrepreneurial skills , Supervision , Technical skills (information technology), Work ethic

Essential Skills and Competencies for Graduate Students 1 :

1 Contents of table are adapted from Blickley, et al. (2012). “Graduate Student’s Guide to Necessary Skills for Nonacademic Conservation Careers.” Conservation Biology, 27:1. 2 Winterton, Delamare - Le Deist, and Stringfellow (2006). “Typology of knowledge, skills and competences: clarification of the concept and prototype.”

Additional resources on transferable skills:

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The top 3 skills needed to do a PhD are skills employers want too

Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead, University of Sydney

Associate Professor, Macquarie University

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Lilia Mantai is an Executive Member of the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research (ACUR), a non-for-profit association promoting undergraduate research.

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More and more people are applying to do a PhD. What many don’t know is it takes serious skills to do one – and, more importantly, complete it.

We analysed the selection criteria for PhD candidates on a platform that advertises PhD programs. Our analysis of thousands of these ads revealed exactly what types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

Why do a PhD in the first place?

People pursue a PhD for many reasons. They might want to stand out from the crowd in the job market, learn how to do research, gain a deeper expertise in an area of interest, or pursue an academic career.

Sadly, too many PhD students never finish. The PhD turns out to be too hard, not well supported, mentally taxing, financially draining, etc. Dropping the PhD often means significant financial loss for institutions and individuals, not to mention the psychological costs of other consequences such as low self-esteem, anxiety and loneliness .

Read more: 1 in 5 PhD students could drop out. Here are some tips for how to keep going

Our society and economy can only benefit from a better-educated workforce, so it is in the national interest to manage PhD intakes and be clear about expectations. The expansion of doctoral education led to a more competitive selection process, but the criteria are opaque.

To clarify PhD expectations, we turned to a European research job platform supported by EURAXESS (a pan-European initiative by the European Commission) where PhD programs are advertised as jobs. Required skills are listed in the selection criteria. We analysed 13,562 PhD ads for the types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

We made three specific findings.

1. Top 3 skills needed for a PhD

It turns out that it takes many so-called transferable skills to do a PhD. These are skills that can be translated and applied to any professional context. The top three required skills are:

communication – academic writing, presentation skills, speaking to policy and non-expert audiences

research – disciplinary expertise, data analysis, project management

interpersonal – leadership, networking, teamwork, conflict resolution.

Trending skill categories are digital (information processing and visualisation) and cognitive (abstract, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving).

Previous research shows transferable skills are requested for post-PhD careers, including both academic and non-academic jobs. Our research shows such skills are already required to do a PhD. Those keen to do a PhD are well advised to provide strong evidence of such skills when applying.

2. Skill demands vary by country and discipline

Skill demands significantly differ by country and discipline. For example, 62% of medical science ads mention interpersonal skills. This is twice as often as in biological science ads. Digital and cognitive skills score much higher in the Netherlands than in other countries.

Our research article reports on 2016-2019 data and the top five represented countries (Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and the UK) and the top five represented disciplines (biological sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering and medical sciences). However, you can use this tool for granular detail on 52 countries – including non-European countries like Australia, New Zealand, the US, etc. – and 37 disciplines included in the data sample. For continuously updated data, please visit https://www.resgap.com/ .

3. PhD expectations are rising

We see a rise in PhD expectations over time (2016-2019) as more skills are listed year on year. The publish or perish culture prevails and rising demands on academics have led to calls for more engaged research, collaborations with industry, and research commercialisation .

PhD students get accustomed early to competitiveness and high expectations.

Read more: Is it a good time to be getting a PhD? We asked those who've done it

Research-based learning needs to start early

These insights have implications for pre-PhD education and pathways. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees can further promote PhD readiness by embedding authentic hands-on research with academic or corporate partners, either as part of the curriculum or as extracurricular activities.

Many postgraduate degrees offer authentic research project work opportunities but are shorter. Those entering the PhD without a postgraduate degree miss out on developing essential research skills.

Authentic research experiences need to happen early on in higher education. Organisations like the Council on Undergraduate Research ( CUR ), the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research ( ACUR ) and the British Conference of Undergraduate Research ( BCUR ) are designed to support institutions and individuals to do this effectively. They showcase great models of undergraduate research.

To get a good idea of what undergraduate research looks like, start with this comprehensive paper and catch up on undergraduate research news from Australasia .

We know research-based learning develops employability skills such as critical thinking, resilience and independence.

Embed career development in PhD programs

Doctoral training needs to take note, too, if it is to further build on the skill set that PhD applicants bring with them.

The good news is doctoral education has transformed in recent decades. It’s catching up to the call for better-skilled graduates for a range of careers. The training focus has shifted towards generating practice-based and problem-solving knowledge, and engaged research with other sectors.

Read more: It's time to reduce the number of PhD students, or rethink how doctoral programs work

Some institutions now offer skill and career training. Generally, though, this sort of training is left to the graduates themselves. Many current PhD candidates will attest that the highly regulated and tight PhD schedule leaves little room for voluntary activities to make them more employable.

Most PhD candidates also know more than half of them will not score a long-term academic job. Institutions would serve them better by formally embedding tailored career development opportunities in PhD programs that prepare for academic and non-academic jobs .

It’s not only PhD graduates’ professional and personal well-being that will benefit but also the national economy.

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10 PhD Transferable Skills You Can Use in Most Jobs

“No one wants to hire PhDs because they are overqualified and too independent!”

This is one thing PhDs are tired of hearing. How can your PhD be a liability to your career? Rather, recruiters prefer PhD candidates over others not just for their qualification but for their PhD transferable skills.

Table of Contents

What are PhD Transferable Skills?

PhD Transferable skills are exactly what the name suggests! These are skills other than technical skills that you develop in your academic program. Furthermore, these skills are so versatile that they can be used everywhere, irrespective of the designation or field. Transferable skills are desirable because if you already have them, your employer will not have to train you on them. Consequently, you can make positive contributions in any career with these skills.

Which are the PhD Transferable Skills that You Must Develop?

Considering that a doctorate degree is the highest degree in most fields, the skills that are required to excel in the same are impeccable. Undoubtedly, researchers pursuing their Ph.Ds. or postdocs develop technical skills related to their research. However, what they also need to develop is a host of research transferable skills they can use as they progress in their careers.

Which are 10 PhD Transferable Skills You Can Use in Most Jobs?

With the surge of jobs for PhD in STEM, recruiters struggle to fill those positions with talented candidates. They are always in need of trained professionals who know how to create information from scratch, and not just recreate it in a tinkering manner.

While your work experience and education during PhD is an asset, you’d be surprised to find out that employers in most sectors pay close attention to your skill set. According to a recently published survey report by LinkedIn, 57% of respondents identified soft transferable skills as more important than hard skills (technical knowledge).

Here, we list 10 significant PhD transferable skills students can use in most jobs.

1. Project Management

The most apparent thought that comes to anyone’s mind while thinking about PhD is “project management” skills. A successful research experience goes hand-in-hand with a well-planned project. As simple as it may sound, the management skills of a PhD graduate are not confined to his/her project. It starts right from ideation of the research project to final submission, which results in an ultimate success of the project. Different stages of a PhD’s journey demands customized planning and organizing to ensure that deadlines are met and projects are completed efficiently and effectively. Furthermore, a PhD makes sure that all plans are duly incorporated. Employers seek candidates with PhD transferable skills as they want someone who can not only see a task through, but can visualize what needs to happen on a project from start to finish.

2. Accelerated Learning

As a doctor of philosophy, the ability to ascertain knowledge runs thick in the veins of a PhD researcher. An inquisitive mind and quick comprehension of technical things is interlinked to your accelerated learning ability. Moreover, being a PhD, you attend conferences and read papers to stay on top of the latest trends in your field. Consequently, PhD transferable skills ensure employers of your ability to understand technical procedures, protocols, and methodologies.

3. Time Management

Time waits for none! The key to a tension-free and smooth workflow is effective time management . While planning is important, defining your deadlines, setting realistic and achievable goals, and adhering to them takes you a long way! At a job, every moment spent on an unfocused or frivolous task, is a waste of money. Contradictorily, time management may not be viewed similarly in academia. However, as a PhD your motive has been to complete your program in time. This acts as a serious motivation to develop excellent time management skills.

4. Attention to Detail

One of the essential core skills of a PhD is paying attention to the details. To the best of your experience as a researcher, you are aware that mistakes can be missed in the bat of an eye. Therefore, it is a known fact that PhDs are one of the finest people to make sure that each project runs through a fine-tooth comb. As a result, employers can count on you for detail-oriented assignments that require critical assessment and corrections.

5. Ability to Collaborate

As stated earlier, PhDs are not new to working in groups to achieve common goals. Your significant contribution in research groups, as a researcher and author during your PhD program demonstrates your ability to collaborate . Employers seek candidates who are team players making positive contributions to the success of a group.

6. Writing Proficiency

Given the nature of modern technology, writing may not be a primary task of most job profiles. However, it sure is an essential element for academic and allied knowledge dissemination careers. In due course of pursuing a PhD, you come across countless reading material from authors all around the world. This subsequently stocks up your bank of vocabulary and enhances your writing skills for an unambiguous conveyance of messages and information.

7. Leadership Skills

Leadership skills aren’t only your ability to supervise and manage a team, but to take the lead on a project and get a team to follow through and achieve goals. As a PhD you’re the “lead” for your project. While it doesn’t necessarily involve leading other people, it still means being responsible for major decisions to accomplish targets. Additionally, it is common for PhD students to work in research groups and collaborate on shared projects. Nonetheless, they also demonstrate leadership while organizing conferences and seminars for their department or university. PhDs are also seen showing leadership skills while advising students and mentoring peers.

8. Critical Thinking and Analysis

As a PhD, it’s a given that you are able to analyze data and provide logical reasoning to it. Throughout your program, you collect data, analyze it, and draw conclusions. The ability of a PhD to critically examine everything and deliver logical reasoning behind it is not new to anyone. A PhD is well versed with 360-degree logical thinking without being biased. Employers seek these research transferable skill of a PhD to consider alternative solutions to a problem and suggest next steps for efficient functioning.

9. Communication Skills

This is the master of PhD transferable skills. Even if you decide to step into a career that is a 180-degree sweep from your PhD, you’d still need to communicate! Your ability to communicate efficiently is developed right from preparing for your PhD interview, presenting papers and posters at academic conferences, defending your thesis, etc. As verbal communication affects your ability to work with your peers, it is one of the most sought after research transferable skills by employers.

10. Adaptability

A PhD isn’t only about specialization. Rather, it’s about the ability to specialize. During your PhD you learn to tackle a new topic, solve it, and move on to the next problem. Almost all careers require employees to focus on specific topics and projects in detail to achieve a specific goal. Your ability of in-depth specialization in academic research project demonstrates adaptability and flexibility —quite literally!

So the next time you are asked, “What skills do you bring to this position?”, you certainly know how to answer that! Brush up your PhD transferable skills to help you make the right career switch. Remember that your PhD isn’t a liability after all. In fact, it’s an asset! Let us know how you acquired these valuable skills that are highly sought after by employers today.

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7 resources to help phd students succeed on their doctoral journey.

It takes a village and a variety of skills to succeed in the doctoral world. Here are a few of the many resources Wharton Doctoral Programs offers to help.

Like most of our doctoral students, perhaps you’re preparing to go into academia after completing your PhD. Being a professor and researcher today often involves opportunities to share your research with a larger audience than a classroom of students. The doctoral journey is meant to prepare you with the wide array of skills you’ll need to be effective whether you’re in front of the classroom or a conference stage.

That includes the polish to present and speak publicly with ease, the writing and communication skills to craft your dissertation and journal articles, the analytical know-how to research thoroughly and gather meaningful data, and the ability to teach — colleagues, pupils, or the general public, whatever the case may be. And, if you have family, you’ll need support in getting them through this journey with you.

Wharton Doctoral Programs offers a wide range of resources to help you thrive in the PhD program and prepare you for life beyond it. Here are a few of the top Wharton resources our students have highlighted as most beneficial:

1. 5 Slides 5 Minutes

Researchers often have the opportunity to share their work with a larger audience through social media and mass media outlets — but it requires nuanced communication skills. How do you take complex findings and communicate them to a general audience concisely without oversimplifying the message?

That’s the focus of 5 Slides 5 Minutes. Launched in 2014, this low-stakes, high-potential event enables PhD students to present an abstract to students, faculty, and staff to practice engaging non-experts in their research topic. Students receive an invitation to participate via email from the Doctoral Programs Office.

After students present, they can work with Wharton Communications Program to review their presentation and get tips on how to improve their communication skills. Wharton’s renowned faculty also share valuable insights with students about these presentations.

“We focus on individuals. We help them convey their research content most effectively given their style and personality,” said Lisa Warshaw, Director of the Wharton Communications Program.

2. Dissertation Boot Camp

The name might sound intimidating, but some students think of Dissertation Boot Camp as a two-week writers’ retreat. Hosted twice a year by the Graduate Student Center, it’s designed for students who have dissertation status but haven’t presented their proposal yet.

The camp offers an environment and support for intense, focused writing time as well as a review on the steps, deadlines, and University policies. Limited to 20 students, the small group gives writers a chance to make connections with others who are going through the dissertation process and provides participants with the structure and motivation to overcome typical roadblocks along the way.

3. Wharton Communications Program

The Wharton Communication Program helps Wharton PhD students become more effective communicators and thus better presenters, public speakers, and writers — all critical skills in academia. All doctoral students are provided with access to on-site, one-on-one writing coaching during the academic year.

Wharton PhD students are required to attend two workshops: First-Year Communications Workshop in the fall and First-Year Writing Workshop in the spring. The skills-based approach adopted in the workshops helps students develop their personal style and strengthen their confidence as communicators.

Through multiple practice opportunities, video recording of speeches, and rigorous feedback, the program provides students with a thorough foundation in communication theory and for doctoral students, focuses on research presentations and job talks.

4. Teacher Development Program Workshop

Offered in conjunction with the Center for Teaching and Learning , the Teacher Development Program is a four-session course. It gives doctoral students a foundation in core teaching practices to support their teaching at Penn.

By helping with presentation skills and academic job placement, the workshop prepares students to become faculty in the future. Ian Petrie , Senior Associate Director, Center for Teaching and Learning described the workshop as “a collective, collaborative program.” Each week features “microteaching” demonstrations, where participants conduct a brief lesson and get feedback from their peers and the directors.

The intent is that faculty and graduate students will engage and learn from each other to master fundamental teaching methods. “Every PhD student can leave the program having gained some new tools for teaching,” Petrie said. This exchange happens when doctoral students observe “talented colleagues from other departments to get a glimpse of how they teach.”

Students also have the opportunity to enroll in the CTL Teaching Certificate program to hone teaching skills and grasp a commitment to developing as teachers.

“I’d like everyone to come out of the experience feeling more confident about their skills as an instructor or presenter,” Petrie said. “Anything I can do to support doctoral students in achieving their goals is extremely gratifying.”

5. Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS)

With more than 50,000 corporate, academic, and government users, Wharton Research Data Services (WRDS) is the global gold standard in data management, research analytics, and thought leadership. Researchers at more than 450 institutions in 36 countries across the globe depend upon this award-winning research platform and business intelligence tool — and researchers are doing the work to grow it right here on Wharton’s campus.

“The fact that the people who create the data, research analytics, and tools are here is super important,” said Prof. Cathy Schrand, Vice Dean of Wharton Doctoral Programs. “I’ve had early access to WRDS before it even became available to other subscribers. Top universities all over the world that have subscriptions to WRDS may only have access to certain elements of it, but we have access to all of it and it’s here on site which does provide an advantage.” The platform allows researchers to access more than 350 terabytes of data in one location that spans across multiple disciplines, including accounting, banking, economics, ESG (environmental, social, and governance), finance, health care, insurance, marketing, and statistics. “WRDS is by far the most important source of datasets for academic researchers. As a Wharton PhD student, you automatically get unrestricted access to every one of these databases,” said Itamar Drechsler, associate professor of finance at Wharton and NYU’s Stern School of Business, who has experience on both sides of the classroom – he earned his PhD from Wharton in 2009.

6. Wharton Behavioral Lab

A shared resource for all Wharton faculty, the Wharton Behavioral Laboratory (WBL) provides a variety of services that support data collection for behavioral research on business-related topics. The primary goal is to enhance the research productivity of Wharton faculty by minimizing the operational costs, both time and money, of conducting research. With two locations — one in Steinberg Hall Dietrich Hall and another in Jon Huntsman Hall, doctoral students can gather original data through lab experiments and panels, instead of using secondary data created by others. Each year, the lab collects about 23,000 subject hours of data. Research from WBL can consistently be found in national and international publications such as the Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the Journal of Neuroscience, Psychology, and Economics, and the Journal of Business Ethics .

7. Support for Families

For some PhD students, attending Wharton means relocating their families to a new city. To help students and their families ease the transition to PhD life, the Wharton Doctoral Program Office hosts the Maternity/Paternity Workshop , an annual event that talks about the resources available to PhD students with families.

Here are a couple of the key resources they highlight in the workshop:

• The Doctoral Programs Office allows eligible students to apply for up to one year of additional school-level funding beyond their allotted funded year. Furthermore, students are eligible for up to eight weeks of time-off for childbirth and adoption and have the option of taking unpaid Family Leave of Absence.
• At Penn, the Family Resource Center provides additional resources and facilities, such as a children’s playroom and two private lactation rooms, which cater to the needs of students with families. The Center also has two grant programs for PhD students to help offset the cost of childcare and family expenses, and health insurance for dependents.
• Wharton Doctoral Partners & Families is a student-run online resource created to communicate the resources at Penn and Philadelphia to partners and families. Its mission is to empower members to transition and settle into their new lives.

Posted: November 6, 2018

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Start your doctoral journey.

Whether you’re just starting your research on PhD programs or you’re ready to apply, we’ll walk you through the steps to take to become a successful PhD candidate.

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What to Consider When Choosing a Doctoral Program

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• CAREER COLUMN
• 15 December 2021

‘Hard’ skills from our PhDs remain relevant beyond academia

• Jonathan McGuire 0 &
• Samantha Baggott 1

Jonathan McGuire is director of data and analytics at the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission in Sydney, Australia.

You can also search for this author in PubMed   Google Scholar

Samantha Baggott is assistant director of data and analytics at the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Quality and Safeguards Commission in Sydney, Australia.

When we first started looking at non-academic career options after our PhDs in cognitive science, it seemed that it was our ‘soft’ skills that would transfer beyond academia to the ‘real world’ — things such as resilience, critical thinking, communication and collaboration. These do transfer, of course, but after being on the other side of the recruitment process in management roles at a government agency, we now think this undersells the more academic skills developed during a PhD.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-03756-0

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The 5 Skills of Successful PhD Students

The soft skills you need to be a successful PhD student.

A PhD is not only a test of professional aptitude but also a test of character. Looking back at my time as a PhD student, I can say that it has been a taxing but equally rewarding time that I wouldn’t exchange for anything in the world. Doing a PhD has not only improved my scientific and technical understanding but has also strengthened my character.

In this post I describe five characteristics that I found to be helpful in successfully completing my PhD.

1. Self-Reliance

Doing a PhD, self-reliance is essential. Why? You need to pursue projects yourself with miniscule external oversight. This means that you continually need to motivate yourself and need to develop strategies for tackling the challenges along the way.

Of course, you have a supervisor to guide you during your studies. While it’s extremely important to have a good relationship with your supervisor, you also shouldn’t grow too dependent on him. For example, when my supervisor left for a faculty position at another university, I had to rely on myself much more than before.

You should not expect your supervisor’s assistance to be a silver bullet to all of your problems for the following reasons:

• You are the expert: Having worked on a topic for some time, you should be the expert. So, in many cases, your supervisor may only be able to point you in the right direction and you still have to figure out the solution yourself.
• There is not enough time: Your supervisor is probably a very busy person. Therefore, he may not have time to answer all of your questions.
• You may be hurting yourself: There is nothing wrong with asking questions but you may be hurting yourself if you overdo it. First, you may grow too dependent on your supervisor. Second, you lose out on a chance to develop your own problem solving skills.

2. Commitment

A PhD requires a tremendous investment of time and energy. When I started my PhD, I knew that I would have to commit the next several years of your life to this task. “Why does a PhD require a greater level of commitment than other degrees?”, you may ask. Doing a PhD is challenging in several respects, for example:

• Knowledge: You need to dive deep into a single topic with the goal of expanding upon existing knowledge (scope). At the same time, you may also have to deal with several projects at the same time (scale).
• Motivation: While other degrees involve pre-defined, continual milestones (i.e. examinations), which serve as a source of external motivation, milestones during a PhD are few and far between (e.g. scientific publications, the dissertation itself).
• Gratification: Research takes time and it will often take years until you reap the fruits of your work. If you are in need of instant gratification, a PhD is not for you.

So, to successfully complete a PhD you need a very high level of commitment. However, you should not forget to maintain an appropriate work-life balance . Burning the candle at both ends may threaten your success.

3. Resilience

Resilience is the ability to get back on your feet after a major setback. During my PhD I have experienced many setbacks, for example:

• Manuscript preparation: It can take a very long time until the final version of a manuscript is prepared. The problem is that one often thinks that version n is going to be the final version but in the end it turns out that version n+x (with x > 10 ) is the version that is actually submitted.
• Manuscript decisions: It is the norm that journal submissions are rejected. Journals often accept only 20% of submitted manuscripts for publication. Particularly when you submit to high-tier journals first, you will have only small chances of acceptance. Moreover, when you have chosen to submit your work to another journal after an rejection, you will have to go back to the manuscript preparation phase once again.
• Experiments: Generating results is time- and resource-intensive. When you are running an experiment and you notice an error several weeks into the work, this means going back to square one.

So, try to see setbacks as part of the journey rather than nuisances.

4. Confidence

While pushing to expand the boundaries of knowledge, you will also become aware of your own ignorance. When this happens, it is easy to fall prey to the imposter syndrome . However, one should realize that this is normal. Even Socrates’ once said the following:

His statement suggests that a person who is aware of his own ignorance is wiser than the one who is not. Achieving this awareness should be seen as an indicator of growth rather than an indicator of incompetence.

5. Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence means awareness of one’s own emotions and those of others. As a PhD student, you will work with different stakeholders: your supervisor, your colleagues, your collaborators, etc. Each one of these people has different goals that only partially overlap, for example:

• PhD students want to finish their PhD
• Supervisors want to achieve prestigious research results
• Collaborators want your work to appear in high-impact journals without sacrifing too much of their time

Due to the differences in goals, conflicts are pre-programmed. However, with emotional intelligence you can navigate your way through conflicts without losing track of your goals. If you know what motivates the people you are working together with, this can go a long way towards fostering emotional understanding.

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PhD transferable skills

Sometimes it's difficult for PhD students to identify what skills they have since the academic experience is not necessarily focused on articulating skill sets. We also often find that PhD students struggle, understandably, to present the transferability of their academic experiences to non-academic contexts. Here are examples of PhD skill sets and ways to describe them.

• Define a problem and identify possible causes
• Comprehend large amounts of information
• Form and defend independent conclusions
• Design an experiment, plan, or model that defines a problem, tests potential resolutions and implements a solution
• Facilitate group discussions or conduct meetings
• Motivate others to complete projects (group or individual)
• Respond appropriately to positive or negative feedback
• Effectively mentor subordinates and/or peers
• Collaborate on projects
• Teach skills or concepts to others
• Navigate complex bureaucratic environments
• Manage a project or projects from beginning to end
• Identify goals and/or tasks to be accomplished and a realistic timeline for completion
• Prioritize tasks while anticipating potential problems
• Maintain flexibility in the face of changing circumstances
• Identify sources of information applicable to a given problem
• Understand and synthesize large quantities of data
• Design and analyze surveys
• Develop organizing principles to effectively sort and evaluate data 
• Work effectively under pressure and to meet deadlines
• Comprehend new material and subject matter quickly
• Work effectively with limited supervision
• Prepare concise and logically-written materials
• Organize and communicate ideas effectively in oral presentations to small and large groups
• Write at all levels — brief abstract to book-length manuscript
• Debate issues in a collegial manner and participate in group discussions
• Use logical argument to persuade others
• Explain complex or difficult concepts in basic terms and language
• Write effective grant proposals

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What makes a good PhD student?

Study tips Published 31 Mar, 2022  ·  3-minute read

Thinking about pursuing a PhD but worried you might not excel in such a research-intensive program? We believe you can do it – especially if you cultivate some of the top traits of successful PhD candidates.

It takes a special type of person to spend countless hours researching and writing about a niche topic. While all our higher degree by research candidates have unique personalities and interest areas, there are some attributes they tend to have in common – traits that make them a “good” PhD student and help them on their path to completing their thesis.

Here we’ll look beyond just how to be a PhD student and instead talk about what makes a good PhD student. What skills, attitudes and behaviours can you develop or practise now to set yourself up for success in the next 3-4 years?

What do PhD programs look for?

The criteria for getting a PhD scholarship provide some useful clues as to what makes a good PhD student in the eyes of an advisory board. In particular, you’ll benefit from having a strong academic record and proven abilities to conduct effective research . The academic transcript from your honours or postgraduate program can help demonstrate this.

More important, though, are the traits you developed in order to get those academic results:

• enduring curiosity and a love of learning
• conscientiousness and attention to detail
• organisational and time-management skills
• ability and willingness to collaborate with anyone
• persistence and resilience (pushing through challenges and bouncing back from failures)
• intrinsic motivation and self-discipline (the drive to set your own goals and follow them through).

To thrive in a PhD program, you’ll want to maintain and strengthen these attributes. The good news is anyone can practise or work on these traits to some extent, even if they don’t always come naturally to you.

Keep in mind that every candidate is different, so there’s no “correct” balance of the above attributes guaranteed to make you a good PhD student. On your research journey, you’ll quickly realise your existing strengths and any areas you might need to work on.

Some of the qualities that I find are key are being inquisitive, loving to learn and question the status quo, and being an independent and self-directed worker.

What makes a good PhD student: it isn’t a simple formula

We asked UQ PhD candidate Sarah Kendall for her advice on what makes a good PhD student. While she had some attributes to suggest, she also pointed out that candidates bring unique strengths and skillsets to their research – and this is something that can’t be quantified.

“Good PhD candidates can have many different qualities,” says Sarah.

“Some of the qualities that I find are key are being inquisitive, loving to learn and question the status quo, and being an independent and self-directed worker.”

Sarah acknowledges that some of these factors are inherent for some people more than others. But she’s also quick to remind us that completing research in a previous program can help you identify if you’ve got what it takes.

“Doing something like an honours project can definitely help you figure out whether these are qualities you have, as well as to prepare you for the kinds of behaviours you’ll need as a PhD candidate.”

Chelsea Janke, another UQ PhD candidate, adds the following behaviours and qualities to the list of what PhD programs look for:

• ability and interest to learn
• critical thinking
• problem solving
• resourcefulness
• resilience.

So, if you’re wondering how to be a PhD student, there’s clearly no one-size-fits-all answer. But if you possess a healthy combination of some of the attributes discussed above, there’s a good chance you’ll fit the bill.

Does this sound like you (or at least someone you’d like to be with some practice)? We’d love to have you contributing to the groundbreaking research projects here at The University of Queensland.

Learn more about doing a PhD at UQ

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Research skills requirement, doctoral.

To define the expectations for doctoral research skills prior to the comprehensive examination for graduate students admitted Fall 2011 or before.

Graduate students admitted Fall 2011 or before.

Specific research skills requirements vary with graduate degree programs, but all reflect the expectation of a significant research skill component distinct from, but strongly supportive of, the dissertation. Traditionally, a reading knowledge of two (2) foreign (non-English) languages, a demonstrated competence in reading, writing, and speaking in one (1) foreign language, or a reading knowledge of one (1) foreign language and demonstrated proficiency in some other research skill, such as computer science, has been required. However, to fit research training to the needs of the individual student, some programs have found it appropriate to regard as research skills formal training in ancillary areas or within a broad spectrum of skills. A statement concerning research skills should appear in each departmental or program section of this catalog and in any graduate study guides issued by departments, programs, or schools.

This policy applies to doctoral students admitted prior to Fall 2011. Doctoral students admitted Fall 2011 or later must adhere to the Research Skills and Responsible Scholarship Policy .

When the aspirant has met the requirements for research skills recommended by the program and approved by the school, the program must report this fact to the Graduate Division on the appropriate form, certifying that the student is prepared to proceed to the comprehensive oral examination. If a program requires research skills that are tested separately from the program, completion of each requirement should be reported immediately to the Graduate Division so that it may be recorded on the student’s permanent record.

Because foreign language and computer science competences are the most commonly used research skills requirements, the formal procedures that have been established for demonstration of these competences are listed here for guidance.

Foreign Language

An aspirant who wishes to demonstrate a reading knowledge of a foreign language ordinarily may do so in one of two ways: (1) pass a language examination devised and administered by the student’s own department in consultation with the appropriate KU language department or (2) complete DANE 101, DTCH 101, FREN 100, GERM 101, ITAL 100, RUSS 101, or SPAN 100 with a grade of C or higher, or LAT 101 with a grade of B or higher. If some other language is proposed, arrangements should be made through the major or departmental adviser with the appropriate language department or competent testing authority. Some graduate degree programs accept as evidence of language competence the certification of a graduate student by a qualified KU professor in a given language at the fourth level of competence in reading, comprehension, and speaking or accept 16 hours in a single language taken at this or another university as a graduate or undergraduate student. Requirements for demonstrating competence in reading, writing, and speaking one (1) foreign language are set by the language departments. The student should ask these departments for further information and advice. In all cases, the Graduate Division should be notified which method each student has used to satisfy this requirement.

A student whose native language is not English may use the native language to fulfill the language requirement only if the language is considered an adequate research tool for the program.

Computer Science

To establish competence in computer science, a student must (a) demonstrate proficiency in a commonly used programming language and (b) create at least one (1) original program on a problem that is certified by the graduate degree program as important and relevant to the field of study.

As specified by the graduate degree program, requirement (a) may be met by passing an examination developed and administered by the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science or by satisfactorily completing an appropriate course in computer science. In consultation with the department, the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science provides certification of requirement (b).

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10 Basic Computational Skills For PhD Students

“ Basic computer commands, MS office, text styling, Internet and the use of online tools are some of the basic computational skills required by every research student. Let’s see what those are and how to use them. “

Computing, computer and computational skills are an integral part of recent-day academics. In fact, one can’t imagine doing research without a computer. Advanced analysis and software– now, allow researchers to do extensive analysis. 

A computer empowers scientists to study anything from– space to earth and water to nature. Moreover, the computational analysis also makes it possible to perform quantitative analysis which is additionally a crucial and important part of testing or research. 

Related article: What is a scientist? What do they do?

Let me tell you that, it’s (a computer program) used to study DNA to measure the quantity of any biomolecules present in any biological sample. It further predicts the ‘possibility’ and ‘probability’ of ‘something’.

So, computer and computational skills have unmatched importance for research and academics. And henceforth, must be known to every PhD student. While talking about PhD, specific computational skills are required for doing research, writing & reading papers and writing a thesis. 

However, to use it effectively every PhD student should have to know some basic computational skills, especially for PhD. So what are those? In this article, I will explain 10 basic and important computational skills required for every PhD student. 

Stay tuned. 

10 Basic Computational Skills For PhD Students 

1. basic commands .

Writing a single page for a thesis would look like writing a scripture, trust me. You have to go back, change tabs, select narratives, paste it and rewrite it. You also have to create new files and save previous ones. 

Each of these commands is a common one, and you can only enjoy writing if you know how to use it with some shortcuts. Indeed, basic commands allow you to work efficiently, and smoothly and improve productivity. Here is a list of some basic commands you should know. 

Besides, students should also know how to close, minimize or maximize the window. 

2. MS Office

Another important and unmatched computational skill that every PhD student should know is the MS Office. MS Office is a Microsoft office toolkit that has various software to perform different functions. Here is a list of some important software and their applications. 

MS Word is a tool for writing. Students can write their synopsis, project, review, paper or PhD thesis . Word allows them to edit, correct grammar and spelling, use different font styles and type and edit documents for their writing. 

To use the Word effectively, students should learn basic commands, how to use it, edit, set margins, pagination and do all the things required to write a thesis. Moreover, World integrated Mendeley also performs citation and referencing. 

So on and on, it’s the best tool for thesis writing. However, one can also use Google docs– which is somewhat similar to MS Word. 

MS Excel is yet another important software for PhDs and they should know it. Excel has been used to save and process data. Data can be– stored, edited, saved, processed, analyzed and presented in different styles. 

Students can do basic analysis like mean, median or mode and other statistical analysis. In addition, they can prepare graphs, and charts or use different representations to show their work. Some examples of Excel use are 

• Patients > their sugar level 
• No of students > type of problems 
• Patients > type of mental health issues 
• Patient > concentration of DNA 

MS Office PowerPoint presentation is a great way to present your work, prepare presentations and show your research. Students can use various types of text, images, tables, graphs or other illustrations to make their presentation more effective. 

Using different slides, styles, and forms of presentation students can improve their retention and attention time. It’s important to know that every PhD student has to present their work and defend their thesis by presenting their work. 

6. Basic styling 

Students have to learn basic styling to make their writing and presentation more impressive and effective. As universities have clear guidelines for styling, students should know font style, size, text, color and how to do underline or bold.  

• Font style- Times New Roman 
• Font size- 12 (basic text), 20-24 (heading)
• Text bold, text color, text underline. 

Please check out this illustration to understand all the basic styling things. 

7. Basic Internet 

Basic Internet should be known to not only students but also to everyone. The Internet is so important for doing online research, reading literature and collecting information. However, there are several issues associated with it. 

Students should know how to use the internet safely. Here are some guidelines. 

Use only SSL-verified websites only, do check their SLL paddle lock on the window. 

Make safe browsing on. 

Use only Google or Google scholar to search literature. 

Report any potential threat to Google. 

In addition, students should also know how to search their queries, save them, store them and bookmark them. For example,

• Web > for scholarly papers 
• Images > images and illustrations 
• News > to find out the latest news 
• Video > for finding videos 
• Google Scholar > to find scholarly articles  

8. Online tools 

Along with understanding the basic Internet, students should also know how to use online tools and be aware of the fraud. Use only certified tools, pay only in an authentic way and open only ‘HTTPS’ websites to use or download. 

Know if the tool is useful and applicable for you or not and then only purchase or use it. Some of the online tools that every PhD student should know and use are 

Sometimes students need to print material for various purposes and thus they should have to know how to print any document, slide, page or file. The universal command to print anything is Ctrl + P. 

This opens a new window for the page preview, you can adjust the printable page as per your need and print it. However, what’s more, important is that you have to learn how you can print a specific page, specific part, even or odd pages or something that you need. 

Every option is there in the Print preview page window. 

10. Conversion 

One of the important and crucial computational skills that most PhD students lack is converting their files from one to another format. For example, pdf to jpg, word to pdf or ppt to pdf. First know different file formats. Here is the list of important ones. 

One of the important conversions students often need is converting their word document into a pdf. One of the easiest ways to do this is by following this path on your computer.

Go to the file menu >> click on export to >> pdf. 

Your file would readily convert into pdf. For more conversations, you can use a simple online tool. Here I have given the list. Ilovepdf . It’s totally free and safe to use. You can go to the homepage of the website, there are tons of options. You can do any conversion you wish to do.  

Wrapping up: 

Why I am writing this article is to make students understand how important small and basic computational skills are. Trust me, students pay for such things and waste their money. Take time, learn these and trust me your writing and research becomes super easy.  

I hope this article will help you a lot in your PhD. However, these skills also help you to learn advanced software, tools and programs needed for various analyses during your research. Thank you so much for reading this article, continue reading other articles on our blog. 

Dr. Tushar Chauhan is a Scientist, Blogger and Scientific-writer. He has completed PhD in Genetics. Dr. Chauhan is a PhD coach and tutor.

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The top 3 skills needed to do a PhD are skills employers want too

More and more people are applying to do a PhD . What many don’t know is it takes serious skills to do one – and, more importantly, complete it. We analysed the selection criteria for PhD candidates on a platform that advertises PhD programmes. Our analysis of thousands of these ads revealed exactly what types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

Why do a PhD programme in the first place?

People pursue a PhD for many reasons. They might want to stand out from the crowd in the job market, learn how to do research, gain a deeper expertise in an area of interest, or pursue an academic career.

Sadly, too many PhD students never finish. The PhD turns out to be too hard, not well supported, mentally taxing, financially draining, etc. Dropping the PhD often means significant financial loss for institutions and individuals, not to mention the psychological costs of other consequences such as low self-esteem, anxiety and loneliness .

Our society and economy can only benefit from a better-educated workforce, so it is in the national interest to manage PhD intakes and be clear about expectations. The expansion of doctoral education led to a more competitive selection process, but the criteria are opaque.

To clarify PhD expectations, we turned to a European research job platform supported by EURAXESS (a pan-European initiative by the European Commission) where PhD programmes are advertised as jobs. Required skills are listed in the selection criteria. We analysed 13,562 PhD ads for the types of skills different countries and disciplines require.

We made three specific findings.

1. Top 3 skills needed for a PhD

It turns out that it takes many so-called transferable skills to do a PhD. These are skills that can be translated and applied to any professional context. The top three required skills are:

• communication – academic writing, presentation skills, speaking to policy and non-expert audiences
• research – disciplinary expertise, data analysis, project management
• interpersonal – leadership, networking, teamwork, conflict resolution.

Trending skill categories are digital (information processing and visualisation) and cognitive (abstract, critical and creative thinking and problem-solving).

Previous research shows transferable skills are requested for post-PhD careers, including both academic and non-academic jobs. Our research shows such skills are already required to do a PhD. Those keen to do a PhD are well advised to provide strong evidence of such skills when applying.

2. Skill demands vary by country and discipline

Skill demands significantly differ by country and discipline. For example, 62% of medical science ads mention interpersonal skills. This is twice as often as in biological science ads. Digital and cognitive skills score much higher in the Netherlands than in other countries.

Our research article reports on 2016-2019 data and the top five represented countries (Netherlands, Germany, France, Spain and the UK) and the top five represented disciplines (biological sciences, physics, chemistry, engineering and medical sciences). However, you can use this tool for granular detail on 52 countries – including non-European countries like Australia, New Zealand, the US, etc. – and 37 disciplines included in the data sample. For continuously updated data, please visit https://www.resgap.com/ .

3. PhD expectations are rising

We see a rise in PhD expectations over time (2016-2019) as more skills are listed year on year. The publish or perish culture prevails and rising demands on academics have led to calls for more engaged research, collaborations with industry, and research commercialisation .

PhD students get accustomed early to competitiveness and high expectations.

Research-based learning needs to start early

These insights have implications for pre-PhD education and pathways. Undergraduate and postgraduate degrees can further promote PhD readiness by embedding authentic hands-on research with academic or corporate partners, either as part of the curriculum or as extracurricular activities.

Many postgraduate degrees offer authentic research project work opportunities but are shorter. Those entering the PhD without a postgraduate degree miss out on developing essential research skills.

Authentic research experiences need to happen early on in higher education. Organisations like the Council on Undergraduate Research ( CUR ), the Australasian Council for Undergraduate Research ( ACUR ) and the British Conference of Undergraduate Research ( BCUR ) are designed to support institutions and individuals to do this effectively. They showcase great models of undergraduate research.

To get a good idea of what undergraduate research looks like, start with this comprehensive paper and catch up on undergraduate research news from Australasia .

We know research-based learning develops employability skills such as critical thinking, resilience and independence.

Embed career development in PhD programmes

Doctoral training needs to take note, too, if it is to further build on the skill set that PhD applicants bring with them.

The good news is doctoral education has transformed in recent decades. It’s catching up to the call for better-skilled graduates for a range of careers. The training focus has shifted towards generating practice-based and problem-solving knowledge, and engaged research with other sectors.

Some institutions now offer skill and career training. Generally, though, this sort of training is left to the graduates themselves. Many current PhD candidates will attest that the highly regulated and tight PhD schedule leaves little room for voluntary activities to make them more employable.

Most PhD candidates also know more than half of them will not score a long-term academic job. Institutions would serve them better by formally embedding tailored career development opportunities in PhD programmes that prepare for academic and non-academic jobs .

Lilia Mantai , Senior Lecturer and Academic Lead, University of Sydney and Mauricio Marrone , Associate Professor, Macquarie University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

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Preparing Ph.D. Students for the Qualifying Exam

Navigating Ph.D. programs is notoriously challenging, and the qualifying exam stands as a major milestone all students must achieve. To support Ph.D. students in this critical checkpoint, the Graduate Division recently hosted the Qualifying Exam Discourse (QED) workshop, focused on preparing for the qualifying exam. Ten participants from six graduate programs were selected from a pool of 53 applicants for this pilot.

Led by Associate Graduate Dean and Professor Sayantani Ghosh and academic counselor Maria Nishanian and organized by events services manager Jennifer Quiralte, the workshop aimed to equip second- and third-year Ph.D. students with the knowledge, strategies and skills needed to successfully complete the qualifying exam process and advance to candidacy.

“The qualifying exam is a significant step in a Ph.D. journey, and we wanted to provide our students with the tools and guidance to approach it proactively and effectively,” Ghosh said.

The workshop covered a range of topics, including:

• Providing clarity on administrative requirements for graduate program-related policies and procedures.
• AI and scientific writing techniques, with insights from guest speaker Professor Brian Utter.
• Review of successful proposal samples to share best practices.
• Discussion on "The Do's and Don'ts of a Presentation,” by Nishanian.

By offering this qualifying exam preparation workshop, the Graduate Division demonstrated its commitment to supporting the academic and professional development of UC Merced Ph.D. students.

“We were encouraged by the positive response from our participants,” Ghosh said. “The presentation by Nishanian was particularly beneficial, and Utter’s timely discussion on the undeniable reality of AI in scientific writing was very well-received. We are pleased to expand this training starting Fall 2024.”

In collaboration with Nishanian, Graduate Division will offer a course beginning the next academic year aimed at second- and third-year Ph.D. students that will systematically navigate the process of writing the qualifying proposal and preparing for the oral exam. This 1-unit course, titled GSTU 210: Graduate Researchers’ Road Map, will comprise weekly workshops and by addressing a multifaceted set of preparation areas, will provide doctoral students with a comprehensive toolkit to approach the qualifying exam with confidence and success. It is scheduled for Wednesdays at 9:30 a.m. in Fall 2024.

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4.1 Key skills required for postgraduate study

By now you should have a fairly good idea of the different types and the purpose of Master’s degrees, be able to appreciate some of the main differences between postgraduate and undergraduate study, and recognise the basic requirements for studying at this level. Knowing what to expect ahead of taking on your Master’s should make the actual task seem less daunting. It will allow you to plan and better prepare for your prospective studies. Let’s take a look now at some of the key skills that you will develop further at postgraduate level. Pause here to consider your own thoughts on this topic, based on your experiences and what we have covered so far in this session.

Activity 2 Key skills for postgraduate study

What would you consider to be the ‘key skills’ required at postgraduate level?

You may wish to structure your thoughts and jot these down. We will return to this topic shortly.

You may have noted down some of the following as key requirements:

• reflection and reflective analysis
• critical thinking, appraisal and evaluation
• ability to demonstrate advanced scholarship and research
• communication and presentation skills to suit purpose and target audience
• effective writing skills and proficiency in the use of the English language
• ability to demonstrate independent, self-directed learning
• ability to source (identify), retrieve, appraise and make use of a variety of scholarly and research literature to support your opinion, judgement or argument
• self-organisation, time management and planning
• ability to work collaboratively with others (e.g. within a group or as a team).

Many of these skills and competencies will probably be familiar to you from your previous studies for your first degree, particularly if you have successfully developed them as part of a Bachelor’s with Honours degree. However, a key difference at Master’s would be the level of proficiency in these and other skills and competencies expected of you, and those that you will continue to develop as you make progress with your studies. Don’t worry if you feel that you lack confidence in some areas – this is perfectly fine at this stage. After all, you are not expected to demonstrate full mastery of all of these skills before you begin your postgraduate studies! You should be aware that these are skills that you will continue to build on and develop throughout your chosen degree.

Students starting a postgraduate degree for the first time can sometimes feel overwhelmed. We want you to be well-prepared, to ease your transition to postgraduate study, and for you to have the confidence to build on and develop your capabilities, and avoid feeling overwhelmed. Having a clear idea of what is expected of a successful Master’s degree graduate, and reflecting on the skills you need to develop, before you begin your postgraduate studies is invaluable. It will allow you to monitor and plan your own development needs as you make progress, and work towards achieving these goals.

Ready for tomorrow: 2024 graduates share how they’ve prepared for what’s next

Five undergrads share how their experiences have set them up for life after graduation.

Research conducted with expert faculty

IU researchers are driving discovery and innovation while training future investigators. Mofe Koya, who will graduate from the Kelley School of Business in Bloomington, conducted research for four years at the Center of Research on Race and Ethnicity in Society . She’s researched Supreme Court cases and influential figures. She recently completed a project about Brown v. Board of Education, tracking how the case has been discussed in the media over the past 70 years.

“For the first three years, I worked as a research assistant under my mentor, Clark Barwick , Ph.D.,” Koya said. “However, this year with the Brown v. Board case, I was able to design the whole project from start to finish. It was a great opportunity to use the skills and research processes I learned to explore a subject I was interested in.”

“I worked on two research projects that centered around periviable delivery, which is when a baby is born approximately halfway through pregnancy,” Remy said. “The first project focused on who has decision-making authority; the other aimed to develop an app to inform parents about possible outcomes and expectations.

“This experience shaped my career goals by teaching me to remain open-minded about my journey. Becoming a physician does not mean that I cannot be involved in research; I can still be a scientist.”

“I presented our findings for the pain and aging study at the Annual Midwest American College of Sports Medicine conference,” said Stone, who is graduating from the School of Health and Human Sciences at IUPUI. “Participating in research helped me develop important skills. I know how to read research studies and articles and how to write abstracts, which is very important in my field.

“The experience connected me to graduate students, and they were a factor in my decision to pursue a master’s degree in kinesiology at IU Indianapolis after graduation.”

Skills developed through community engagement

Stone was a competitive high school swimmer in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and an adaptive swimming instructor for children, which inspired her to pursue exercise science. As an IUPUI student, she participated in the adapted movement program , which pairs kinesiology students with people with disabilities who want to improve overall physical, cognitive and social function.

“We train participants for six weeks,” Stone said. “I worked with an individual with Down syndrome, and the experience was an absolute joy. By incorporating more strength training through the clinic and working with an adult, I broadened my skills and perspective.

“Working at the clinic opened my eyes to what I wanted to do. I was able to receive an internship at Down Syndrome Indiana, which was extended to a job position after graduation.”

“This made me realize that the Jacobs School cultivates not only strong dancers and artists, but kind and caring people,” Tyler said.

For two years she served as president of the Bloomington Ballet Ensemble, a student organization committed to sharing ballet with Bloomington and the IU community. She served as an instructor for the Jacobs Academy Pre-College program for two years and worked as a Jacobs School of Music performance setup staff member for the past three years.

“The greatest lesson I learned while in school is to take advantage of all the opportunities that are at our fingertips,” Tyler said. “IU is thriving with possibilities and collaborative opportunities.

“I feel so fortunate to have been able to perform in an opera, travel to Bell Trace Assisted Living Center to dance for them, perform in a show for the Monroe County Community School Corporation students — the list goes on. These experiences taught me to say ‘Yes’ to opportunities offered, even if I am unsure at first. All of these spontaneous decisions have opened my eyes to new possibilities, helping me grow as an artist and a person.”

International insights gained

“It was amazing being able to explore London and the rest of the U.K. while earning credit toward my degree,” Macharia said. “The classes I took were intellectually stimulating, and I met so many interesting people that I’m still friends with to this very day.”

However, students don’t have to travel far for international insights. Attracting a culturally diverse student body fosters an environment where students of varying backgrounds grow and learn together. Ten percent of the class of 2024 is composed of international students representing 132 countries.

Envisioning the leader within

Koya and Macharia are native Hoosiers who chose IU for a world-class education close to home. The university’s supportive environment helped them see themselves as future leaders; upon acceptance, both students were admitted to Hutton Honors College .

“Hutton played a huge role in my growth and development over the past four years,” Koya said. “I came from a huge high school where I had almost no involvement due to being very introverted. I learned about Hutton Honors Council Association , an event-planning and professional-development organization, my freshman year.”

“I stepped out of my comfort zone and applied hoping to get an officer position. Instead, I was offered a co-president position in my dorm. It was the first time I felt that other people could see me as a leader, and it was really encouraging.”

Macharia also received a Hudson and Holland Scholarship , which supports high-achieving students from communities historically excluded due to race and ethnicity.

“It encouraged me to succeed when I saw other minority students with various backgrounds being supported both financially and academically,” Macharia said.

Underrepresented people of color make up approximately 20% of the class of 2024, and Indiana University is committed to fostering a supportive and welcoming environment so all students can thrive.

Koya was particularly honored when faculty members nominated her to be a member of the 102nd Board of Aeons, a 12-member student research and advisory organization that advises IU administration, offering informed student perspectives on campus issues.

“I have enjoyed the opportunity to work with other student leaders across campus, using our diverse backgrounds and experiences to accurately represent the student perspective.”

Nikki Livingston

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