Future PhD Students
Future PhD Students
If you are looking for a PhD position in our research group, I welcome you to apply. However, before you proceed with the application, you may find the below points useful.
On funding
If you are looking for a funded PhD position, I am afraid I do not have the resources to cover your funding. This is not unusual — many research groups worldwide, especially newer or smaller labs, cannot offer guaranteed studentships, and applicants often need to secure funding independently before or during the application process.
External scholarships
You may consider applying for the Commonwealth Scholarship. Please note that it is highly competitive, and you need to demonstrate strong academic and research competencies. For example, applicants from Pakistan need to take and pass the HAT test conducted by HEC. If you have not yet taken or passed the test, I may not be able to offer a letter of support at this stage.
Other scholarships to explore
Besides the Commonwealth Scholarship, you may also look into other national or international schemes relevant to your country (e.g., Fulbright, Chevening, DAAD, Erasmus Mundus), your home government’s scholarship programs, employer sponsorship if you are currently employed, or university-specific scholarships and studentships (check the graduate school or doctoral college’s funding pages directly, as opportunities change each cycle).
Self-funding
If you are considering self-funding your PhD, mention it clearly in the email. Please think carefully about the total cost of tuition and living expenses for the full duration of the program, and have a realistic financial plan in place before applying.
Is the research group a fit for you?
You are welcome to apply if you are interested in working in the Healthcare AI research domain. Please see our recent publications to get an idea of our ongoing research directions, and make sure your interests and background align reasonably well before reaching out.
Post from Dr. Vasco M. Bareto
I’m very sorry, but I simply don’t have the means to hire you.
Let me give you one piece of advice. Look for European labs with an ERC grant or other prestigious competitive funding (e.g. Wellcome, UKRI, DFG, SNSF, ANR, NWO, FWF, Vetenskapsrådet, Novo Nordisk Foundation, or Horizon Europe collaborative grants). These are the labs that are most likely to have the resources to hire people when they find the right candidate.
But don’t just send the same generic email to dozens of labs. Pick a topic you genuinely like, study it for a few weeks as if you were preparing for an important exam, then read the lab’s most recent publications and write an email that demonstrates real understanding. Include one or two genuine questions or ideas you have about their work. An email like this will immediately distinguish you from most applicants.
Forget brute-force emailing. It rarely works, and even when it does, it may not lead you to the kind of lab where you will receive the mentoring and scientific environment you deserve.
And don’t be discouraged if your first choice doesn’t work out. Build on what you’ve learned and approach a second lab working on a related topic. Preparing the second application will take much less time because you’ll already have a solid background. Keep doing this for a few months. Even if it doesn’t work immediately (though I think it will, if you have the talent and commitment), you’ll have acquired valuable knowledge that will benefit you throughout your scientific career.
Good luck!
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