6-3 months before application
Contact professors
Professor contact is not always mandatory, but it can help when your target is clear and your proposal draft is readable.
Traps
Why people get stuck here
These misconceptions aren't rare scenarios — most people hit at least one of them at this step. Knowing in advance doesn't mean you won't stumble, but it can save you a few weeks of detours.
Sending the same template email to many professors.
Contacting too early without a proposal draft.
Treating the email as a plea instead of mutual screening.
Breakdown
How to break this task down
Follow the checklist below and you won't miss anything important. You don't have to finish it all at once, but every item should be clearly answered within this stage.
- Check the professor or lab website for contact rules.
- Prepare a concise self-introduction and a short proposal summary.
- Contact one professor at a time and wait before contacting the next.
- Use replies to judge fit, supervision style, and application strategy.
Notes
Recommended reading
Concrete experience written down by those who came before — most useful read alongside the breakdown above.
Tool
Related tool
There's a ready-made tool for this step. You don't have to use it every time, but it's worth opening when you're stuck.
Lab Email contact file
AvailableClick to open · use it right here in this step
Open tool