So, I have contacted a few grad professors by email saying on the line of “I read your research paper, and I am very intrigued by XYZ and it aligns with my interests in ABC…and I would like to know if you are looking for a new Ph.D student in your lab in spring 2019.” It’s been about 3 days, and I haven’t gotten any responses. This is actually a hindrance because I have to tailor my statement based on the professors whom I am interested to work with and who has funding to accept a new student.
I don’t want to annoy them however…should I give it more time?
Perhaps not central to your question, but why would you be entering a PhD program in the spring semester and is that really how the programs work that you are applying to?
Give it a few more days before sending a second email. I work in a research lab, and I know that P.I.s and professors are busy (teaching, writing grants, traveling, etc.). Some are prompt in responding to emails, others aren’t. Good luck.
Because I graduate on December, and I have been told by quite a few grad students in my discipline that’s it’s common AND encouraged to directly contact the professors before submitting any application. I am a Chem. E, by the way, considering to apply to Chem. and biomolecular engineering, Bionanotech and food science.
Also, because I am an international student I don’t have a luxury of gap year/semester. If I want to go to grad school it has to be within 5 months of completion of my undergrad.
@dygibbs Yeah that’s what I thought but wanted to hear some inputs from current grad students. One person I talked to responded very quickly but she said there was no funding available 
- PhD programs very rarely start students in the spring, and the ones that do typically aren’t all that great. Virtually every reputable PhD program in your field is going to expect you to start in the fall. I would expect to start in Fall 2019, and plan to find something to do between January and August/September.
Actually, saying this may honestly be lowering your response rate.
- Three days isn’t nearly long enough for professors to respond. I’d wait at least a week (and maybe more like two) before I pinged them back.
@juillet yeah, I know many programs are open in fall, but I just can’t wait until next fall because that would force me to reapply to F1 visa, which will take so much time.
You can’t stay an extra semester at school?
@bodangles That would cost me 23k dollars, which I can’t afford because I am on full tuition scholarship, which cannot be extended.
So what PhD programs have you identified that enroll new students in January? You need to contact the director of graduate studies as the individual professors you are targeting now likely don’t the ability to get you admitted in the middle of the year.
V tech, Cornell, U Minn and NCSU accept Food Science Ph.D applicants for spring.
Tuft has Biotechnology Ph.D program open for spring.
Ohio State University, U Alabama(my alma mater, but I prefer to study somewhere else if possible), UNT-Denton and Columbia accept spring applicants for Chem. E.
Give it more time. 3 days ago was a Saturday after all.
@paul2752, why dont you see if UA would extend your scholarship and allow you to take just one class in the spring, instead of having you graduating in Dec. ? Tell them the reason for your request.
if that IS possible, I’d ask your Dept or the Dean if there were funding available for you to do research in the Spring as well.
It CAN’T hurt to ask…
@menloparkmom I just emailed them as you suggested. Hm I hope they reply soon. Our school is soo big that you sometime don’t get a reply
you should visit the office directly and tell them your situation.
You can also apply for Optional Practical Training status after your BS. This would give you time to apply to a program starting in the Fall.
@xraymancs Yes, but who’s going to give me a job offer? Although OPT doesn’t require a job offer to apply, you HAVe to be employed at some point, and it’s getting harder and harder to find a job.
@menloparkmom I talked to them, and nope. Not a chance.
Sure but you certainly won’t get something without trying…
@xraymancs i have been trying since last September, who says I haven’t?
You did not say one way or the other in the previous posts. The bottom line is as others have said, most of the Ph.D. admissions with support are for a Fall start. Are there any opportunities to work in a lab at your current university for a semester after graduation?