Contacting Current Graduate Students

Current graduate students are great resources to better understand the inner workings of the program and university life. They are usually willing to speak with you, and if they are not able (they are often quite busy, so don’t be upset if they cannot), they will connect you with other students. Remember that all graduate students were in the same situation as you, so they will perfectly understand your concerns. Ask them different things about the program, such as:

What is it like to study there?
What is it like to work with professor X?
What is the workload?
What is the weather like?
Is the stipend enough?
How affordable is life there?

Why did you choose this program?
How is the cultural climate there?
What do you like and dislike about the program?
How is the Teaching Assistant (TA) or Research Assistant (RA) workload?
How is the health system for students?

Sample Email

Subject: Your Name – Potential PhD/Master Applicant

Hi X,

I hope this finds you well!

My name is X. I’m interested in applying to the X program at X University, and I saw that you are a current graduate student there. I wanted to know if we could schedule a Zoom meeting so I can ask you a few questions about the program, the faculty, the university, and the city.

Thank you in advance, and I'm looking forward to your response.

Best regards,