Guide for Early Career Researchers
Temp introductory text for Guide for Early Career Researchers. Are you considering a PhD in development economics or just starting your research career? This page provides practical advice for early-career researchers and aspiring PhD applicants. From preparing a strong application to navigating the research landscape, we offer insights from J-PAL-affiliated researchers who have served on admissions committees at top universities. Whether you're seeking tips on crafting a compelling statement of purpose, selecting the right program, or building a solid academic foundation, you'll find valuable guidance to help you succeed in the competitive field of development economics.
For those planning to pursue a PhD
Navigating the PhD admissions process
Deciding whether to pursue a PhD is a major life decision. Navigating the PhD admissions process can be stressful and uncertain, especially with limited information available to prospective applicants and admitted students.
Choosing a PhD program
Doing a PhD is a big investment. It takes several years—most US programs are designed to take five years but often take longer—and a PhD is hard work and comes with significant opportunity costs in terms of advancing your career in other ways.
Applying to PhD programs
To help prospective students navigate the application process, J-PAL Africa recently hosted two webinars inviting J-PAL affiliated researchers with experience serving on admissions committees from North American and European universities to share their advice for a successful application.
University application support and mentorship programs
This document lists institutions, programs, and online resources that support and mentor
prospective African students interested in applying to economics graduate degree
programs in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe.
Guidance for writing a master’s or PhD application
This document contains links to various resources to assist you in the process of compiling an application to a master’s or PhD program.
Pre-doctoral programs
This document contains a list of institutions and programs that offer pre-doctoral positions
(pre-docs) or research assistantships (RAships), which are typically full-time jobs supporting
faculty research that lasts one to two years.
Scholarships
This document contains a list of scholarships for graduate studies in economics (and related
fields) at North American and European universities available to African students.
For early career researchers
Increasing your visibility as a researcher
A strong online presence can be an important tool for building a network. It has the potential to increase your credibility, visibility, and enhance your reputation as a knowledgeable researcher in an international setting.
Setting up international research collaborations
International research collaborations—those composed of principal investigator (PI) teams based in different countries—are increasingly common and have the potential to strengthen the capacity of research teams and the quality of research projects.
