New PhD Student Tips: Start Your Doctorate with Confidence

Becoming a new PhD student is exciting, daunting, and—if we’re honest—slightly overwhelming. One moment you’re celebrating your offer, and the next you’re wondering whether everyone else secretly knows what they’re doing while you’re making it up as you go along. That feeling is normal. Starting a doctorate is less like stepping onto a clearly marked path and more like entering a long-term research relationship with uncertainty, independence, and intellectual growth.

Based on the first-hand experience of the academics in our network, this guide brings together practical, realistic advice for PhD students—particularly those in their first year—to support a confident start to help you settle in, work productively, and avoid common early mistakes.
Whether you’re looking for practical PhD tips or guidance on how to be a successful PhD student, this post will give you a strong foundation for the years ahead.

The Reality of Being a New PhD Student

One of the biggest surprises for many doctoral researchers is how different a PhD feels from taught study. There is no timetable telling you what to do each week, no reading list that guarantees success, and no single “right” way to work.
As a PhD student, you are expected to:

If this feels uncomfortable at first, that’s a good sign. It means you’re doing real research.

New PhD Student Starter Pack: What You Need If You’re Starting a PhD

Forget the aesthetic desk setups on social media. A realistic new PhD student starter pack focuses on systems, habits, and expectations rather than cute stationery - even if a nice notebook does sometimes help!

1. A Clear Understanding of Your Programme

Make sure you know:

Many first-year PhD students struggle simply because no one explained the structure clearly. Ask your supervisor early.

2. A Working (Not Perfect) Research Plan

You do not need a flawless project in month one. What you need is:

3. A System for Reading and Note-Taking

Reading will consume more time than you expect. Decide early:

Changing systems mid-PhD is not ideal. Choose something sustainable at the start.

How to Prepare for a PhD (Even After You’ve Started)

Many students assume that preparation for doctoral study happens before enrolment. In reality, most new PhD students only begin to understand what a PhD involves once they are already immersed in it. Learning how to prepare for a PhD is therefore an ongoing process that continues throughout the first year and often beyond. Rather than trying to feel “ready” from the outset, you should focus on developing the habits, mindset, and skills that support long-term research.

Learn How Academic Research Really Works

One of the most important adjustments for any PhD student is understanding that doctoral research does not progress in a straight line. Unlike taught degrees, where effort is often rewarded quickly through marks and feedback, PhD work is slow, recursive, and intellectually demanding.

You may spend long periods reading without writing, rethinking research questions you thought were settled or even exploring ideas that ultimately lead nowhere. And that's fine.

This may feel like you’re wasting your time, but in reality it is how original research develops. Accepting this early can prevent unnecessary anxiety and self-doubt, particularly during the first year PhD student phase when visible progress can feel limited.

A realistic account of this transition—and how to manage it—can be found in this guide to surviving the first year of a PhD, which many new PhD students find reassuring in the early months.

Shift from Student Thinking to Researcher Thinking

Another key part of preparing for a PhD is learning to move beyond “good student” habits. At doctoral level, success is not about completing tasks set by others but about making informed academic choices yourself.

This means learning to:

Accept That Productivity Looks Different Now

As a new PhD student you may worry that you are not doing enough because your days do not always produce tangible outputs. Weeks spent reading, thinking, or revising ideas can feel unproductive when compared to essay-based study. However, at doctoral level, thinking is work. Theoretical understanding and critical engagement are foundations for everything that follows. Without them, writing becomes superficial and unstable.

One of the most valuable PhD tips we can give you is to redefine productivity in terms of intellectual progress rather than visible output alone. Keeping brief reflective notes on what you have learned or clarified can help you recognise progress that might otherwise go unnoticed.

Prepare by Building Sustainable Routines

Finally, preparing for a PhD also means preparing for the long-term nature of the project. Establishing realistic working routines early can protect both your progress and your well-being.

Effective preparation includes:

They always say that a PhD is a marathon and not a sprint. Finding out your own pace yourself is one of the most important forms of preparation you can undertake.

First Year PhD Students: Managing Your First Year Effectively

Many first-year PhD students arrive expecting to make rapid progress, only to feel unsettled when the year is dominated by reading, rethinking, and revising plans.

This stage is deliberately exploratory. Your priorities in year one should include understanding your field, identifying gaps in the literature, and developing the intellectual confidence to justify your research choices.

Treat uncertainty as part of the process rather than a personal failing. Feeling unsure about your research question, methodology, or theoretical framework is not a sign that you are “behind”. In fact, these doubts often indicate that you are engaging critically with your subject.

Learn How to Work with Your Supervisor

For many new PhD students, the supervisor relationship is one of the most difficult adjustments. Unlike taught degrees, supervision is a professional relationship built around discussion, feedback, and increasing independence.

Early in your first year, it helps to clarify:

Being explicit about expectations can prevent frustration on both sides. Remember that supervisors are not mind-readers, and different academics supervise in very different ways.

Managing the Emotional Side of the First Year

The first year of a PhD often involves a loss of confidence. You may move from being a high-achieving student to feeling like the least knowledgeable person in the room. This transition can be uncomfortable, but it is also normal.

Many first-year PhD students experience imposter syndrome, anxiety about progress and difficulty adjusting to unstructured time.

But rather than pushing these feelings aside, acknowledge them and seek support early—whether through peers, mentoring schemes, or academic skills services. A PhD is intellectually demanding, but it should not be emotionally isolating.

How to Be a Successful PhD Student (Without Burning Out)

A successful PhD student is not the one who works the longest hours, but the one who develops consistent habits, realistic expectations, and a clear sense of purpose.

Redefining Productivity During a PhD

Doctoral productivity looks very different from undergraduate or master’s study. Progress may involve weeks of reading, thinking, or revising ideas without producing visible output. This can feel unproductive, but it is essential intellectual labour.

One useful PhD tip we can give you is to track progress in terms of learning rather than word count alone. Ask yourself:

What debates do I understand better this month than last?
How has my research question evolved?
What assumptions have I challenged?

These markers often matter more than daily writing targets, especially in your first year, when you may not produce a lot of written outputs.

Setting Boundaries to Avoid Burnout

Burnout is a very real risk during a PhD—especially if you feel like you’re constantly trying to prove that you deserve to be there. Without clear boundaries, it’s easy for your doctorate to creep into evenings, weekends, and even time that’s meant to be a break.

PhD students who are normally on track tend to treat their doctorate like professional work, not a personal test of worth. That usually means setting some kind of working routine, switching off when they can, and giving themselves permission to rest without guilt.

Crucially, rest isn’t the opposite of productivity—it’s what makes sustained progress possible. Learning when to stop is just as important as learning how to work.

Thinking Beyond the Thesis

Another key aspect of success is recognising that a PhD is not only about producing a thesis. It is also a period of professional development.
Skills you build during your doctorate include:

Viewing your PhD in this broader context can reduce pressure and help you stay motivated, especially during challenging periods.

Start Your PhD with Support, Not Pressure

You don’t have to prove brilliance from day one as a new PhD student. It’s important that you’relearning how to research, think, and write at the highest academic level—over time.

The most successful PhD students are not those who never struggle, but those who seek guidance, reflect honestly, and use support strategically.

FAQs for New PhD Students

How many hours should a PhD student study?

There is no fixed number. Most PhD students work the equivalent of full-time hours, but intensity varies across disciplines and stages. Quality and focus matter far more than clocking long days.

What is a PhD student called?

A PhD student may be referred to as a doctoral researcher, postgraduate researcher (PGR), or doctoral candidate, depending on the institution and stage of study.

Are PhD students considered graduate students?

Yes. PhD students are postgraduate or graduate students, although they are often distinguished from taught master’s students because doctoral study is research-based rather than coursework-based.

What should a first-year PhD student focus on most?

IFirst-year PhD students should focus on understanding their field, refining their research question, and developing strong research and writing habits. The first year is about building foundations rather than producing large amounts of polished work.

Is it normal to feel overwhelmed during a PhD?

Yes. Feeling overwhelmed is extremely common, particularly in the early stages of a PhD. The scale of the project, combined with high expectations and independence, can be challenging. Seeking advice, support, and reassurance is a normal—and sensible—part of doctoral study.