My PhD Application Process

This is all started when my friend tell me that there is a vacant position in SMU (Singapore Management University) as a Research Assistant. And if I’m interested I could try to send my CV to his friend in SMU. I was interested with that vacancy and at 9 June 2008 I sent my CV to him. I also tell him that I’m interested to get a PhD.

At 12 June 2008 to be exact, my friend tell me that although the PhD in-take was already closed, the PhD Program Director willing to give me a chance to apply for the PhD Program. They ask me to fulfill the entire application requirement including two referees, personal statement and research statement and sent it to SMU before 20 June 2008.

I started to fulfill the application, ask for referees and writing my personal and research statement. My friend also helps me to refine my application form, personal and research statement. For the referees, I ask Mr. Sablin Yusuf (Dean of Computer Studies Faculty, Universitas Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Indonesia, www.binus.ac.id), Mr. Harjanto Prabowo (CIO of Bina Nusantara, Jakarta Indonesia, http://ict.binus.edu/) and Mr. Benny Ranti (Senior Lecturer and also my Supervisor in University of Indonesia, www.ui.edu).

After fulfill the entire documents, at 18 June 2008, I sent it to SMU by using DHL. I thought it will be able to reach SMU at 19 June 2008. But until 20 June 2008 3pm, the status is still On Delivery Courier. I start to panic, I start to call DHL officer and their tell me to call the Singapore DHL to ask it. I call the Singapore DHL to make sure that my application will be sent at 20 June 2008. I also call the SMU Assistant Manager to ask weather my application already there or not. And finally my application can successfully deliver to SMU.

At the same day, after read my application, the PhD Director (Prof. Pang) email me about my research area. He said that they don’t have any faculty that specialize in that area and he ask me weather I interested in other area which are data management, information security, or decision support systems. I reply the email and said that I’m interested in Data Management and Decision Support System. And he told me to check the SMU Professors web pages and let him know which professor’s research I’m interested in.

When reading the professor’s web pages, I’m become interested with Prof. Lau research in Decentralized Decision Making in Network Enterprise. And I email Mr. Pang about it. Not long after (24 or 25 June, I forgot the date), Mr. Lau call me and gave me a phone interview. He ask several questions about algorithm and artificial intelligent (which I almost forgot about) and he also ask about my motivation, commitment and willingness to study. At the end of the interview he said that they will give decision and inform me about my application as soon as possible. The phone interview lasted for about 45 minutes.

At 27 June 2008, finally they inform me that after a series of evaluation from our PhD review committee, I was offered admission into our PhD in Information Systems program with a full scholarship. I was exited about it. And finally what I have worked for a couple years to get a PhD scholarship payoff.

I’m also very grateful to all my friends that help me to get this scholarship. Because I know that they all gave a very good recommendation for me.

That’s how I got my PhD Scholarship and hopefully I could finished on time and with excellent result.